Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview

Barcelona retains traces of its Roman remains but it is the medieval city in the Barri Gòtic that is the most impressive legacy of the ancient past. In the 19th century, as it expanded, Barcelona became a showcase for art nouveau architecture, known in Spain as Modernisme. 

The leading exponent of the Modernista style was Antoni Gaudí, an eccentric recluse whose innovative and very individual style threw all design rulebooks out of the window in his quest to get architecture to mirror the curves and intricacies of nature. His achievements can still be savoured in a number of key buildings around the city. His masterpiece is the unfinished Sagrada Família cathedral, but his work can be seen all over town, even in the lampposts and fountains of Plaça Reial.

It was the hosting of the 1992 Olympic Games which completely transformed 20th-century Barcelona. In addition to sports arenas came major investments in both culture and infrastructure and today Barcelona is one of Europe's most popular short break holiday destinations.

Barcelona's city centre is conveniently divided by La Rambla, the main artery of Barcelona life, which tumbles from Plaça de Catalunya southeast towards the Mediterranean and the recently reborn districts of Port Vell (the Old Port), and trendy La Ribera (the Waterfront).

The atmospheric Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter), the area to the right of La Rambla (heading in the direction of Plaça de Catalunya), is the charming heart of the old city, embracing the Catedral de la Seu and Museu Picasso amid narrow streets and hidden squares.

Plaça de Catalunya divides the old town from the Eixample (a grid of streets laid out in the 19th century) in which much of the city's finest Modernista architecture is to be found, including Gaudí's celebrated Sagrada Família. Passeig de Gràcia, the most stylish street in the city, is at the heart of the Eixample and intersects with the Diagonal - the city's main thoroughfare, at its northern end.

The Montjuïc mountainside includes the remaining Olympic installations, two world-class attractions in the Fundació Joan Miró and the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, as well as great views of the city.

Tourist Information

Barcelona Turisme
Plaça de Catalunya 17-S
Tel: (93) 285 3834.
Website: www.barcelonaturisme.com  
Opening hours: Daily 0900-2100.

Other information desks can be found at the airport, Central-Sants station, Plaça Sant Jaume, Montseny, on the Ramblas, Mirador de Colom, and at the cruise terminal.

Passes

The Barcelona Card offers discounts of up to 50% and free admission to museums, entertainment and leisure venues, shops and restaurants, as well as free public transport and assistance insurance. Attractions include Museu Picasso, Casa-Museu Gaudí and Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona. The card is available for two, three, four or five days, from the main tourist offices at Plaça de Catalunya, Plaça Sant Jaume and the airport.

The ArticketBCN (www.articketbcn.org/ca) gives admission to seven of the city's main art galleries and museums, including Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC), Fundació Joan Miró and Museu Picasso. This pass is valid for six months and is available from any of the respective attractions, branches of Caixa Catalunya, or from the city's travel agencies.

The Arqueoticket offers entry to Barcelona's five most important archaeological collections: Museu d'Aqueologia de Catalunya, Museu Barbier-Mueller d'Art Precolombí, Museu Egipci, Museu d'Història de la Ciutat, Museu Marítim, and is valid for one year.