Monday 23 April 2012

Romantic Barcelona , Spain - Fun Food Football and Architecture


Talk about Mediterranean Sun , Shiny beaches , Catalan food , grand architecture , European urban lifestyle and of course best Football and the first city  in world which come to the mind is Barcelona.


It had been established as a roman city but sooner it  had acquired  the status of a medieval trade centre . This city not only has the flair of trade and urban colourful life but also enjoy the presence of the greatest concentration of the Gothic Architecture in Europe.
This city has always been a harbinger in Art , Architecture , life style  and culinary.

Barcelona City Map With Tourist Attraction


Main Attractions

1.La Sagrada Familia -

La Sagrada Famillia is the masterpiece of the famous architecture Antoni Gaudi. He worked on it on 43 years. It’s a beautiful slender architecture devoted to geometric perfection and sacred symbolism.
Gaudi played an active role in directing the construction of the Sagrada Familia until his death in 1926. He would often request that work be modified and adjusted until it was exactly what he had in mind. However today, because of the nature of the existing designs, his work is partly open to interpretation. Interpretation of the ordinal designs by present day architects is particularly challenging because the actual construction stones are irregularly shaped.

Must Watch in La Sagrada

(a) Nave Principal
(b) Pasaaion Facade – Angled Columns
(C) Nativity Facade (Fechada Del Nacimiento )
(D) Model of Colonia Guell
(E) Side Nave and Nativity Transport

Address:
La Sagrada Familia
Calle Mallorca, 401
08013 Barcelona, España
Opening hours:
October - March: 09:00 - 18:00
April - September: 09:00 - 20:00;
25 and 26 December, 01 January and 06 January: 09:00 - 14:00.

2. La Rambla









La Rambla is the most famous street in Barcelona. The wide boulevard connects the Plaça de Cataluña, a busy square, with the Columbus Monument and the city's waterfront.
It is approximately 1.2 kilometres long with Port Vell (near the cruise port terminal) at the Southern most end and Placa Cataluña at the northern most end.
The Rambla was originally a small stream flowing just outside the city walls. In the 16th century convents and a university were built along the river. In the 19th century the city wall was torn down and buildings were erected along the now dried up river. The original buildings were demolished but they are remembered in some of the names of the five different parts of the Rambla. Even though it is one continuous street, the Rambla actually consists of five 'ramblas'. That's why the street is also called Las Ramblas (Spanish) or Les Rambles (Catalan)

Must watch in La Rambla

Attractions along the Ramblas including live performances, human statue art, artists that will draw your portrait or caricature, as well as established attractions like:

Wax Museum

Erotica Museum (Museu de l' Erotica)



Christopher Columbus monument


Modernist Boqueria Market.

The place to find Mirós' circular tile mosaic can be found very close to both the Liceu Theatre and the Liceu metro. Look for a large circular coloured mosaic tiling right in the middle of the Ramblas. If you look carefully you will also find one tile that was signed by Miró.

Safty –

-Beware of the Prostitutes, Pickpockets, Thieves and Fake police.
-Avoid going in a dark street
-Keep minimal valuables at night and have them guarded properly

3. Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter )




The Barcelona Barri Gotic area is also known as the Gothic Quarter and is the area in which the old town of Barcelona is situated. As you will see from the following photos the streets vary considerably in style but the old quarter is generally characterized by narrow cobbled streets with tall old buildings.
Picasso lived and worked in Barri Gotic from 1895 to 1904 and Joan Miró was born and lived here during his youth.

Barri Gotic is situated on the right hand side of the La Rambla as we look toward Placa de Catalunya. For those of you who are new to Barcelona, La Rambla is the famous 1.2 KM pedestrianized walkway that is consider to be the very centre of Barcelona.

4. Museu Picasso -


The Picasso Museum in Barcelona is a key reference for understanding the formative years of Pablo Ruiz Picasso. The genius of the young artist is revealed through the more than 3,800 works that make up the permanent collection. Furthermore, the Museu Picasso, opened in 1963, also reveals his deep relationship with Barcelona: an intimate, solid relationship that was shaped in his adolescence and youth, and continued until his death.
The Museum is very rich in regard to work from the training periods in the life of the artist; we could say that it is practically exhaustive up to the Blue Period, of which the Museum has a priceless group of works. Furthermore, the Museum houses an important representation of works from 1917, and the series, Las Meninas (1957) and a very large Picasso’s prints collection, now displayed in the rooms opened in the beginning of 2008.


Barcelona by walk -

 Bring out a Tourist Map and Mark these sites and cover it by walk. Believe me it’s Fun !!!
1. Placa  de Catalunya – Leisurely wander down la Rambla
2. Mecat De La Boqueria – For break fast
3. Gran Teatre del Liceu – Grand Opera House
4. Palau Guell – Gaudi’s Work
5. Placa Reial 
6. Placa de Sant Jaume – Has been the political heart of the city for 2000 years
7.Museu d’Historia de Barcelona  - Must visit . keep atleast one hour of your visit for this site.
8. Barcelona Catedral
9. Museu Frederic Mares
10. Roman Walls
11. Esglesia de Santa Maria gel Mar
12. Museu Picasso
13. Marcat the Santa Caterina
14. Palau de La Musica Catalana – World Heritage Site

Other Atrractions

1. Fundacio Joan Miro
2.L’Aquarium
3. Temple Roma D’ August
4. Casa Amatller

Festivals and Events

1.Dia De Sant Joan – Midsummer festival on 24th June. Celebrated with the lovely bonfires and fire works.

