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Parc de la Ciutadella
Barcelona’s
largest landscaped park offers a serene antidote to city life. Once the
location of the 18th-century military citadel, this lovely 19th-century
park is now home to the zoo, the Catalan parliament, two museums and a
boating lake. There is an attractive outdoor café next to the Castell
dels Tres Dragons (in the south-western corner).
Cascade Fountain, Parc de la Ciutadella
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Parc Güell
Originally
conceived as a suburban estate to the north of the city, Parc Güell is
like a surreal, Asian terraced farm. Twisting pathways and avenues of
columned arches blend in with the hillside, playfully fusing nature and
fantasy. The esplanade, with its stunning, curved, mosaic bench, is the
park’s centrepiece. From here there are spectacular views of the entire city and of the fairy-tale gatehouses below. Gaudí’s former home is now the Casa-Museu Gaudí. -
Jardins del Laberint d’Horta
These
enchanting Neo-Classical gardens date back to 1791, making this elegant
park one of the oldest in the city. Situated up above the city, where
the air is cooler and cleaner, the park includes themed gardens,
waterfalls and a small canal. The highlight is the enormous maze, which
has a statue of Eros at its centre. -
Parc de Cervantes
Built
in 1964 to celebrate 25 years of Franco rule, this beautiful park on
the outskirts of town would have been more appropriately named Park of
the Roses. There are over 11,000 rose bushes of 245 varieties; when in
bloom, their aroma pervades the park. People pour in at weekends, but
the park is blissfully deserted during the week.-
Av Diagonal
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Jardins de Pedralbes
These picturesque gardens lie just in front of the former Palau Reial (royal palace) of Pedralbes
– now home to the Museu de Ceràmica and Museu de les Arts Decoratives.
Under the shade of an enormous eucalyptus tree and near a small bamboo
forest is a fountain by Gaudí, which was only discovered in 1983.-
Av Diagonal 686
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Parc de l’Espanya Industrial
Built
on the site of a former textiles factory, this modern park, by Basque
architect Luis Peña Ganchegui, has deteriorated somewhat since its
inauguration in 1985. It still has a certain appeal, including ten
strange lighthouse-style towers that line the boating lake and an
enormous cast-iron dragon, which doubles as a slide. There’s a good
terrace bar with a playground for the kids.-
Pl de Joan Peiró
Parc de l’Espanya Industrial
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City Beaches
The
beaches of Barcelona were once insalubrious areas to be avoided. With
the 1992 Olympics they underwent a radical face-lift and today the
stretches of Barceloneta and the Port Olímpic are a major people magnet.
Just a short hop on the metro from the city centre, they provide the
perfect opportunity for a refreshing Mediterranean dip. The beaches are
regularly cleaned and the many facilities include showers, toilets,
children’s’ play areas, volleyball nets and an open-air gym. There are
boats and surfboards for rent. Be warned: bag snatching is endemic.
Barceloneta beach
