Sights
Edit ThisLes Ramblas Market Jan 2005
Bryan Williams
There are so many Barcelona activities and sights to see, that it has always been a challenge for most Barcelona travel guides to list them all. So in what area or what attraction is the best place to start exploring Barcelona? Well, once you leave your Barcelona hotel, grab a bite to eat at any Barcelona restaurant then head straight to a popular starting point for newbies -- the Ramblas. This lovely promenade runs from the port to Plaça de Catalunya.
If you head for the port, you can stroll down de Paseo de Colon boulevard, visit the beach, the harbour and the aquarium, and climb de San Sebastia tower to take in some of the best views of views of the city. The tower, located in an area that is better known as Barceloneta (little Barcelona), is also the place where the cable car for Montjuic departs.
The hill Montjuic has a nice park, an impressive fortress, and some good museums, such as the Miro museum, which has, besides a good collection of Miro paintings, a fairly extensive modern art collection. The Spanish village, which has remained intact, is also located in this area.
Plaza de Catalunya is the heart of the modern centre. This is also the area where you will find a high concentration of houses designed by Gaudí. Pick up one of the walking Barcelona travel guides and follow the traces of this remarkable architect throughout the town. Of course, the tour isn’t complete without a visit to the unfinished Sagrad Familia, the Parc Guell, and the Gaudí Museum.
The old city centre, better known as the Gothic Quarter, offers a good view of medieval times and all sorts of architectural styles that left their mark on this part of the city. The Santa Maria del Mar Cathedral and its plaza are only a few of the interesting sights in this area. There are several palaces, either still in use by the government (or foundations) or left on their own to be explored by visitors. The Picasso museum is located in one of these palaces (Montcada 15-23) and this is only one of the many interesting museums that Barcelona has to offer. This is the perfect area to get lost and explore the winding streets, the little shops and some of the best Barcelona the tapas bars.
Contributors
May 16, 2008
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by mcburton (1 point)
April 11, 2004
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by eurapart
May 07, 2005
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by giorgio
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Boulevards Churches and Cathedrals Gaudi Hotspots |
Landmarks Montjuic Museums |
Parks, Gardens and Zoos Squares The Gothic Quarter |
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Casa Batlló
Edit ThisAstonishing colourful building that illustrates one way Gaudí wanted to represent naturalism, that is, abstract with a lot of colours, mosaics and themes. Make sure you get to see the inside as well.
| type: | Gaudi |
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| address: | Passeig de Gràcia 43 |
La Diagonal
Edit ThisBarcelona’s main street packed with shops, restaurants and …traffic
| type: | Boulevards |
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Sagrada Família
Edit ThisSagrada Familia
photo by: www.eurapart.com
This is one of Gaudí’s unfinished masterpieces and pays tribute to the Sagrada family.
La Sagrada Familia the magnificent surreal church is designed by Gaudí. While still unfinished it’s like no other church you’ll ever see: Its design is a combination of a dragon’s cave and a castle made from whipped cream. (You can take an elevator up one of the spires but be prepared to cover your ears—the bell may gong while you’re up there. The view is awe- and vertigo-inspiring.)
| type: | Churches and Cathedrals |
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| address: | C/Mallorca 401 |
| tel: | +34 93 207 30 31 |
| openings: | Daily opened 9-18 in wintertime and 9-20 in summertime |
Olympic Stadium
Edit ThisThe Olympic Stadium of Barcelona was redesigned in 1992 in order to host the Olympic Games professionally. An absolute must for sports’ freaks.
| type: | Montjuic |
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| address: | Montjuic |
Casa Calvet
Edit ThisThis is one of Gaudí’s most conventional awards and he received the Barcelona City Council Award for it in 1900.
| type: | Gaudi |
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| address: | C/Casp 48 |
Palau de la Musica Catalana
Edit ThisThe Palau is a great masterpiece of Art Nouveau architecture. The stained glass cieling alone is worth the 5 euro you pay to get the guided tour. jasna goic: Phillippa: This is one of the most beautiful concert halls in the world, a World Heritage site. From the minute you go into the foyer with the huge mural on the left, and start to climb the shallow marble staircase with its amber glass balustrading, through to the point where you come out at the top and realise that those huge white plough-horses looming over the balcony are hardly more..
