30 main attractions of Barcelona – photo and description, map
The beautiful, diverse, amazing capital of Spanish Catalonia – Barcelona in terms of the number of attractions can compete with the most famous cities in the world. No matter how many times you come here, you always discover some new miracle for yourself, you feel some new nuance, rhythm, movement. No wonder so many great people were born, grew up and created here, who have pleased and delight the inhabitants of our planet with various masterpieces.
The Rambla
The heart and soul of Barcelona – the Rambla stretches for more than 1 kilometer from the historic Plaza Catalunya to the port itself. A walk along it is a series of amazing discoveries and meetings with a wonderful past and present, captured in unusual buildings, outlandish structures, and historical monuments. Conventionally, the Rambla is divided into 5 parts, each of which is interesting in its own way and worthy of admiration.
Canaletes is the first area of the boulevard, named after the unusually designed drinking fountain of the same name: a voluminous cast-iron vase adorned with the coat of arms of Catalonia, topped with a decorative stand with lanterns from the 19th century.
Such a “zest” can only be seen in Barcelona and you can drink delicious Barcelona water from it, which, according to legend, will help you come back here again. There are plenty of people who want to experience it for themselves, but the fans of the Barcelona football constantly return to the fountain, passionately discussing the next match of the famous team.
The Rambla of Teachings is the second zone of the boulevard, named after the university located here in the past. Although the school was closed for a long time, the name stuck. The most fascinating sight of this section of the boulevard is the bird market, opened in the former university. What kind of birds you will not see on it – from the most familiar to the most exotic! Notable for everyone will be the magnificent mansion of the former Royal Academy, built in 1894.
The pink facade with columns, with elegant stucco decorations will make you admire yourself. Now the Poliorama Theater is actively operating in it, the repertoire of which includes comedies and musicals that are in demand by Barcelona residents and tourists. This building is associated with dramatic pages in the history of Barcelona, when there were battles between the Catalan authorities and the anarchists, and the future famous writer J. Orwell took part in them.
The church of Our Lady of Bethlehem, the building of which is made in the luxurious baroque style, will amaze the imagination of those strolling around. The central facade of the Jesuit church, built in 1680, is amazing. Despite the pogrom of 1936, which destroyed the gilded statues and frescoes, the cathedral is still very impressive with its external interiors and interior decoration.
Rambla of flowers – part of the boulevard, which is a continuous flower garden, made up of many flower shops and shops – a real flower extravaganza. Walking along such a stretch of the street is a pure aesthetic pleasure! In addition to the flower idyll, it is worth considering the wonderful 18th century Baroque palace of the Catalan vice-queen Palau de la Virreina.
Now it houses an exhibition center, where visitors are rumored to sometimes see the ghost of a woman in a long dress. It is believed that this is the soul of the vice-queen, offended by her husband who left her, cannot find shelter. This legend attracts a lot of visitors admiring the magnificence of the interiors and exhibits.
The attention of many is focused on the Boqueria market, opened on Saint Joseph's day (1840). This central gastronomic empire, similar to Privoz in Odessa, has become a cult place for Barcelona residents. Tourists also like to come here to buy local delicacies. The Rambla of the Capuchins is famous for the Umbrella House, the former mansion of Bruno Quadras, where it once sold umbrellas. The Art Nouveau building during the reconstruction was supplemented with ancient Egyptian symbols, which made it a unique structure.
The main attraction of the Rambla of the Capuchins is the Liceu Opera House – a magnificent building with 3 arched entrances, a balustrade, stained glass windows of extraordinary beauty two stories high. All world opera celebrities performed on the luxurious stage. After the fire in 1994, all the interiors of the theater were carefully restored within 5 years.
The Rambla of the Capuchins ends with the amazing Three Graces fountain, next to which there are lanterns with unusual design lamps made by the young Gaudi. The Rambla of St. Monica is the final part of the boulevard, ending with the Gates of the World square with the famous monument to Columbus – a monumental 80-meter column.
A significant attraction here is the Saint Monica Center for the Arts, housed in a majestic former convent. The Center houses an art gallery with exhibitions of artistic masterpieces. The Sea Rambla amazes everyone with an unusual futuristic-style walking bridge, connecting the boulevard with the Maremagnum shopping center in undulating zigzags.
