As the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona is undoubtedly one of the most attractive cities in Europe. You will find a mixture of ancient and modern culture, with excellent tourist attractions and an impressive infrastructure. It is with good reason that Barcelona is ranked number 1 among as the world's congress city. Since the Olympic Games in 1992, the city has developed into one of the most culturally rich cosmopolitan centers in Europe and consistently ranks among the top five most-visited European destinations.
Stroll through the bustling Ramblas, which connects the city to the sea. Get to know the medieval streets of the old city with its many cozy, traditional tapas bars and restaurants. The famous Gothic Quarter is one of the most harmonious city centres in Europe with the wonderful gothic cathedral, the remains of the Roman city wall and the old Jewish Town.
The Art Nouveau buildings designed by the world - reknown Gaudi: Sagrada Familia and his second masterpiece, La Pedrera, listed as a UNESCO site, are alotne worth the visit to Barcelona.
Travelling to Barcelona also means experiencing the traditional Catalonian Mediterranean culture. A definite must is a trip to the local tapas bars, a refreshing drink at one of the many city squares and contemplating the intricacies of the human towers and its multistorey storey construction by the Castellers. And whether you're a soccer fan or not, a visit to the legendary FC Barcelona's Camp Nou is an essential part of Catalonia's rich, cultural experience.
Barcelona is the only Mediterranean and the world's third main destination for cruise ships. Each year, the Port of Barcelona serves over 1 million cruise passengers,- and during high season, up to 12 cruise ships a day anchor at the harbour.
All major cruise lines have a stopover in Barcelona and more and more cruise line companies choose Barcelona as the starting point for their cruises. You will find world famous names, such as Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean,- and MSC Italian Cruises, just to name a few.
The port is very well connected to Barcelona's international airport and to the train stations both with direct connections throughout Spain and to France, as well as the underground stations. In addition, the port is situated in the Old Town area, so you can easily walk to the Ramblas and the Gothic Quarter.
Barcelona is not only well connected to the world through its harbour. The airport serves more than 50 million passengers annually from Europe and around the world.
Barcelona, however, is more than just a tourist destination. The "Smart city" has a complete range of accommodations with more than 20,000 rooms, 180 four and five star hotels and modern conference and exhibition centres. Numerous conference centres offer all the necessary amenities for events of all sizes, from small meetings to international events such as the Forum 2004, the Barcelona World Race, the GSM Mobile World Congress and the Formula 1 at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo.
