PLAÇA DE CATALUNYA

No matter where you want to go in and around Barcelona, Plaça de Catalunya is a great place to start. Designed by Ildefons Cerdà in 1859 to be the heart of the city, Plaça de Catalunya has a little bit of everything: Moderniste cafes and monuments, beautiful fountains, shops and bars. And if you’re not sure what you want to do, send Dad to investigate the tourist information office, whilst the kids have fun feeding the pigeons that flock around the square.


The central position of Plaça de Catalunya within Barcelona is entirely in keeping with its symbolic importance to the city. Sculptures and monuments by various Catalan Modernist artists are dotted throughout the Plaça, some of which celebrate achievements by prominent Catalans throughout history. Significantly grand is the Monument a Francesc Macià, which commemorates the man who declared Catalunya a free independent republic in 1931. In addition to these politically-inspired works, there are also some impressive fountains to be found here, for example at the corner of the Plaça with Passeig de Gràcia.

Furthermore, not only is Plaça de Catalunya a great focal point from which to plan trips, it also represents a historical frontier, between the old and new, as here Ciutat Vella, (Old City) meets the 19^th century Moderniste L’Eixample (the Extension) area.

Remnants of the old city skirt the edge of the square closest to the Mediterranean, including la Iglesia de Santa Anna, a gothic monastery originally dating from the 12^th century, which is hidden away off Carrer de Rivadeneyra (the small street between Hard Rock Cafe and La Rambla). It is open every morning between 9am and 1pm, and from 6.30pm until 8.30pm every evening except Sunday. Admission is free.

If you are in the city to do some shopping, Plaça de Catalunya is the perfect point of departure. Some of Barcelona’s best known streets run off the main square, notably the bustling La Rambla (de Canaletes), Ronda de la Universitat and Carrer de Pelai.

On these streets you will find all manner of outlets ranging from designer boutiques, to high street brands, but perhaps the most famous of all is located on the square itself: el Corte Inglés. Within this enormous department store, spread over 3 nearby locations (on Portal de l’Angel, the corner between La Rambla and the Plaça, and all of the north eastern side of the square) you will find everything from a supermarket packed with plenty of pricey gourmet produce, right through to clothes, home furnishings, electronics, and a restaurant and cafe.

ACCESS

Metro: Catalunya (Red Line, L1 / Green Line, L3)

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LAS RAMBLAS

Las Ramblas is crowded with hordes of tourists and locals, around the clock, participating in the spectacle that is Barcelona. Las Ramblas runs from the start of Plaça de Catalunya and ends to the south at Port Vell at the site of the statue of Christopher Columbus. The Boulevard runs through the center of Barcelona, with the neighborhoods of the Gothic Quarter and El Raval to either side.

Las Ramblas, Barcelona’s broad pedestrian boulevard, lined with leafy Plane trees, is a fun-filled expanse of colorful and wacky street performers and assorted characters, including musicians and vendors selling everything imaginable from flowers to caged birds. Live statue performers in elaborate costumes line the street entertaining the crowds who will only move after receiving a few coins. Street artists will draw your caricatures for a price that is always open to negotiation.

Las Ramblas is actually an area of five distinct sections, each offering its own special brand of entertainment. Rambla Canaletes features the famous Font de les Canaletes, a small 19th century fountain, where legend has it that those who drink from it will someday return to visit Barcelona. Rambla dels Estudis or dels Ocells, is the section that contains all the squawking and colorful birds for sale. Rambla de Sant Josep or de les Flors is the site of the fragrant flower market, as well as newspaper, book and magazine kiosks.

The popular Boqueria Market is not to be missed, with its fresh meats, cheeses, produce and delicious tapas bars, also located in the de les Flors section. Finally, Rambla dels Caputxins and Rambla de Santa Monica lead you to the seaport and the new harbor upgraded for the 1992 Olympics. Take your time strolling this colorful walkway that offers excellent people watching and a taste of what makes Barcelona truly unique.

