Montjuic: Barcelona's local mountain
Visiting the city of Barcelona and its culture, art, sports and especially enjoying the sunshine are some of the most valuable reasons tourists have to come here. Those who live directly in the city, i.e. in a Barcelona hotel or a Barcelona apartment, are able to experience the history and culture of the city directly. One of these places is Montjuic - Barcelona's local mountain.
The Montjuic cannot be described as an own district. However, it can be distinguished easily from the rest of the city because of its natural character. The Montjuic became famous for the 1929 world fair and the 1992 Olympic Games. Today, tourists in particular enjoy the great view over the city and the sea.
Scientists are not sure where the name "Montjuic"comes from. There are two theories: One of them describes the Roman garrison. During that time, there was a temple on the top of the hill, which was called "Monts Jovis" - Jupiter's mountain. In mediaeval times, the Monjuic has been called "Montjueu" - Mountain of the Jews. This is why there has been a Jewish graveyard at its south side.
During Francos dictatorship, the castle at the top of the mountain has been used as a prison. Nowadays, tourists are free to enjoy the beautiful view. Beside the castle ("Castell de Montjuic"), there are some restaurants, the botanic garden of Barcelona, the National Museum of Art from Catalonia, the Poble Espanyol (Spanish architecture and craftsmanship), the Caixa Forum (exhibition of contemporary art), the most beautiful spectacle made of water, music and light at the Plaça Espanya..
When we think of holidays in
Concerning food there is so much variety of the Catalan cuisine that I could write a whole book of it. However, there is one product, which is typical for the Catalan culture. This is the "Crème Catalana" - a similar product to the world famous Crème Brulée. You will find this typical food only in the old restaurants of Barcelona, especially in the Barri Gotic and the Raval area.
Those of you who would like to experience new things, are welcome to take part in several sports activities. Both island offer great opportunities to pass time. Golfing, for instance, became very big on Gran Canaria during the last years. In addition, water temperatures tend to be very high. Even in winter the temperatures are around 18 degrees.