Barcelona

In 1900, Eusebi Güell i Bacigalupi commissioned his friend Antoni Gaudí to design and build the garden... city of Parc Güell - which was to become Gaudí's most colourful architectural creation. The park is very extensive, so it is easy to escape the hordes of people around the famous buildings. Colourful shards of tile and ceramic have been used to produce countless imaginative mosaics on the roofs of the pavilions, adding an eccentric charm to the whole park. The real attraction is the Plaça de la Naturalesa - a huge terrace with a spectacular view down to the harbour. The sides of the square are lined with the famous snake bench. In the "Hundred Column Hall" below, many street musicians make the most of the excellent acoustics of the open hall. If you wander on through the complex, you come across idyllic little arcades and, at the foot of the hill, the Gaudí Museum. This is where the artist lived for nearly 20 years, and in the church-like building, you can still admire today the extravagance and playfulness of the architect in many little details. more

The first planned expansion of the old town took place from 1753 onwards in the triangle between Port... Vell, Estació de França railway station and the Olympic Port. "Little Barcelona" with its streets at right-angles to each other and the standard two-storey apartment blocks has a truly unique atmosphere. Many fishermen and sailors live here and it has remained a nice district for ordinary people - all within view of the chic beaches and the "in" restaurants and bars in the new port. The popular bathing strip on the sea front stretches along Passeig Marítim; the Platja de Barceloneta is very busy nearly all year round. At the weekends in particular many locals consider a long visit to one of the numerous fish restaurants in La Barceloneta a must - those wishing to get a highly sought-after table outside at lunch-time in the warm weather should decide on one of the restaurants as early as possible. Finally, after touring La Barceloneta you can take the cable car (Transbordador Aéri) over the port. more

The historic royal shipyard surrounds this excellently built ocean and shipping museum. The Gothic civil... architecture alone with its halls, bricks and arch justifies a visit. The ensemble was integrated into the medieval city walls in the 14th century. The museum is all about the ocean and its issues. Nautical devices, galleons, marine charts, models of boats and real boats. The history of the Barcelona haven is also on topic. The showpiece is the replica of “Juan de Austrai” from the 16th century. The museum cafe is also worth a visit. more