Resting in Catalonia, be sure to schedule a trip to Barcelona. To be here and not to see this beautiful city, it is equivalent to what to be in Paris and not see the Eiffel Tower.
Barcelona must be visited more than once. For one visit, you can see here only the most iconic places that show a greater number of tourists. The second arrival can be organized independently. There will be no problems. From any resort town to get to the "Pearls of Catalonia" you can by train by running along the entire Mediterranean coast. Question in the duration of the journey.
The first time the excursion tour is better to buy from the hotel guide or in the travel agency of your city. The cost per person ranges from 45 to 60 euros, depending on the fullness of the tour and its content. You can safely buy excursions in travel agencies. The cost is cheaper, no deception. Complete groups from Russian-speaking tourists, excellent guides, comfortable buses. There are agencies from famous tour operators. Choose verified, such as Tez Tour, Coral Travel and others. You can safely take children to such a journey, they will also be interested to see the sights of Barcelona. There is another option. Excursions with small groups with a personal guide, for example, hiking in Barcelona - 50 euros per person, by car - 180 euros.
What are the most popular attractions? Of course, this is La Rambla Boulevard - walking street similar to Arbat in Moscow or, say, a big Pokrovskaya Street in N.Novgorod. You will immediately warn your guide that the valuable things on the trip do not take even passports. It should be limited to their copies. On La Rambla "works" a whole "professional" group of thieves-pockets. Already many tourists remained without documents. Boulevard itself is divided into 5 parts, each of them as an independent object. For example, on the florist boulevard, it is possible to acquire exclusively flowers, there are many here, but the Kapuchin Boulevard is directly associated with the opera house, located right there. In this part of La Rambla, many actors who are grated as if these are not people, but statues. Only by paying them (at least 1 euro), they come into motion. Here and Don Quixote, cowboy, fantastic characters. Attractive spectacle, past this not pass.
At the end of the boulevard there will be a monument to Kolubem. It is the beginning of the port part of Barcelona.
I am very advised to return back the same way. With my fellow traveler, I decided to see the next streets, assuming that they were walking parallel to La Rambla. It turned out that there is no. Then I had to make a big hook, in order to walk to your bus. Almost late.
Next excursion - Park Guell. In Barcelona, a lot of architectural structures related to the name of the famous architect Antonio Gaudi. His famous houses with facades having columns in the form of human bones and balconies in shape, resembling skulls (Balo House), or a Mila House, which is still due to the fancy of the forms, and it does not have a single straight line, called "Quarter". Guell Park is the greatest Creation of Gaudi. Everything is impressive here. First, the idea itself, the idea. Unusually and creative. The feeling that you are in a fairy tale. Secondly, architectural forms of buildings and structures are intricate, fantasy.
Even to the creation of a shape of the bench on the observation deck, the architect approached very extraordinary. Not in vain say that "all ingenious simply." So far, Beton Gaudi has not yet frozen asked to sit down one of the workers and received bends of the bench corresponding to the natural bends of the body of a sedentary person. After sitting on this bench, you are convinced unambiguously, it is comfortable here.
Third, technique. Everywhere used color mosaic, it adds effect, there is a feeling of a holiday. Roofs of houses are covered with icing, like gingerbread. There are always a lot of tourists here and everything with photos and video cameras. There is something to capture.
A tour of Barcelona includes a visit to the famous "long-term" - the Cathedral of the Holy Family (Cagrand Familia). Cathedral is already built for almost 130 years. The duration is related to the fact that construction is carried out exclusively for donations. Wars and some internal "cataclysms" also put their imprint, delaying the passage of this grand object. The first architect was not Gaudi, but he significantly changed the project. The cathedral has several facades - Christmas, passion and resurrection. Each of them are represented in the form of sculptural compositions Bible topics. The work is very complicated, requiring special skill and, of course, time. The date of delivery of the cathedral is scheduled for 2016. We are lucky contemporaries. We will witness such a large-scale event. Take a picture of the cathedral is difficult. You can only fragmentally.
In one of the nearby souvenir shops, you can see it all in a reduced copy.
The last and final stage of the trip about 8 pm steel singing (or they are called still mystical) fountains. Yes, there is some similarity from Peterhoform, but here everything is much more powerful and pile.
Spectators are a lot. The show itself starts at 8 o'clock, it is better to come early to find a comfortable place. About 3 million liters of water as if "dancing" to the music of Bach, Tchaikovsky, performing different and non-repetitive figures, enhanced by backlight. The spectacle is ambitious. There are many impressions, especially the children are welcome. For them, this show will become unforgettable for many years, however, as for adults.
In the second arrival you can already go by yourself, the benefit that intelligence has already been held. An independent trip is better to start with Catalunya Square. You will find yourself from the subway where the train will bring off the coast. From this area originated and Boulevard La Rambla and Passage Grace. Immediately there is a trading house El Cort-Ingles. True and during the period of discount prices there is high.
Not far from the square is the main Cathedral of Barcelona Sv. Kresta and St. Evlalia. This is a building performed in a classic gothic style.
It is interesting to just walk through the narrow streets of the historic quarter, visit the S. Dali Museum. You can still combine a walk with shopping. A huge number of boutiques along La Rambla and in the neighboring streets. In the season of discounts (July-August) prices are reduced by 70%.
Barcelona can not be loved by the first time. It is impossible to know it and for two arrival. But it will be the stimulus to come here again and again.