- Walks in the districts of Barcelona
- What to visit in Barcelona in one day
- Walk in the Gothic style
Spain is one of the most developed countries in Western Europe in terms of tourism. Interestingly, there is a vacation for all tastes: in the winter you can have a great rest in the ski resorts, in the summer - on the Mediterranean Sea. There is no high or low season for travelers heading to the capital or other Spanish cities. As there is no problem with the answer to the question of what to visit in Barcelona or Madrid. Each of these cities has its own attractions, unique architectural structures, cultural institutions, shopping and entertainment centers. There is only one difficulty - how to have time to see everything, remember, enjoy the rest and keep impressions for the year ahead.
Walks in the districts of Barcelona
It is clear that Barcelona is a fairly large, growing and developing city. Not all of its districts are equally popular with tourists, whose interests are mainly related to historical sites. To do this, the main routes need to be laid in the center, but it, in turn, is divided into several areas:
- The Gothic Quarter, which is the oldest district in Barcelona;
- the La Ribera quarter, which stretches all the way to the sea;
- the Raval quarter, which has its own monuments and tourist highlights.
In addition, tourists love the seaside part of Barcelona, combining a beach holiday with leisurely walks, excursions to the Drassanas shipyard, which is a monument of the 16th century and, at the same time, the Maritime Museum.
What to visit in Barcelona in one day
Beautiful and ancient Barcelona has many places of interest for tourists. You can set aside a whole day to explore the Montjuïc hill. It is not far from the seaport. Naturally, from the top of the hill, the city is visible at a glance, offering stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea.
Montjuïc will also appeal to history buffs, as there is an old fortress at its top, the building dates back to 1640. Today, it houses the Military Museum, which acquaints tourists and local residents with various armed conflicts. At the end of the 19th century, the World Exhibitions were held in Barcelona, so the townspeople tried to equip the hillsides for such important international events.
Montjuic became famous throughout Spain for the fact that it was here that the "Spanish Village" was created - this is the so-called open-air museum. It contains copies of old residential buildings and other structures, not only from Catalonia, but also from all over the country.
When deciding what to visit in Barcelona on their own, the guest should not forget about walking through the streets and squares. One of such meeting places for tourists is the Plaza de España. Firstly, from it you can clearly see the Montjuïc hill, and secondly, on this square there was once an arena for popular in Spain fun - bullfighting.
There are also architectural structures on the Plaza de España, and tourists who have come from Venice will be able to notice a clear similarity between the two local bell towers with those that they have already seen in the old Italian city, on Piazza San Marco.
You can get acquainted with the main artifacts, original museum items that tell about the history of Catalonia and its capital in the National Museum, which is located very close to Plaza de España.
Walk in the Gothic style
The Gothic Quarter is located in the heart of the Old Town, starting almost from Plaza Catalunya. This area of Barcelona got its name from the surviving buildings built in the Gothic style during the Middle Ages. This style is easily recognizable by the massiveness of the walls, small narrow windows resembling loopholes, and gloomy gray-black colors.
Another characteristic feature of the Gothic architecture in Barcelona is the chaotic nature of the buildings, many tourists have a state of mild panic when they travel along the old narrow and crooked streets. The good news is that most of these streets are closed to traffic, which allows travelers to enjoy the architectural views without worrying about being hit by a car.
The central point of the Gothic Quarter is the cathedral, consecrated in honor of Saint Eulalia, the building dates back to the 13th – 15th centuries. In the same quarter, the residence of the Catalan government is located, which, as expected, occupied the Royal Palace, there are also the remains of the so-called Roman Wall and the most popular art cafe in Barcelona with the funny name “Four Cats”. Its prototype is located in Paris, but its Spanish counterpart is also famous for its famous visitors, as well.
