Catalan notes. Instead of a preface
1. Barcelona is the capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia and the province of the same name. Port on the Balearic Sea, 120 km from the French border. The largest industrial and commercial center of Spain. Barcelona is “not Spain”, Barcelona is Catalonia, an independent city at heart, living a separate life, in an endless whirlpool of celebration, noisy tourists and residents of all colors (forgive the pun) and peoples, incredible architecture of all times, Mediterranean cuisine, incendiary music , stormy and unruly sea...
2. The population of Barcelona is 1.6 million people. Barcelona is the second most populated city in Spain after Madrid and the tenth in the European Union. The suburbs of the city are home to 3 million inhabitants, while the province of Barcelona has almost 5 million inhabitants. The inhabitants of Barcelona are Catalans, and God forbid you call them Spaniards. Proud, cheerful, noisy and unhurried, not speaking English, but happy to answer you in Catalan, and it doesn't matter that you don't understand a thing. You can forget about phrasebooks, they will not help you (well, if you only fluently understand Catalan or Spanish). Slightly lazy, like all seaside residents, who love comfort and create it around themselves in all spheres of life. Ready for experiments, creative - it was not for nothing that the city gave the world Gaudí , Miro and Dali.
3. The history of the city has almost 2 thousand years, and, probably, this is one of the few cities where you can see these millennia with your own eyes. World exhibitions of the late 19th and early 20th centuries made an impressive contribution to the development of the city, the next step was the 1992 Olympics. In 2004, the World Cultural Forum was held in Barcelona. In March 2010, Barcelona became the capital of the Union for the Mediterranean, which includes 43 countries. Unlike many European capitals, where the main attractions are concentrated in the historical center, Barcelona "scattered" them all over, even the most remote neighborhoods.
4. Barcelona - Mecca of tourism. It seems that there are more tourists in the city than locals. If you don’t like walking in the crowd, go for night walks around the city (fortunately, it’s safe), or come in the “off season” (although this concept almost never happens here). The public transport network is well developed. Tram, metro, bus, train + funicular, cable car (to get to Tibidabo and Montjuic). A single ticket costs 2 euros. Subscriptions for 10.50 or more trips are sold. By buying them, you save a lot, because one trip will cost you a little less than a euro, and besides, the ticket will be valid for 75 minutes from the moment of the first composter (transport can be changed, but the ticket needs to be punched every time). At all stops you will see a mega-map of routes, a timetable and an electronic scoreboard that will inform you about the next bus. It is also important to note that the suburbs of Barcelona are divided into zones - from 1 to 6. Barç a itself, as well as Castellfedels and a couple of other towns, are included in the first zone, where the indicated tariffs apply. Further, the tariffs increase depending on the zones.
5. Bass tourist - undoubtedly convenient and acceptable (compared to other prices) thing - 26 euros / 1 day or 34 euros / 2 days. There are 3 tourist routes in the city. Red - the most popular - covers Montjuic, the promenade, Plaza Catalunya and the Quarter of Disagreement (essentially the city's main must-see). Blue - will take you through the "upper level of the city", past the Park Gü ell and the Sagrada Familia. Green is very specific and worth your attention only if you have enough time and are interested in modern architecture (Olympic village, modern districts, waterfront). IMHO, you can safely do without bass tourists (as we did) and see the city on your own. Circumstances (or rather the weather) so happened that we nevertheless rode the bus after a whole day, and I am ready to admit that it is very convenient and informative (but a little expensive). It all depends on your preference ; )
6. The city is truly immersed in greenery. Gardens, parks, squares literally at every step. Beautiful fountains, made in both classical and modern styles, are present in almost every green area of the city.
7. The kitchen is a fairy tale, a gastronomic paradise and a fountain of emotions. Be prepared for queues at good establishments, and always carefully check your bills (unfortunately, precedents for deception have happened more than once). Lunch in the tourist part of the city will cost about 40 euros for two on average. Dinner (with wine) - 60-70 euros. Be prepared for the fact that you can mostly only have breakfast at the hotel, because. most cafes and restaurants do not open before 12.
8. Outlets are located mainly outside the city, although there are some within the city limits. A paradise for shoppers, and during the summer sales period, immediately buy an additional shopping bag
9. The prices for all services are quite high (forgive me, but after the last trip to the Czech Republic, which is democratic in these matters, it is very striking).
10. Car rental - if you (like us ) did not bother to book a car in advance, be prepared for the fact that it is quite difficult to do it on the day. In addition, cars have a fixed mileage per day (for small cars - about 100 km, for cars of the middle class - about 350 km). For excess you need to pay extra (about 0.15 euros / km). The price for a car usually does not include insurance and taxes, which increases the cost of renting by 40 percent. Again, these conditions are valid for a day-to-day rental, when booking in advance, the conditions are much more acceptable.
11. But in general, the city is magical and unforgettable, although peculiar and characteristic, however, like a real Catalan beauty!
In the following stories I will describe in detail our journey. Thanks for attention : )
