On the last day of your visit, we propose you a route to know Barcelona from the heights. We will travel through the mountain of Montjuïc. And we also recommend you to enjoy the exceptional views of all Barcelona from the cableway.
Montjuïc is one of the hills that surround the city and there are lots of works from the Olympic Games of 92, some museums and more interesting touristic attractions. There, you will also find slops plenty of flowers, exotic trees and giant buttercups.
The meaning of Montjuïc is the Mountain of the Jews. On XI century there was a Jewish cemetery on this mountain.
There are different ways to get to Montjuïc:
- By walk or by bus, from Plaza España.
- By the cableway, from the Port until the Montjuïc Castle.
- Using the funicular from the Metro Paral•lel (L3).
Below we will show you the most interesting places to visit. So you can organize your route depending on the way you try to access to the mountain.
National Museum of Art of Catalonia – MNAC
The National Museum of Art of Catalonia is placed in the magnificent National Palace, that was built for a reason: the Universal Exposition of 1929.
Nowadays the National Museum of Art of Catalonia, best-known as MNAC, has one of the most complete collections of Romanic art in the world. There are wall paintings, wood carvings, sculptures in stone and metalwork. Most of them come from the Catalan Romanic art from the XI century until the XVIII.
In MNAC there is also a collection of gothic art, and another one of the Reenactment and the Baroque, that include works of great painters like Zurbarán, Velázquez, Cranach, Rubens…
Poble Espanyol
The Poble Espanyol is a large building open air of 42.000 m2, and was built in 1929, also for the Universal Exposition. First of all, his function was to keep during six months scale reproductions of buildings, streets and squares of different regions of Spain. There are represented all the architectonic styles from Galicia to País Vasco, from Aragon to Andalucía. It was really acclaimed during the Universal Exposition, so the building has been maintained until our days.
It is a very good place to visit, especially because of his artisan market and his little shops, where you can buy gifts for your friends and family.
There are also good bars, restaurants and discos. It is an original space to celebrate shows and concerts.
Joan Miró Foundation
This space was founded in 1975 by Joan Miró, to show his influential works: paintings, sculptures and ceramic. Moreover, Miró created this space to show the tendencies of contemporary art.
You will enjoy a walk inside of the luminous and spacious building, with large terraces and patios. And, of course, you can discover the playful personality of this versatile artist.
Mies Van der Rohe Hall
The Hall Barcelona or the Mies Van der Rohe Hall is one of the most emblematic works of the Modernism.
In 1983, the Council of Barcelona created the Mies Van Der Rohe Fundation, with the aim of reconstruct the German Hall, designed by Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe (1886-1969) for the Universal Exposition of Barcelona in 1929.
The Mies Van der Rohe Hall offers debate and knowledge about topics like modern architecture and urbanity planning.
Palau Sant Jordi
The Palau Sant Jordi is a magnificent metallic building, made by the Japanese Arata Isozaki. This Hall was built at the beginning to do the Gymnastic tests in the Olympic Games in 1992. Nowadays, it is used basically as a concert hall and it is really luminous at night.
Olympic Stadium
The Olympic Stadium of Barcelona was built in 1929 with the collaboration of some architects with different nationalities: Correa, Mila, Margarit, Buixade, Gregoretti. But it was not used until the Olympic Games of Barcelona in 1992. There is space for 65.000 people.
Torre Calatrava
This telecommunication tower was built between 1989 and 1992 in the Olympic ring of Montjuïc by Santiago Calatrava, and it can be seen from everywhere in the city.
This steel tower of 136 meters is important because of his innovative structural form. It seems an athlete raising the Olympic flame. The top (Transmission zone) looks like a bow and an arrow. On base there is a fountain representing the movement of the waves.
The tower is also a sundial and her shadow is projected to the Europa Square.
Montjuïc Castle
This fortification was built in 1640. It became a Castle in 1694. During centuries, it was used to bomb the city and also to imprison torture and murder the politic and military prisoners.
In 1940 Lluís Companys, who was President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, was murdered there.
Nowadays it is a military museum and it is the only place in the entire city with a statue of Franco.
We recommend you to go on top of the walls to enjoy the exceptional views of the city and the port. Definitely you will see all the places you have visited during this three days.
Magical Fountain
To finish your day, leave the city enjoying the magnificent show that takes place around the Magical Fountain of Montjuïc.
The Magical Fountain of Montjuïc was built for the Universal Exposition of 1929 by the engineer Carles Buigas. It was absolutely restored because of the Olympic Games of 1992. This enormous circular fountain (12 meters of diameter) is able to throw water until 4 meters of height.
There are waterfalls and lakes all the Av. Reina Maria Cristina long. The Magical Fountain offers a show of lights, water and music that makes it one of the most popular attractions of Barcelona.
As a closing of Festes de la Mercè, there is a Piromusical, a set of fireworks, music, lights and the movement of the water of the Magical Fountain.
We wish you a very happy stay in Barcelona!!!
