Barcelona: City of Carthaginians, Romans and Catalan Eccentrics

I've just arrived in Barcelona, the major city in Spain's Catalunya region. An ancient city with a long and colorful history, Barcelona remains one of Europe's most dynamic and interesting cities to visit. A mecca for artists and non-conformists such as Salvador Dali (above), it's been calling me for a long time now and, YES, I finally made it! Well, actually it's my second time visiting, but this time I plan on making it an extended vacation...


I love cities with history and Barcelona is just dripping with it. In ancient times it was a major Roman outpost (Barcino), with much of the original Roman ruins still buried beneath the city's ancient quarter (Ciutat Vella). The Museu D'Historia de la Ciutat is a great place to find out about Barcelona's history and allows you to descend into the past and see some of the old Roman ruins, one of the best things to do while visiting.

Here's one of the many street performers you'll find along the Ramblas, a popular thoroughfare near the city's port. The temperature in Feb is pretty mild, but sometimes it gets chilly at night. Can't wait till the warm weather comes!