ITMA 2019, the trendsetting international textile and garment technology exhibition, will return to Barcelona, Spain, from 20-26 June 2019. Are you ready to discover the city in a fantastic and unique way?
Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is the
second most populous municipality of Spain. Located directly on the northeastern Mediterranean coast of Spain,
the city is a prominent cultural hub visited by millions every year.
Its origins are Roman, and its long history
and economic dynamism have made Barcelona a cultural city, which can be seen in
the historic-artistic heritage and the promotion of innovative artistic trends.
Barcelona has cleverly succeeded in
embracing its past without forgetting its commitment to the future. The city’s
exceptional transport connections, the Mediterranean climate and the multitude
of attractions for visitors make it one of the world's leading business
metropolises.
Major
attractions
La Sagrada Família
As a must-see in Barcelona, La Sagrada Família is a large unfinished Roman Catholic church designed by Antoni Gaudí. The work on the building is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The work began in 1882 and is expected to be completed in 2026. Currently, 70% of the church is finished and the building of the six central towers is in the progress.
From wherever they are seen, once finished, the 18 towers will be an extraordinary sight and provide a sense of elevation to the central towers dedicated to Jesus Christ.
Park
Güell
North of Gràcia, Unesco-listed Park Güell
is one of the most impressive public parks in the world where famous Catalan
architect Antoni Gaudí turned his hand to landscape gardening.
From the moment you enter the park it is
evident that you have stepped into Gaudí territory, due to the exciting
spectrum of colored mosaics, unusually shaped rooftops and an overall
naturalist feel.
A trip to Park Güell is incomplete without
a visit to see the famous multicolored salamander, popularly known as ‘el drac’
(the dragon). Situated at the entrance of the park, this magnificent monument
is a brilliant display of Gaudí’s signature mosaic style.
La
Rambla
Laid out in 1766, La Rambla is a 1.2
kilometers street in central Barcelona. It is both a tourist magnet and a window
into Catalan culture, with cultural centers, theatres and intriguing
architecture.
As you walk along, you will see landmark
buildings, such as the greatest theatre of Barcelona’s opera, the Gran Teatre
del Liceu, the Palau de la Virreina and the spectacular Boqueria Market.
This human river, with its street artists,
tourists and locals, who still come here for a stroll, take us on a journey
through this microcosm of contemporary Barcelona.
Museu
Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
Housed in the remarkable Palau Nacional
(National Palace) on Mount Montjuïc, the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
(National Museum of Catalan Visual Art) is one of the main museums in
Barcelona.
The palace is designed in a Classical style
and influenced by Renaissance architecture. It has over 32,000 square meters
and is beautifully decorated with mural paintings and interesting architectural
elements.
The museum takes visitors on an
uninterrupted journey through a thousand years of Catalan art, from the 10th to
the 20th centuries, through its four permanent collections. The cultural supply
of the museum is completed with a rich calendar of temporary exhibitions.
Casa
Batlló
Casa Batlló, locally known as the House of
Bones, is a famous masterpiece built between 1904 and 1906.
Once inside the striking building, visitors
will tour the Batlló family’s former residence and discover each of its nook
and crannies, including the beautiful main staircase and light, as well as the
legendary rooftop and chimneys.
The ground floor, in particular, has
unusual tracery, irregular oval windows and flowing sculpted stone work.There
are few straight lines, and much of the façade is decorated with a colorful
mosaic made of broken ceramic tiles.
FC
Barcelona Museum
The FC Barcelona Museum at Camp Nou Stadium
is one of the most visited sports museums in the world.
The museum has an audiovisual area and
multimedia installations with hundreds of photos and videos from FC Barcelona’s
celebrated history, plus an entire zone dedicated to arguably the best player
to have ever laced up a pair of soccer boots: Lionel Messi.
With renovated 2,770m2 space, the museum
has two floors for hosting events in an outstandingly unique setting, thanks to
the lighting and decorative elements of the venue. It also has a direct
connection from the stadium forecourt that offers a wonderful general view.
Useful
information
Transportation
Public transport such as the metro, tram
and FGC are the most convenient ways of getting around in Barcelona. The city
currently has eight metro lines that can be identified by the number and color
of the line: L1 (red), L2 (lilac), L3 (green), L4 (yellow), L5 (blue), L9
(orange), L10 (light blue), L11 (light green) and serve most of the city.
It also has an urban and metropolitan rail
network the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat (FGC), run by the Catalan
government, which supplements Barcelona’s metro network. There are three urban
lines: L6, L7 and L8.
In addition, Barcelona has an extensive bus
network which covers areas that are remotely linked by the metro. There are also night-bus services serving most of the city and its
suburban area. The bus network operates an integrated fare system enabling
passengers to obtain a free transfer from one means of transport to another
within a period of 1 hour and 15 minutes.
There are different types of travel cards
and transport passes in Barcelona that are valid throughout the public
transport network (metro, bus, tram and suburban rail), including the T-10 card
which is valid for 10 journeys, or day passes (2, 3, 4 and 5 days).
Airport
Barcelona Airport - El Prat is the main
airport in Barcelona, located 16 km southwest from the city center. Barcelona
can also be reached by transport links from other regional airports, including
Girona, Reus and Lleida -Alguaire.
There are two terminals at the El Prat
airport: The T1 and T2. Several types of transportation to the city are
available, such as taxi, metro, bus or train services.
Weather
Thanks to the Mediterranean sea breezes,
Barcelona enjoys pleasant weather. The average temperature in June is around
25° C.
Currency
The currency currently in circulation is
the euro.
Useful
numbers
General emergencies: 112
Medical emergencies: 061
National police: 091
Local police: 092
Fire service: 080
