After Madrid, Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain. It is also the capital and largest city of the region known as Catalonia. As well as being a major hub for tourism, it is the cultural heart of the region as well as being an important centre for commerce, media science and sports – Barcelona FC are one of the world's most well known football teams.
Climate
Barcelona is fortunate to enjoy a Mediterranean climate with relatively mild and humid winters and hot, dry summers. Although freezing temperatures and snow are rare, they can occasionally occur. The average temperature year round is 20°C in the daytime (68 °F) and 11 °C (52 °F) at night. Sea temperatures range from just 13°C in January up to a respectable 25°C in August.
Barcelona is a year round destination because it has far more to offer than mere sunshine, however, the summer holiday season is generally regarded as the period from May to October.
Nightlife
Given its position as a tourist mecca, it is perhaps not unexpected that it is also the regional centre for nightlife. It has a huge diversity of nightlife ranging from contemporary dance clubs to jazz to Irish pubs and much more besides. Here are some of the places worth looking out for:
Barri Gòtic & Las Ramblas
Las Ramblas is both a tourist hub during the day and a centre for evening entertainment. Along with the adjacent Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter and oldest part of Barcelona) there are numerous bars, clubs and pubs that throng with tourists until the small hours.
Maremagnum
Although largely a shopping centre by day, this waterfront complex is also one of Barcelona's top nightspots. By day it is home to tourists and shoppers looking for some sea air or a change of scenery and by night it is home to several clubs and pubs. As a seafront location it is one of the most popular and fashionable areas for tourists to let their hair down.
Shopping
Although it does not have the reputation of being a fashion centre in the way that Paris or Milan does, Barcelona is home to a wealth of shops centred around Las Ramblas, as well as top fashion label shops along Passeig de Graciá.
Bulevard Ros, located at Passeig de Gracia 55 was Barcelona's first shopping mall and is home to around 100 different shops specialising in designer clothes.
Les Glories is situated on the Avinguda Diaganol, is a huge shopping and entertainment centrewith over 230 shops, bars, restaurants and even a cinema.
Barcelona FC
Barcelona FC is one of the most internationally recognised and successful clubs in the world. One of only three Spanish clubs never to have suffered relegation, it is also one of the most successful sides in the various UEFA competitions.
The Nou Camp Stadium (Barcelona's home ground) is a tourist destination in its own right and not only when there is a match on. Many tourists visit the stadium during the day to take tours and get a "behind the scenes" look at what goes on there.
Climate
Barcelona is fortunate to enjoy a Mediterranean climate with relatively mild and humid winters and hot, dry summers. Although freezing temperatures and snow are rare, they can occasionally occur. The average temperature year round is 20°C in the daytime (68 °F) and 11 °C (52 °F) at night. Sea temperatures range from just 13°C in January up to a respectable 25°C in August.
Barcelona is a year round destination because it has far more to offer than mere sunshine, however, the summer holiday season is generally regarded as the period from May to October.
Nightlife
Given its position as a tourist mecca, it is perhaps not unexpected that it is also the regional centre for nightlife. It has a huge diversity of nightlife ranging from contemporary dance clubs to jazz to Irish pubs and much more besides. Here are some of the places worth looking out for:
Barri Gòtic & Las Ramblas
Las Ramblas is both a tourist hub during the day and a centre for evening entertainment. Along with the adjacent Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter and oldest part of Barcelona) there are numerous bars, clubs and pubs that throng with tourists until the small hours.
Maremagnum
Although largely a shopping centre by day, this waterfront complex is also one of Barcelona's top nightspots. By day it is home to tourists and shoppers looking for some sea air or a change of scenery and by night it is home to several clubs and pubs. As a seafront location it is one of the most popular and fashionable areas for tourists to let their hair down.
Shopping
Although it does not have the reputation of being a fashion centre in the way that Paris or Milan does, Barcelona is home to a wealth of shops centred around Las Ramblas, as well as top fashion label shops along Passeig de Graciá.
Bulevard Ros, located at Passeig de Gracia 55 was Barcelona's first shopping mall and is home to around 100 different shops specialising in designer clothes.
Les Glories is situated on the Avinguda Diaganol, is a huge shopping and entertainment centrewith over 230 shops, bars, restaurants and even a cinema.
Barcelona FC
Barcelona FC is one of the most internationally recognised and successful clubs in the world. One of only three Spanish clubs never to have suffered relegation, it is also one of the most successful sides in the various UEFA competitions.
The Nou Camp Stadium (Barcelona's home ground) is a tourist destination in its own right and not only when there is a match on. Many tourists visit the stadium during the day to take tours and get a "behind the scenes" look at what goes on there.