Barcelona
Barcelona is many people’s favorite city, and not without reason. Barcelona is a short flight from Norway, with good temperatures almost all year round, many sights and delicious food and wine that can be enjoyed at one of the city’s numerous restaurants or bars. And not least, the city is spiced with a nice atmosphere and spectacular architecture.
On top of all this, Barcelona is favored by the Mediterranean, boardwalk and associated large beaches.
Barcelona is not the capital of Spain, but undoubtedly the city is number one among tourists.
Absolutely everyone, whether they are families with children, couples of friends, love couples or people with special interests in culture, sports or sun and baths, will have one of the best travel options in Europe in Barcelona.
You will not regret a trip to Barcelona. The chance is great that you will be dependent on the metropolis and wonderful atmosphere this beautiful city has to offer.
Get to know Barcelona
Barcelona is a relatively small metropolis. It is said to be the world’s smallest metropolis. Nevertheless, many visitors do not try to explore more than a fraction of the city. Don’t go in the same trap. Barcelona is compact and you will be able to get to know the different neighborhoods and the diversity they offer together very quickly.
The first place Barcelona’s many visitors meet is Placa de Catalunya. The reason is, first and foremost, that the subway from Barcelona’s international airport stops here. From this square there are several major streets, including La Rambla, Passeig de Gracia and Calle Fontanella. Placa de Catalunya is Barcelona’s largest square and is a natural meeting place for the city’s inhabitants.
La Rambla is a great avenue that goes from Placa de Catalunya to the Colombus monument just down the harbor area. La Rambla is for Barcelona the same as Karl Johans gate is for Oslo, for good and for bad. Food and drink is much more expensive than in the rest of the city, and most Barcelona residents could dream of settling down here to eat or drink. Here there are always lots of people (and most of these are tourists), and street artists and artists of all kinds and qualities perform along the entire street. The tourists also come with pickpockets and all kinds of sellers. East of La Rambla is the Barri Gotic area, and west of La Rambla is the El Raval area.
City Profile
- Abbreviation: BCN
- Country: Spain
Barri Gotic and El Raval
These are Barcelona’s central districts. Barri Gotic is the Gothic area and has medieval buildings and small, picturesque streets. Square Placa del Rei is the center of the Barri Gotic area. Here you will also find the city’s historical museum, which gives you an insight into Barcelona’s history. Just west of Placa del Rei lies the Catedral de la Seu, which is perhaps the largest monumental building in Barcelona. Anyway, it’s a great monument to Gothic, Catalan architecture. The church was started more than 700 years ago, and it took 100 years to complete it. Catedral de la Seu is located on Placa de la Seu square, which has many cozy shops, tapas bars and cafes. Placa St Jaume is also a nice place and a natural crossroads for people going to different places in Barcelona. The small side streets of this square have a number of worthwhile shops and eateries.
El Ravel is located west of La Rambla. The area has a lot to offer, although a few years ago it was best known for being a scary place to visit in the evenings. Considerable renovation and modernization have done El Ravel well. The part of El Ravel that is closest to La Rambla is often called Barri Xines. El Ravel (and Barri Xines) are known for their cultural centers. The Center de Cultura Contemporania de Barcelona (CCCB) is a must for anyone who loves design and culture. Walk just west of Placa de Catalunya to Valdonzella and Calle Montalegre streets. Right next to you will find the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA). Located between the Placa de Catalunya and the Colombus monument on the El Raval side is Barcelona’s most popular market, the Mercat de la Boqueria, which has everything from vegetables, fish and meat.
The port area of La Ribera
The port in the area of Barri Gotic and El Raval is called La Ribera. There is a beautiful boardwalk with art galleries, restaurants, modern buildings and music bars. You will also find a “tourist port” (located on the Golondrinas), where you can experience Barcelona by boat for a reasonable sum of money.
Walk the Passeig de Colom street until you reach the Colom monument. From here you go straight to the sea and you are at the Golondrinas. La Ribera may have Europe’s largest aquarium. The aquarium can be found in Moll d’Espanya, Port Vell. It lies behind the Imax building where the advertising poster lights a long way.
Eixample area (west of Barcelona)
Eixample was the first area built outside the city walls. Here you will find fewer of the small, charming streets, and a more modern cityscape with quarters and barren streets. Eixample is located west of Barri Gotic. Since the district is so new, there are many spectacular buildings here, including La Pedrera, which is popularly known as the Mila House. This is one of Gaudi’s most famous buildings. You will find it along the Passeige De Gracia street. The area has several good hotels, and after a visit to the center of Barcelona, you can enjoy a park visit in Eixample. Parc Joan Miró offers footpaths, sports facilities and art. The park is located northwest of the city by the streets of Carrer D’arago and Carrer de Tarragona.
Montjuic area (south of Barcelona)
This area in southwest Barcelona is best known for the Olympic Summer Games that Barcelona organized in 1992. The Olympiaby is located in Montjuic and has a number of fantastic sports facilities. An attraction is the Olympic Museum, located on Passeig Olimpic Street at the Olympic Stadium. The museum is a must-visit attraction for all sports enthusiasts.
Montjuic also has bars and restaurants and is a place where both young and old can enjoy themselves. The park is located on the road to the Olympic Stadium, on the road Avinguda de Miramar. You can also take the cable car to the castle at the top from the street of the same name. Montjuic is the area for excursions and relaxation. There are a number of museums in the area.
Sagrada Familia area (northeast of Barcelona)
Northeast of Barcelona is the Sagrada Familia area. The centerpiece of the area is, of course, the church of La Sagrada Familia. This masterpiece of Gaudi began in 1882, and it is believed today that at least 50 years of work remains before the church can be said to be completed. Sagrada Familia means Holy Family. The area offers a number of other sights, such as Barcelona’s Bullfight Stadium and Barcelona Zoo.
A tip is a walk from the Parc de la Ciutadella and up the Passeig de Lluis Companys street to the Arc de Triomphe in Barcelona.
Facts about Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain and the capital of the Cataluña region. At the time of writing, the urban area surrounding Barcelona is the 6th most populous in Europe with almost 5 million people.
The city is a world leader as a tourist city and for business people Barcelona is known as one of the largest trade fairs.
Population | About. 1600000 |
Official languages | Catalan, Spanish |
Control Form | monarchy |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Time Difference | No |
Currency | Euro. Visa, AmEx and Mastercard are accepted in most places. ATMs are available almost everywhere. |
Tips | Tips are included at bars and restaurants, besides it is optional if you want to give some coins extra. |
Embassy | Norway has a Consulate General located at C / Balmes 184,5,2, 08006 Barcelona. Tel: +34 932 184983 |
Tourist | Plaza de Catalunya 17. |
Telephone | + 34 |
Emergency | 112 |
Electricity | 220/230 volts, the same two-pin contact system as in Norway. |
Holidays and Holidays | January 6, August 15, October 12 (National Day), November 1, December 6 (Constitution Day) |
Visa | Not required for Norwegians. |
Vaccinations | No vaccines are required. |
Water | Can be drunk from the tap, but not recommended. Fine toothbrush. |
Nearest major cities | Zaragoza, Valencia |
Safety | Slightly violent crime, but beware of pickpockets and scammers. |
List of Barcelona Acronyms
The most commonly used abbreviations about Barcelona is BCN which stands for Barcelona. In the following table, you can see all acronyms related to Barcelona, including abbreviations for airport, city, school, port, government, and etc.