Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is a major cultural, economic, and financial center in southwestern Europe, as well as the main biotech hub in Spain. Spain’s largest port and second largest city, it serves as the country’s principal industrial and commercial center, as well as a major cultural and educational hub. Barcelona is renowned for its rich architecture, gastronomy, and culture. The city forms the capital of Catalonia, one of the seventeen regions in Spain. Catalonians have their own language, culture and history that differs from the rest of Spain. This has become a prominent issue in today’s Spanish politics since residents identify themselves first and foremost as Catalonians vs. Spaniards. Barcelona is home to the Sagrada Família, a masterpiece of Catalan Modernism architecture and the most famous work of Antoni Gaudí – one of the city’s nine UNESCO World Heritage sites.
