The metropolis is the second-largest city in Spain behind Madrid, well-known and famous throughout the world for various reasons and it's an absolute pleasure to visit. Of the 50-60 cities in Europe which I've visited then it's undoubtedly up there with the best.
Barcelona is actually situated in Catalunya - a region which has had its well-documented problems in wanting to declare independence from Spain in recent years, but I'm not going to focus on that particular issue in this blog post because 1) I don't know the specifics of the situation and 2) My visit to the city was made purely for personal reasons.
Anyway, if you do book a trip here, the probabilities are that you'll already have a decent idea of what you want to see/do before you even arrive - whether it be admire Gaudi's artwork that can be seen here, there and pretty much everywhere, watch a football match or just chill-out on the beach.
There's certainly plenty to do and you definitely won't get bored.
When I arrived for my four-day visit in February 2016, temperatures were 'red hot' and on a par with typical British summer temperatures and I was immediately welcomed with a big bang as Chinese New Year celebrations were taking place in the city centre!
The coach station (where I arrived) is as central as you can get and it's within a half-hour stroll from the Sagrada Familia, Las Ramblas and Barceloneta Beach. However, you're more likely to arrive in the city at Barcelona Sants Railway Station which is further afield and will require a connection on the metro to get to wherever you're heading. The Railway Station (and less so, the city as a whole), has a reputation for being a hot-bed for pick-pockets though, personally speaking, I didn't see any of this during my stay and it was a really relaxing few days in a very nice place.
What makes Barcelona great is there are endless amounts of things to see/do and the majority of them are pretty cheap to enjoy, too! Because of the grid-iron layout of Barcelona streets, it's also easy to find your way around as well.
Amongst the attractions is the Sagrada Familia (my personal favourite) which, although still not finished - and not expected to be finished soon, it's a fantastic cathedral which makes for some great photos. The beach in Barceloneta is probably the best which I've been to in Europe as it spans for a decent distance, wasn't flooded with people (or, rather, wasn't in February) and there was even an area where you could play volleyball/basketball or a number of other different sports.
I walked Las Ramblas but not with real intent to quote the Manic Street Preachers and, being honest, it came across as a big, over-crowded and narrow street full of jumble sale type stalls selling tat. There wasn't anything that caught my eye and I could understand why it's another area in the city which has a reputation for being a hot-bed for pick-pockets. Passeig De Gracia, located around a 10-15 minute walk away, was much, much better, less busy and more relaxed.
Gaudi's influence can be found everywhere in the city and it makes Barcelona unique to anywhere else which I've visited. Both Casa Batilo and Casa Mila were, literally, just around the corner from where I was staying and there's also the aforementioned Sagrada Familia which is a masterpiece of his work (and within walking distance of other places). I didn't take the time to visit Parc Guell - a UNESCO world-heritage site found in a public park in the north of the city but it's certainly worthy of a quick Google Search if you have a few spare minutes.
It's hard to mention Barcelona without thinking of the football team who play at the iconic Nou Camp Stadium and I've already previously blogged about that trip here. Even on a non-matchday, there's many reasons to go - even if it's just to say you've been to the world-famous stadium.
The city is also home to rivals RCD Espanyol who moved to a new, modern stadium around a decade ago which actually has a roof and better facilities than the Nou Camp. Previously, they played their home games at the Olympic Stadium which hosted the 1992 Olympic Games and is nowadays free for tourists to have a wander around, if they wish to do so. If you want to see the city from above then there's a cable car ride around the vicinity of the Olympic Park though I couldn't actually find the entrance so didn't get the chance to experience it - not that I was bothered because there was so much else to see, do and thoroughly enjoy!
Overall, the city has an entirely different culture to most which I've visited - hence why it's a place that I'd happily go back to in a heartbeat. There's also a whole host of budget hotels/hostels in or around the city which means you don't have to 'break the bank' and shell out fortunes on accommodation either, so what's not to like?
You don't have to be Albert Einstein to work out why Lionel Messi has never left Barcelona...
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