The journey through Barcelona is about to end… We have passed through most of the major landmarks and walked around almost the whole city! We departed from our beloved neighborhood La Ribera (The neighborhoods of Barcelona – from La Ribera to Torre Agbar), through the iconic La Sagrada Familia (The neighborhoods of Barcelona – from La Sagrada Familia to Passeig de Gracia), we didn‘t miss one of the most mythical sports facilities in Europe – Camp Nou (The neighborhoods of Barcelona – from Camp Nou to Tibidabo) and we went up to the imposing castle at the summit of Montjuic (The neighborhoods of Barcelona – from Montjuic to Spain Square). If you missed the previous posts from „The neighborhoods of Barcelona“, now is the time to catch up! Or… let it be after our last walk! We are off for a final trip through the Barcelona Quarters with the amazing Park Guell and the lively La Rambla!
Gaudí’s Masterpiece – Parc Güell
The park is one of the sights of the city, which is a must-see in any plan for visiting Barcelona! It is easily reached by subway, taking the green L3 line to Lesseps station and a 10-minute walk from there. One tip – enter from the corner entrance between Av. del Santuari de Sant Josep de la Muntanya and Carrer d’Olot, this will avoid the large crowds at the central entrance. The fee is 10 euro, and the ticket can be picked up on the spot, but it is better to prepare in advance by getting it online HERE.
For the opportunity to admire this work of Gaudí today, we must thank Eusebi Güell. He assigned the artist the task of creating a complex that combines a market, a chapel, a square and other amenities. The idea was for rich clients to buy land and build houses with one of the most beautiful panoramic views of the city. Fortunately, the project was unsuccessful and the city appropriates land for a public park!
Undoubtedly the most recognizable and famous part of the park is located just after the main entrance… The two pavilions at the entrance look like made from treats and you come to try to drop some of the biscuits that they seem to be lined with… So colorful and inspiring! In fact, they were planned for the concierge houses, and in one of them Gaudi himself lived (open to visit)! Against them is the central staircase. There, as guardians of the park, you will see a dragon and a lizard covered with many colored glass and porcelain pieces…
The stairs take us to the Hypostyle Room or the place that was intended for an indoor market. It’s a great feeling to slip through the many Doric columns and feel the majesty of Gaudi’s genius… And above them is the terrace with a spiral bench! Perhaps the most iconic place in the park… The views from there to the city are fascinating… That was the goal of Guell, to create a complex where people could escape from the urban environment, enjoy this view and forget everyday life… We can only be glad that it did not work out in the desired way and today we can admire this masterpiece…
Catalunya Square (Plaça de Catalunya)
If there is a place that can best orient you in Barcelona, this is Catalunya Square (Plaça de Catalunya)! Node for public transport, walks, airport transfers, etc. Statues, fountains and numerous pigeons… this is the square! It is worth it to sit for a moment on a bench and just feel the pulsating rhythm of the city… From here everyone goes! Rushing to the subway for a meeting, going to some noisy bar, discussing gossip and feeding pigeons to elderly locals and tourists… mesmerized by the magic of Barcelona!
💡 If you need to leave your luggage somewhere, you can use Locker Barcelona.
We are going on La Rambla
Going down La Rambla… we can divert hundreds of times! Everything here is impressive! Crowds of people set the pace for walking, and their eyes flutter from the one side to the other side… The mandatory stop is the Market de la Boqueria. The largest and most beautiful market, but also the most crowded… Unfortunately, it is always crowded with tourists… It is difficult to enjoy a person. Even the stands are quite difficult to keep well arranged for more than a few minutes after opening…
Around Barry Gothic (Barri Gotic)
There is also the Barri Gotic Quarter with its unique personality, narrow streets and Gothic facades… And somewhere out of him are some great places hidden! Let’s start with Plaça del Pi and the Santa Maria del Pi located there. The basilica resembles a fortress and rises with its typical Gothic facade above the square…
And one of my favorite squares is the little Plaça de Sant Felip Neri. This place is hidden from tourists! You can sit still and listen to the soothing sounds of the fountain. Despite the grim memories of the place… During the Spanish Civil War, a bomb was fired by fascists and killed 42 people… mostly children! Today the signs on the facade of the church are reminded of this tragedy…
You must go down the Carrer del Bisbe or the Bishop’s Street… There is one of the symbols of the neighborhood – the Neo-Gothic Bridge, known as the “Bishop’s Bridge”.
Cathedral of Barcelona – La Seu
And we have already arrived at the Cathedral of Barcelona – The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia (Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia) or La Seu! It was built between the 13th and 15th centuries, on the remains of an ancient Romanesque church. One of the symbols of Barcelona worth seeing… The square in front of it is a favorite place for artists to showcase their talents. There are many exhibitions of artists here, there are groups of street dancers and many more… The cathedral itself impresses with its interior design and Gothic style, but it impressed me most with its roof… A great opportunity to walk along the central 70 m. tower and stunning views overlooking the horizon… Another look at the rooftops of Barcelona…
Behind the cathedral is the square del Rey – Plaça del Rei, built on Roman ruins… A little further up the coast is Plaça de Sant Miquel. Quite a nice place with an interesting sculpture in the middle…
Favorite Square… Plaça Reial
And slowly, slowly, we get to my favorite place in this part of the city… Square Reial – Plaça Reial! The square was built in 1848 and today is a symbol of the Catalan aristocracy… Extremely beautiful and pleasant for a walk! One of the curious things is that one of the first projects of the young creator Anthony Gaudí was the street lamps on the square… What a mark he has left on the city to this day…!
Palau Güell is just across the street from La Rambla. Eusebi Guell’s home, re-designed by Gaudí … We only saw it from outside, the entrance is 12 euro. You can find more about it HERE.
To the seashore…
Getting to the seashore our first stop is the Aquarium (L’Aquàrium)! To be honest, a big mistake… Not worth the time and the high fee of 21 euro… Definitely the most impressive is the area with the path through the huge Oceanarium! And the ability to swim around different marine species around you, some of which are quite dangerous… But still… my overall assessment is that it can be missed.
And here comes the last stop of the walk… The statue of Columbus (Mirador de Colom)! The remarkable monument was built for the exhibition in 1888, and for a fee of around 5 euro, your elevator shoots to the top of it… in a specially built observation post! And the views from there… all over the coast and La Rambla from high … It’s worth it, right?
From here you can end up with a pleasant walk to Port Olimpic and Casino Barcelona…
For a final
Barcelona is worth a visit! Because of the atmosphere, the views, the footprint of Gaudí, and more… I hope the 5 parts of my trip to the city help you distinguish the places you want to visit from and arrange your program in the best way possible!
