All back alleys lead to....Las Ramblas. and other Barcelona, Spain Things to Do Tips

The main artery of Barcelona isn't one that anyone needs to tell you to go and see. If you're in town you'll eventually wind up there one way or the other. So far as what it's good for, I'd say really just the occasional stroll to soak in the most packed-with-life part of town. Yes, it's very touristy, of course. Yes, some of the "performance art" is a little silly. (I just never quite got the facscination with those guys who paint themselves silver and stand motionless, but to each his own, right?) But on the positive side it's a very pretty street, tree-lined and with surprisingly little motorized traffic. And it's capped at either end with a lovely and prominent plaza; Placa Catalunya to the north and Colombus to the south, where you also run into the bustling main port. You may also find it useful as a place to buy anything and everything you need or want, eat an overpriced meal when you're desperate and hungry, catch a metro train, or as a meeting place to hook up with friends or other travelers. And of course there's always the popular pasttime of 'people watching'.

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Address: Las Ramblas, center of old Barcelona.
Directions: You can't miss it.

If you're like me, one of your favorite things to do in any big city is spend some quality time in its city parks. I just can't get enough of these places, and from the looks of it neither can the locals. There's something wonderful about finding a tranquil respite just steps away from all the hustle and bustle.

And when it comes to cities, Barcelona's got plenty of that maddening rush to get away from on occasion. It's also got some of the finest city parks in Europe in my opinion. Ciutadella, Parc Guell, and best of all Montjuic are a few of the biggies. It's an expansive park, and I haven't really explored it thoroughly myself. But on each of my two visits, including on this last trip in Jan '04, I was able to spend a couple of hours there and highly recommend it to any visitor.

As the name implies, Montjuic park sits atop a small mountain on the edge of the city. Barcelona is rimmed by mountains, some rather distant, but this one rises up just along the edge of the old part of town and the waterfront. This unique positioning provides views of the city that are unparralled. Want a memorable photograph or two? It's the place to go.

My tip on getting there: take the metro. While there are bus routes as well, they require transfers and are far from the quickest option. When you look up at the promontory from the city below, you might think "no way you can get there by metro", but you can indeed. The train (in this case called a 'funicular') goes right to the top, tunnelling through the hillside quite impressively. I believe the stop you pick it up at is Avenida Paral-lel. Walking out of the station at the top puts you squarely in place for jaw-dropping views. To make it even better, due to its geographical position, the sun sets on the other side of the mountain and bathes Barcelona in golden backlight, only adding to the visual bliss.

There are gardens, a historic castle, the 1992 Olympic grounds and much more. Consult the maps at the top for a complete list of all the things to do and see in the park.

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Address: Metro stop: Paral-lel
Directions: Then take a Funicular to the Parc de Montjuic.