The Shadow of the Wind
by kanjon
Before leaving for Barcelona, take your time to read critically acclaimed The Shadow of the Wind (Spanish: La sombra del viento) from 2001. The novel is written by Spanish novelist Carlos Ruiz Zafón (born in Barcelona in 1964).
The setting of the novel is of greatest interest to Barcelona travelers; post- Spanish Civil War Barcelona. You get to walk the streets of Avenida del Tibidabo and Balmes, visit Plaza Cataluña and the beach Barceloneta, climb the mountain Montjuïc and so on. Though fiction, you get glimpses from parts of Barcelona´s history.
The young boy Daniel is taken by his father, to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a secret labyrintine library of old, forgotten titles, preserved only by a secret few. Everyone initiated to the library is obliged to take one book from it and protect it for life. Daniel selects a book and his choice will change his life.
Watch a live Candle Making...
by sheryl_tan
Watch a live Candle Making Demonstration. Love this shop selling beautiful handicrafted candles. See the candle being dipped into different coloured wax, times and over again. There is even a recipe to follow! Then after what seem like forever, the lady then slowly begin cutting the candle and moulding them to beautiful designs.
The North South Divide!
by blint
The people in the south will tell you that they are the friendliest and that the Catalans are unfriendly and tight fisted.
I don't agree with either of these comments. The people in the south are very welcoming and open but everyone is your friend for 5 mins. In the North and in Catalunya it may be slightly more difficult to make friends at the start but once they are your friend they are your friend for life (and it's genuine friendship too).
I saw no evidence that they are tight either. The people in the south are very generous this is true.
In Spain the north is richer than the south unlike in the UK, but more similar to the US, Italy and the such like.
FC Barcelona
by tessy
My girls wanted to visit the stadion, so we agreed. And, to say the truth, me too I was interested to visit that "must see" for soccer fans. And it was really worth to go there. I've never been in such a big stadion, I felt so little there. It must be a great feeling to visit a match there! Hoping to make it true one day!
Avenida Tibidabo
by jhoolko
Avenida Tibidabo was something we stumbled on trying to get to the Tibidabo amusement park. It costs a pretty penny to get in there, but something that we discovered that was really nice was just walking up this wide street. It's very different from the city with large houses that have yards around them, and rather uncrowded since there aren't many tourists there and its almost completely residential. There's a bit of an incline which would make it difficult for older or physically impaired travelers, but there are also some really nice things to see. Take one of the busses up and stop somewhere near Placa John Kennedy. There is a spectacular old church up there (not the one up at Tibidabo) as well as an excellent science museum called CosmoCaixa and an old school that is very interesting to see. It's a great change from the city, even the air feels different. Go if you want to get away from the city without actually having to leave.
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The passion facade
Las Ramblas
sign for Funicular de Montjuic
the crowd watching the fountains
