Barcelona - Guide Trips - Which Definitely Should Be Visited

• published: 04 Dec 2014
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Barcelona (/bɑrsəˈloʊnə/, Catalan: [bərsəˈɫonə], Spanish: [barθeˈlona]) is the capital city of the autonomous community of Catalonia in Spain and the country's 2nd largest city, with a population of 1.6 million[2] within its administrative limits. Its urban area extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of around 4.5 million people, being the sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris, London, Madrid, the Ruhr area and Milan. About five million[3][4][5][6][7] people live in the Barcelona metropolitan area. It is the largest metropolis on the Mediterranean Sea, located on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs, and bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola mountain range, the tallest peak of which is 512 metres (1,680 ft) high. Founded as a Roman city, in the Middle Ages Barcelona became the capital of the County of Barcelona. After merging with the Kingdom of Aragon, Barcelona continued to be an important city in the Crown of Aragon. Besieged several times during its history, Barcelona has a rich cultural heritage and is today an important cultural centre and a major tourist destination. Particularly renowned are the architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner, which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean is located in Barcelona. The city is known for hosting the 1992 Summer Olympics as well as world-class conferences and expositions and also many international sport tournaments. Barcelona is one of the world's leading tourist, economic, trade fair and cultural centres, and its influence in commerce, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities.[8][9] It is a major cultural and economic centre in southwestern Europe, 24th in the world (before Zürich, after Frankfurt)[10] and a financial centre. In 2008 it was the fourth most economically powerful city by GDP in the European Union and 35th in the world with GDP amounting to €177 billion.[11] In 2012 Barcelona had a GDP of $170 billion; it is leading Spain on both employment and GDP per capita change.[12] In 2009 the city was ranked Europe's third and one of the world's most successful as a city brand.[13] In the same year the city was ranked Europe's fourth best city for business and fastest improving European city, with growth improved by 17% per year,[14] but it has since been in a full recession with declines in both employment and GDP per capita, with some recent signs of the beginning of an economic recovery.[15] Barcelona is a transport hub with the Port of Barcelona being one of Europe's principal seaports and busiest European passenger port,[16] an international airport, Barcelona–El Prat Airport, which handles above 35 million passengers per year,[17] an extensive motorway network and a high-speed rail line with a link to France and the rest of Europe.[18] The name Barcelona comes from the ancient Iberian Barkeno, attested in an ancient coin inscription in Iberian script as Barkeno in Levantine Iberian script,[19] in Ancient Greek sources as Βαρκινών, Barkinṓn;[20][21] and in Latin as Barcino,[22] Barcilonum[23] and Barcenona.[24][25][26] During the Middle Ages, the city was variously known as Barchinona, Barçalona, Barchelonaa, and Barchenona. Some sources say that the city may have been named after the Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca, who was supposed to have founded the city in the 3rd century BC.[27] Barcelona's name is sometimes abbreviated as 'Barna'. Nowadays, foreign people sometimes mistakenly refer to Barcelona as 'Barça', the popular name of the F.C. Barcelona sports club. Some people (mainly in Catalan and Spanish) also use 'BCN', often written 'Bcn' or 'bcn', which actually corresponds to the IATA airport code of the Barcelona-El Prat Airport. The city is also referred to as the Ciutat Comtal in Catalan, and Ciudad Condal in Spanish, owing to its past as the seat of the Count of Barcelona. The founding of Barcelona is the subject of two different legends. The first attributes the founding of the city to the mythological Hercules. The second legend attributes the foundation of the city directly to the historical Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca, father of Hannibal, who named the city Barcino after his family in the 3rd century BC.[28]