| Barcelona faces the Mediterranean Sea on the | | | | The city of Barcelona itself has an amazing variety in |
| northeast coast of the Iberian Peninsula and is built on | | | | its landscape ranging from the beaches to the |
| a plateau around 3 miles wide with a backdrop of the | | | | mountains and rivers and every kind of park in |
| Collserola Mountains and between two rivers, the | | | | between. There are historical parks like the Ciutadella |
| Llobregrat to the south-west and the Besos to the | | | | Park with the houses of parliament, a zoo and several |
| north, it is obvious why people settles there and it has | | | | museums to see you will soak up all the culture and |
| been used as a tactical stronghold throughout history | | | | history of Barcelona. Montijuic Park has a mountain |
| even by the Romans. | | | | and 203 hectares of natural beauty and wildlife if you |
| There are two stories about the founding of | | | | need to escape the crowds. |
| Barcelona, one is that is was founded by Hercules 400 | | | | Barcelona also boasts seven beaches which total |
| years before Rome was founded but the second | | | | nearly 3 miles of beach but there are some distinctions |
| attributes the foundation of the city to Carthaginian | | | | between them, Sant Sebastia and Barceloneta are the |
| Hamilcar Barca, the father of Hannibal, who named the | | | | largest and more tourist oriented beaches but the five |
| city Barcino which is the family name in the 3rd | | | | other beaches have been separated by the Olympic |
| Century BC, founding there because of the strategic | | | | port built for the 1992 Olympic Games. The other |
| importance in the region. The mountain range | | | | smaller five beaches were opened for the games |
| surrounding Barcelona at the highest point is 512m or | | | | after some major reconstructions took place |
| 1680ft high called Tibidabo, it has a telecommunication | | | | demolishing lots of old industrial buildings. |
| tower that can be seen throughout the city but if you | | | | The Placa Catalunya is the cities historical centre and |
| take a trip to the peak it is a great place to see the | | | | to understand the city of Barcelona you must visit the |
| whole of Barcelona. | | | | Barri Gotic which homes some of the most |
| The city of Barcelona enjoys an amazing | | | | spectacular gothic building ever built. The other major |
| Mediterranean climate with sunshine and warmth | | | | part of Barcelona is the Avinguda Diagonal which |
| throughout the year but is especially in the summer | | | | homes the modern and commercial heart of |
| months where the average highest temperature | | | | Barcelona with several skyscrapers the tallest is a |
| ranges from 24 to 28 degrees Celsius and the lowest | | | | Hotel Arts and its twin Torre Mapfre that are 505ft tall. |
| is from 16 to 17 degrees Celsius so you can almost | | | | The city has aspects of the modern and the traditional |
| guarantee a sunny spell on your holiday. There is more | | | | in terms of architecture and marries the two through |
| of a humid stormy period from August to November | | | | its series of themed parks such as the Oreneta Castle |
| but the driest is from February to July. This is not | | | | Park, Diagonal Mar Park and the Labyrinth Park. |
| necessarily typical of the Spanish Mainland as other | | | | Barcelona can really offer travellers and tourists a little |
| areas can vary much more dramatically. Barcelona | | | | piece of everything including easy access to the |
| does have the same annual rainfall as London but | | | | Pyrenees as this great ski resort is only 125 km from |
| Barcelona tends to be more irregular and torrential | | | | the city it is lively and busy throughout the year and |
| outbursts rather than the more stable rainfall of | | | | has endless sites to see as well as beaches to rest |
| London. | | | | and relaxation. |