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Barcelona Spain Travel
Barcelona is Spain's 2nd city.
Barcelona isn't 2nd anything; a
dynamic city, it is the capital of
the rich and diverse region of
Catalonia, between the French border
and Aragon.
Barcelona entered a golden age when
playing host to the 1992 Olympics.
This event initiated some urban
redevelopment. Barcelona has become
the design, fashion and leisure
center of western
Mediterranean while the Catalan
culture flourishes. Barcelona is
bilingual but Catalan is primary
language over Spanish.
The streets of Barcelona are lined
with charming buildings with outdoor
cafes. Barcelona is a
architectural gem regardless of
where you look.
The Placa de Catalunya is a handy
point of reference. The tourist
office is here and the large
downtown square is a hub for buses
and metros, as well as a boundary
between several key neighborhoods,
the Eixample, the Port Vell (Old
Port), and the Barri Gótic (Gothic
quarter). The Eixample -- the name
means extension -- was developed in
the 1850's, after the old city's
walls were demolished. The
neighborhood, a lovely ensemble of
tony shops, private residences,
hotels, museums and cafes, reminds
me of the blocks between Madison and
Park on the Upper East Side. The
Passeig de Gracia, the Rambla de
Catalunya and the streets connecting
them are the heart of the
neighborhood and well worth
exploring.
Barcelona is influenced by France,
whose
border is less than a hundred miles
away, Barcelona is widely
acknowledged to be the intellectual
capital of Spain, as liberal as
Madrid is conservative, and with a
liberal Catholic clergy whose
positions are often dramatically
opposed to those of right-wing
bishops elsewhere. Its residents are
avid music lovers and
conversationalists, passionate
theatergoers, delirious about the
concerts and recitals in their
stunning Palau (Palace) de la Musica
(no other theater on earth is
designed with such gaudy verve), and
loudly patriotic--but only on behalf
of Catalonia, not Spain. More than
70% of all the books read in Spain
are published in Barcelona.
