Barcelona: Leading a Stateless Nation
By Rick Steves
Tribune Media Services
(Tribune Media Services) — Barcelona is Spain’s second city and the capital of the proud and distinct region of Catalonia. With Francisco Franco’s fascism now long gone, Catalonia’s creative and independent spirit is on a roll. Many visitors find this to be Spain’s most cosmopolitan and vibrant corner.
In Barcelona a local told me “Catalonia is Spain’s Quebec.” Traveling here you see how the people of Catalonia have an affinity for other “stateless nations.” Locals don’t like to call their corner of Iberia a “region” of Spain — that’s what Franco called it.
They stress that they are a “nation without a state.” And they have an affinity for other people who didn’t get their independence when they drew the national boundaries. They live in solidarity with other stateless nations, finding Basque or Galician bars a little more appealing than your run-of-the-mill Spanish ones.
Barcelona has a rich history: Roman colony, a Dark Age Visigothic capital, and a 14th-century maritime power. And beyond its great sights, be sure to appreciate the city’s elegant sense of style and Mediterranean knack for good living.
