INTRODUCING BARCELONA
After a stimulating and successful day of business, what could be better than the chance to soak up the atmosphere of one of the world’s great cities, Barcelona. This cultural metropolis combines everything that is most charming about the Mediterranean way of life – a relaxed pace, a balmy climate, a rich history and unbeatable food. There is an amazing amount to see and do in this vibrant city, the spiritual heart of Catalunya. Why not ponder your options over a glass of sangria with tasty tapas on one of the city’s seven beaches, or at dinner at any number of Michelin-starred gastronomic temples or family-run tapas bars?So you have dined fabulously well, what to do now in a city famed for its thriving nightlife? You would be well advised not to arrive with too much of a set agenda: certainly, if you’re a Barça FC fan you might find the stadium tour unmissable; if you love art you’ll want to explore the Picasso Museum and maybe the MACBA, but there is also another great pleasure in Barcelona . . . taking time to just walk around. Or take one of the “hop-on, hopoff” guided bus tours. It’s also a city of retail thoroughfares – the shopping route par excellence is the Barcelona Shopping Line.
The heart of the city is a patchwork of architectural styles displaying dark, Gothic façades next to the harlequin buildings of the Modernistas and the skyline-piercing constructions of Jean Nouvel or Herzog and de Meuron. This is after all the city that inspired some of the world’s most famous artistic figures including Gaudi, Miro, Dali and Picasso. Barcelona’s dynamic character and pioneering spirit is no more on show than in its layout: it’s hard to miss Gaudí’s work, which has left an impressive and eccentric mark. His gothic architecture includes his masterpiece, the Sagrada Família, a still incomplete cathedral, as well as modernist building Casa Batlló.
So it’s easy to see why Barcelona has been chosen, for the first time, to host Tissue World. The BIG ONE, Tissue World 2013, will be held between 18-21 March 2013 at the ultramodern Fira Gran Via Congress Centre located not far from the city centre. The exhibition will bring together leading players in the US$70bn a year global soft hygiene tissue industry for what is set to be a great trade show and conference. We look forward to seeing you there next year!
TRANSPORT
Excellent direct airline connections from Europe and the rest of the world to the Barcelona’s three airports.
Road links designed on the network of motorways which radiate towards the most important economic areas of the rest of Spain and connect with the French motorway system to the rest of Europe. An important high-speed rail link, connected favourably with the rest of Spain and with Europe.
Barcelona has 10,500 black and yellow taxis. A green light tells you they are available. €25 from the airport to the city centre. Gran Via Congress Center is 8 km from the airport and 4 km from the city center.
Metro: Barcelona’s metro is fast and straightforward and covers most of the city.
Buses: The main hub for buses in Barcelona is Plaça Catalunya.
Transport to Fira Gran Via:
FGC – The nearest stop to the Gran Via exhibition site is the station “Europa/Fira”. This is directly linked to Montjuic. All routes that leave or enter the “Plaça Espanya” FGC station stop at “Europa/Fira”.
| • Pza. Espanya/Martorell-enllaç | • Pza. Espanya/Olesa |
| • Pza. Espanya/Manresa | • Pza. Espanya/Igualada |
| • Pza. Espanya/Can Ros |
Metro – Both lines have exits at Montjuic venue.
| • Line 1 – station “Espanya” | • Line 3 – station “Espanya”. |
Bus – All of these bus lines allow access to the Montjuic venue from any part of the city of Barcelona – 9, 13, 27, 30, 37, 50, 56, 57, 65, 79, 91, 109, 153, 157.
The regular number 79 metropolitan bus also links Gran Via to Montjuic and other areas of Barcelona.
ACCOMMODATION
WHERE TO EAT
Barcelona is well featured on the Michelin Guide route. Restaurants well worth a visit include: Can Gaig, Neichel, Drolma, Racó d’en Freixa, Vía Veneto, El Racó de Can Fabes in Sant Celoni or Sant Pau in Sant Pol.In Barcelona you can eat in the sun on open-air sea terraces almost all year round. And don’t forget to sample some tapas!
TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS
- Football Futbol Club Barcelona, or Barça, is a major part of the Catalan culture and one of the few European teams to have clinched the three major league titles in one season. The season will be moving toward a climax during the trade show, and no doubt championship fever will be running high. Barça fans can take a guided tour of the stadium Camp Nou stadium and museum.
- Beaches Barcelona’s stretch of seafront covers 4.5 kilometers, and along it you will find hotel, restaurants, bars, cycle lanes, shops and, of course, beautiful sandy beaches. Or take a 30 minute trip out of the city to visit the world famous beaches of Sitges.
- Gothic Quarter The Barri Gótic (Gothic Quarter) is the heart of the city. A walk through its ancient streets is essential to get an idea of the layers of Barcelona’s history: from the Roman walls to the Picasso museum through the wellpreserved Gothic buildings.
- Gaudí and modernism The dynamic modernist movement at the turn of the century is reflected in the architecture of the Eixample district. Meaning “expansion”, it refers to the area where, from 1860, the city began to spread beyond the mediaeval city walls. A central sector of the Eixample is known as the Quadrat d’Or (Golden Square) because of its rich concentration of Modernist buildings. Key works by Barcelona’s most internationally renowned architect Gaudí and other leading modernist architects are in this area. Some of Gaudí’s most striking works are in the Passeig de Gràcia, the Casa Batlló, and the Casa Milà. His church Sagrada Familia is probably the most famous of all his works.
- Shops Barcelona is home to a wide range of local and international shops. The Shopping Line is one of the main areas and it covers five kilometers, stretching from the Diagonal to the harbour, via the passeig de Gràcia, the old town and La Rambla.
- La Boqueria Europe’s biggest food market – well worth a visit even if you’re just browsing.
- Museums Culture is a sign of Barcelona’s identity, and its museums highlight this. The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya has a unique holding on Romanesque and Gothic art. For contemporary art, head to the Museu Picasso, the Fundació Miró and the Fundació Tàpies.
- Parc de la Ciutadella Barcelona’s most beautiful park.
- Park Güell Gaudí’s surreal park is extraordinary, and home to the famous mosaic wall. Wander here and enjoy stunning views over the entire city.
- La Rambla The long famous boulevard running from Plaça Catalunya to the sea.
Venues
The biggest wine cellars in the world at Caves Codorniu: Located 45 km outside Barcelona in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. Cover 30km and set out on five levels.
El Principal de Tragaluz: Based in the centre of Barcelona, this restaurant has a large indoor courtyard and various function rooms for between 10 and 200 people. Serving typical Mediterranean food, it places great importance on product quality and seasonal dishes. Bell Recó: A luxurious mansion set in four hectares of garden which provides the opportunity to hold events of particular significance, just 20 minutes outside Barcelona.
Bodegas Torres: The Torres Winery opens its doors, making it possible to hire a wide variety of spaces to host any event. Miró: The Fundació Joan Miró is the main home to works by the artist, with more than 14,000 exhibits.
Laberint d’Horta Park: A neo-classical-style garden is of noble ancestry and was created by the 6th Marquis of Llupià, Joan Antoni Desvalls.
