FEATURES
-
History Underfoot: The City's Tiles
Of the countless steps that can be taken through the alleyways and avenues of Barcelona, how many are contemplated in terms of their historical significance? Read more
-
Gender Violence: Getting Help in Spain
Estimates published by WHO indicate that about one in three women worldwide have been subjected to either physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime. Help is out there. Find out who to call if it happens to you or someone you know. Read more
-
Much-Loved Dog Breeds Are Just as Likely to Bite as Banned Ones—Here’s How to Stop Them
Dogs are rarely “nice” or “nasty.” People tend to label some dog breeds as aggressive and some, such as the pit bull terrier, are often banned, yet all dogs have the potential to bite. Read more
-
![Color-copper-engraving-of-Doctor-Schnabel-[i.e-Dr-Beak],-a-plague-doctor-in-seventeenth-century-Rome,-published-by-Paul-Fürst,-ca.jpg](https://www.barcelona-metropolitan.com/downloads/33531/download/Color-copper-engraving-of-Doctor-Schnabel-%5Bi.e-Dr-Beak%5D%2C-a-plague-doctor-in-seventeenth-century-Rome%2C-published-by-Paul-F%C3%BCrst%2C-ca.jpg?cb=8e3b97ab6f3d1327b2481a43467f193e "Color-copper-engraving-of-Doctor-Schnabel-[i.e-Dr-Beak],-a-plague-doctor-in-seventeenth-century-Rome,-published-by-Paul-Fürst,-ca.jpg")
Barcelona in the Plague Years
Still recovering from the famine in the previous decade that killed ten thousand in the city—25% of the population—the black plague is likely to have eliminated 40% of Catalunya's population. Read more
-
Two people are considered friends if they consistently prefer each other over other individuals. Humans aren’t the only ones who form friendships, though.
Animal Friendships Are Surprisingly Like Our Own
It may not shock you that our closest relatives, such as chimpanzees and bonobos, make friends. But species throughout the animal kingdom, from birds and fish to horses and dolphins, have pals too. Read more
-
Four Ways to Tell If Your Cat Loves You—Based on Science
Cats behave towards humans in the same way that they respond to their feline friends, so the secret of whether your cat feels bonded to you lies in their behavior. Read more
-
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC), photo by Vicente Zambrano González courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Complete Guide to Barcelona's Free Museum Days
Many of Barcelona's fabulous museums open their doors for free on certain days, so we put together an interactive map with the details of all the incredible places you can visit for free. Check it out! Read more
-
A la Heróica Cartagena, Columbus monument in Plaza de la Aduana, Cartagena, Colombia. Photo by Juan Camilo Maya (CC-BY-SA-3.0) via Wikimedia Commons.
What Is Día de la Hispanidad & Why Is It a Holiday?
Is it a holiday celebrating a shared history and language that binds together millions upon millions of people across the planet, or an anachronistic and insensitive veneration of the violence and oppression of Spain’s colonial past? Read more
-
Cercavila amb l'Aliga de Barcelona at Festa de la Mercè, photo courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
La Mercè, Barcelona’s Second Patron Saint
Just like every neighborhood has its "festa major," nearly every town in Catalunya has a city-wide festival in honor of its patron saint. Barcelona has two patron saints: Santa Eulàlia and the Mare de Déu de la Mercè—known simply as La Mercè. Read more
-
Dance of the new "gegants" during the Festes de Santa Eulàlia. Photo by Edu Bayer courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Do You Know Catalunya's Gegants?
These giants have played a key role in Catalan street parties for centuries, here's why. Read more
![Color-copper-engraving-of-Doctor-Schnabel-[i.e-Dr-Beak],-a-plague-doctor-in-seventeenth-century-Rome,-published-by-Paul-Fürst,-ca.jpg](https://www.barcelona-metropolitan.com/downloads/33531/download/Color-copper-engraving-of-Doctor-Schnabel-%5Bi.e-Dr-Beak%5D%2C-a-plague-doctor-in-seventeenth-century-Rome%2C-published-by-Paul-F%C3%BCrst%2C-ca.jpg?cb=8e3b97ab6f3d1327b2481a43467f193e&w={width}&h={height} "Color-copper-engraving-of-Doctor-Schnabel-[i.e-Dr-Beak],-a-plague-doctor-in-seventeenth-century-Rome,-published-by-Paul-Fürst,-ca.jpg")
