I've spent a lot of time in Europe. We've travelled and seen a lot of places and Barcelona is one of my favorites. More than anything, it was the atmosphere and general feel of the place. It was busy, but casual. The people there in Barcelona were very friendly and although I do speak Spanish, I got the feeling that there was a lot of English speaking especially in the tourist areas. The accommodations vary with anything from the more lavish hotels to the cheap hotels in Barcelona. The quality may vary as well. Hopefully if you are staying in this beautiful city, you are only spending a little bit of time in the hotel.
There are plenty of sites to see including famous architecturally significant buildings designed by Gaudi. In fact, once you see these in person, you realize how this name became synonymous with loud, someone colorful and some extreme designs. The Sagrada Familia is one of the cathedrals by Gaudi that are still being worked on today. There are a lot of other designs throughout the city and there are few opportunities to not recognize these works when you see them.
The Olympic Games took place in Barcelona in 1992 and although the complex isn't used as much as it was during the games, there is a distinct feeling of awe when walking around the grounds. There is some magnificent statues that symbolize the spirit of competition. The complex can be confusing to get to, but if you approach it from the lower museum, plan on a good fifteen minute walk.
In the same general area as the Olympic complex, there is a hill that has a fortress at the summit. This fortress overlooks the city and also the bay where cruise ships come and go every day along with countless container ships. This is a very busy port and if you wanted to, you could watch the ships come and go all day long.