2.Festa Major De Gracia – Around 15th August . Concerts , Decorated Streets and Dancing

3.Festes De la Merce – The Cities biggest party . Around 24th of September.


Paradise for the Foodies – Eating in Barcelona

Cava , Vermut , Bocalillo , Chocolate con Churros ( Donuts dipped in Chololate ), Tapas . Must treat yourself with all the Spanish dishes . eat in some roadside food stalls on the places like Marcat De la Boqueria . Eat in small portions and test in different houses rather than having the full stomach in one place.
Lear more about Spanish Food

Some places for Food and Drinks

For Food
Bar Pinotoxo
Aguts
Can Lluis
Inopia
La Llavor Deis Origens
Tapac
Barcelta

For Drinks -
Boadas
Oke
Soul Club
Marula Cafe


Entertainment in Barcelona


Pick up a copy of the weekly listings magazine “Guia Del Ocio” from news stands  for the events and entertainment in the City.
A stay in Barcelona can be replete with fun and excitement as the city promises a host of attractions to entertain the ones staying here. Entertainment in Barcelona spans a wide variety to cater to every taste and interest. While the historic theatres feature classic works and concerts to fill the ones with an aesthetic bent of mind, the younger crowds too have numerous cinema halls and casinos for hanging out.

Theatres in Barcelona -

The theatres in Barcelona are an intrinsic part of the city's entertainment. A number of theatre halls are scattered across the city to provide the dwellers here with an entertainment steeped in the city's culture. Most of the theatres in Barcelona share a legacy which dates back to the period to which they belong.

Some Famous Theatres

- National Theatre of Catalonia

- Grand Theatre of the Liceu
- Palau de la Música Catalana


Cinemas in Barcelona -

The evenings in Barcelona are packed with options to entertain the city

Famous Cine Halls
- Cines Verdi
- Cines Verdi Park
- Icaria Yelmo

- Renoir-Les Corts
- Filmoteca de la Generalita

Casinos in Barcelona -

Entertainment in Barcelona is an exciting chapter as the city holds in store much more than cultural events and aesthetic experiences. The nightlife here brings with it a different phase of entertainment as the casinos across the city throb with life and activity. A number of casinos operate across the city allowing their guests to unwind with an exciting game and a refreshing drink. The casinos are lined with a variety of slot machines to give the players a number of options in their gamble. It is indeed difficult to resist the casinos as they draw the visitors in with their luring neon signs and the promise of a prize. The most crowded casinos of the city are:

- Gran Casino de Barcelona

- Vila Olimpica
- Casino de Cataluna

Flamenco , Music Clubs and Performance

Harlem Jazz Club



Sport

Camp Nou
Tour to Camp Nou


FC Barcelona has one of the best stadiums. The 99000 seat Camp Nou in the City’s west . Tickets for national league games are available at the stadium, by Phone or online. For the latter two non-members must book 15 days before the game.

The Tourist Information –

The Tourist office
( Oficina d’Informacio de Turisme de Barcelona )

Le Coolfor weekly events listing , Subscribe for free

Barcelona Yellow
Link for everything from Gaudi to gourmet dinning
Ruta Del Modernisme
Routes, monuments and events related to modernism

Getting Around

The metro is the easiest way of getting around . You may need to take FGC suburban trains and buses on some occasions. You will get the Rout Map of the metro trains  and  from the Tourist office, the map is called “Guia d’Autobusos Urbans de Barcelona”
For the public transport information call 010


10 things you should know about Barcelona




Tickets and Travel Passes (Targetes )

Targetes  are multitrio transport tickets.You can buy that on most of the city centre metro stations.Children below four can travel for free.

For Travel zone one

Targeta T-10 – 10 rides ,(each valid for 1 and quarter Hours) on metro , buses and FGC trains.
Cost -7.85 Euro

Targeta T-DIA – Unlimited travel on all transport for one day
Cost – 5.90 Euro

The Day Tickets (according to the number of days )–Unlimited on all transport except the Aerobus. -
Two Days – Cost – 11.20 Euro
Three Days – Cost – 15.90 Euro
Four Days – Cost – 20.40 Euro
Five Days – Cost – 24.10 Euro
Website – www.fgc.net

Taxi and Trixis

Taxis are available but the cost comes higher than the public transport. They charge 1 euro for the bigger luuggege of certain measurement. You can pay by credit card in many Taxis.
Trixis – Three wheeled Taxis . For more information visit – www.trixi.info

Things to be noted -

1. Museums and galleries remain close on Monday, although most Gaudi sites open Seven days.
2. Football – Tickets to Barcelona games – Must be booked 15 days before the match.
3. Avoid going to the dark and lonely places.
4. Check the “Spanish for the Tourist” the language Guide in my Blog.
5. Guard you belongings well.
7. Instead of filling your stomach in one place, eat in small portions and try the different places.
8. Beware of the prostitutes, pickpockets and the fake police in certain area.

Why not enjoy this summer in the colourful city Barcelona 

FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA SANTANDER 2012


For Cheap Tickets

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