IADIS e-Society 2009: Conference Location

Conference Location

The conference will be held in the Hotel Barceló Sants, Barcelona, Spain.

Catalonia is 1 of the 17 Autonomous Communities that make up Spain.
Known as one of Europe's playgrounds, with a wide array of beaches for the holiday-maker and a mass of places to visit, Catalonia has something to offer every visitor. The region benefits from a mild climate and a culture all of its own.

In a privileged position on the northeastern coast of the Iberian peninsula and the shores of the Mediterranean, Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain in both size and population. It is also the capital of Catalonia.

There are two official languages spoken in Barcelona: Catalan, generally spoken in all of Catalonia, and Castillian Spanish.

Barcelona is the cultural and industrial capital of Catalonia and is well worth a visit. Pilgrims may go to Montserrat for its scenery and religious background, known as the religious centre of Catalonia.

Barcelona contains monuments and remains from all the different stages in its history, and therefore is a very old city with a rich and varied past.
Most places of historic interest are to be found in the confines of the old town, which is a maze of narrow streets, easy to navigate by foot.

The old town spreads northwest from the harbour and at its heart is the Barri Gòtic, the medieval nucleus of the city where you will find the Cathedral and several of the major museums.

At the western edge you will find the Ramblas, Spain's most famous street, a series of five, short, lively streets that combine to make a broad avenue.

The Ramblas is a highlight to any trip to Barcelona and is lined with cafes, shops and restaurants as well as being the location for several important buildings and monuments.

The medieval streets continue on either side of the Ramblas, reaching northeast through the Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter), past the Museo Picasso and southwest to the fortress-topped hill of Montjuic where the city's best museums and the Olympic stadium are located.

The historic centre is imbued with a bohemian atmosphere which you can discover as you walk through the Gothic Quarter, and the Ribera and Raval districts. This is one of the world’s best-preserved medieval quarters. However, if Barcelona is famous for anything, it must be the buildings in the Eixample. If you take a walk around this neighbourhood you will be able to admire architectural masterpieces such as the Sagrada Família and La Pedrera, among other wonders inherited from Antoni Gaudí and the other architects of the city’s home-grown art-nouveau movement, modernisme.

Top tourist attractions in Barcelona include the Parc Güell, Las Ramblas, the Parc de la Ciutadella, Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia, the Casa Milá and The Eixample.

There are also many important museums and art galleries in Barcelona and the most popular is Barcelona's Picasso Museum.

Among the things to watch for in the old town is the Placa de Catalunya, a large square with gardens, fountains and seats.

Barcelona is without doubt one of the most exiting cities to visit in the Mediterranean, and with glorious beaches and a history stretching back over 2,000 years, Barcelona deserves to be seen and enjoyed.