The Empire controlling Barcelona grew and fell over the centuries, with times of peace and of war. This rich and exciting history is part of what makes Barcelona a fascinating destination to visit. Today, Catalonia is one of Spain's seventeen autonomous communities and Barcelona is its capital. Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain.
Barcelona contains an old city area which is known to be one of the most romantic in all of Europe. The area is full of charm with its small shops and streets. It is a lovely area to just wander around and take in the atmosphere. There are beautiful old buildings that are worth seeing for their architecture which is a mix of Gothic, Romanesque and Renaissance.
The Rambla is one of the landmarks that make Barcelona famous. It stretches from Pl. de Catalunya to the Columbus statue. It is filled with kiosks, animal stalls, flower stalls and artists. Here you will brush shoulders with many of the locals who also spend time in this colorful area. If you enjoy a bit of sunshine, Barcelona can offer that to you as well. It has recently been involved in a seafront recovery operation and now boasts four kilometers of beautiful beaches.
Alongside the historical areas of the city of Barcelona, visitors can find a modern cosmopolitan city. It is easy to find a large variety of night life activities. The city offers anything from discos to pubs, concerts to terraces and many varied and popular fiestas and shows. If old architecture is not your style, you will also find that Barcelona is a center of Modernist architecture. In fact, it appears to be at the forefront of international tendencies in this regard.
Barcelona contains any number of accommodation options anything from hotels to hostels and many choices in between. The hotels in Barcelona are very popular and they tend to have up to 85% room occupancy throughout the year. If you decide to stay in a hotel, it is recommended for you to book your room well in advance to avoid disappointment.
In Barcelona, you will also be able to find holiday apartments throughout the city that are available for rent. Surprisingly, these are not very popular so you are likely to be able to find excellent deals here. The advantages of a rental apartment are that you will often find an apartment to rent, at a reasonable price, in an area where hotel accommodation is often booked up well in advance (such as by the beach). They also offer privacy and space to a degree that you will not be able to find in a hotel. Barcelona also offers 'aparthotels' and hostels. Aparthotels are apartments within hotels which have self-catering facilities. They offer more space, more privacy and generally better prices, with slightly fewer amenities than hotels. Hostels are shared accommodation that are excellent if you are traveling on a budget.
