10 interesting facts about Barcelona

There’s so much to discover about the city, that most people don’t just stop at one trip to the city. If you staying at Xior Collblanc and to give you a head start on all of the treasures you can find in the city, here are 10 things you probably don’t know about the Catalan capital.

Barcelona has the largest metropolitan park in the world

The city of Barcelona is known for its parks, and in fact is famous for having nearly 10% of the entire city dedicated to parks in general. Barcelona’s Parc de Collserola is 84.65 km² / 32.4 sq mi large, making it the world’s largest metropolitan park. Is more than 22 times the size of Manhattan’s Central Park.

This is truly staggering once you decide to take a morning jog through it!

There are 68 parks in Barcelona

The recent tendency in large cities is to reduce green spaces and to add buildings.

If that makes you sad, you should go to Barcelona. There are 68 parks there and they represent more than 10 percent of the city’s area, and that’s growing from year to year!

Camp Nou, Barcelona’s football stadium, is the biggest in Europe

FC Barcelona is probably the most famous football club in the whole world. Tons of the best players ever have played at least once there, and it remains to this day one of the most successful organizations.

Camp Nou is the name of the team’s home stadium, and it’s the largest football stadium in all of Europe. Camp Nou has a capacity of a staggering 100,000 visitors; that is nearly 10,000 more seats than the second largest stadium in Europe at Wembley.

Barcelona is the most visited city in Spain

Europe’s most visited cities are Paris, London, Istanbul, and… Barcelona.

In Spain, it is the most visited city, with over 8.2 million visitors per year. In the world, it is ranked 12th.

There are more than 20 Michelin-starred restaurants in Barcelona

Catalan cuisine, just like all other Mediterranean gastronomy, is mostly made of fresh vegetables, olive oil, fruits, and seafood. With mild temperatures and almost 5000km of coastline make it impossible not to cook with fresh, quality ingredients and seafood. The Catalan capital boasts a number of top chefs including brothers Albert and Ferran Adrià, Joan Roca and Cristian Escribà.

The most visited museum in the city is actually the FC Barcelona Museum

While there are lots of amazing museums in Barcelona, the most visited one is not the most obvious one. Over 1.5 million visitors go to the FC Barcelona Museum every year.

The football club is so famous that their museum is a huge success. You can see trophies, jerseys, and the whole history of the club. The museum was founded in 1899.

The Sagrada Familia Remains Incomplete

Gaudi’s last gift to the city and she is still largely incomplete. The construction of the Sagrada Familia began in 1882. That’s going on a century and a half of work on the project. Currently there are plans to finish the structure by 2026, just in time to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the death of the original architect, who is himself even buried inside the Basilica.

Ready or not, the Sagrada Familia is a welcome sight on the Barcelona skyline, viewable from almost every rooftop in the city and the free guided walking tours that scour the streets.

Eiffel was first pitched to Barcelona.

Paris might be known for the Eiffel Tower, but originally the tower was supposed to be in Barcelona. Rumor has it that Gustave Eiffel and his team made a bid for their design to be accepted in Barcelona for the World Exposition of Barcelona in 1888.

Barcelona is one of the most eco-friendly cities in the world

The city of Barcelona, and in fact the population of the city as a whole, is truly committed to future sustainability. This commitment reflects in their public transportation, accommodations, and even their food service industry.

Barcelona was named the world’s first ‘Biosphere World Class Destination’ because of this. If you are looking to visit a city dedicated to creating an eco-friendly atmosphere and sustainable future, Barcelona can’t be beat!

Barcelona has 2 official languages

Although Barcelona is located in Spain, it is the capital of Catalonia. Spain is divided into 17 different autonomous regions and Catalonia is one of them.  Catalonian is a completely independent language, and will be featured on all of the street signs and restaurant menus, as well as public transport.

Many locals defer to their native Catalonian in their everyday activities and business. In fact, speaking only Catalonian is a way for the Catalans in the city to maintain their independence.

These Barcelona facts will make your stay at Xior Collblanc even better. It’s always good to know a bit of history and interesting info about the destinations you visit.

These facts about Barcelona will give you a bit of background, so enjoy!