Barcelona Legend

One of the best spots in the Mediterranean is certainly Barcelona, which is the capital city of Catalonia. Its location at the Mediterranean Sea in the very north of the Spanish coast makes it certainly the most cosmopolitan and most economically active city in the country of Spain.

Besieged several times during its history, Barcelona is today also an important cultural centre and a major tourist destination and has a rich cultural heritage.

Of course, needless to say, Barcelona has an old history, and nothing can prove this more than the monuments of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance periods or even those that are still way before that time. Romans, Arabs and Christians all influenced Barcelona throughout the centuries. Traces of this diverse history with contrasting cultures can be found all over the city. From the Gothic Quarter built on Roman ruins to its Art Noveau Eixample district dominated by Gaudí's exuberant architecture: Barcelona surely is a city of contrasts!

According to the legend Barcelona was formed by one aristocrat Catalan family at 9th century, hundreds years before Spain. As both the Basques and the Catalans wanted to control their own affairs in Spain, this country experienced one of the most bitter and bloody wars in the world. The victorious of Spanish civil war, started in 1936 and ended in 1939, was the dictator Franco, who governed the country for 36 years. By this civil war, Catalonia lost its autonomy although its culture and language still exist in Barcelona.

Things began to change for Barcelona with the death of Generalissimo Francisco Franco and the country's 1986 entry into the European Union. Today, Barcelona offers fascinating history, pretty beaches, Moorish palaces, quaint villages, and, of course, Picasso, but the city is also full of modern-day vitality.