# Barcelona

/ˌbɑɹsɪˈɫoʊnə/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/barcelona
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. city in Spain

noun · CEFR A1

The capital city of Catalonia, a region in northeast Spain.

For teachers: The capital city of the autonomous community of Catalonia in Spain, located on the Mediterranean coast.

- We spent our summer holiday visiting the famous churches in Barcelona.
- Barcelona is renowned for its unique modernist architecture, particularly the works of Antoni Gaudí which define the city's skyline.

Teaching tip: In an EFL context, students often use 'Barcelona' to refer metonymically to its famous football club, FC Barcelona.

## Examples

- Barcelona is a beautiful city by the sea.
- Many tourists visit Barcelona every summer to see the famous church designed by Antoni Gaudí.
- As a major cultural hub, Barcelona balances its historical Gothic architecture with avant-garde urban planning, making it one of the most visited metropolitan areas in Europe.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.