Travel to Barcelona on Northwest Airlines

> Find airfare to Barcelona on Northwest Airlines

When you travel to Barcelona, you're visiting one of the most colorful and interesting cities that Spain has to offer. Barcelona is home to some of the world's most beautiful architecture, which is a reflection of its long and storied history as a Mediterranean port city.

Barcelona's early history traces back thousands of years, through Roman times, then occupation by Muslims, and the French — all of which has impacted this Catalonian city to make it the cultural mix of what visitors see today. Take time to walk the various areas of the city, from the Barrio Gotico where you can see the 800-year-old Cathedral Santa Creu, to L'Eixample, where you can walk to stunning Passeig de Gràcia and take in its many artistic buildings. 

Barcelona is the home of many UNESCO World Heritage Sites that celebrate the city's architectural creativity, including the works of Lluís Domanèch i Montaner and Antoni Gaudí. Montaner's buildings on the UNESCO list are the Palau de la Música Catalana and the Hospital de Sant Pau. Gaudí's notable works in Barcelona number seven in all, including his work on the Nativity façade and Crypt of La Sagrada Familia. All of these sites are worth a look and some camera time.

The food in Barcelona is, of course, Spanish at heart. The main meal of the day is taken in the afternoon; when you visit Barcelona, be sure to try as much tapas as you can get your hands on, with a glass of Spanish Rioja, perhaps. Meat, poultry and seafood are mainstays of the diet, and can come in a variety of Catalonian sauces, including allioli, sofregit, romesco, or picada.

For the sporting types, FC Barcelona — or just Barça — is one of the world's premiere soccer clubs. If you can get your hands on tickets to a match at Camp Nou, the team's stadium, don't pass up the opportunity; not many sights in the world are equal to thousands of screaming Spanish soccer fans.

All in all, your trip to Barcelona, a vibrant Catalonian city on the Mediterranean, will bring you to an elegant mix of old and new architecture, some delicious food, and a wonderful Spanish experience.