ACCESS

Metro: Catalunya (Red Line, L1 / Green Line, L3) // Liceu (Green Line, L3) // Drassanes (Green Line, L3)

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THE GOTHIC QUARTER

The Barcelona Barri Gòtic area is also known as the Gothic Quarter and is the area in which the old town of Barcelona is located. The streets of the Barri Gotic vary considerably in style but the old quarter is generally portrayed by narrow cobbled streets with tall old buildings. It has its very own famous personalities - Picasso lived and worked in Barri Gotic from 1895 to 1904 and Joan Miró was born and lived here during his youth.
The Barri Gotic covers a similar area to that of the old Roman colony of Barcino. It is the oldest part of the city and although its buildings and monuments date from various periods, mixed in with that which is truly Gothic. As compared to other major European cities Barri Gotic city zone is still surprisingly intact, and to quite a large extent unchanged by modern times.
The centre of Barcelona’s Gothic quarter must be Plaza Sant Jaume, which houses the Palace of the Generalitat which is home of the government of the autonomous community of Catalonia, and the Ajuntament in other words city hall. Several other picturesque squares dot the area, including Plaza Reial, Plaza del Rei, Plaza Nova, and Plaza Catalunya. Around them are seated many urban palaces, museums, churches, the cathedral, & much more.
Barcelona’s Gothic quarter is a fascinating and rewarding place to explore. The Barri Gòtic is the centre of Barcelona, where the city originated, and where the main public buildings are located. It is a labyrinth of interconnecting dark streets connecting with squares, and there are plenty of cafes and bars, as well as the cheapest accommodation in town. Most of the buildings are from the 14th and 15th century, when Barcelona was at the height of its commercial prosperity and before it had been absorbed into Castile. Around the Cathedral, one of Spain’s greatest Gothic buildings, one can still see part of the ancient walls incorporated into later structures. The quarter is centered on the Plaça de Sant Jaume, a spacious square, the site of a busy market and one of the venues for the weekly dancing of the sardana. Two of the city’s most significant buildings are here, the Ajuntament and the Palau de la Generalitat.

The Gothic Quarter is the heart of old Barcelona, a medieval city built upon Roman foundations This historic hotchpotch of narrow and, in many cases, pedestrians streets and squares is full of character and charm and home to hundreds of shops, bars and restaurants. The gothic quarter is located between Barcelona’s famous boulevard Las Ramblas and Via Laietana, with Plaza Catalunya at the top and the port at the bottom.Portal de L'Angel, a modern pedestrians shopping street which starts in Plaza Catalunya, leads to the traffic-free square dominated by the Cathedral and to the Roman walls that once enclosed the city. From here all of the major attractions are easily accessible, including the Roman remains beneath the City History Museum.On the south side of the Gothic Quarter is the Plaza Real, a palm-lined square just off Las Ramblas whose bars and restaurants around each side are a relaxing place to stop and watch life during the day and at night when the square becomes a hive of activity.

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PLAÇA D'ESPANYA

Plaça d'Espanya is one of the most significant squares of Barcelona. It was built because of the World Fair of 1929, as the Magic Fountain of Montjuic, situated only 300 meters.

At the heart of Plaza España is a fountain built in 1928 that was conceived as homage to water. Each sculpture group represents one of the seas or oceans that bathe the Spanish coast. Columns represent Navigation, Public Health and Abundance.

But the symbol of Plaza España are the Venetian Towers which were built on the model of the bell tower of the San Marco Cathedral in Venice.

In 2003 work began to restore the old Plaza de Toros de Las Arenas, located on the side of the Plaza de España, in order to convert it into a shopping and entertainment center. The facade neomudéjar, built in 1899, is all that remains of what was the bullring.

ACCESS

Metro: Espanya (Red Line, L1 / Green Line, L3)

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PLAÇA REIAL

Plaça Reial in Barcelona is a popular square just off the Ramblas. It's a social focal point especially at night and is often packed with Barcelonian's and tourists who are soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying some food or drinks at one of the restaurants or bars that surround the square.

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Metro: Liceu (Green Line, L3)

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PASSEIG DE GRÀCIA

As Barcelona brims with a diverse history and a rich cultural heritage, the streets here stand as witness to the various chapters which the city had experienced. Passeig de Gràcia is one such historic street which has been a part of the city’s life for more than two centuries. Linking Plaça de Catalunya and the Gràcia Quarter, the street is today a major attraction of Barcelona, drawing a large section of the city’s tourists to experience the quaint locale as it exists today.

