One of Europe’s elite short-break destinations, Barcelona is a superb city-break destination. Barcelona travel expert Clinton Maxwell offers his tips on what to do when visiting the city.

Barcelona Attractions - Barcelona Tourist Sights - What to See in Barcelona

Barcelona has a lot to be proud of. A city literally stuffed with spectacular architecture, historical and cultural places of interest, fantastic food and a vibrant nightlife, it is no wonder tourists flock to the area. But there is more to Catalonia than Barcelona sightseeing however, including a glorious coastline, beautiful mountains and a fiercely independent spirit that will be felt by even the least informed visitor.

Make sure you have a map detailing the places of interest when you arrive in Barcelona; it is surprisingly easy to get lost in Barcelona’s bustling streets. A good place to start your tour is Gaudi’s Park Guell, an open space filled with pieces of Gaudi’s work including benches, archways, walls and balconies. It is a place where Gaudi’s imagination really had free reign, and you feel almost that the works of art are more natural than the plants and trees.

From here you can move easily on to Gaudi’s iconic work, the Sagrada Familia. This church was started in 1882 but was not finished when Gaudi died in 1926. Various attempts have been made to complete the work to Gaudi’s designs but the church is still not entirely finished and probably never will be. If you don’t think you can capture the spirit of the church in your own photographs, you might want to check out the stunning images available in postcard stands that surround the building.

Barcelona Attractions - Barcelona Zoo Visitor Information

The Barcelona Zoo was founded in 1892 and is located in the Ciutadella Park, next to the old town or Ciutat Vella. This is a great place to visit especially if you have children that are likely to lose interest in architecture and history. Some of the seven and a half thousand animals on display include pelicans, American buffalos and red kangaroo, as well as a specialist primate collection which the zoo is famous for.

There is an aquatic park within the zoo that provides a home to bottlenose dolphins among others. Dolphin shows can be seen throughout the warm summer months, and this can make a refreshing escape from the heat of the city. An acclaimed research program at Barcelona zoo is well known for sympathetic breeding of animals in captivity and protection of endangered species, which would otherwise become extinct.

The main avenue in Barcelona, La Rambla is a riot of colour, bustling with flower stalls and street performers at regular intervals along the promenade. The main hotels and restaurants centre around La Rambla, but you may get a better deal and more authentic dishes if you explore a little further out. One place not to be missed is the Boqueria, a fantastic food market to one side of La Rambla, packed full with exotic delicacies.

The port area received a face lift with the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. The Olympic village was situated right on the coast and the area is marked by the dual towers of the Arts Hotel, Mapfre Towers and Nova Icaria Square. The main Olympic sites can be found on top of Montjuic, a hill overlooking the city, whcih can be reached by cable car.

Clinton Maxwell writes for www.barcelona-information.com, an informative site for those travelling in Spain and the Costa Brava.