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Harbor and the Sants-Monjuïc

<b>No better way to discover a city than by walking its streets. This route leads past some of Barcelona's important landmarks, down to the harbor and up the Sants-Monjuïc with its castle, as well as along palaces and the 1929 World Exhibition area. </B>
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This city walk starts at the Plaça de Catalunya, the nerve center of
Barcelona. Take a moment to admire the monumental buildings that form the
headquarters of banks and shopping centers, or the various fountains surrounding the main square. Be careful not to trip over the pigeons that gather in the hopes of food crumbs. Turn south onto Las Ramblas. It is the
most important street to parade up or down and no matter the time of day, you'll find the pedestrian walkway in the middle of the street crowded with people. Let the vendors of colorful flower, the bird sellers amaze you. Or goggle at the 'living statues' and jugglers that entertain the crowds.
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Halfway down Las Ramblas, on your right, you'll pass Mercat La Boqueria, an
indoor market selling fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and fish. Take a little
detour across the market and have sight, sound and smell surprise you.
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Soon you'll be able to make out the Monument a Colom (Columbus Monument)
in the far distance, with the statue of Columbus looming high over the
harbor and pointing the way to the New World. The monument was built for the
World Exhibition in 1888. It is 87 meters high and an elevator will bring you to the viewing platform at 60 meters for a look across the city.
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Before, however, you reach the monument, take a look at Barcelona's oldest
theater from the 16th century at the Plaça del Teatre. The theater is on your
right, while on your left is the statue of the poet and playwright Frederic
"Pitarra" Soler.
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Continue across the Portal de la Pau, past the Columbus Monument, until you
reach the Rambla de Mar, a quaint wooden footbridge that connects the
Passeig de Colom boulevard with the pier protecting the guest harbor.
If you're lucky, a sailboat will request to leave the harbor and the
bridge will slide away from the shore. On the pier you'll also find the popular
leisure center, Maremàgnum, as well as an Imax movie theater complex and
the Acuarium, famous for its underwater walkway.
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Follow the pier until you reach the quays again. On the left is the "Face of
Barcelona" statue. Follow the quay further south onto Passeig the Joan de
Borbó. The neighborhood next to the harbor is the Barceloneta, which dates back
to the 18th century. It's now host to dozens of seafood restaurants, many with
street terraces.
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Once you reach the end of the Passeig the Joan de Borbó, turn left onto the
Platja de Sant Miquel beach and dip your feet in the Mediterranean. After a
brief respite from walking, return to the road and follow it a short stretch
further to reach the Transborador Aeri tower. Transborador Aeri is the
cable car that travels over the harbor. A one-way ticket is around EUR 7.50
and deposits you at the foot of the Sants-Monjuïc, at the Plaça de l'Armada.
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Walk northwest along the foot of Sants-Monjuïc on Avinguda de Miramar until you
reach the Plaça de Dante. From Plaça de Dante you can either walk the last part
up the mountain (stairs and walkway shortcuts are provided for pedestrians), or
use the chairlift Furnicular de Montjuïc. Be advised that both the Transborador
Aeri and the Furnicular de Montjuïc services are subject to weather conditions.
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The Castell de Monjuïc is located on the summit. The current fort was
built in the second half of the 18th century, but the grounds' history dates
back to 1640. Nowadays, a military museum is hosted within the castle. Access to
the castle grounds is free. Walk along its walls and enjoy the glorious and far-
reaching view over downtown Barcelona or its harbor.
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Don't forget to pay a visit to the lush gardens of the Jardins de Mossèn Cinto
Veradaguer on your way down. When you reach Avinguda de Miramar, turn left
again. Soon you'll reach the Fundacion Miró, the contemporary art center and
museum set up by Joan Miró in 1971.
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Continue on Avinguda de Miramar and take a right turn into the Passeig de Santa
Madonna. Follow this road to the Palau Nacional, which hosts the Museu d'Art de
Catalunya. The palace was originally built to preside over the
buildings erected for the 1929 World Exhibition and was turned into a museum in
1934. It faces north across de Plaça de les Cascades (famous for its
fountains), Plaça de Marquès de Foronda, Plaça de Carlos Buïgas and along
Avinguda de Reina Maria Christina, all the way to the Plaça d'Espanya.
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Take the escalators down from the Palau Nacional and continue straight until you reach Avinguda de Reina Maria Christina, flanked by large exhibition centers; the area has a total of thirteen such centers. Once you pass the two
towers that were designed by Ramon Reventós and erected in 1929, you enter the
Plaça d'Espanya, which is the end of the walk.

