Head to the Mountjuic hill standing proudly above the port of Barcelona, and you’ll be rewarded with a lush green space to enjoy, museums to explore, and sports facilities where you can get active. From the park, you can look out and see all the way across the city and the harbour. Board the cable car to the fort at the summit of the hill, or hire a bike to make your own way around.
Reaching as high as 180 metres, the hill is home to Montjuic Castle, a 16th century fortress which is just waiting to be explored. In the summer, there’s an open-air cinema here where you can catch a film.
Though the castle is a historic fixture on the landscape, some of the park’s features are rather more modern, built especially for the 1929 World’s Fair. Among them you’ll see the Palau Nacional (National Palace), the neo-Baroque structure which contains the National Art Museum of Catalonia. There are artworks on display here from the last 500 years and some that date back even further, with Renaissance, Gothic, Roman and Baroque pieces hanging alongside more recent modernist works.
In front of the Palau Nacional you’ll spot the Magic Fountain, which shoots thousands of litres of water into the air each and every minute. Drop by after nightfall and you’ll get to witness a music and light show here that runs every 30 minutes. Beside the fountain you’ll see the German Pavilion made by Mies van der Rohe. A modern house also built for the World’s Fair, this is a legendary architectural masterpiece.
Head for Poble Espanyol to uncover a reproduction of a traditional Spanish village, where you can wander through the craft shops and maybe stop off at one of the restaurants. Among the most modern spots are features from the 1992 Olympics such as the stadium, sports palace, and the dramatic white communications tower. Or for some rest and recuperation, simply find a seat in the gardens and enjoy the view.
The park is always open to visitors and there’s no charge to enter, though some attractions have their own opening times and may charge for entry. You can reach Montjuic by metro and bus, taking the cable car between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. from Parallel metro station.
