On the Mediterranean coast, you will find the exciting and diverse city of Barcelona. It is the capital city of Catalonia, a region of Spain, and is the second biggest city in the entirety of the nation. Barcelona’s beautiful and ancient landmarks blended with a very modern and colorful nightlife is what makes the city so unique.

As a result of its wonderful Mediterranean climate and its vast and vivid history, Barcelona is a big tourist destination, bringing in visitors from all over the globe. The city hosts a large array of ancient reminders from the famous Barcelona Expo of 1888, alongside the government of Catalonia, the parliament, and the Supreme Court of Catalonia.

The exact origins of Barcelona are a topic of controversy, even with native Spaniards. There are many myths and legends related to its history. One legend says that Hercules was actually the founder of the city, and the same legend goes on to say Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca was responsible for rebuilding the city in the 3rd century BC. Other legends are completely opposed to this theory, so no-one really knows.

One thing that everyone is in agreement with is the wonderfully impressive basilica La Seu. This was built in 343 AD, incorporating the remnants of what was left of the original Roman walls. Barcelona has many reminders of Ancient Rome throughout its borough. The grid planning method that the Romans devised to build cities is very apparent in Barcelona, especially in the older areas of the city center.

Barcelona is the home to the Font Magica - otherwise known as the Magic Fountain. This is one of the biggest tourist attractions of the city. The Font Magica involves giant towers of water which spray from an oversized fountain. With cleverly placed colored lights that shine through the spray, the fountain appears to dance, which is where its name of Magic Fountain comes from. It was first constructed in 1888, only to be later torn down. It was improved and rebuilt to be opened at the 1929 World Expo.

Another hugely famous landmark of Barcelona is the Arc de Triomf. This is another creation that dates back to 1888. It was built with a purpose - this purpose was to represent unity, fame and pride. The Arc, constructed out of stone, has many detailed and beautiful decorations hand carved into the main body. There is a coat of arms carved into the Arc, which represents each of the Spanish provinces and the unity of them together.

Barcelona was the host of the 1992 Olympic games. To commemorate this event, there was a 1000 feet high building, known as the Torre de Collserola built atop the Collserola hill. This is a major tourist attraction, mainly because of its location within the city and the fact that being so high means that from the Torre, panoramic views across the entirety of Barcelona can be enjoyed.