COLORFUL BARCELONA, SPAIN

AN EXUBERANT FOODIE PARADISE

Barcelona is the capital of the Spanish region of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain after Madrid.  It's known as a supreme tourist destination, a cultural & sports mecca, as well as a bustling transportation hub for Europe. Coincidentally, it is one of the world's greatest food cities!   It's also the site of the '92 Olympic Games which brought a lot of good attention to this wonderful place.

HISTORY

Barcelona is an ancient city going back to 230 B.C. when it was discovered by the Phoenicians and Carthaginians.    It was not until the 19th Century when it became the important city it is today.   It was in 1888 when it was named seat to the World's Fair.  It is now one of, if not the most happening cities in Spain.

WHEN TO VISIT

Most people think of Barcelona as mainly a summer town; however, it can be hot and crowded during that time.  Beaches and the water temperatures of the Mediterranean are certainly at their peak during the main summer months; however, June or September may offer warm temps with less people.   Rainy season is in the spring and the fall, but those are very lovely months....specifically May.   The winters shouldn't be ruled out as even though chilly temps might be present, it is still pleasant, less crowded, and less expensive during that time.

WHAT TO SEE WHEN YOU'RE THERE

There are some sights not to be missed here, ranging from the Medieval to the the Olympic Games site. My research leads me to believe that La Rambla street, pictured below, is definitely one of the most entertaining and colorful place to visit of the ones I found. 

Street Performers on La Rambla

• Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter in the center of Old City with Medieval buildings)
• Camp Nou (Soccer Stadium)
• Sagrada Familia (Incomplete cathedral)
• Hospital de Sant Pau (Historic hospital)
• La Rambla (Most famous street)
• Boqueria Market (On La Rambla)
• El Borne (Picasso Museum)
• Montjuic ("Big Hill" with Olympic Stadium) 

WHAT TO EAT WHEN YOU'RE THERE

Arguably one of the world's greatest food cities, Barcelona is hard to be beat when it comes to delicious cuisine which has both French and Italian influences.  Because of their excellent location on the Mediterranean, olive oil, garlic, and tomato are found in many of their creative and yummy dishes. Seafood is also widely available and graces many plates.  

Tapas (small bites), which come in many delicious varieties, are plentiful and available at the many tapas bars in the area. One of my other favorites, paella, with its beautiful color and flavor courtesy of saffron and other traditional spices, is served with the traditional rice or alternatively with with short, skinny noodles which is then referred to Fideua.  Make sure to try those both while you're visiting.

In addition to the famous Spanish tapas, paella and fideua,
other specialties not to be missed include:

Paella with local seafood

• Gazpacho (Chilled vegetable soup)
• Calcots (Grilled onions dipped in red pepper sauce)  
• Crema Catalana (Spanish Creme Brulee)
• Escalibada (Eggplant, red pepper, onion & potato dish)
• Sarsuela (Seafood of the Mediterranean medley)

I think you can see how the foods of Barcelona are exciting, different, creative and very tantalizing.   It seems that you would never run out of options or incredible flavors there.  That, combined with the beautiful color and vitality of this city make this a must-see for the historian and food-lover alike.

Thanks for coming along with me today.   I hope you will stay and finish out the journey before we return to explore one more foodie city in the United States.   As of right now, we're off to exotic Marakesh, Morocco.

See you there I hope.