Barcelona, Spain: A cool weekend in Catalonia

I want to preface this post by saying that if there was ever a city that I would want to relive my abroad experience in, it would be Barcelona. As the grades will reflect, Barcelona didn't only provide me with a hell of a weekend, but a look at what would be a great place to study abroad again if I am lucky enough to have the opportunity. As a religious sports follower, there is something that one can truly appreciate about the passion and tradition behind FC Barcelona's soccer games; even if you're not a soccer fan. Here are my thoughts about the city of Barcelona:

Transportation: B
Barcelona's transportation system is efficient, orderly, and frequent. But for such a large city, there is definitely room improvement and of all the cities where I wouldn't suggest trying to explore using mass-transit Barcelona would top the list. If you're looking to catch Barca's main tourist spots, many of them aren't accessible via rail, and bus service is not as frequent as you'd find it in other cities so you're definitely better off taking a double-Decker, hop-on-hop-off, tour bus.
Barcelona has 2 airports, which give students and tourists plenty of options of flying into the city. Nevertheless, neither of these airports have a connecting mass transit rail to the city, forcing you to have to take a pricey cab ride to your final destination.

Accommodations: B
Part of my stay in Barcelona was spent with a friend whose living conditions were very comparable to mine in Prague. The apartment was equipped with similar appliances and amenities to mine in Prague - TV, fully equipped kitchen, washer unit, etc. The one drawback to studying abroad in Barcelona, or going there for a weekend stay, is that most of the student flats and hostels are not centrally located and a substantial amount of travel is required to get to the main points of interest within the city.

Nightlife: AB
Home to some of Europe's most famous nighttime hotspots, Barcelona is considered by many to be the best party-city in Europe. The world top DJ's make it a priority to stop in Barcelona on every tour as their fan base is among the strongest in Europe. For those looking to dance till the wee hours or simply go out for drinks at a dive bar, Barcelona can be especially accommodating, with most of its clubs and bars staying open through the morning rush-hour. Locals are especially energetic and lively, making for a good nightly social scene. The one biggest drawback to Barcelona's nightlife is the lack of diversity that is seen in Prague's nightlife, as its house music scene reigns supreme above all others.

Safety: BC
This is one area that Barcelona can use improvement, as its police are generally uncaring and unresponsive to Americans. The natives can be very aggressive and view soliciting attention from girls as a hands on experience. Most travel guides will instruct students and tourists to keep their personal belongings and pocket books on the inside of a sidewalk as motorists are known to try and snatch valuables while driving.

Affordability: B
Considering Barcelona is on the Euro, the city is relatively affordable compared to others on the same currency. Most excursions and sites of interest have fairly priced entrance fees and there are many affordable meal and travel options whether you are leaving the city for the weekend or going from point to point within the city.

Aesthetic/Scenic Beauty: AB

Barcelona is a city entrenched in the arts and it doesn't take long for one to appreciate its beauty upon arrival. Right out of the airport, tourists are welcomed by palm trees and large contemporary scupltures. The Olympic village and surrounding areas provide breathtaking views of the city and an environment that even those who don't care for sports, can appreciate. The presence of several Gaudi designed buildings provide early 20th century architectural fans with several captivating points of interest including the extremely intricate and unique Sagrada La Familia. Similarly, the Catalan construction design is unique to not only Europe but the rest of the world.

Cuisine: AB

Like Paris, if I had never been to Italy, then without question, Barcelona might have received a top grade in this category. With a style and element of its own, Barcelona's cuisine is simply fantastic. Among the local favorites are Tapas which are a variety of small, bite sized delicacies ranging from a fried potato called "la bomba" to octopus doused in a vinegar based sauce. Barcelona also has a very respectable variety of diverse cuisine from Asian to Middle-Eastern.