Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, and the 2^nd most important city of Spain has been a center of attraction for tourists from all parts of the world especially since the city hosted 1992 Olympics. This great city is situated at the foothills of Mountain Montjuic and next to the great Mediterranean coastline, and has some breathtaking natural scenery to mesmerize the tourists. The beaches are majestic, and the sun and sand so captivating and relaxing that you would want to live here forever. There are many places of tourist attraction but there are also some hidden gems that you must explore on your won without taking a guide. This article talks about a few of these hidden Barcelona attractions.

No visit to Spain is complete without staying for a short time in the capital city of Madrid even if the tourist has come specifically to explore Barcelona. You stayed at Madrid apartments when in the capital, and you must do the same when in Barcelona. There are some really cozy apartments Barcelona where you can relax and have all the privacy in the world. The trend of going in for apartments instead of hotel rooms is catching on with tourists in all capital cities in Europe and the situation is not much different in Austria where Vienna apartments are a rage among the visitors.

Sant Pau del Camp

Not many tourists know about this church that happens to be the oldest in the city. This church was built around 912 AD and is the only church that survived the attacks during civil war. The church is simple and built of stone during Roman period. There are not many building is Spain older than this church and therein lies the attraction of this church.

Hidden tunnels

Why would a city need so many hidden tunnels? If you have read and known about the history of the city, you must have come across many civil wars, the Spanish Armadas, and the Roman period enough to convince you about the need to build tunnels hidden from people. In between the old town and Mountain Montjuic, there are several tunnels that house structures like medical station, small rooms, and a place to keep kids. These tunnels tell the story of the time when people had to take shelter underground to escape barbaric bombings.

Las Ramblas

If you are interested in soaking up the local culture, moving up and down the streets of Ramblas is a great experience you will never forget. This famous place that is full of Catalonian culture and architecture was once a river bed. You encounter street performers and artists, cafes and restaurants on the street to keep you mesmerized.

Horta maze

This is a labyrinth where you will feel lost, just like rats in psychological experiments. Many tourists do not get a chance to get to this hidden attraction of Barcelona as it lies away from the city.

There are many more hidden gems that you would explore talking to the locals on your own.

Since the city of Krakow was once the royal capital of Poland, there are so many things that need to be seen here. Because of that the travelers have a few options. They can either make some serious research and plans before the trip or they can book for one of the many Krakow City Tours. The Krakow City Tours are organized by educated and very dedicated people, who usually have degrees in the humanitarian studies and history. Most of the Krakow city tours are arranged in English, though other language tours are available as well upon request. The groups are not large, so that everyone from the participants can see and hear what one is looking at and why it is an important landmark. One of the interesting and popular Krakow city tours is the bike tour, which is good for people who like some exercising and want to see as many places of interest at a time, as possible. The city tours in Krakow are divided by district and there are three different areas that they cover. There is also a free walking tour available.

One of the most popular city tours in Krakow is the Oscar Schindler factory tour. Of course, one can go and visit the site on one’s own with public transport or a car. However, travelers should know that the site is closed on every first Monday of the month and on other Mondays the entry is free of charge. This is among the most popular places to be visited in the city of Krakow, and thus buying the tickets online is something very wise and recommended to do, especially if you are coming as a group. The tickets could be bought from this website: http://www.bilety.mhk.pl/ Reservations need to be made in advance, even for the days of the free visit.

One actually does not need a guide as well, since everything there is in Polish and in English. Getting to the site is easy. One should use the tram lines 7 and 9, 11 and 13, 24 and 50, as well as number 51 and stop after the Vistula in Podgorze, at the tram stop Pl. Bohaterow Getta. After that one should walk down Kacik street a few blocks, walk through the railroad underpass to the left and reach the Lipowa street.

Another option would be to go on a city tour with the little electric carts, which definitely shall include the Schindler’s Factory. The third option is to take your time and walk to the site. This will take approximately 45 minutes from the city center, but one will get the chance to see some beautiful places along the way. The exact address of the place is ul. Lipowa 4, if you want to check in on google maps before you go. While at the Oscar Schindler factory there is a museum to be seen there. Just next door to the Oscar Schindler factory is now opened a Museum of Contemporary Art, which is also worth visiting.