Barcelona is for bookworms
Barcelona is a city of many things.
It is a city of words. So many words.
It is a city full of inspired writers, talented translators, inspired illustrators and gifted business people. Spain has the third largest publishing industry in Europe, publishing approximately 70,000 new titles each year, and Barcelona accounts for around 50% of that output.
April 23rd, el día de Sant Jordi or St George´s Day, when books are bought and given as presents, certainly gives the local publishing industry a huge boost. Let’s see some of the places you can visit in our Barcelona by the Sea experience which will reinforce Barcelona’s close relationship with the written word.
- The Maritime Museum (Dockyards)
Barcelona is a city with a long-standing relationship with the sea. Its dockyards were built between the 13th and 14th centuries and were in the service of the Aragonese Crown for the construction of galleys. The Royal Galley captained by Juan de Austria in the Battle of Lepanto was built here. Not only does the current museum hold a life-size replica of this galley, but fascinating exhibitions with written and pictorial documentation from city’s past. Yes! Sailors had to keep records and you will able to see what they produced! You might not understand much, but you can see it!
2. Museum of World Cultures
Another fascinating space you must visit while in Barcelona is the Museum of World Cultures. One of the most interesting things about studying other cultures is learning how they use art and the written word to express who they are. This museum, housed in two spectacular gothic palaces, holds more than 500 archaeological pieces and almost 2,400 works of art from Asia, America, Africa and Oceania. Many of these go back many thousands of years before the common era.
What were our ancestors trying to say with these pieces? Find out right here! Words may fail you on this occasion.
3. Picasso Museum
What Picasso didn’t communicate in words, he definitely knew how to bring to life on canvas. If you don’t know how to “read” his paintings, (and let’s be honest, all is not what it seems), you might need to buy a book on Picasso at one of the many bookstalls dotted all around Barcelona before visiting this fascinating museum. Preparation is the key and if you really want to be prepared, read up on Picasso’s blue and pink periods. What are you waiting for?
4. Restaurante Siete Puertas
Yes, it’s not a book shop. It’s a restaurant.
So, what does this have to do with the theme of books and the written word?
Well, more than you might think. This restaurant has been drawing all kinds of people since it was opened in 1840. It has always been a hot spot for intellectual gatherings and a haunt for Barcelona’s literary circles. Writers such as Federico García Lorca and Gabriel García Márquez are just some of the hallowed names that have sat at one of these tables. Now you can add your name to the list!
5. The Museum of the History of Catalonia
This is the perfect place to come to if you enjoy exhibitions and cultural activities and if looking over documentation related to the natural, anthropological and scientific heritage of the Catalonia region rocks your boat, this is a must for you.
The word “Catalonia” has been in the news so much over recent years and now you can come and find out everything that has happened here from the remotest pre-history right up to the present day. There are also some amazing views of the Old Port and the city of Barcelona from its terrace bar. If you are laden down with books and roses, it might be the perfect place for a relaxing drink. Sound like a nice way to end of the day?
Visiting Barcelona is always an experience and a privilege.
It’s a city where you leave behind a part of your heart so that you have to keep returning to it again and again. Buy books and read about the city and its history. Reading nourishes the mind and the spirit. But, while you are in Barcelona, all you’ll need is your mobile phone and a comfy pair of shoes. We will do the rest.
Come and experience Barcelona with Navibration. We are waiting here for you!
