As Barcelona becomes increasingly multicultural, visitors and residents of all nationalities are naturally accepted by what is in effect a fairly open-minded society. A person of a different race or skin color rarely draws more than a second glance, unlike a few decades back when a dark face was a rarity in a 99% castizo city.
That said, instances of racial conflict are not unknown, though these tend to be with African, Arabic, and Latin American locals rather than with foreign visitors.
African-American Travelers
Black Travel Online (www.blacktravelonline.com) posts news on upcoming events and includes links to articles and travel-booking sites. Soul of America (www.soulofamerica.com) is a comprehensive website, with travel tips, event and family-reunion postings, and sections on historically black beach resorts and active vacations.
Agencies and organizations that provide resources for black travelers include Rodgers Travel (tel. 800/825-1775; www.rodgerstravel.com); the African American Association of Innkeepers International (tel. 877/422-5777; www.africanamericaninns.com); and Henderson Travel & Tours (tel. 800/327-2309 or 301/650-5700; www.hendersontravel.com), which has specialized in trips to Africa since 1957. For more information, check out the following collections and guides: Go Girl: The Black Woman's Guide to Travel & Adventure (Eighth Mountain Press), a compilation of travel essays by writers including Jill Nelson and Audre Lorde; The African American Travel Guide by Wayne Robinson (Hunter Publishing; www.hunterpublishing.com); Steppin' Out by Carla Labat (Avalon); Travel and Enjoy Magazine (tel. 866/266-6211; www.travelandenjoy.com); and Pathfinders Magazine (tel. 877/977-PATH; www.pathfinderstravel.com), which includes articles on everything from Rio de Janeiro to Ghana as well as information on upcoming ski, diving, golf, and tennis trips.