Gothic Quarter
This quarter stretches from the square. Catalonia to La Rambla Avenue and is represented by unique medieval buildings of the era of Octavian Augustus (14-15th century). The ancient narrow streets, paved with cobblestones, perfectly convey the flavor of the Middle Ages. A walk through the Gothic Quarter is a journey through a living past, captured in the buildings of Gothic architecture, one of the greatest monuments of which is the Cathedral (13th century).
This is a real architectural masterpiece, carefully restored and additionally decorated in the 19th century so that today's descendants can admire such a structure. In the cathedral is the tomb of the patron saint of Barcelona – Eulalia, in whose honor the annual Festa Mayor is held.
Piazza Sant Jaume is famous for its 2 magnificent gothic mansions located side by side. One of them houses the city hall, the other – the Parliament of Catalonia. The pearl of architecture here can be considered the chapel of St. George, captivating with the luxurious beauty of the facade, decorated in the artistic tradition of Catalan Gothic. On the King's Square there is a unique building of the Museum of the History of Barcelona, assembled from separate parts, transferred here, where the remains of Roman buildings, other objects of ancient life and tools have been preserved.
The undoubted decoration of the square is the Palace of the King, in which the throne room, the chapel of St. Agates and an architectural example of the Renaissance – the Ray Marty tower. The Frederic Mares Museum presents a collection of outlandish things and household items collected by Mares himself: various figurines for sacrifices, keys of various modifications, canes, umbrellas, travel bags, etc.
At the crossroads with st. Paradise is a real rarity – 4 columns left over from the ancient Roman temple of Augustus. To see them, you need to go into the premises of the excursion bureau, where monumental witnesses of the times of the Roman Empire rise right behind the door. A very interesting place to visit is the Jewish Quarter – a kind of museum of the life of the Jews until the 15th century. Many shops sell old books, souvenirs and Jewish antiques here. Those wishing to get to know the life and history of the Catalan Jews can visit the Cal Information Center.
Pine Square actually represents the unity of 3 squares, gradually replacing each other. The name of two of them contains the word Pi – a shortened version of the word “pine”. This tree is considered a floristic symbol and an indispensable decoration of Placa del Pi, hence the name. But the real decoration of Piazza Pine is the Church of Santa Maria del Pi. The Gothic entrance, the arched vaults of narrow windows, the octagonal side towers, the openwork of the rose window – everything is full of grace and nobility inherent in the Catalan Gothic style, it looks irresistibly beautiful and majestic.
Fast track ticket to Sagrada Familia – €20
Park Güell entry ticket – €10.75
Ticket to Casa Batlló and video guide – €24.50
Hola BCN: general ticket transport for 2,3,4 or 5 days – 15 €
Ticket to Port Aventura Park and transfer – 69 €
Ticket to Port Aventura and Ferrari Land parks – 55 €
Ticket to Tibidabo amusement park – 28.50 €
Skip-the-line ticket with audio guide to Casa Mila – 22 €
Hop-on hop-off tour of Barcelona for 1 or 2 days – 30 €
Casa Batlló
All architectural creations of a unique architect, endowed with a fantastic artistic vision, are unique masterpieces. An example is Casa Batlló, the result of the restructuring of the old Profitable House (1875) by the brilliant architect-designer Gaudi, who designed and designed 2 facades in a new way, which made the house a work of art. There are almost no straight lines in the design, all the details smoothly flow into one another, creating an incredibly beautiful symbolic picture, generally reminiscent of a fairy-tale dragon with scales shimmering with all colors.
Even the numerous columns placed on the first 2 floors are similar in shape to bones, for which the people called the building the House of Bones. This is the first creation of Gaudi in this style, which marked the beginning of a new direction in the creation of his subsequent masterpieces, which have become unique unique. To fully imagine the amazing appearance of the miracle house, you need to see it at least once.
House Mila
This house is the last of the unsurpassed masterpieces of the architect endowed with a divine gift, which he created by order of the owner of tenement houses Mila (1906-1910). From a prosaic order, the great Gaudi created an architectural perfection that has become the national pride of not only Barcelona, but the whole of Spain. The architect took the mountain as the basis of the masterpiece, deciding to build a stone building in the Art Nouveau style.
