A Day in Montjuïc
Morning
To get to the
Fundació Joan Miró
before the crowds and with energy to spare,
hop on the funicular from Parallel metro station. From here it is a
short walk to the museum, where you’ll need an hour and a half to absorb
the impressive collection of Miró paintings, sketches and sculptures.
When you’ve had your fill of contemporary art, refuel with a
cafè amb llet
on the restaurant terrace before backtracking along Av de Miramar and jumping on the cable car up to
Castell de Montjuïc
. Wander the castle gardens and look out over
the city and the bustling docks. Return to Av de Miramar by cable car
and follow the signs to the
Palau Nacional
, where you can lunch on typical Catalan cuisine with a modern twist in the elegant Oluem.
Afternoon
Afterwards, spend an hour perusing the
MNAC
‘s extraordinary Romanesque art collection. When you exit, turn right and then follow the signs to the Olympic complex. The Estadi Olímpic is worth a look, but the silver-domed Palau Sant Jordi
steals the limelight. Nearby, at Bernat Picornell, spend the late
afternoon cooling down with a dip in the fantastic open-air pool. If
it’s summer, there may even be a film showing. From here it is just a
short stroll to the Poble Espanyol where you can settle in at a terrace bar in Plaça de Mayor and sip a cuba libre as night descends.
Parks & Gardens
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Jardins Mossèn Costa i Llobera
These
are among Europe’s most important cactus gardens. They are particularly
impressive as the sun sets, when surreal and shapes and shadows emerge.
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Jardí Botànic
These wild gardens offer splendid vistas and hundreds of examples of typical Mediterranean vegetation.
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Open Feb, Mar, Oct: 10am–6pm daily; Apr, May, Sep: 10am–7pm daily; Jun–Aug: 10am–8pm daily; Nov–Jan: 10am–5pm daily
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Adm; free last Sun of month & every Sun from 3pm
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Jardins Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer
The
best time to visit these wonderfully elegant gardens is in spring when
the plants are in blossom and the colours and aromas are in full force.
Jardins Mossèn Jacint Verdaguer
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Jardins del Castell
Cannons
among the rose bushes, and pathways along the walls of a flower-filled
moat, are the highlights of these gardens, which ring the castle.
Castell Jardins
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Jardins del Teatre Grec
Reminiscent
of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, this gracious oasis surrounding the
Greek amphitheatre is officially known as La Rosadela.
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Jardins de Miramar
Opposite the Miramar,
these gardens are scattered with stairways leading to enchanting leafy groves with vistas.
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Jardins Laribal
This
multi-level park hides a small Modernista house, by Puig i Cadafalch,
and the Font del Gat – a drinking fountain, which has inspired many
local songs.
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Jardins de Joan Maragall
An
avenue lined with sculptures by Frederic Marès and Ernest Maragall is
the main delight here. The garden also has the last of the city’s ginjoler trees.
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Muntanya de Montjuïc
A
multitude of secret paths leads through wild gardens on Montjuïc’s
south side, the only part of the mountain that remains untamed.
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El Mirador del Llobregat
A
viewing area with small gardens nearby, this is the only place in the
city where you can see the plains of the Llobregat stretching below.
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Unless otherwise stated, parks & gardens are usually open 10am-dusk daily.
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Restaurants, Cafés, Bars & Clubs
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Oleum
Dine on refined Mediterranean cuisine under the dome of the Palau Nacional and enjoy amazing views across the city.
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Palau Nacional
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93 289 06 79
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Closed Mon, eves
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DA
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Brasería Cañota
Cañota’s
superb, traditional, and supremely economical cooking includes
excellent game dishes and chargrilled fresh fish and meats.
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C/Lleida 7
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93 325 91 71
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DA
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Fundació Joan Miró Restaurant
A great terrace, views of Miró’s sculptures, plus well-presented modern food with an Italian accent.
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Parc de Montjuïc
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93 329 07 68
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Closed eve
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DA
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Rias de Galicia
A giant aquarium is full of lobster, crabs and more, all waiting to be plucked out and served up
sizzling on a plate.
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La Tomaquera
A neighbourhood classic that serves Catalan home cooking at bargain prices. Arrive early or be prepared to queue.
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El Lliure
The Lliure theatre has a good-value café with an adjoining restaurant. In summer there are tables on the terrace.
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Passeig Santa Madrona 40-46
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Closed Mon eve, Sat lunch, Sun
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La Terrrazza
Techno music rules at one of Barcelona’s most popular nightclubs, housed in a Balearic-style mansion inside the Poble Espanyol.
Poble Espanyol
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Font de Prades
By far the best food in the Poble Espanyol.
Poble Espanyol
Interior, Font de Prades
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Restaurant Forestier
Located in the AC Miramar, this elegant restaurant has wonderful views over the harbour and city.
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Pl. Carlos Ibáñez, 3
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93 281 16 00
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Quimet & Quimet
This tiny bodega has standing room only, but serves tasty tapas and wonderful wines.
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C/Poeta Cabanyes
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93 442 31 42
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Closed Sat eve, Sun, Aug