Barcelona is the capital and the most populous city of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain after Madrid. About 5 million people live in the Barcelona metropolitan area. It is also Europe’s largest metropolis on the Mediterranean coast.
Barcelona is recognized as a Global City due to its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts, international trade, education and tourism.
Barcelona was the 12th-most-visited city in the world and 4th most visited in Europe after London, Paris and Rome. It is in addition the most popular tourist destination in Spain, receiving above 5 million tourists every year.
The founding of Barcelona is the subject of two different legends. The first attributes the founding of the city to the mythological Hercules 400 years before the building of Rome. The second legend attributes the foundation of the city directly to the historical Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca, father of Hannibal, who named the city Barcino after his family in the 3rd century BC.
Cultural centre; Barcelona has become one of the first tourist destination of Spain. It is an important cultural centre and can offer the variety of artistic treasures, the Romanesque churches and the great names in modern art and architecture. Exceptionally good museums such as Fundació Miró, Museu Picasso, Museu Nacional d´Árt de Catalunia (MNAC) and Museu d´Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) among others.
Especially remarkable is the work of architect Antoni Gaudí, which can be seen throughout the city. His best known work is the immense but still unfinished church of the Sagrada Família, which has been under construction since 1882, and is still financed by private donations. As of 2007, completion is planned for 2026.
Climate; Barcelona enjoys a Mediterranean climate. The summer’s season lasts about 6 months, from May to October, although also in November and April sometimes there are temperatures above 20 °C (68.0 °F). Winters are mild, with average temperatures over 14.5 °C (58.1 °F) during the day and 5.5 °C (41.9 °F) at night in the period December to March.
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