Are you interested in art and architecture, music and theater, sport and entertainment, seashells and the Mediterranean Sea, Cava (Spanish champagne) and tapas, or leather goods and shoes? If so, there is no better place to be than Barcelona.

Josep Lluis Sert, Fundacio Joan Miro, Barcelona.

El anticuario

Leaving Tangier

Request it!

Josep Lluis Sert, Fundacio Joan Miro, Barcelona.

 

Barcelona : Ediciones Poligrafa, c2010.

The Foundation building was designed by Josep Lluís Sert, architect, co-founder of the GATCPAC (a leading group in the introduction of Modern architecture in Spain) and a close friend of Joan Miró.

Request it!

El anticuario

Julián Sánchez.

Barcelona : Roca Editorial de Libros, 2009.

In Spanish.

Request it!

Leaving Tangier : a novel

Tahar Ben Jelloun ; translated from the French by Linda Coverdale.

New York, N.Y. : Penguin Books, 2009.

From one of the world's great writers, a breakthrough novel about leaving home for a better life In his new novel, award-winning, internationally bestselling author Tahar Ben Jelloun tells the story of a Moroccan brother and sister making new lives for themselves in Spain. Azel is a young man in Tangier who dreams of crossing the Strait of Gibraltar. When he meets Miguel, a wealthy Spaniard, he leaves behind his girlfriend, his sister, Kenza, and his mother, and moves with him to Barcelona, where Kenza eventually joins them. What they find there forms the heart of this novel of seduction and betrayal, deception and disillusionment, in which Azel and Kenza are reminded powerfully not only of where they've come from, but also of who they really are.

Far from gaudy, the works of Antoni Gaudí i Cornet define the city. One remarkable example is Parc Güell, where a colorful dragon greets visitors and invites further exploration of the gardens, stone curvatures and mosaics. Another is La Sagrada Familia. Here, wind your way up the spiral staircases in the towers of Gaudí's cathedral for the city, and discover not only a nativity and tree of life but stunning overarching views.

From the open air sculptures of Joan Miró to Pablo Picasso's canvasses at Museu Picasso, works of art can be found at every turn. Attend a world class performance at Palau de la Música Catalana, but accept that it will pale in comparison to its setting, designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

Like mysteries? Challenge yourself to successfully navigate the maze of hedges at Parc del Laberint d'Horta. Or, ride the funicular up to the amusements at Tibidabo. Support the international favorite football team, Barca, and visit the 1992 Olympics site at Montjuic, where Placa d'Espanya is home to today's Barcelona marathon.

Celebrate the seasonal arrival of tasty calçots, select the choicest hams and melons from local markets, and enjoy a small plates meal and Cava at a spirited tapas bar. Round out the evening with a stroll down Las Ramblas, if only to give your best to Elvis.

Barcelona offers something for everyone.

Article by: St. Louis Public Library staff