External and internal interiors amaze with their non-standard beauty and originality of execution. Smooth lines, undulating curves are also used here, giving the massive 6-story building an airy lightness, although steel and concrete were mainly used.
Every detail in the design of the Mila house is a work of art: balcony grilles, colorful stained-glass windows, chimneys in the form of wonderful futuristic sculptures, and even roof railings. To see such a miracle in reality is a great happiness!
Park Güell
In the fabulously unusual Park Güell, spread over 17 hectares, a lot has also been done according to the Gaudi project, so miracles begin from the very entrance: houses that look like painted gingerbread, covered with white icing; a giant lizard from a colored mosaic, sprawled on a green lawn. The entire territory of the park is filled with truly magical structures, mysterious objects and unusual attractions.
Everywhere you can feel the talented hand of Gaudi, who first built several private houses here by order of Güell, who planned to sell them along with plots of land. The plans did not materialize, and then one of the houses was bought by Gaudi himself, in which he lived until his last days, turning the rest of the site into a wonderful amusement park and monuments of unusual architecture.
Cathedral
The main attraction of Barcelona and all of Spain is a unique religious object – the Cathedral, declared a cultural and historical monument and a national treasure of the state. The building, which was built for a long time, embodied the features of several architectural styles and acquired an unusually beautiful appearance, combining the strict elegance of the Gothic style, the majestic monumentality of the classics and the luxury of the Baroque. The Catalan Gothic facade was finished at the beginning of the 20th century, and the construction of the cathedral on the site of the Roman basilica began in 1298 – a unique structure was brought to perfection over 7 centuries.
The majestic cathedral rises almost 100 m with its bell towers. On the facade there are sculptures of Bible characters, among them statues of Christ and the apostles. Drainage gutters for water flow are made in the form of sculptural gargoyles – mythical creatures fighting demons.
Here is the tomb of the patron saint Eulalia, a magnificent organ has been installed for organizing organ music concerts (every month). 6 gates lead to the temple, where crowds of tourists flock to admire the amazing interiors of the religious and architectural shrine.
Sagrada Familia
The Sagrada Familia is a fantastic brainchild of Gaudí, visible from afar with its openwork towers, literally ascending to heaven. Looking at this amazing building, it is hard to believe that it is in reality and not presented in the form of a mirage – the architecture of the cathedral is so unusual. From a distance, it seems like an openwork outlandish box carved by a fine jeweler from a silver ingot, and only close up can one see individual structures of the temple ensemble.
The construction of a unique structure, on the design of which Gaudí worked for several decades, has not yet been completed, but is only planned to be completed by 2026. Elements of many architectural styles intertwined in the amazing interiors of the fabulous temple: Gothic, Baroque, Art Nouveau, Moorish motifs and Art Nouveau. Now, talented architects continue to work on the final completion of the brilliant project of an extraordinary designer, embodying their creative ideas into a masterpiece of architecture.
Aquarium
It is difficult to call an aquarium such an impressive building in terms of volume and variety of species of underwater inhabitants. Rather, it is a whole scientific and educational world for the study of the Mediterranean aquatic fauna. In fact, 14 aquarium ecosystems are represented here: rocks, sandy areas, algae islands, coral reefs, underwater caves, etc.
The many-sided variety of marine life amazes even seasoned lovers of underwater photography. Here are the rarest specimens of underwater inhabitants of the deep sea from microscopic fish to huge sharks. Holders of a diver's certificate can swim next to the exotic inhabitants of the aquarium.
Agbar Tower
But Barcelona pleases not only with old mansions, palaces and temples. It also contains modern masterpieces of high-tech architecture, such as the Agbar Tower. This building, similar in shape to a giant cucumber, has 38 floors (4 of them underground), with a total height of 145 m. organize a 5-star hotel. While preparatory work is underway, the Agbar Tower, sparkling with rainbow colors (16 million shades), has become a supernatural decoration of Barcelona.
In a modern masterpiece, the bright beauty of the design and the technical innovation of the building were combined. Here, an efficient heating and ventilation system has been thought out, achieved through two-layer walls. The 1st layer of walls is a concrete shell, lined with brightly colored blue, red, pink, blue tones sheet metal with built-in LED bulbs (4000).
