Barcelona
On the 8th of August 2022, I flew into Barcelona, South of Spain. I have stayed at two different hostels, during my trip here: 'The Loft', located in the centre and 'Inout hostel', which is a 20 minute train journey North of the city. Both Hostels have been clean, spacious and provided all the amenities necessary.
Inout hostel is located in the heart of Collserola National Park and is the hub of a supportive project to those who are neurodivergent. The hostel employs over 50 adults and is a non-profitable organisation, with several initiatives within Barcelona. The Inout team, run a school for children with disabilities, aged from 3-21. They also have a centre for adults, with a capacity of 70 people, which offers training and occupational health. Furthermore Inout hostel is a greener hostel as they use biomass energy for heating all their hot water.
PROFILE
- population | 1.62million
- Area | 101.9km2
- Capitol of the Catalonia Region
- 2nd largest city in Spain
Photo credits: (Anupam, 2019)
Superilles
Superblocks
Almost immediately I noticed the wide, vibrant green streets and was fascinated by the urban planning within the city. Superilles are an urban design concept, which are intended to minimise the cars in the city centre by opening entire groups of streets to pedestrians and cyclists. Salvaador Rueda introduced the idea into the 2013-2018 Urban Mobility Plan of Barcelona. A superille is a neighbourhood of 9 blocks. The inside of this block is limited to 10mph and is closed off to buses, trucks and any other through traffic, which would be directed around the outside of the superille perimeter. Curb side parking is replaced by underground parking allowing for open street space to be facilitated by cafes, events and picnic spots creating a pretty and pleasant area for the citizens. This change in streetscape, prioritises the active lifestyle and improves the quality of life within the city. There is also an economic benefit for the city as people tend to walk slower, they get more enjoyment from the area, they stop more frequently and therefore spend more money within the superilles. Social activity will then tend to build on itself.
Photo credits: (ISGlobal, 2020)
More on Barcelona's green living
- More than 10% of the city is covered by urban parks
- There are 180km of bike lanes
- Public transport such as metro, tram and PGC are the quickest, most convenient and sustainable way of getting around the city
- A travel card for 10 individual journeys can be purchased for £9.60 (less than £1 for any journey that could be over an hour in length)
- There are refillable drink stations located all over the city (fresh and cold)