Barcelona, Spain

Geography: Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain and is located on the Mediterranean coast.

Distance from Pittsburgh: 6630 km or 4120m


What to see: The Barri Gòtic or “Gothic Quarter” is located in the centre of the old city of Barcelona, there are a wealth of aesthetically beautiful buildings that date right back to the Medieval Period. The Nou Camp is home to the Catalan Giants renowned for playing their own style of fantasy football which takes “pass and move” to the next level.  Picasso Museum with over 3,700 works dedicated to the most famous Spanish artist of the 20th century Pablo Ruiz Picasso, this museum will have you enthralled for many hours. Parc Guell is one of the most aesthetically stunning areas in Barcelona. Constructed between 1900 and 1914, the park benefits from a wealth of unusual architecture with a mosaic tiled dragon that acts as a magnificent fountain on arrival. Sagrada Familia is an iconic Roman Catholic Church designed by Antoni Gaudi who worked constantly on the project for more than 40 years the Sagrada Familia won’t be completed until 2026. Las Ramblas is a multitude of experiences in one area. Originating in the 18th century you’ll come across a host of fascinating acts and stalls on the 1.2km street from human statues, fortune tellers and card sharps to puppeteers, dancers and musicians. Some other places to visit that are situated just off Las Ramblas include Mercat de la Boqueria, the city’s most iconic street market dating back to 1217 and the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona’s renowned opera house which opened in 1847.

Historical Fact: There is a dispute about the founding of Barcelona. There is one camp which claims that Hercules founded the city about 400 years before the building of Rome. The other side believes that Barcelona was built by Hamilcar Barca, the father of Hannibal. The name Barcelona comes from the Barca family of Carthage who ruled the area in the 3rd century before Christ.

Art Fact: Antoni Gaudi is considered one of the great architects who vastly influenced buildings in the city. His La Sagrada Familia, a Roman Catholic Church was begun in 1882 and is still under construction many years after his death.

Sports Fact: The city’s name has become all the more famous recently ever since the football team FC Barcelona won the Champion’s League trophy in May 2009 defeating the very highly regarded Manchester United. The nickname of the team is” blaugrana’, based on the blue and maroon colors that the football team wears for all its games. The same colors are worn by all the teams that represent FC Barcelona in other games like basketball, handball and hockey.

Fun Fact: Saint Georges Day is the national feast day in the region and on this day it is a tradition to present your near and dear ones with roses and books. This was the inspiration for the UNESCO to declare April 23rd as the International Day of Books.

Interesting Fact: Drivers in Barcelona are considered among the worst in the world, with accidents occurring in the city every nineteen seconds! This can go up to ten accidents every second on weekends, which makes it safer to walk than to drive.

Crazy Fact: Walk down the Portal de l’Àngel if you want to walk down the most walked down street in Spain and you will be one among approximately 3500 others who throng the street every hour!