Conference Location
The
conference will be held in the Hotel
Barceló Sants, Barcelona, Spain.
How to Get to Barcelona
Catalonia is 1 of the 17 Autonomous Communities that make up
Spain.
Known as one of Europe's playgrounds, with a wide array of
beaches for the holiday-maker and a mass of places to visit,
Catalonia has something to offer every visitor. The region
benefits from a mild climate and a culture all of its own.
In a privileged position on the northeastern coast of the
Iberian peninsula and the shores of the Mediterranean,
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain in both size and
population. It is also the capital of Catalonia.
There are
two official languages spoken in Barcelona: Catalan, generally
spoken in all of Catalonia, and Castillian Spanish.
Barcelona
is the cultural and industrial capital of Catalonia and is
well worth a visit. Pilgrims may go to Montserrat for its
scenery and religious background, known as the religious
centre of Catalonia.
Barcelona
contains monuments and remains from all the different stages
in its history, and therefore is a very old city with a rich
and varied past.
Most places of historic interest are to be found in the
confines of the old town, which is a maze of narrow streets,
easy to navigate by foot.
The old
town spreads northwest from the harbour and at its heart is
the Barri Gòtic, the medieval nucleus of the city where you
will find the Cathedral and several of the major museums.
At the
western edge you will find the Ramblas, Spain's most famous
street, a series of five, short, lively streets that combine
to make a broad avenue.
The Ramblas
is a highlight to any trip to Barcelona and is lined with
cafes, shops and restaurants as well as being the location for
several important buildings and monuments.
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The
medieval streets continue on either side of the
Ramblas, reaching northeast through the Barri Gòtic
(Gothic Quarter), past the Museo Picasso and southwest
to the fortress-topped hill of Montjuic where the
city's best museums and the Olympic stadium are
located.
The
historic centre is imbued with a bohemian atmosphere
which you can discover as you walk through the Gothic
Quarter, and the Ribera and Raval districts. This is
one of the world’s best-preserved medieval quarters.
However, if Barcelona is famous for anything, it must
be the buildings in the Eixample. If you take a walk
around this neighbourhood you will be able to admire
architectural masterpieces such as the Sagrada Família
and La Pedrera, among other wonders inherited from
Antoni Gaudí and the other architects of the city’s
home-grown art-nouveau movement, modernisme.
Top
tourist attractions in Barcelona include the Parc
Güell, Las Ramblas, the Parc de la Ciutadella, Temple
Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia, the Casa Milá and The
Eixample. |
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There are also many important museums and art
galleries in Barcelona and the most popular is Barcelona's
Picasso Museum.
Among the things to watch for in the old town
is the Placa de Catalunya, a large square with gardens,
fountains and seats.
Barcelona is without doubt one of the most
exiting cities to visit in the Mediterranean, and with
glorious beaches and a history stretching back over 2,000
years, Barcelona deserves to be seen and enjoyed.
