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A vote for the
‘world’s best
tourist city’
It was a Roman outpost 2,000 years ago; a trading port in medieval times and a fishing harbour for several centuries – until it turned its back on the sea and became sommer a town. Then. . . |
...In the 19th Century, a group of town planners and architects known as the ‘modernistes’ began to create an extended city reminiscent of a mix of old New York Brooklyn and the magical Land of Oz. Barcelona became a world centre and celebration of Art Nouveau
Almost 100 years later, in 1986, the city was chosen as host of the 1992 Olympic Games. Instead of embracing the forlorn hope of making money out of the event, the city decided to spend money on re-making itself. It turned round to face the sea. Miles of waterfront were rebuilt. Beaches were reclaimed. Residential areas were erected, architecturally as bold and breathtaking as Barcelona’s old modernisme. These were accompanied by the long lines of tapas restaurants on the water; shopping malls and the rest – and yes, the nautical museums; acquaria and the Olympic stadia hidden in the hills behind.
Tourist buses, running every few minutes, cover three scenic routes around the city. You can get on or off at each stop – but it will take you days to see all the places recommended. You can also walk through the Roman Barcino and the Gothic Quarter where the medieval cathedral stands. Or ramble up La Rambla to the central Plaza de Catalunya. Or stroll down the boulevard among giant bronze statues that add a new dimension to life on the streets. Or catch an aerial gondola that floats above the city or swings up to a nearby hilltop.
You may not be familiar with the name Sagrada Familia, but you should recognize instantly the ‘Gaudi Cathedral’ - an international icon as iconic as Table Mountain. As you enter the portals of this strange and awesome temple you will understand why people travel 15,000km to join the queue. The aura of dedication; the grandeur of the vision of creation; the unorthodox and free-spirited design – these cannot be described and need to be experienced, even by those not particularly interested in either architecture or religion.
Get there early to avoid the constant crowds. And get to Barcelona outside of the tourist season if possible. The port attracts unprecedented numbers of 1,000-passenger cruise liners these days; the express trains are filled; the airport is packed, the city caters for about 30,000 tourists a day in season. I found the best way to get there from Cape Town was a BA flight direct to London; then Madrid. Then enjoy the train-ride to Barcelona. (I approached the city of modernisme on a bicycle, freewheeling down from the High Pyrenees to the Costa Brava. . . but that’s another story)
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