Benidorm Removals

The Spanish city of Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, a region in the North-eastern corner of the country, and is a renowned ‘smart city’, due to its many industries and outlets. Barcelona hosted the 1992 Summer Olympic games and is ranked as Europe’s fourth best city for business and economy growth. Barcelona supposedly got its name from the Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca, who founded the city in 3^rd century BC. In 2011, Barcelona was the 20^th most visited city in the world, and 5^th most visited city in Europe. The city is full of historical and cultural sites of interest, including 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 519 hotels, 35 of which are 5 star, and multiple beaches. FC Barcelona (or Barça) is one of the best know sports teams in the world, being the second richest football club in existence. The team has won 72 national trophies, 17 continental prizes, five Champions League trophies and three FIFA Club World Cups. FC Barcelona also has professional teams in other sports, such as basketball, handball, roller hockey, ice hockey and futsal. Barcelona itself is served by El Prat Airport, the second largest airport in Spain, and the largest on the Mediterranean coast. The Port of Barcelona is over 2000 years old, and is of great commercial importance, connecting the city with many different locations around the globe, and providing access to many different industries and goods. The central area of the Port houses a multiplex cinema, Europe’s largest aquarium (containing 8,000 fish, 11 sharks and 6 million litres of sea water) and a shopping mall. The view of the Port from Montjuïc, a hill in the city, is popular with visitors, and there is the option to take a cable car from the ferry station to the castle in Montjuïc.

Barcelona had no beaches until the 1992 Olympics, whereas nowadays there are 7 blue beaches along the city’s coastline. Gustave Eiffel originally planned for the Eiffel Tower to be in Barcelona, but Spain rejected the architect’s project, thinking it was too ‘radical’ and wouldn’t ‘fit with the city’s aesthetics’. Opened in 2007, Iccebarcelona is the world’s first ice bar, and is located on the beach. The city loves its food, and has more than 20 Michelin-starred restaurants, most of which specialise in Catalan cuisine. Barcelona’s 180km of cycle lanes make the city one of the most bike friendly cities in the world. You can navigate through Barcelona easily using these cycles lanes, which is heavily advised due to the number of people driving through the city centre. One of the most spectacular sites in Barcelona is the Palau de la Música Catalana, a beautifully designed musical hall created by architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. One of the most popular dishes in the whole of Barcelona is the world-famous Esqueixada salad, made with raw cod, romesco sauce, tomatoes, onions and olives. You can’t be in Barcelona and not try the region’s take on Paella, a dish from the 19^th century that consists of white rice, beans and seasoning. The dish is traditionally made with mussels, lobster, shrimp and other seafood, but other alternatives are available such as chicken and chorizo, chicken and rabbit or vegetable Paella. Barcelona is known for having lovely weather, and relaxing beaches within walking distance of the city centre. It is a great city for those looking to relocate from the UK, or for those wanting a holiday home in an idyllic location.