The 2nd layer consists of frosted glass blinds, which helps to keep warm in winter and cool in summer. The tower is like a phantasmagoric kaleidoscope: during the day it sparkles with all shades under the sun, and in the evening it shimmers like a fabulous firebird in electron beams. Hundreds of visitors walk with great pleasure around Agbar along the charming alley located nearby.
Palace of Catalan Music
It's no secret how the Catalans love their land, how they sacredly honor and cherish their traditions, culture and art. Barcelona's Palace of Catalan Music is a symbol of this, where everything literally breathes love and patriotism, from the external architecture a la moderne to the spiritual and aesthetic direction of the concerts held in its magnificent halls.
This is the main cultural center of today's Barcelona. Although the building itself was built back in 1905-1908, it has not lost the features of modern modernism and is rightly considered the pearl of this architectural style. An active life is in full swing in the palace, various concerts, conferences, exhibitions and congresses are held almost daily.
Plaza of Spain
The area of Spain is 34 thousand m², it is the second largest area in Barcelona and was opened for the 2nd World Industrial Exhibition in 1929. The architect José Puig i Cadafalch designed the Plaza de España similar to the main Venetian Piazza San Marco. The square is decorated with 47-meter columns leading to the exposition center, light and music fountain and the National Museum of Art of Catalonia.
Nearby is a round brick building of the Arena shopping center, in which bullfights were held until 1977. For 1 euro, an elevator takes visitors to the roof of the shopping center, from where a wonderful view of the fountain dedicated to the waters washing the Iberian Peninsula opens. Red L1 and green L3 metro lines and an electric train lead to Plaza España (Placa Espanya), delivering tourists to Mount Montserrat.
National Art Museum of Catalonia
The National Art Museum of Catalonia was opened in 1934 in the building of the National Palace of Barcelona. The palace is located on Mount Montjuic and is surrounded by a vast park area. At the foot of the National Museum there is a Magic Light and Music Fountain known for its evening show programs. The museum's Romanesque room displays a collection of examples of Catalan icon art from the 12th and 13th centuries, including frescoes, woven icons and wooden architecture.
The Gothic Hall contains paintings and sculptures by Catalan artists of the 14th-16th centuries. The Renaissance era contains works by French, Italian and Spanish masters of which the most significant are the works of El Greco and Velázquez. The exhibition halls of the 19th and 20th centuries house paintings by modernist and avant-garde artists.
Opening hours – all days except Mondays and public holidays: from June to September from 10:00 to 18:00, from October to May from 10:00 to 20:00. The entrance ticket costs 12 euros. For 4 euros, the museum offers an audio guide in eight languages of the world, including Russian.
Monjuik
The 173-meter peak is not just a mountain, but a real springboard for various sights, quite ancient and modern. Montjuic, whose territory is now decorated with bright lawns and flower beds, has a museum whose exhibits in the form of knightly armor, muskets, cast-iron cannons will make you feel the atmosphere of a former military fortress.
From the gray walls of the castle, you can go to the enchanting symbol of modernity – the Singing Fountain, admire the cascades of iridescent jets and splashes that change shades to the beat of the music. Designed in 1929, it was renovated in a new way in 1992 and shone better than before. The colorful spectacle attracts many tourists and locals.
There are 2 museums here. The National Museum of Art exhibits ancient frescoes, temple altars, paintings by Picasso, Rubens, Goya and other classics of painting; unique Renaissance sculptures, ancient coins and medals. The J. Miró Museum exhibits avant-garde works by an extraordinary artist.
In addition to paintings, sculptures, his Mercury Fountain, exhibited in a sealed glass cube, is impressive, because instead of jets of water, silvery cascades of liquid mercury spurt out of it. The main attraction of Montjuic is the Olympic Stadium, opened for the Summer Olympics-92. 2 graceful equestrian statues, like guardians, guard the entrance. There is something for viewers to see here: the Museum-gallery, sports facilities of the Olympic Ring and much more.
spanish village
Near Montjuic Mountain there is the most interesting landmark of Barcelona, beloved by many tourists – the Spanish Village, a kind of Spain in miniature, where each of its regions is represented by some characteristic object. They created a village for the World Exhibition held in Barcelona in 1929.
