travel videos & photos at: townsofeurope.com/ with text, maps & links.
Barcelona is a bicultural city, with influences of Spain and Catalonia mixed together freely, adding to the allure of this exotic place. Our guide Sandra Benzal leads us on a tour through the history and modern culture. See more of Sandra here: www.aguideinbarcelona.com/
Catalan culture rose here in the 9th century and thrived during the next eight centuries in the independent kingdom of Catalonia. Its native language is surprisingly not a pure Spanish, but Catalan, a mixture of French and Spanish which follows its own rules. Barcelona has always had close ties with the rest of Europe -- for example, while most of Spain was occupied by Moslems during the Middle Ages, this region was not, but was allied with the Franks. These historic differences are flourishing today in Barcelona’s exotic mix of cultures and styles, after being repressed by Franco’s dictatorship which outlawed the local language and many customs.
Now there is a resurgance of Catalan pride and independence.