Trifter

Barcelona is one of the most popular cities in the world, thanks to the rich culture and history of this Catalonian city. In this article, I will bring you for a short tour around Barcelona and introduce some of the many interesting places in the city.

Las Ramblas

Location : 41° 22′ 53” N, 2° 10′ 23” E

Getting there : There are 3 Metro stations connected to this area. All 3 of them are on the L3, or green line – Catalunya, Liceu and Drassanes

What’s interesting?

This is a very popular area for tourists and locals. You can witness a lot of live performances such as actors, mimes, musicians, etc. There are also a lot of small shops selling souvenirs and handicrafts. Besides that, this area is also very popular with cafes and restaurants (serving the famous tapas) but most of them charge pretty expensive price. Do beware that this area can get very crowded and pickpockets roam freely here.

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Montjuïc

Location : 41° 21′ 51” N, 2° 9′ 29” E

Getting there : You can take the Funicular de Montjuïc which is a funicular railway that operates as part of the Barcelona Metro service followed by an aerial cableway. You can take this funicular railway by stopping at the Barcelona Metro Paral-lel station.

What’s interesting?

There are a lot of things to see on this famous “Hill of the Jews” – the fortress Castell de Montjuïc, Palau Nacional, the Olympic Stadium, Font Magica fountains, Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, a modern art museum Fundació Joan Miró, the Catalan museum of archaeology and others.

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Camp Nou

Location : 41° 22′ 51.2” N, 2° 7′ 22.19” E

Getting there : You can take bus on Line 7, 15, 43, 67, 68, 74, 75, L12, L50, L60 and L62 or you can also take the Metro service on Line 3 (stop at Maria Christina or Les Corts) or Line 5 (stop at Collblanc or Badal).

What’s interesting?

Opened in 1957, this stadium can fit 98,772 people, making it the largest stadium in Europe and 11th largest in the world. It is also a UEFA 5-star rated stadium and has been the venue for many important events including the UEFA Champions League finals. Besides football, this stadium has also been used by numerous music artists such as Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra. It is currently the home to the famous football club FC Barcelona.

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Parc Güell

Location : 41° 24′ 49” N, 2° 9′ 10” E

Getting there : The easiest way to get there is to take a cab/taxi or you can take the Metro line L3 to Lesseps station. However, be prepared to walk about 15-30 minutes up a steep hill (there are escalators).

What’s interesting?

Built in the year 1900 to 1914 by the famous Catalan architect Antonio Gaudi, this garden complex is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. From here, you can see the whole of Barcelona cityscape including Sagrada Familia and Montjuïc area. It is also in this area that you will find the famous mosaic dragon designed by Gaudi. As a matter of fact, most parts of the terraces and pathways have been designed by Gaudi.

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La Sagrada Família

Location : 41° 24′ 13” N, 2° 10′ 28” E

Getting there : Take the Barcelona Metro service to Sagrada Familia station which is available on L5 (blue line) and L2 (purple line).

What’s interesting?

This giant temple is one of Gaudi’s most famous works in Barcelona. The construction started in 1882 and is scheduled to finish in 2026. There are 3 grand facades namely Nativity, Glory and Passion. Each has its own uniqueness and design. The interior is also a very complicated design and built using different materials. This has to be one of the MUST SEE locations if you happen to visit Barcelona.

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La Casa Batlló

Location : 41° 23′ 30” N, 2° 9′ 54” E

Getting there : Take the Metro line L3 (green line) and stop at Passeig de Gracia station. Take the Calle Arago-Rambla Catalunya exit and you will only need to walk about 30 seconds before reaching the house.

What’s interesting?

This house is also known as “House of Bones” due to its design. The design of the house uses skeletal, organic and underwater elements. The walls are being coloured in such a way that you can actually feel you’re in an underwater world (the walls look like water). Also, it is very hard to find a straight line in the entire house. At the rooftop, you can actually notice that it looks like the back of a dragon. A very remarkable work by Gaudi.

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La Casa Mila

Location : 41° 23” 43” N, 2° 9′ 42” E

Getting there : Take the Metro service to Diagonal station or Passeig de Gracia station.

What’s interesting?
This is another work of Antonio Gaudi. The house, also known as La Pedrera, has been completed in 1912 but was in a very bad condition in the 1980s, only to have it restored to its former glory few years later. The rooftop might look a little like the bench from Park Guell and the entire building looks pretty much like steep cliff walls used by the African tribes for their cave-like homes. Besides that, you also get to visit an apartment here where most of the interior design has been done by Gaudi himself and also a museum which contains information on Gaudi and his methods of designing.

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Montserrat

Location: 41° 35′ 30” N, 1° 50′ 16” E

Getting there: You can take the Aeri de Montserrat cable car or the Montserrat Rack Railway. From Barcelona, take the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya train from the Plaça d’Espanya station and that will bring you to both the lower stations of the rack railway and cable car.

What’s interesting?
It is the site of Santa Maria de Montserrat which hosts the Virgin of Montserrat sanctuary and has been said by some as the location of the Holy Grail in Arthurian myth. You can enjoy very spectacular scenery from this mountain and also the amazing rock formation.

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Palau de la Musica Catalunya

Location : 41° 23′ 15” N, 2° 10′ 30” E

Getting there : Take Metro service to Urquinaona station.

What’s interesting?

This concert hall was built in between 1905 and 1908, and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Its interior is very well designed, boasting one of the world’s most beautiful concert halls. It is also the only auditorium in Europe which is illuminated by natural light during daytime. Definitely a beautiful work of art. To visit this place, you can either get concert tickets or participate in a guided tour.

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Museu Picasso

Location : 41° 23′ 7” N, 2° 10′ 50” E

Getting there : You can take the Metro service L1 (red) and stop at Arc de Triomf station, or L3 (green) and stop at Liceu station, or L4 (orange) and stop at Jaume I station.

What’s interesting?
This museum which was first opened in 1963 has one of the most extensive collections of artworks done by the famous artist Pablo Picasso. There are now more than 3500 pieces of work within the museum. It is also one of the most popular museums in the whole of Barcelona.

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