A whole group of architects, artists, designers traveled around the Spanish provinces, choosing the most significant buildings and structures to create the overall image of the country on 49 thousand square meters. m. Here are 117 houses, various workshops, shops, temples and bars, built in full accordance with the originals.
Nearby were the municipality of Valderrobles and the Carmelite church, a house from Cantabria and the Aragonese tower of Casa de los Ngulos, separated in reality by hundreds of kilometers. And in the working workshops, you can learn the art of glass blowing, weaving intricate lace, making pots, chocolate and even jewelry. Here you can also buy souvenirs or practically useful things. The gambling spectacle “flamenco show” attracts crowds of people of all ages here in the evening.
Mount Tibidabo and Temple of the Sacred Heart
7 km from Barcelona is the mountain “Tibi dabo” (I give you). At an altitude of 512 meters, Jesus looks with outstretched arms from the mountain. The seven-meter sculpture was created by Josep Mireta and installed on the tent of a temple with an amazing history.
The banker's devout Dorothea de Chopitea, after the death of her husband, distributed money to the poor, but donated most of the funds to the construction of the chapel (events of the middle of the 19th century). People were drawn to the mountain, which caused envy among wealthy Barcelona residents. They wanted to own a mountain for business. The Catholic Council of the Order of Knights was ahead of the magnates, bought the land and gave it to the priest John Bosco.
The project of the temple was created by the marquis and architect Enric Seigner. He also supervised the construction, but during his lifetime he did not finish the job. However, the construction was continued by the son of Enric Senier. In 1961 the construction was completed. The most interesting thing is that the dreams of entrepreneurs also came true on the mountain: next to the majestic Temple of the Sacred Heart, there is an amusement park with a cafe, a restaurant and a puppet museum.
The Tibibas bus will take you to the mountain for 2.95€. Departure from the Caja Madrid bank (interval 20 min). The second option is the funicular (4.1 €) from the station. Funicular del Tibidabo. In the temple, you can climb to the observation deck “To the feet of Jesus” for 2.5 € during the day, except for the hours of worship. They start at 8:00, 12:00, 17:00 and 19:00.
Mountain and monastery of Montserrat
The mountain with a height of 1236 m and a length of 10 km consists of bizarre sculptures of natural origin. Many rocks are given names: “Skull”, “Mummy”, “Pregnant Mountain”, “Belly of the Bishop”. But they rise here to bow to the wooden Madonna and Child in gilding, called “La Morenety” (translated as “dark-skinned”). The meter-high statue helps with infertility and fulfills other requests.
According to legend, the Madonna was sculpted by St. Luke (AD 50). The location of the shrine was not known until the 10th century, but the shepherd boy unexpectedly stumbled upon the statue. The halo of rays and the singing of angels prompted. The monastery of the Holy Cave “Santa Cova”, erected on the site of the find in 1025, was surrounded by the hermitages of St. St. Martina, Peter, Iscle. And in 1592, Abbot Oliba built a majestic basilica according to his own project, combining the features of Gothic and Renaissance. At the end of the 18th century, the monastery of Mount Montserrat was so rich that it became a tasty morsel for Napoleon Bonaparte. The settlement of the monks was taken by storm, but the invaders did not get the golden utensils, since they managed to hide it.
The current approaches, observation platforms, a hotel and monastery houses were built in the 20th century. Openwork arcades are placed in such a way that the pilgrims' path is in the shade, while not blocking the magnificent view of the Catalan capital Barcelona. The monastery has a museum with a collection of paintings by Spanish masters Caravaggio, El Greco, Monet, Degas, Picasso and Dali. Sculpture, jewelry, Orthodox icons are also presented here.
On Sundays, during services at 1 pm, the world's best Benedictine choir Escolania sings.
From the metro lines No. 1 and 3 to Mount Montserrat, take the R5 train to the Montserrat-Aeri or Monistrol de Montserrat station. A funicular rises from the stations to the monastery. With a single ticket “Trans Montserrat” the journey costs 29.50€.
