Barcelona, Spain is a truly wonderful city to visit. Not only offering a taste of Spanish culture at large, it is also the center of Catalan culture found in the Basque region of eastern Spain. It is an ancient city whose roots trace all the way back to the Barca family of Carthage; you may have heard about the exploits of a certain Hannibal Barca involving elephants and the Alps. Barcelona is right on the Mediterranean coast, so you can easily sunbathe or cool off in the clear blue sea. Of course, the city itself has even more to offer.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of Barcelona is the food. Tapas style restaurants are ubiquitous and extremely delicious. Tapas involves a wide range of small, easy to share dishes, so you can taste a wide variety of flavors. While they often capitalize on the Mediterranean for fantastic seafood dishes, you can find plenty of other fair; keep your eyes peeled for any ox tail soup. Of course, you’ll need a place to stay. Take a look at the hotel Casa Camper located near Las Ramblas, one of the main boulevards through the middle of the city. In addition to its great service, it has a great view from its top balcony and a beautiful vertical garden in a central courtyard.

Be sure to keep an eye out for anything bearing the name and distinctive style of Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona’s most famous architect. You can tour his villa and the beautiful gardens surrounding it in the Park Güell overlooking the city from Carmel Hill. The premier Gaudi attraction, though, is the Basilica Sagrada Familia, a stunning church in the middle of the city. Standing at 558 feet tall, there is certainly plenty of the Basilica to see, so be sure to give yourself several hours to take it all in.

Once you have seen all of the wonderful things that Barcelona has to offer, visit the Acadia Travel Concierge and let them set up your own personal getaway to this beautiful modern city.