Barcelona Montjuïc

Castell De Montjuïc. This historic fortress sits high on the hill, and from the external mirador, guests can enjoy a multitude of panoramic jaw-droppers and photo-ops. The first section of this massive castle was built in 1640 in just 30 days. Fifty-four years later the main castle was constructed. It continued to expand until 1799, when it grew to accommodate over 3000 people. Nowadays, the T telefèric —an airborne cable car that runs to and from the castle—is half the fun. Over the long course of its history, the Montjuïc castle has been used for many different purposes: fortress, military prison, and (most recently) museum. In 2009, however, the castle will undergo a complete renovation, and its future incarnation will introduce visitors to a whole new kind of torture. The building will house three civil institutions: the International Center for Peace (where opposing groups can meet and resolve their conflicts), the Space of Memory, (which will present thematic exhibits on the castle’s history) and the Interpretive Center of Montjuïc (which will educate its visitors about the geological and biological history of Montjuïc and serve as an urban-planning forum). (From Paral·lel, take the funicular to Parc de Montjuïc and then the cable car to the castle. Parc de Montjuïc bus runs up the mountain, leaving from in front of the telefèric, or you can walk up the steep slope on C. Foc from the same spot. ☎933 28 60 25. Telefèric de Montjuïc open in summer 9am-10pm, in winter 9am-8pm. €6; round-trip €8.30, children €6.30. Castle open daily 8am-8pm. Free.)

Poble Espanyol. Created for the 1929 International Exhibition, this park features replicas of famous buildings and sights throughout Spain. The courtyards sometimes host performances, and the entire complex is filled with regional craft shops that sell everything from tacky souvenirs to gallery pieces. Tourists new to Spain are likely to find the differences between “regions” minimal and the overall experience rather underwhelming. Those who have been to Cadiz, Granada, Sevilla, Toledo and other Spanish cities will ooh and aah at the realism of each miniature replica. The large open-air courtyard occasionally serves as a performance venue. The Fran Darell Contemporary Art Foundation is centrally located and offers a welcome break from the souvenir bazaar around it. For most, Poble Espanyol is a better place to visit at night, when the crowds will give you a taste of what Spain does best: party. (Av. Marquès de Comillas, 13. Espanya or bus #13 or 50. ☎935 08 63 00. Open M 9am-8pm, Tu-Th 9am-2am, F 9am-4am, Sa 9am-5pm, Su 9am-midnight. Last entry 1hr. before closing. €8.50, students and seniors €6.50, ages 4-12 €5.60, after 8pm €5. Prices may vary when there are concerts.)

Fonts Luminoses. The Fonts Luminoses (Illuminated Fountains) run alongside Av. Reina Maria Cristina and are dominated by the huge central La Font Mágica (Magic Fountain). The fountains are visible from Pl. d’Espanya, in front of the Palau Nacional. During weekends, colored lights and dramatic music bring the fountains to life in a spectacular display. (On Av. Reina María Cristina. Espanya, L1/L3. Shows May-Sept. Th-Su every 30min. 9-11:30pm; Oct.-Apr. F-Sa every 30min. 7-9pm. Free.)

Cementiri Del Sud-Oest. This gigantic Modernist cemetery, dating from 1883, is an amazing complex of stone, brick, sculpture, and stained glass. Because the cemetery is in a seldom-frequented part of Montjuïc, it can be a little deserted. With friends, however, the place’s eerie, otherworldly feel is more alluring than alarming. Of special note are the Amatller family tomb designed by Puig i Cadafalch (who also designed their house in l’Eixample) and the statuary-topped Batlló family resting place (of Casa Batlló fame). In the cemetery’s northeast corner, the Fossar de la Pedrera commemorates the site where many Republican heroes of the Civil War were rounded up and shot. Stone pillars are engraved with the names of the victims, and an arched statue set in a small pond honors Catalan President Lluís Companys, who was assassinated by Franco on this very spot in 1940. (C. Mare de Deu del Port, 54-58. Bus #38 from Pl. de Catalunya will drop you off across from the main entrance. Or, from inside Montjuïc, follow Av. del Castell to the left with your back to the Castle. The back entrance to the cemetery is a 20min. walk downhill and will be on your left. To get to Fossar de la Pedrera, turn left on Via Santa Eulalia by the cemetery’s main entrance and take the 2nd right onto Sant Joseph; follow this paved path and look for Fossor signs. A helpful cemetery map is available from the administration offices at the main entrance, across from the bus stop. ☎934 84 17 00. Open daily 8am-6pm. Free.)

Parc Joan Miró. Miró’s giant Dona i Ocell ( Woman and Bird, 1982) holds court in the center of a park dedicated to the artist. This colorful sculpture rises 22m (72 ft.) into the air, a mosaic of glazed greens, yellows, reds, and blues in homage to Gaudí. Miró changed the name from Le Coq after city planners objected. During the summer, particularly in June, Parc Miró is the favorite hangout of firecracker enthusiasts. (C. Tarragona. Espanya, L1/L3, or Tarragona, L3. A 5min. walk down C. Tarragona from Pl. de Espanya.)