Picasso Museum
The most visited museum in Barcelona is located in the Gothic mansion of Berenguer d'Aguilar (XV century) on Moncada Street. The museum was opened in 1963 on the initiative of the secretary of the painter Jaume Sabartes. The number of exhibits is 3800. Here you can see the 1957 master's series “Doves”, ceramics signed by Picasso, gifts to the museum from the artist's widow Jacqueline, paintings and graphic works of the so-called “blue”, “pink” and “cubist” periods, imitations of Velasquez, famous harlequins and columbines of the great Spanish artist-innovator.
Montcada: 15-23, 08003 Barcelona. You can get there by buses No. 17, 40, 45, 19 – stop Via Laietana or No. 39, 51 – stop Passeig Picasso. The museum is open six days a week: from 9:00 to 19:00 (Thursdays until 21:30). Monday is a day off. The ticket price is 7 €, but on Thu from 18:30 until closing – free admission.
Camp Nou stadium
Built in 1957, the stadium has a capacity of 99,354 spectators and is the largest football arena in Europe. The authorship of the project belongs to the architect Francesc Mitzjans. Before Francesco, the stadium was expanded (in 1981) for the 1982 FIFA World Cup.
Then the Camp Nou accommodated even more spectators – 120 thousand. The 1992 Olympics made its own adjustments: due to new UEFA requirements, places without seats were removed, but the stands became more comfortable, with a better view of the playing field. Of the eighty well-known firms, the tender for the reconstruction was won by the English firm Foster and Partners.
The stadium is so huge that even at the games of the main idol of the Catalans – the Barcelona club – it is half full. The Club Museum operates at the stadium. It was founded in 1984 on the initiative of the President of the country, Lewis Nunez. The exposition area is impressive: 3.5 m². Everything is exposed. From the boot from the foot that scored the goal to cups and picturesque portraits of champions.
Ride the subway to st. Collblank (blue line #5). The stop is called: Estadi del Futbol Club Barcelona, street de Joan, 23. The museum is open from 10 to 18.30, in summer from 9.30 to 19.30, on Sundays from 10 to 14.30. The cost of the inspection is 25€. The inspection includes a visit to the stands, locker rooms, a walk on the lawn of the playing field.
Boqueria Market
On the pedestrian street La Ramblas of Barcelona is the covered Boquería market, which has existed since time immemorial as a country market. In 1237, the territory that became part of the city began to be ennobled. The current appearance of the market was created by the architect Mas Vila in 1853. The galleries are called “San Juzère” after the saint on whose day the first stone was laid. But the new name did not stick. In 1911-1914. fish rows were completed here, gas was installed, refrigerators were installed.
Absolutely all merchants work until the lunch siesta, so you can see and taste the variety of gifts of Catalonia in one place. The market is open from 8:00 to 20:30. Walk from Columbus Avenue towards the Liceu Theater and the Wax Museum (Museu de Cera). From the old port – 1 km. To sq. Buses 22, 42, 47, 58, 62, 66, 67, 68 run in Catalonia.
old port
The beginning of Port Vell dates back to the docks of King Pedro III (8th century), but the existing piers are the legacy of another ruler, King Juan ll of Aragon (13th century). Modernist bridge across the river. Llobregat was built for the 1992 Olympics. A wonderful place for walking is paved with boards, so vacationers here literally cool off on a hot day. And at night, crowds admire the swaying of boats and yachts, sitting at cafe tables or leaning on the railing at the very edge of the water. Near the Old Port is the metro station of the third line Drassanes.
Plaza Catalunya
Plaza Catalunya was formed on the site of the former city wall, which was demolished in the 19th century to expand the boundaries of the city. The main square is 50,000 m² and was designed by Ildefons Kerd from granite with a sunburst pattern. It is decorated with bronze sculptures and surrounded by commercial banks.
There are three fountains on the square, one of which is drinking. A shuttle from the airport arrives at Plaza Catalunya, four metro lines Urgunaona, Universitat, Passeig de Cracia, Catalunya lead and a suburban electric train stops. City tour buses stop – a blue-colored bus makes a longer sightseeing route, the fare for it is 28 euros per day.
Directly from the square you can go:
It is important that until recently there were a lot of pigeons on the square, but the city authorities forbade attracting and feeding birds, referring to sanitary standards.
