Barcelona -Beach city

Barcelona is the only city in the world awarded a Royal Gold Medal for architecture by Royal Institute of British Architects
Nowadays, there are 7 blue-flagged beaches dotting the city’s 4.5 km coastline. Not to mention it has been voted the “Best Beach City” by National Geographic.

Barcelona is home to the busiest pedestrian street in Spain

Located in Barcelona’s Ciutat Vella (Old Town), the shopping mecca Portal de l’Àngel is not only one of the most expensive streets in Spain, but also the country’s busiest walkway, with an average of 150,000 people walking down it daily!

It’s true that Barcelona is famous for its sunny blue skies, stylish Mediterranean vibe, and quirky architecture, but did you know the city is also a cannabis smoker’s paradise? Or that is home to the biggest metropolitan park in the world?

The list below explores 25 interesting, yet little-known facts about Barcelona.

…is the only city in the world awarded a Royal Gold Medal for architecture by Royal Institute of British Architects

Modernista building in Barcelona

Although the medal is usually given to one or a group of architects, Barcelona is the first and only city on the planet to receive this honor.

Best Beach City

Nowadays, there are 7 blue-flagged beaches dotting the city’s 4.5 km coastline. Not to mention it has been voted the “Best Beach City” by National Geographic.

…is home to the busiest pedestrian street in Spain

Located in Barcelona’s Ciutat Vella (Old Town), the shopping mecca Portal de l’Àngel is not only one of the most expensive streets in Spain, but also the country’s busiest walkway, with an average of 150,000 people walking down it daily!

…is older than Rome

Old Street in Barcelona

One theory about the origins of Barcelona says the city may have been founded by Hercules, 400 years before Rome was built, but the truth is, no one really knows…

Barcelona is one of the world’s major cities where smoking cannabis is legal

Home to over 700 cannabis clubs, it’s no surprise Spain is often referred to as “Holland of the South”. More than a half of these clubs can be found in Barcelona, making the city a smoker’s haven. However, these “Asociaciones Cannabicos” are only intended to Spanish residents and getting a membership is not the easiest.

Barcelona comes 4th on 2016’s ranking of Europe’s most visited cities, after London, Paris, and Istanbul, yet before Rome, Milan, and Amsterdam. With over 8.20 million international visitors per year (2016), the Catalan capital is also the 12th most visited city in the world, surpassing Taipei (15th) and Shanghai (19th).

Fiestas de la Mercè is the most important festival in Barcelona
The main event of La Mercè is held on the 24th of September each year, and the Festival is held in honor of the Cities Patron Saint and Protector, The Virgin de La Merce. It is an official city holiday since the year 1871.