Passeig de Gràcia had been a major street of Barcelona, serving as an important connector in the city. The street had originally been constructed to link include the village of Gràcia in the city of Barcelona. As the street became the major connecting route, the narrow alley was eventually broadened and lined with trees along its sides. In the following years, Passeig de Gràcia was further adorned with gas lights and Italian gardens which formed the picturesque Tivoli. As numerous mansions lined the street, it had been the hub of the bourgeoisie life in the 19th century. Till the beginning of the 20th century, Passeig de Gràcia had served as the seat of the most elite classes in the Spanish society, housing them in majestic buildings along the street.

Passeig de Gracia continues to be a fantastic locale as it bears beautiful constructions along its sides. The buildings in Passeig de Gràcia are in fact an interesting display of changing architectural patterns as they range from colossal gothic constructions to delicate Victorian designs.

The modernist movement that swept through the continent in the early 19th century has also left its mark in the constructions on Passeig de Gràcia. The Casa Batlló and La Pedrera  mansion by Antoni Gaudí deserve a special mention here as they still marvel the visitors with their exquisiteness. The pavements too had been designed by Gaudí who laid the pavements with beautiful greenish grey relief stones.
The street wears a quaint look though several new constructions fringe the road giving it a distinct smartness. Passeig de Gràcia today throbs with numerous cafes, commercial galleries, stylish boutiques and a host of new establishments. A large number of visitors throng the street each day, giving it a lively charm which however, never imposes on the delicate old world charm which the boulevard still wears.

ACCESS

Metro: Catalunya (Red Line, L1 / Green Line, L3) // Passeig de Gràcia (Purple Line, L2 / Green Line, L3 / Yellow Line, L4) // Diagonal (Green Line, L3 / Blue Line, L5)

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GRÀCIA QUARTER

Barri de Gràcia was a town in its own right until it was swallowed up by Barcelona in 1897. The streets are narrow and winding, with little squares dotted here and there. The buildings are low-rise, which shows how old they are (compare them to those anywhere else in Barcelona). One of Gaudí's first works can be found here, Casa Vicens (1883-1888), on Carrer Carolines. It's a very lively area with lots of bars and street life. There are numerous theaters, cinemas and cultural centers as well as good vegetarian restaurants and health-food stores. The August festival is a major event in the city.

ACCESS

Metro: Fontana (Green Line, L3)

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PLAÇA SANT JAUME

On the day of the National Holy Jordi, 23 April, the Plaça de Sant Jaume is a centre of the bustle, roses and books stands. The Palau de la Generalitat (Palace of the provincial government) which is only open on Sundays for the public, opens on this day.

Otherwise, there is more to this place like the blue of the city police, the palace guard, instead of the red of the roses.

In the week of the city festival "La Mercè" will find breathtaking spectacle, such as the fire run, the huge dragon and fire spouting drakes, or the Ball de Gegants. Huge figures in human form go to the square. Similarly there find competitions in building castles (human towers).

The Plaça Sant Jaume has always been in history. Even in the time of the Romans, it was an important place. Here, two important main roads crossed. In 1931, the Republic was announced on the Plaça de Sant Jaume. And in 1977 the former president Taradellas announced his return from exile as a sign for the returned Catalan autonomy rights.

Palau de la Generalitat

Admiration can take place in the Palau de la Generalitat, the Palace of Catalan autonomy government, with bows hemmed round the courtyard of the 1532 built building, through the orange trees with a very idyllic effect. The interior of the building is built in Gothic style, although the neo-classical facade hides this.
A visit to the building each Sunday and on the day of the 23rd April is possible, National Day of the Holy Sant Jordi.

Ajuntament de Barcelona

Opposite to the Genaralitat is the Ajuntament is the seat of the Town Hall with the mayor. This building is built in Gothic style. Some of these sides are still in their original facades, the main facade was also in classical style being rebuilt in 1847.

At the Plaça Sant Jaume there are many festivals to official events. Here, Sardana is danced on by the human towers erected here by the Catellers. If, however, not just the big celebrations at the Plaza Sant Jaume are celebrated or if you do not want to visit one of the government palaces, the place is rather a stopover on the way to the cathedral.

ACCESS

Metro: Jaume I (Yellow Line, L4)

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