With a population of 1.7 million Barcelona is the second largest city, behind Madrid, of Spain. The urban area, called Area Metropolitana Barcelona (AMB) is much bigger and includes cities such as Sabadell, Terrasa and Sant Cugat. Over 4.7 million people live within it making it Europe’s 6th largest metropolis after Paris, London, Madrid, the Ruhr area and Milan.
The public transport system is extensive and therefore you can reach all cities within AMB in 45 minutes from plaza Cataluyna.
Barcelona is the largest city on the Mediterranean Sea. Barcelona is located on the coast between two rivers, the Llobregat and Besòs and the Collserola mountains. The tallest mountain peak is 1680 feet (510 m) high. A nice bike activity for the cyclists.
There are many things to do in Barcelona all year round. Culture and water sports such as sailing, swimming, surfing in the summer. And skiing and snowboarding in the winter, because the Pyrenees are only a 90 minute drive away. Besides sailing and seeing the city from the water, there are many interesting activities and Barcelona tours.
Culture & Fashion in Barcelona
Barcelona has a rich cultural heritage and is an important cultural center. Resulting in a major tourist destination with tons of small restaurants, and cafes. Renowned are the architectural works of Antoni Gaudí (Sagrada Familia) and Lluís Domènech i Montaner (Palau de Musica). In 1992 Barcelona hosted the Summer Olympics and today hosts many world-class conferences such as the Mobile World Forum. Barcelona was named the seventh most important fashion capital of the world right after Milano.
Economics
The Barcelona metropolitan area is one of the richer regions in Europe with a GDP of $177 billion (equivalent to $34,821 in per capita terms), making it the 4th most economically powerful city by gross GDP in the European Union.
The manufacturing sector has long since been overtaken by the services sector, though it remains important. The region’s leading industries are chemical, pharmaceutical (BA), motor (SEAT, Nissan, Derbi) , electronic, textile, logistics, and IT.
Sports FC Barcelona
Barcelona is home to FC Barcelona, the most successful soccer club in the world of this millennium. The club has the largest stadium in Europe with a capacity of 100,000. The stadium and club are a major tourist attraction.
Independence
The province of Catalonia has declared independence from Spain, in a referendum that has not been accepted by the Spanish state. Contrary to many news outlets the city is not affected by this development and things have turned back to normal. Real estate prices are down because foreign investment flows stopped. This maybe a good thing, since house prices are far and beyond the reach of the normal Spaniard.
Outside Barcelona
Places to stay near Barcelona and completely immersed in nature is a frequently asked question. We tried to answer and share our experience with you in this our article best places to stay outside Barcelona.
Within 5 km from the city center start the Collserola mountains, compared by many with the central park, although almost 100 times larger. Here you can hike, for hours without seeing cars and paved roads.