Anella Olímpica. In 1929, Barcelona inaugurated the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc (Olympic Stadium) in its unsuccessful bid for the 1932 Olympic games. Over 50 years later, Catalan architects Federic Correa and Alfons Milà, designers of the Anella Olímpica (Olympic Ring) esplanade, completed the facilities in time for the ’92 Games with the help of Italian architect Vittorio Gregotti. The Olympic opening ceremonies took place here that year; the stadium is capable of seating 55,000 spectators, or 77,000 with the incorporation of temporary terracing. Nearby, the Torre de Telefónica, designed by Valencian Santiago Calatrava, commands the Olympic skyline at 106m (348ft). Today, Montjuïc’s Olympic area is still a major tourist attraction. The well-equipped Anella Olímpica lives on, serving the sporting needs of professionals and amateurs alike. Come here to catch a soccer game at the Estadi Olímpic (see Entertainment) or swim in the Piscines Bernat Picornell. (The easiest way to get to the Olympic Area is to take the funicular from inside Paral·lel L2/L3 at Av. Parallel and Nou de la Rambla. Turn left out of the funicular station onto Av. Miramar and follow it past the Fundació Miró. The road turns into Av. de l’Estadi; the stadium is on your left. Alternatively, take bus #50 from la Plaça d’Espanya and ask to be let off when you see the stadium on your right. Wheelchair accessible.)

Pavelló Mies Van Der Rohe. Renowned as one of the most original works of the famous German architect Mies van der Rohe, this Barcelona landmark is an example of spatial serenity that is far ahead of its time. Van der Rohe built a pavilion for the 1929 International Exhibition, but his contribution—a minimalist marvel of glass, stone, marble, and steel—was demolished in 1930 when no one purchased it. The pavilion standing in its place today is a replica commissioned by the city government; the reconstruction was led by architects Critstian Circi, Fernando Ramos, and Ignasi de Sola Morales. The open-air courtyards are home to Georg Kolbe’s graceful statue, Morning, and several copies of van der Rohe’s famous Barcelona Chair, one of the first tubular steel chairs ever designed. (From Espanya, L1/L3, follow Av. Reina Maria Cristina until the Font Mágica. Face the Palau Nacional and the Font Mágica; the Pavelló is to the right. ☎93 423 40 16; www.miesbcn.com. Guided tours W and F 5-7pm. Open daily 10am-8pm. €4.50, students €2.30, under 18 free.)

Jardins Laribal. These trellised, shady 7.8 acres of gardens wind sinuously down the Montjuïc hillside, just beneath the Fundacio Miró. Sit by a lily pond and look out over the city to the Sagrada Família and Torre Agbar; you’ll never want to leave. (Av. Mirimar and Pg. de Santa Madrona; the gardens are accessible from either street. Open daily 10am-sunset. Free.)

Jardins Joan Maragall. Joan Maragall i Gorina (1860-1911) was the leader of the Modernisme movement in literature. (And the father of 13 kids. Busy guy.) Recline in this park among flowers, fountains, and statues, or wander over to the Albéniz Mansion, which was designed by Juan Moya for the 1929 Exposition. Ideal for a picnic lunch before a visit to the nearby MNAC. (Av. de l’Estadi 65-69. From the mirador del MNAC, walk to the right, looking at the view, down a flight of stairs, and then up Pg. Sta. Madrona; the entrance to the gardens is just before the T-intersection with Av. de Miramar on the right. Albéniz Mansion ☎932 92 42 12. Garden open Sa-Su and holidays 10am-3pm. Free.)

Jardins Mossén Jacint Verdaguer. Named after the Catalan poet Mossén Jacint Verdaguer, these expansive gardens merit a leisurely visit. Walk to the top of the hill where a pond feeds water to geometric pools below—the view from here is spectacular. On C. Montjuïc, the smaller Jardins de Joan Brossa holds the Carmen Amaya statue crafted by Josep Cañas i Cañas in 1966, which honors the traditional Catalan Sardana . (Av. Miramar, between the Fundació Miró and the Castell de Montjuïc. From Paral·lel, L2/L3, take the funicular to Av. Miramar. Turn right out of the funicular and walk along Av. Miramar, then uphill on C. Montjuïc. ☎900 30 20 30. Open daily 10am-sunset. Free.)

Jardí Botanic. The topography of the Montjuïc mountainside dictates the layout of the beds in Barcelona’s botanical garden. The garden focuses on those plants that thrive in a Mediterranean climate (this replaced the earlier strategy, focusing on plants that can’t survive a Mediterranean climate). Plants from eight regions are represented: Australia, California, the Canary Islands, Chile, the Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, South Africa, and the Western Mediterranean. Without a canopy of big trees to protect it, the hillside can be scorching hot in the summer; stroll the garden in the morning or early evening. (C. Dr. Font i Quer, 2. From the Olympic Stadium, walk up C. Dr. Font i Quer. Buses #50 and #55 also stop in front of the garden. ☎934 26 49 35; www.jardibotanic.bcn.es/index_eng.htm. Garden open June-Aug. 10am-8pm. €3.50, under 25 €1.70, under 16 free. Last Su of every month and every Su after 3pm free.)