Monument to Christopher Columbus
The monument to the Spanish navigator Christopher Columbus was erected in 1888 in the port of Barcelona on Placa del Portal dela Pau (Drassanes metro station). Its construction was timed to coincide with the opening of the 1st World Industrial Exhibition and was carried out by a group of Spanish artists and sculptors. The monument is an octagonal pedestal with four figures representing Catalonia, Castile, Aragon and Leon.
The lower bronze bas-reliefs tell about the travels of Columbus to the New World, and the sculptures on the monument tell about the people who took part in organizing the expeditions. A sculpture of Christopher Columbus 7 meters high is installed on a 60-meter stele, pointing with his right hand towards the sea. Inside the hollow stele there is an elevator designed for 3 people, which takes visitors to a round observation deck. The cost of one lift is 5.4 euros.
Elevator hours are from 8:30 to 19:30 from November to February, and from 8:30 to 20:30 from March to October, except December 25-26, January 1 and 6. It is interesting that in 2012 a group of tourists ended up at the top of the monument during the breakdown of the elevator, and since there is no staircase inside the stele, travelers were safely lowered to the ground using a crane.
Near the monument to Christopher Columbus there is a cable car that takes tourists to Montjuic.
Monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes
The monastery was founded in 1327 by King Hame II and his fourth wife, Queen Elisenda de Moncado. After the death of her husband, Elisenda lived in the palace, which she built next to the monastery and remained in it until the end of her days. The queen's tomb is divided by a church wall and is decorated with two sculptures: one of them represents Elisenda in royal attire, the other in monastic attire.
In 1931, the monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes was given the status of a historical and cultural monument. The conditions of life and life of the nuns (claris) from the Order of Saint Clare are recreated in the monastery of de Pedralbes in their original form: low cells, a kitchen, a refectory, living rooms, a warehouse and biblical paintings on the walls.
The monastery was designed in the Gothic style and is today a functioning convent. The well-groomed orchard, located in the courtyard of the monastery, deserves special attention. The Monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes is located on Baixada del Monestir, 9 (Reina Elisenda metro station) and is open to visitors from 10:00 seasonally:
Tickets cost 5 euros, on Sunday after 15:00 – admission is free.
The monastery is closed every Monday and on the following days – January 1, May 1, June 24, December 25 and Good Friday.
Bellesguard Tower
The Bellesguard Tower was built in 1917 as a residential building (Figueres House) on the site of a medieval castle located at the foot of Mount Tibidabo. The architect Antonio Gaudí designed the building and took part in the first stages of construction. The completion of the construction of the tower belongs to his student Domingo Sugranes.
The intentional elongation of the building and the spire, with Gaudí's signature cross, visually increases the scale of the building. There is a hidden symbolic meaning in the details and cladding of the house, which is manifested in the exterior and interior decoration of the building, and the magnificent winding staircase leading to the upper floors offers visitors a wonderful view of the city. Located at Carrer de Bellesguard, 16 and open to the public Tue-Sun from 10:00 to 15:00. The ticket price is 9 euros.
Maritime Museum
The Maritime Museum is located on the territory of the ancient royal enterprises for the production and repair of ships – the shipyards of Drassanas, which belong to the Gothic buildings of the XIV century. The museum was created in 1936 to spread maritime culture among the population and invites visitors to get acquainted with the figures of ship caryatids, a collection of navigational instruments and instruments, models and models of ships of the Barcelona Naval School.
The most interesting exhibits of the museum include full-size copies of a submarine, a sailboat and a galley.
The Maritime Museum is open at Avinguda Drassanes daily from 10:00 to 20:00, except December 25, 26, January 1 and 6. The ticket price, including a visit to the side of a three-masted schooner, is 10 euros. Every Sunday after 15:00 – entrance to the museum is free.
Labyrinth Horta
The Labyrinth of Horta, the oldest park in the city, was founded in 1791 by the Marquis Joan Desvalls and expanded by his descendants in the middle of the 19th century. Currently, the park is a city museum and is divided into two gardens. The neoclassical garden consists of three terraces and includes sculptures of ancient Greek gods, grottoes, a natural pond and a 750-meter labyrinth of trimmed eucalyptus trees 2.5 meters high.
