Barcelona Port Vell

Torre San Sebastià. One of the easiest and best ways to view the city is on these cable cars, which connect beachy Barceloneta and the Port Vell area with Montjuïc. The full ride takes about 10min. each way, and there’s an intermediate stop near Monument a Colom at Jaume I if you want to explore Las Ramblas from the south. Bring your camera to get some postcard-perfect shots of Barcelona. If you’re looking to splurge, there’s also a fancy restaurant at the top of the San Sebastià tower. (Walk all the way down Joan de Borbó until you see the beach, then bear right and head to the imposing tower with the cable cars coming out of it. ☎934 41 48 20. Open daily 11am-8pm. To Montjuïc one-way €7, round trip €13, or to the top for the view €4 (free to get up to restaurant). The tower is also accessible from Montjuïc (see the Jardins Verdaguer). Jaume I stop currently closed, expected to reopen by November 2009.)

L’Aquàrium De Barcelona. The aquarium features over 20 tanks, focusing mostly on Mediterranean sea creatures. The highlight is the 80m conveyor belt that leads through a glass tunnel surrounded by four million gallons of water and hundreds of fish, sharks, and rays. There is also a cafeteria and a multitude of interactive exhibits for kids. (Moll d’Espanya. Drassanes or Barceloneta. Advance tickets ☎932 21 74 74; www.aquariumbcn.com. Open daily July-Aug. 9:30am-11pm; June and Sept. 9:30am-9:30pm; Oct.-May M-F 9:30am-9pm, Sa-Su 9am-9:30pm. €17, 4-12 €12, over 60 €14. Mini-guide available in English. AmEx/MC/V.)

Other Sights. Since hosting the 1992 Olympic games, Barcelona has slowly but surely re-established itself as one of the greatest ports on the Mediterranean. The newest addition to the waterfront is the World Trade Center, built in 1999 and designed by the renowned architect I.M. Pei. The low, curved buildings remind many of a cruise ship—fitting, considering the building’s proximity to the docks. The ultra-modern complex includes the luxurious Grand Marina Hotel (completed in 2002), office space, restaurants and cafes, and a convention center. At the other end of Pg. Colom in front of the post office (a postal palace created for the 1929 International Exhibition and a sight in and of itself) is Cap de Barcelona, also known as Barcelona Head. This depiction of a woman’s face—half surreal and half cartoon—was created by the late American pop artist Roy Lichtenstein for the 1992 Olympics. (Drassanes, L3, or Barceloneta, L4.)