The Eixample district is designed in a unique grid system with cut-off, chamfered corners. This was built to give drivers better visibility and allow more space for carriages to turn.

Seven of the city's nine UNESCO World Heritage sites were designed by Antoni Gaudí.

Before the 1992 Summer Olympics, Barcelona did not have tourist beaches. The city completely redesigned its waterfront, importing sand from Egypt to build 4.5 kilometers of coastline.

The city was originally founded as a small Roman colony named Barcino in the 1st century BC. Ruins of these ancient walls can still be seen in the Gothic Quarter. 

Unlike many major sports organizations, FC Barcelona is entirely owned and operated by its tens of thousands of club members (socios) rather than a single private owner.

There were actually three original Statue of Liberties, and Barcelona has one of them. It’s at the Arús Library.

Smoking marijuana is legal in Barcelona, but only privately in your own home or in one of the city’s many members-only cannabis clubs.

Barcelona’s Parc de Collserola is the largest city park in the world. It’s 22 times bigger than New York City’s Central Park.

This fact for us plein air painters: Expect a sunny day. Barcelona gets 310 per year.