Post by Mark Hazard

Barcelona eats, drinks, breathes, lives and dreams sport. Far more than any other city in Spain, Barcelona is a sporting paradise. Dependable estimates have it that 25% of the population of the Catalan money metropolis are lively participants in at minimum one particular activity on a regular basis. It’s also much more than probable that individuals men and women not participating in sport will possibly be watching it or talking about it in a bar someplace.

Barcelona, you see, is entirely crazy about activity. It was the 1992 Olympic Video games, which spurred a tremendous interest in all sports and commenced the remarkable improvements in the sporting infrastructure of the town that have led to it becoming one of Europe’s premier venues.

Of program, for several sports lovers Barcelona implies, a lot more than something, Barca – the thrilling and exotic staff football staff (soccer, if you are an American reader) which has a popularity for taking part in quick, free-flowing attacking games in a stadium with a capability for 98,000 very charged spectators. It is no coincidence that the most visited museum in the complete of Catalonia is the museum at FC Barcelona’s Nou Camp Stadium, with a staggering 1,200,000 guests annually. FC Barcelona, however, is significantly a lot more than even a football club – it has leading-rated basketball, handball, and hockey teams, for instance. 1 of the NBA’s star players, Pau Gasol, born locally, when represented the Barcelona basketball group ahead of moving about to the USA and sooner or later signing for LA Lakers.

Simply because of its enticing proximity to the mountains and the sea, Barcelona is capable to supply participants the best of all worlds. Sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and kayaking are all common and located on the beaches in and about the city, particularly focussed around the Centre Municipal de Vela at Port Olimpic. In addition, you’re by no means very far away from the climbing, hiking or skiing in the nearby Pyrenees.

Motor activity lovers are wonderfully catered for at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo, just twelve miles or 20 kilometres north of the metropolis centre. Not only are the Spanish Method one and the Catalan Moto GPs held here yearly but there is a whole calendar of events all through the 12 months that attracts hundreds of visitors.

For golfers, there are courses in and around the city to rival, and perhaps even surpass, those on the greater acknowledged golf place of the Costa del Sol. For instance, you can play at the Greg Norman-designed 45 holes of the True Club de Golf el Prat at Terrassa or the Masia Bach Golf Club with its program intended by Jose Maria Olazabal, and many, a lot of far more.

If you’re extremely lucky, while you’re in Barcelona you may catch some glimpses of a terrifying local sport – human castles – which are pyramids of men and women frequently 9 storeys substantial with a young climber at the summit waving to the crowds below. The popular Castellers de Vilafranca are the acknowledged masters of this, virtually, death-defying activity and there are often festivals in the summertime where you might be able to witness their routines at 1st hand.

Barcelona is a town which will often provide visitors a unique experience a location of great tradition, yet bursting with life and exuberance. And these elements are totally reflected in the Catalan adore of sport.

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For a lot more info about Barcelona, such as FC Barcelona and the Spanish F1 Grand Prix see Barcelona Travelogue.