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Past Sagrada Família and Parc Güell

<B>No better way to discover a city than by walking its streets. This route leads past some of Barcelona's important landmarks, such as the Sagrada Família and Parc Güell as well as some of Gaudí's smaller designs. </B>
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This city walk, to some of Gaudí's most remarkable designs, begins at the Plaça
de Catalunya, the nerve center of Barcelona. Take a moment to admire the monumental buildings that form the headquarters of banks and shopping centers, or the various fountains surrounding the main square. Be careful not to trip over the pigeons that gather in the hopes of food crumbs.
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Turn northwest onto the Passeig de Gracia, a wide boulevard that is like an open-air museum for Catalan Modernism. Soon, you will see the remarkable front of the Casa Batlló at no. 43, on your left. Gaudí renovated the original building and added sculptured balconies. With a little imagination, the roof depicts the dragon slain by Saint George. The two houses on the south side of
the Battló house are also worth noting; they are the Lleò Morera house and the
Amatller house.
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At no. 92 is another of Gaudí's masterpieces that changed the world of
architecture forever. The Casa Milá (affectionately known as La Pedrera) was
built between 1905 and 1910 and actually consists of two detached buildings.
Only columns support the entire structure and the front does not display a
single straight corner, giving the house a sense of gentle swaying.
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Both the Battló house and the Casa Milá are open to visitors.
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From Casa Milá, turn right onto Carrer de Provença. Take the second right onto
Carrer de Roger Llúria. You are walking through the heart of the Eixample
neighborhood, one of the first city-planning projects in Europe. Eixample was
built in the second half of the 19th century for the wealthy Barceloneans,
following a gridlike pattern. The blocks of houses aren't square-shaped but
octagonal, creating extra room at every corner, which nowadays is very useful as
additional parking space.
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On your right, you'll pass Palau Casades and Palau Montaner. Continue along
Carrer de Roger Llúria, cross Carrer d'Aragó and finally turn left at the Ritz
hotel onto Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, one of the longest thoroughfares in
Barcelona. Soon you'll arrive at the Plaça de Tetuan, with the Monument for
Doctor Robert, founder of the hospital San Pau and once mayor of the city,
among other occupations. The monument is a good example of Catalan Modernist
sculpture.
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Look right down Passeig de Sant Joan and see the Arc de Triomf in the distance.
The arch was built in 1888 to serve as the entrance to the World
Exhibition grounds.
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Cross the Plaça de Tetuan and head north along Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes
until you reach the turn-off with Carrer de Marina. On the north corner of Gran
Via de les Corts Catalanes and Carrer de Marina stands the circular building
with blue and white arabesques of La Monumental or Plaça de Toros. It is the
only Modernist bullring in the world and hosts the bullfighting museum within
its walls.
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Turn left onto Carrer de Marina. It's not long before the first spire of the
many-spired Sagrada Familia is visible against the sky. Francesc de Paula Villar
drew up the original plans for the Sagrada Familia and Gaudí took over in 1883.
He directed the work on the cathedral, which in Gaudí's vision was the great
modern church that Barcelona needed, until his death in 1926. Even now, more
than a hundred years later, work on the cathedral is still not finished. The
Sagrada is one of Barcelona's most famous tourist attractions, so expect crowds
and long lines when you want to enter the cathedral.
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From the Sagrada Familia, it is time to forbear walking for a moment and use the
metro to get to Parc Güell. Take line L5 and change to L3 at Diagonal station.
Disembark again at Lesseps. Follow the signs to the Parc Guëll, which is another
1.200 meters from the metro station. Avenguda Santuari de Sant Joseph de la
Muntanya, a small road leading straight up Mount Carmel and to the main
entrance, has an abundance of souvenir shops and restaurants.
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Entry to the park is free. Parc Güell was originally designed as an English-
style garden for 60 family homes. Only two were built, eventually. Near the
entry is a double staircase leading up to the 100-columnded chamber (only 84
were erected) where the market was supposed to take place. Between the two
staircases is the multicolored mosaic-dragon that has become symbol for Gaudí's
Barcelona.
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Above the column-chamber is the large main square, bordered by the undulating
bench covered with mosaics, turning the bench into a massive Impressionist
collection. These are the main points of interest in the park, that is a popular
place for Barcelonean families to take their Sunday afternoon stroll.
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Once you have explored the park, take metro line L3 back to Plaça de Catalunya.