Route through Montjuic

The trekking will start at Plaza España, right in front of Arenas de Barcelona. It is currently known as Las Arenas, a shopping, leisure and cultural center opened in 2011. However, this building was inaugurated in 1900 and was the bullring of Las Arenas where in 1977 bullfighting was stopped. The complex has a terrace with panoramic views of the city. What are you waiting for to go up?

Plaza España is by itself one of the most emblematic spaces of the Catalan capital. Did you know that it is the second largest square in Spain? Only surpassed by Plaza España in Madrid. It was built during the International Exhibition of 1929, as well as the popularly called Venetian Towers, which gave access to the exhibition. Does anyone know why this popular name? Do not remind you of any other towers? EXACT! Its similarity to the campanile of San Marcos in Venice has led the population to baptize them as the Venetian Towers. 

Going up the imposing Maria Cristina Avenue while enjoying a unique landscape composed mainly by the National Palace, we will arrive at the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc. Although currently have been canceled, before March the fountain was the main element of a set of light and water games that develops throughout the axis, from the National Palace to the Plaza of Spain. It is also important to add that the water used is entirely recycled.

Hands up who wants these shows to come back!

Nor is it necessary to get tired before time so we will take advantage of the escalators to climb up to the National Palace where the National Museum of Art of Catalonia is located). Like many of the elements of this area, it was built on the occasion of the International Exhibition of 1929. Renaissance and Baroque elements were fused in an attempt to combine the most typical and recognizable elements of Spain with the classicism that was the norm in public buildings. 

If we continue up through the historic botanical garden we will arrive at the well-known Olympic Ring of Montjuic. This space forms a representative agora of the Olympic Games. Here we find the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, the Palau Sant Jordi, the Barcelona Communications Tower and the INEFC (National Institute of Physical Education of Catalonia). The Olympic Ring was designed at the time to remain after the games and could be used as a leisure space for civic celebrations. FUN FACT: Did you know that the Communications Tower is also a gigantic sundial?

Crossing the Olympic Promenade, we will enter the "Passeig del Migdia" which will lead us to the famous cemetery, which gives its name to the mountain of Montjuic. Montjuïc means "mountain of Jews" in old Catalan and in the Middle Ages there was a Jewish cemetery right on this mountain. Artists like Joan Miró are buried in this cemetery.

What very few citizens know is that this same cemetery is home to a library dedicated exclusively to the subject of death, with more than 4,000 books.

Does anyone need a break? Continuing along the "Passeig del Migdia" we will arrive at a viewpoint overlooking the sea and the port of Barcelona. There we can take the opportunity to have a nice picnic. If you are more elegant and prefer the comfort of a restaurant, wait until the end where we will recommend you the best places in the area. 

Following the sea we will arrive at the Montjuïc Castle. This castle is an ancient military fortress that was installed by the Spanish Army during the 17th century. This castle has played an important role in several episodes of Barcelona's history. It is here that more than 4,000 Republicans and Catalan nationalists were executed, including the president of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Lluís Companys, in 1960.

Courage, it's going downhill! Walking along the road to Montjuïc we will find the gardens of the Mirador de l'Alcalde. A corner of this mountain that certainly deserves a mandatory stop to observe the splendid views offered by the viewpoint.

If Montjuïc is characterized by something is for its gardens and nature. That is why to return to our last point of the tour we will take the opportunity to cross the following gardens: Jardins de Mossen Cinto Verdaguer, Jardins de Joan Brossa,

Jardí d'Escultures and finally the gardens of the Teatre Grec. Despite its name, this open-air theater was not built by the ancient Greeks. 

This is the end of our excursion. There are many more things to do in Montjuïc but when you finish, surely the only thing you will want to do is to recharge your batteries, so here are a few recommendations both for restaurants and where to stay.