Hola Barcelona!

Aún tiene tu cielo todas sus flores diamantinas; sus héroes tiene la patria, sus liras el amor; aún Clemencia Isaura rosas y englantinas da cada primavera como presente al trovador.

- A Barcelona, Jacinto Verdaguer

Barcelona sits on the Iberian coast, facing the Mediterranean sea. It is bordered by the Collserola Mountains, hemmed by the Llobregat and Besos rivers. It is the capital of the Autonomous Region of Catalonia. Its residents, mostly Catholic, speak Spanish and their own rolling Catalan. The city is all jewel tones; emerald hills, aquamarine water, andalusite sand and rose quartz stone. Influenced by the topography and by one of their own famous sons, Antoni Gaudi, the architecture seeks to imitate, rather than dominate, nature.

This Spanish port city is more than flamenco dancing and weeping guitars; more than beaches and bikinis. It has not inspired as many books, poems or paintings as its neighbours, the French and Italian capitals. In spite of its colourful exterior, Barcelona is surprisingly subtle. It flies under the radar. Like a beautiful girl who feels out of place at a party, Barcelona stands back, waiting for you to come to her. You probably won't notice her at first. You may not even notice her when she's right in front of you. But when you take a good look around the room, she is the one who will catch your eye.

Barcelona has style and substance. If you just want to party, go to Ibiza. If you want to lie on the beach, try Mallorca. You can do both of those things in Barcelona, but there is so much more to the city than sand, sun and spirits. From never-ending open-air markets to lush parks and breathtaking views, this city has everything you could possibly ask of a tourist destination. I can't wait to share it with you.

If you have any specific questions about Barcelona, don't hesitate to get in touch! If I can't answer immediately, I promise to investigate.