City Views, Barcelona

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This was the first picture I (Barb's son) took in Barcelona. It is of the Bull Ring - there are still bullfights in Barcelona every Sunday througout the summer. However I think it is being turned into something else.

The other pictures are things that I don't know what they are. I took them from the Turistic Bus. One is of an obelisk that looks like the Washington Monument and the statue at the bottom of it.

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Barcelona is one of the cities where palm trees have become a major part of the vegetation.

As well as the specimens of palms which stand in the city's parks and gardens, many of which are centenarian, palm trees represent over 3% of street-lining trees in Barcelona.

Ciutat Vella and especially Sant Martí, the two districts which share the coastline, are the districts where most palm trees can be found. The coastal area is, without a doubt, an ideal habitat for this species which is so exotic and at the same time, so frequent in Barcelona.

Some quarters in Barcelona arnt too much populars for typical tourist.. but im going to show you cause there is where you can find and known the real BCN.. the best quarter in the city is Gracia where streets are narrow and all is like some years ago.. seems a former little town inner it ! its gorgeous in summer when the quarter festivities gather all people in Barcelona.. so many bars, terraces, all kind of restaurants and so many nightlife on the squares.. park your car at home and go on food.. its almost impossible to park there without paying a underground car park for sure..

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There's a lift that goes up the column which is easy to miss if you don't know to keep your eyes out for it. Once you're up, you get a good view of Barcelona and the sea. You can take photos all the way round the column to get a panoramic view :)
During summer time I imagine it might get a bit crowded up there but when we visited in March, we didn't have to queue at all and spent about 20mins up there. Worth a look! :)

The entrance fee is 2,20e adults/ 1,40e children (March 2006).
Opening hours are Monday-Sunday 10am-6.30pm (1 Oct - 31 May) and Monday to Sunday 9am-8.30pm (1 Jun - 30 Sept).

I first saw these on the television when the Olympics were held in Barcelona and vowed to see them in reality one day. However, many books and certainly local people we asked, had never heard of them, and finding information about when they are switched on was almost impossible to find.

Suffice it to say that it is several evenings a week. You can stand on the steps behind to get a birds eye view. It is better to see them when it is completely dark as the floodlighting is fantastic.

Use Espanya Tube Station and you can see the fountains from there - 10 minute walk to get right to them.

Beware of pick pockets whilst watching the show.

I daresay that i know this quarter very well cause I lived here almost 22 years!!!!
Sants Station is the main attraction... cause its a Airport arrival station, metro hub with two lines and surroundings net trains.

Quarter Festivities celebrated from 20th to 27th of August in closer sreets to Sants Station as Vallespir, Galileu, Valladolid and other beside it. i suggest it to take a look some night if you are here

España Industrial a 'NY central park' but smaller .. but its good to relax and its besides Sants-station too

Montjuic Hill where you can see
Sant Jordi Arena built in 1992 for olympic games, the Olympic Stadium on the top for the same reason and now playing RCD Español (spanish soccer)
Miro's foundation center (art center)
Gorgeous gardens side by side to the funicular that flights to the Montjuic castle

Picornell swimming Pool
Archeological museum
National Palace Museum in front of the Venician twin towers

Carretera de Sants (Avenue), the largest comercial street in Europe.. begins at Spain square and end further away of Sants Square. There are all kind of shops, also a huge library (Abacus) the Hostafrancs place market, dinner's, shoes stalls , and clothes shop of course!!

In the last years people coming from pakistan has rising in numbr occuping this area parallel to the famous Ramblas... city politician has transform this slumb area in a gorgeous neigbourhood everyday better.. Use to say that it was a fullrisk area but it was in the former days...now there are a lot of things to see and do

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One of my favourite streets in BCN...it worth while to take a look ....begins in the corner with Ferran st and end in Ample st closer to the harbour....parallel to the rambla offers such attractions as many great shops ..great restaurants ..my friend's bar BAR AVINYO just in one corner at the left side going down... ( so easy to see) take a look inside of this small and typical catalan bar ask for PACO..here is the manager and tell him that you are coming on behalf of me !!
Also there are this building that you can see in this pic. Its the Arts and occupations school.