Women texting on a bench near Sagrada Familia, Barcelona; credit martin-dm
3 Days In Barcelona
3 Days In Barcelona is time well spent Located on the northeastern coast of the Spanish Mediterranean. It’s really a collection of diverse cities worth seeing in 3 days or more. It has all the conveniences of a large modern Western city such as a Metro system, plenty of taxis, a working port city, port side attractions, major museums, grand monuments, an Olympic Village, an extraordinary park designed by a foremost artist of the 20th century and the little something extra that makes residents artist park.
As the capital of Catalonia, which is similar to a state capital in America, you’ll be as impressed with its Capital building as the U.S. Capitol.
Why does a 21st-century city with wide boulevards strike such a contrast with its maze of narrow streets at its core? Visitors unfamiliar with Barcelona’s history are surprised that such a modern city preserves its historic center almost intact.
Turns out the city dates back to the founding of a Roman colony here in the second century B.C. You can see Roman ruins exposed under Plaça del Rei entrance by the city museum. Roman street grid planning is visible today in the layout of the historical center of the Gothic Quarter.
Another important artifact of Roman times is the Basilica La Seu founded in 343 AD. Barcelona was conquered by the Visigoths in the 5th century, by the Moors in the 8th century, reconquered by Charlemagne’s son Louis, and then reconquered by the Moors again in 985 AD. Of those conquerors, the Moors left the biggest architectural impact.
Modern Barcelona blossomed after the 1888 World’s Fair in terms of industrialization, cultural events, and the arts. In fact, Barcelona is known for the award-winning industrial design of its hotels and convention center. As a result, a growing number of national and international events are attracted here each year, where Catalonian pride is on full display.
Barcelona has seven beaches totaling about 3 miles of the Mediterranean coastline. Sant Sebastià and Barceloneta beaches are the most popular, but Nova Icària, Bogatell, Mar Bella, Nova Mar Bella, and Llevant are respectable as well. These beaches were opened to host the 1992 Summer Olympics.
Speaking of those Olympics, the city is blessed with many sports Barcelona has several business districts L’Illa, Diagonal Mar, La Maquinista, Glòries, and the Maremagnum by the port.
Americans don’t think of Barcelona as a shopping capital like Madrid. But surprisingly, you can load up on local jewelry and designer gear, or sink all day parsing the many antique shops for great deals.
Though Barcelona celebrates the great Spanish artist Pablo Picasso with a museum, the revered Antonio Gaudi has made the city his personal playground. Gaudi’s Güell Park, Casa Batllo, Casa Milo, and the triumphant Sagrada Familia are masterpieces of outdoor art that are experienced as much as seen.
La Rambla is a half-mile walkway through the heart of the city hosting kiosks, restaurants, bars, and street performers until the early hours of the morning. It’s the heartbeat attraction of the city.
Plaza Catalunya has a large central square hosting a modern monument, fountains, sculptures, and grass. Some consider it the unofficial heart of the city.
Barcelona could have been just another working port city on the Mediterranean like Marseille, but clearly set its sights on higher, diverse purposes. When you summarize all the attractions today and those to come, Barcelona may well be the most exciting coastal city in Europe.
Matters worsened from 1462-1473 during the Catalonian Civil War and the marriage of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella of Castile in 1469 united the two royal lines to form a unified Spain. For inquiring minds there’s a lot more to probe in Barcelona History.
