Visitors wishing to take a break from all the art may want to see the Plaza de Toros， Spain，s largest bullringbullring n.斗牛场， where regular bullfights are still held. Sports fanaticsfanatic n.狂热者， 盲信者， 入迷者 adj.狂热的， 盲信的 who like something a little less bloodthirsty can watch Real Madrid， or Atletico de Madrid， Spain，s most famous football teams kick off.
The Madrid to explore on a tourist level can be found between the Royal Palace and Madrid，s midtown forest， the Parque del Buen Retiro. These neighbourhoods will introduce you to the city，s finest resources - its people and their electricity， whether at play in bars or at work in finance or the media and film industries； it，s a fascinating place to discover. Thus selecting it as your Spanish holiday destination， is a good one and the information found on these pages will certainly assist in making your visit an easy one.
Barcelona
音乐城——巴塞罗那
巴塞罗那是西班牙的第二大城，也是工商业、文化艺术非常发达的城市，有“地中海曼哈顿”之称。西班牙现代艺术巨匠如毕加索、米罗、达利等人都诞生于此，是伊比利半岛最富欧洲气质的大都会，又被称为“伊比利半岛的明珠”，1833年以前是加泰罗尼亚地区加泰罗尼亚的首府，文艺复兴时代大作家塞万提斯，曾赞誉她是西班牙的骄傲和世界上最美丽的城市。
巴城东濒地中海，全城位于两座小山之间的狭长地带。公元五至七世纪成为加泰罗尼亚王国首都。公元八世纪被阿拉伯人征服，取名马尔卡卢那，即今名的来历。公元九世纪该市被封为伯爵领地，获“伯爵城”的别名。九世纪初，巴城就已成为地中海重要港口和工商城。十五世纪末，哥伦布发现美洲大陆后，其商港地位被南方重镇塞维利亚取代，巴市曾一度衰落，十九世纪工业崛起，又兴盛起来。西班牙内战期间，巴市一直在共和党部队手中，并成为共和政府临时首都，直到内战结束前夕，才被佛朗哥军队占领。整个城市依山傍海、地势雄伟，气候舒适宜人，市区内哥特式、文艺复兴式、巴洛克式建筑和现代化楼群相互辉映。由和平之门广场(Placa Portal de la Pau)到加泰罗尼亚广场(Placa de Cataluna)之间，以大教堂为中心，有无数值得参观的建筑物。
巴城交通发达，工商业繁荣。该市同它周围的卫星城构成西班牙三大工业基地之一，是全国纺织、化工、医药、机械、造纸、汽车、工业中心，拥有大小工厂企业5000余家。巴塞罗那港是全国最大的综合性港口，年入港船只为8000艘（总吨位为4000万吨)，年吞吐量为2000万吨。
巴塞罗那市有两所大学——巴塞罗那中央大学和自治大学，为西班牙东部地区文化、教育中心。另外，它还是西班牙有名的“音乐城”，西班牙许多音乐名家，如巴勃罗·卡萨尔斯，出生于该市。有名的音乐喷泉，每当开放，必定吸引着无数游客前往，喷泉水柱和激光光束随着音乐的强弱而变化，游人或沉浸于美妙的旋律之中，或随之翩翩起舞，流连忘返。巴市城建规划讲究，市容整洁美观。城市以北的“美丽海岸”为西班牙四大旅游区之一。
Barcelona is the capital city of CataloniaCatalonia 加泰罗尼亚［西班］(或译卡塔卢尼亚)， an autonomous community in northeastern Spain， and Spain，s secondlargest city (after Madrid). It is located in the comarca of Barcelonès， along the Mediterranean coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs. It is 160 km (100 mi) south of the Pyrenees mountain range， which forms the Spanish borderborder n.边界， 国界， 边， 边沿， 边境 vt.与……接壤， 接近 v.接壤 with France. The population of the city proper is 1，583，000 (est. 2003)， while the population of the urban area is 4，042，000 (est. 2000). Population of the entire metropolitan area (urban area plus satellite towns) is 4，667，000 (est. 2003)， although this only covers 3，235 km2 (1250 mi2) around the city. There are approx 5.3 million people in 7600 km2 (2900 mi2) surrounding the city. The mayor of Barcelona is Joan Clos.
Barcelona is one of the most exciting cities in Spain to visit. The museums， theatres， art galleries and nightlife are some of the best to be found anywhere in the country. The city has a lot of interesting activities to offer to its visitors， both young and old and a good infrastructureinfrastructure n.下部构造， 基础下部组织 to go with it. World class hotels and resorts offer excellent accommodation and getting around is a breezebreeze n.微风， 煤屑， 焦炭渣， 轻而易举的事， 小风波 vi.吹微风， 逃走.
Barcelona，s enviableenviable adj.令人羡慕的， 可羡慕的 position between the mountains and the sea ensuresensure vt.保证， 担保， 使安全， 保证得到 v.确保， 确保， 保证 yearround outdoor fun. Its architecture will amaze， its scenery， like its wine， will intoxicateintoxicate vt.使陶醉， 醉人 the senses and its people， known for their independent spirit and sense of humour will charm you. Come and discover it for yourself.
Barcelona offers a uniqueunique adj.唯一的， 独特的 opportunity for the tourist on foot to walk from Roman remains to the medievalmedieval adj.中世纪的， 仿中世纪的， 老式的， （贬）原始的 city， and then to the modern city with its open thoroughfares and gridiron street pattern. The historic city center is fairly flat， while the modern city fans out towards the surrounding hills， bordered by steep streets that are vaguely reminiscentreminiscent adj.回忆往事的 of those found in San Francisco.
Barcelona is a good choice for a visit in this country. If you are a newcomer to the area or haven，t visited for a while， the information provided on this and related pages will prove invaluable in assisting you to make your holiday or business venture here， as simple as a stroll down your local street back home.
A step away from France， Barcelona is a denselydensely adv.浓密地， 浓厚地 packed city that oozes style. It is the second largest city in Spain and the economic and administrative capital of Catalonia； a region with its own language， character and history.
A Mediterranean city， it has developed as a great metropolis and is known throughout the world as a cultural city with a rich architectural and monumentalmonumental adj.纪念碑的， 纪念物的， 不朽的， 非常的 heritageheritage n.遗产， 继承权， 传统， buildings of which have been declared part of the world heritage by UNESCO.
Barcelona is a holiday maker，s paradiseparadise n.天堂 with innumerableinnumerable adj.无数的， 数不清的 possibilities for activities. The city，s cultural agenda offers a large variety of shows， popular festivals， theatre， dance， music， opera， flamenco and exhibitions. Over 40 museums， collections， single artist exhibitions such as the Museu Picasso， the Fundacio Joan Miro and the Fundació Antoni Tàpies， the largest collection of Roman art in the world， periodicalperiodical adj.周期的， 定期的 n.期刊， 杂志 contemporary art exhibitions and a large number of art galleries. Being a seaside city， beach activities abound and there，s little chance of becoming bored here.
Barcelona is the third most important trading port in the Mediterranean and a favourite stopoverstopover n.中途停留 point for luxury cruise liners. The medieval shipyards bear witness to the splendoursplendour n.［亦作splendor］ 光彩壮丽， 显赫， 杰出 of maritime trade and the Catalan naval fleet of the Middle Ages. When here going sailing is one of the “must do activities”， one can，t afford to miss.
