Barcelona, Spain
Are you going to do your internship in Barcelona and can't wait to explore the city? Read here what you can't mis and what to do in the best neighbourhoods of Barcelona.
Barceloneta was built in the 18th century with the many narrow streets where many fishermen lived. Barceloneta is known for the beautiful beach and the many great seafood restaurants with amazing paella and all kinds of prawns. The promenade is a cluster for runners, rollerbladers, cyclist, rickshaws and tourists that want to see the beach. The beachside promenade starts at the W Hotel and extends to Hotel Vela the famous sail-shaped hotel.
Also, very popular is Port Vell were some of the largest yachts in the world are on display and a lot of great restaurants. If you are looking for a place to party? The largest clubs of Barcelona are located here such as Opium, Pacha and Shoko and there many bars a long side the water too.
After the city walls fell and due to the industrial revolution, the population grew a lot. The city hall decided in 1855 that the city needed to grow, and they called this neighborhood Eixample the Catalan word for expansion. Eixample is known for the most dynamic shopping areas of Barcelona. Such as Passeig de Gracia, Plaça Catalunya and Diagonal Avenue these streets have a large variety of shops.
What to see in Eixample: Sagrada Familia is considered one of Gaudi’s biggest masterpieces, the stunning basilica is one of the most striking monuments ever built in the world. Casa Mila-La Pedrera this peculiar building is one of the most famous icons of Barcelona. La Pedrera was also built and designed by Antoni Gaudí, one of the driving forces behind the catalan modernista movement. Casa Batlló was made world famous, also thanks to the creative force of Gaudi’s work. Nowadays, is one of Barcelona’s most important landmarks.
The Gothic Quarter in Barcelona dates back over 2,000 years and is one of the most talked about neighborhoods in the city—full of charm and captivating history. El Call, Barcelona’s old Jewish Quarter, is one of the most beautiful areas of the Gothic Quarter. These are some of the narrowest streets in all of Barcelona, and they are also filled with a dark history that dates back to medieval times. When Picasso arrived in Barcelona, he was just a young adolescent of 14 years old. Thereafter, he was admitted to the Fine Arts school that once stood on Calle Avinyó. At that time, this was a very busy street of questionable morals that later inspired some of his work.
Though La Boqueria is technically just on the border of the Gothic Quarter, if you’re in the area it is definitely worth fitting into your plans. One of the oldest markets in Europe, the Boqueria is a colorful emporium of different products and sensory overload. Have a walk around, stop by El Quim de la Boqueria for a tapa, and above all, experience the hustle and bustle of this historic market in the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona.
And of course, one of the most famous monuments in the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona is the 13th to 15th-century Gothic Cathedral. Yes, that’s right, it took nearly two centuries to build. From 8 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., visitation is free.
Gràcia is a charismatic, bustling, cosmopolitan and bohemian district. A place where lifelong residents and exchange students, Gypsies who play music on the streets and artists looking for inspiration, all live side by side; the young and not so young who greet each other in the squares, while queuing at the independent cinema. It is one big family in Gràcia, a district with room for everyone.
There are many highlights in Gràcia but these ones you can’t mis. The famous “El Park Guëll” that was designed by Gaudí and made it into an amazing garden and one of the icons of Barcelona. Another masterpiece of Gaudí is “Casa Vicens” and is one of the earliest designs of Gaudí and very different to its later works. “Vila de Gràcia” is a small village inside the neighborhood with a lot of small boutiques, craft shops and lots of different restaurants.
Montjuïc is a hill in Barcelona and the second tallest mountain in the city after Tibidabo. The works carried out for the 1929 Universal Exhibition and the 1992 Olympic Games have made Montjüic a very interesting area. It includes several museums and other attractions. The first highlight of this mountain is the “Montjuic Castle” on the top of the mountain and is on old military fortress. Now it is a great place to walk around and enjoy view of the commercial port of Barcelona. Montjuic played a big role in the 1992 Olympics and is called the Olympic ring and is home to the Olympic stadium. It also stands out with the futuristic looking telecommunication tower that’s build on the mountain.
Another highlight on Montjuic is the MNAC (Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya) a beautiful building that has a clear view from Plaça Espanya. In front of the MNAC is the Magic Fountain that has spectacular shows with the multiple water jets in the fountain.
Barcelona is an amazing city with an enormous number of attractions and beautiful architecture to explore. Now you know all the highlights and you can decide what to visit first during your internship in Barcelona. Are you convinced and do you want to do your internship Barcelona? Apply without any initial costs and we get back to you in one working day. If you are still hesitating or would like to read more about Barcelona then we recommend you to read this blog about an internship in Barcelona! Or read any of our other blogs about Barcelona or internships abroad.
