Having been living in the city for some time now, I am definitely not complaining about the weather!
Since Barcelona occupies such an ideal location, a jumping off point for the Mediterranean if you will, the city has always played an important role in politics. Unfortunately, this also means that Barcelona has long been an important city to conquer for anyone trying to take over Spanish territory. This was true not just in ancient times, when the city fell to invasions from Visigoths and Muslims, but also less than 100 years ago during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s.
During the Spanish Civil War in the 1930's, Barcelona became a target for bombings by the Nationalist party. Many people died, and when Barcelona fell, so did the rest of Catalonia and the Nationalists achieved victory shortly after. Its location has always made Barcelona valuable, but also placed it in a precarious position at times.
Given its ideal location, Barcelona has long been growing, both in terms of its population and in popularity. As more and more people moved into Barcelona, large projects were undertaken to construct a Barcelona that could accomodate everyone. This included renovating buildings, refining the public transport system and beautifying the city.
All of these initiatives, while benefiting the people trying to live in Barcelona, also created a desirable tourist location. Barcelona, because of its beaches, history and architecture is one of the most—if not the most—popular destinations within Spain.
