Barcelona, Spain
City of Barcelona
Bordered by France to the north and the rest of Spain to the south, the "autonomous" region known as Catalonia is captured in its distinctive essence by its capital city - Barcelona. Very much a thriving part of democratic Spain, Barcelona and Catalonia have always been recognised, within Spain, as a culturally and linguistically unique entity.
Like so many major European cities, much of Barcelona's genuine charm and appeal is discovered below the surface. The 1992 Olympic Games may have provided Barcelona with a shiny facelift and jumpstarted a new entrepreneurial spirit, yet the city's timeless appeal is found on one's two feet. There is no better way, than walking, in which to explore the city's historic streets and alley ways, and to rub shoulders with Barcelona's sophisticated and friendly citizenry. Barcelona has become a destination for leisure travellers as well as the traditional business activity with a historic city centre and noteworthy cultural and architectural attractions.
The City has always known how to make the most of great historic events in order to launch itself into the future: the 1888 Universal Exhibition, the 1929 International Exhibition, the 1992 Olympic Games and 2004's International Forum of Culture. This traditional dynamism on the part of Barcelona has pervaded its urban and economic development. No other European city, except for Paris and Berlin, experienced such a large-scale transformation throughout the eighties - a momentum that has been maintained and continues into the future.
Above all, however, Barcelona boasts a new seafront area, which makes it the only great European metropolis which lives facing the sea. La Rambla leads down to the refurbished Port Vell which has become the city's new leisure area through the construction of the IMAX cinema, the shopping and leisure complex Maremagnum and the giant Aquarium. The new restaurants and night-time bars in the Olympic Marina exist side by side with pleasure cruisers and yachts, beaches, parks, offices and patios.