Rare species of trees grow in the romantic garden, green areas and flower beds with exquisite flowers are equipped, a waterfall falls. The park area covers an area of 9.1 hectares and is surrounded by wooded areas. In the Orta Labyrinth Park, only walking is allowed, and the number of visitors is limited to 750 people at a time. In the former palace of the Desvalls family, there is an institution for the design and maintenance of garden labyrinths.
The park is located on Passeig dels Castanyers, 1-17 (Mundet metro station), open daily from 10:00 according to the seasonal schedule: from November to February until 18:00, in March until 19:00, in April until 20:00, from May to September until 21:00. The entrance ticket costs 2.17 euros.
Egyptian Museum
The Egyptian Museum was created by businessman and Egyptologist Jordi Clos Llombart on the basis of his collection of Egyptian artifacts. The museum is located on Valencia street, 284, is open for 362 days a year and has an area of 2.0 thousand m². Based on three floors and includes an exhibition of 1100 permanent exhibits, a library and classrooms equipped with computers with information files.
The halls display superbly executed sarcophagi, jewelry made of gold and precious stones, sculptures, open tombs with mummified bodies of pharaohs and their relatives, death masks of the rulers of Egypt. Tours are organized with an audio guide or a professional Egyptologist.
Opening hours from June 25 to September 11 from 10:00 to 20:00, on the other days of the year the exposition is the same, adjusted for lunchtime from 14:00 to 16:00. In any season, the museum closes on Sunday at 14:00 and on Saturday at 20:00. The Egyptian Museum is closed on December 25, 26, January 1 and 6. By appointment, night tours and shows are held, accompanied by a tasting of vegetables and fruits grown on the banks of the Nile. On Saturday, admission to the museum is free.
Joan Miro Park
The Joan Miro Park is located next to the Plaza de España (Carrer d'Aragó, 2) and is located on the site of the city's former slaughterhouse. The park territory is divided into a green zone and a platform with a sculptural composition. In 1983, the sculptor Jean Miro, in collaboration with Joan Artigas, presented to the public a phallic statue of “Woman and a Bird”, more than 20 meters high and decorated with multi-colored tiles. The word “bird” in Catalan is interpreted as a term for the male reproductive organ.
Miro in his creation repeated the form of ancient Roman sculptures of the II-III centuries, made on this subject. The square is designed for recreation, walking and cycling. The landscape device of the lower tier is represented by an artificial reservoir, palm alleys, gazebos, flower beds and densely planted pines. The visit to the park is free.
Museum of the Olympic Games and Sports
The Joan Antoni Samaranch Museum of Olympic Games and Sports is located in the Olympic Park on Mount Montjuic and is dedicated to the Olympic Games held in Barcelona in 1992. A symbolic alley with footprints of the winners of the Olympiad leads to the museum. The exposition covers an area of 4.0 thousand m² and presents visitors with genuine cups, medals and personal belongings of world-class athletes.
Olympic torches, racing cars, boots, bicycles are all original exhibits of the museum.
For the convenience of viewing the halls of the museum are equipped with audiovisual and multimedia devices. Open daily except Mondays and public holidays on January 1, May 1, December 25 and 26. Opening hours from 10:00 to closing depending on the season:
The entrance ticket costs 5.8 euros.
Science Museum CosmoCaixa
The CosmoCaixa Museum is located on Isaac Newton, 26 and is considered one of the most visited in Barcelona among adults and children. The tour of the museum begins with watching a space video program in the planetarium and continues on six floors of the exposition. Visitors are presented with a laboratory of polar explorers and a fragment of an iceberg, a microbiology hall that tells about the appearance and development of living beings on the planet, local history exhibits and geological layers of the earth's crust, a tropical forest recreating the Amazon ecosystem.
In the children's rooms of the museum, the youngest visitors are given the opportunity not only to see, but also to touch interesting exhibits. Opening hours daily from 10:00 to 20:00 except Monday. Days off December 25, January 1 and 6.
The price of a ticket to the museum is 4 euros, for children under 16 years old the entrance is free. On Sundays, admission is free for all categories of tourists.