| type: | Hotspots |
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| openinghours: | 10:00 - 18:00 |
Pavellons de la Finca Güell
Edit ThisThe gate of the Finca Guell is also designed by Antoni Gaudí and is beautifully decorated and made out of iron. Metro Sagrada Família/bus 10, 19, 33, 34, 43, 44, 50, 51, 101. Open Nov-Feb 9am-6pm; Mar, Sep-Oct 9am-7pm; Apr-Aug 9am-8pm, daily. Closed pm 25 Dec, 1 Jan. Admission 800ptas, 600ptas students; group discounts.
| type: | Gaudi |
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| address: | Avda Pedralbes 7 |
Parc Güell
Edit ThisOutside the centre of Barcelona you find the beautiful Parc Guell. Guadi wanted to design a municipal parc that looked like one of the English parcs and so compensate the industrialisation in Barcelona a bit. Gaudí made it a splendid parc with lots of colours, round shapes, mosaic and lovely little houses which make you believe in fairy tales. Take bus nr. 24 or the metro. When you want to skip walking up the hill I'd suggest you take the bus.
| type: | Hotspots |
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| address: | C/d'Olot |
Casa Vincens
Edit ThisThis was Gaudí’s first architectonic work and seems to have escaped from 1001 Arabian nights.
| type: | Hotspots |
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| address: | Carrer de les Carolines 18-24 |
Park de la Ciudadella
Edit ThisPark next to the Olympic Port. It was a Militar Fortress that was rised in the 18th century and demolished in the 19th. Nowadays contains a park, zoo, and the Catalunya Parlamient
| type: | Parks, Gardens and Zoos |
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La Casa Mila
Edit ThisLa Casa Mila (nicknamed La Pedrera) is the last wonderful building that Gaudí designed. It is built between 1905 and 1910 and has beautiful ornamental balconies and an extraordinary chimneys. There may be long queues for the entrance and you may fiind the entrance fee steep.
So if you're not into a full guided tour, you can go into the exposition hall on the first floor. It shows expositions of contemporary artists and entrance is free. You get a good impression of the building too, although you miss the chimneys on the roof.
The museum in the more..
| type: | Hotspots |
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| address: | Passeig de Gràcia 92 |
| tel: | +34 93 487 36 13 |
Castell de Montjuic
Edit ThisView from the Castle (Agbar tower, Temple of Sagrada Familia and Port Vell
photo by: JustQ
Rising above it all, you can have spectacular views over the city from this 18th century castle that was built on top of ruins dating from the 17th century. D. Ralphs: A fine place to visit with military exhibits. Wonderful views of Barca and the port. A cablecar takes you there past a small fairground and the whole visit is not expensive.
| type: | Montjuic |
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| address: | Montjuic |
Collegi de les Teresianes
Edit ThisGaudí built this school in a style that is not organic but rather gothic.
| type: | Gaudi |
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| address: | C/Ganduxer 86-105 |
| tel: | +34 93 212 33 54 |
Plaça de Catalunya
Edit ThisThe main square of Barcelona where all activities come together. Also the place where the main tourist office is located.
| type: | Squares |
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| address: | At the end of the Ramblas |
Poble Espagnol
Edit ThisPoble Espanyol (Spanish Village), which was built for the exposition in 1929 as a concoction of architectural styles from all around the country, is worth a visit. Especially in the evenings, you can enjoy the temperamental Spanish music.
| type: | Montjuic |
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Park Laberint
Edit ThisParc with a labyrint inside.
| type: | Parks, Gardens and Zoos |
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Les Ramblas
Edit ThisLes Ramblas Market Jan 2005
photo by: Bryan Williams
Barcelona is known for the promenade with its book stalls, flower stalls and people parading. It stretches from the seaside to Plaza de Catalunya and is a good promenade from which to explore the rest of the town. Interesting buildings along the promenade are the Academia de Sciencias, the old Gothic church de Betlem and the Palacio de Moya. When you leave the Ramblas for the Mercado de la Boqueria, you’ll see the hustle and bustle of one of the oldest markets in the city. A must is also the Plaça Reial, a lovely square with a tranquil atmosphere, palm trees, terraces and a more..
| type: | Squares |
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Paseia Maritim
Edit ThisTake a walk on Barcelona’s sea-walk and have a look at the beach and the sea.
| type: | Boulevards |
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