Forget me not: 5 reasons to remember barcelona
Officially classified as a world-class city, Barcelona is one of the most popular urban places in the world. The capital of Catalonia, Barcelona offers great weather, a vibrant night-life and is famous for its history of style and culture.
La Sagrada Familia - photo by H Anderson
1. FC Barcelona
If you're visiting Spain and a lover of football then the Nou Camp Stadium is the place to be and F.C. Barcelona is the team to watch.
The Nou Camp is recognized as one of the best stadia for atmosphere anywhere in the world and with a club that is known for playing attacking and attractive football. In fact F.C Barcelona are so good they receive plaudits even from non admirers of 'the beautiful game.'
The team are idolized locally, where football is like a religion and fans have been known to show their appreciation by showering the pitch with ticker-tape, or if they are dissatisfied they have hurled animal parts onto the field - as was the case when former idol Luis Figo returned to the Nou Camp while playing for fierce rivals Real Madrid.
A philosophy of playing stylish football has lured some of the most skilful players ever to grace the game to adorn the blue-maroon shirt of Barcelona, including: Luis Suárez, Johann Cruyff, Diego Maradona and Ronaldinho.
2. Architecture
Some of the most amazing architecture in Spain stands in Barcelona. The Barri Gòtic ("Gothic Quarter" in Catalan) is the Centre of the old city and many of the buildings date from medieval times, some from as far back as the when the Romans settled in Barcelona.
Catalan modernisme architecture (often known as Art Nouveau in the rest of Europe), developed between 1885 and 1950 and left an important legacy in the city. A great number of these buildings are World Heritage Sites.
Barcelona won the 1999 RIBA Royal Gold Medal for its architecture - the first time that the winner had been a city - and not an individual architect.
The work of Antoni Gaudi is particularly remarkable and is evident throughout the city.
3. Beaches
Barcelona has seven beaches, totalling 4.5 km of coastline. Sant Sebastià and Barceloneta are the biggest, oldest and most popular beaches in the city.
Since the massive clean-up operation of the beaches and nearby Olympic Marina and village undertaken for the 1992 Olympics, Barcelona's beaches have become a magnet for locals and foreigners alike. A lot of effort goes into maintaining the cleanliness of both sand and sea, which is tested daily, and all beaches have disabled access, lifeguards (in season), showers and sun beds.
4. Parks
Barcelona houses a number of lovely parks, covering 10% of the city. In total Barcelona contains 68 municipal parks, divided into 45 urban parks, 12 historic parks, 6 forest parks and 5 thematic (botanical) parks.
The most popular of these parks are the Montjuïc (the largest), the Ciutadella Park (situated in the place of the old military citadel, which houses the Parliament building, the zoo and several museums), the Guinardó Park and the Park Güell, which was designed by Gaudi.
5. Antoni Gaudi
Antoni Gaudi's work is admired by architects around the world as being one of the most unique and distinctive architectural styles.
Gaudi's style was greatly influenced by forms of nature and this is reflected by the use of curved construction stones, twisted iron sculptures, and organic-like forms which are traits of Gaudi's Barcelona architecture.
Probably Gaudi's greatest ever work and the No.1 attraction in Barcelona is La Sagrada Familia. This immense but still unfinished church - which has been under construction since 1882 - is still financed by private donations and planned for completion around 2026.
Conclusion
Barcelona is a fantastic city, full of elegance and character. With amazing architecture, plenty of parks and a fabulous football team, Barcelona is truly a sight to behold, a magical city graced with style and substance.
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