Catalunya, Liceu or Drassanes

The Rambla's is busy from lunchtime, well into the night. Pavement tables make this a great place to stop, relax and watch the endless people stroll by.

The Museu de Cera is open Monday to Friday 10am to 1.30pm and 4pm to 7.30pm, Weekends 11am to 2pm and 4pm to 8.30pm. Entry costs €10, concessions €6.

For more than a century, La Ramblas has given the residents and guests of Barcelona somewhere to stroll, meet, chat and drink coffee. The avenue has separate stages, representing different periods of the history of Barcelona, with each building façade holding a fascinating story of the past. The wide pedestrian street runs from the centre to the port and is full of people until the early hours. You will also see a multitude of stalls, entertainers, cafés and restaurants.

Strolling down La Ramblas

An entertainer on the La Ramblas

At the top is the Rambla de Canaletes, where you will find the Font de les Canaletes, a drinking fountain. A legend says that if you drink the water from this fountain, you will fall in love with Barcelona and return to the city someday. This area used to form part of the medieval city wall and the Santa Anna gatehouse once stood here, protecting the city from potential invaders. The old walls and gatehouse were cleared as the city expanded during the later part of the 19th century.

Font de les Canaletes

The Rambla dels Estudis is named after the 16th century academic institute Estudis General that stood here until 1843. The sunny side of the street is also known as the Rambla dels Ocells, or Rambla of Birds, because it is the traditional site of a bird market where you can buy all kinds of feathered friends. Other points of interest include the Palau Moja, a grand private residence, and the Bethlehem Church, Església de Betlem, which was destroyed by fire in 1671 and rebuilt almost immediately.

Birds for Sale along the Rambla dels Ocells

Església de Betlem

Until the 19th century, the Rambla of flowers was the only place in Barcelona that flowers were sold, adorned with stalls stocked with colourful blooms.  Magnificent buildings here include the Palau de la Virreina, built by the Viceroy of Peru in the 1770’s, who sadly died before he could enjoy it. Adjacent to the palace is the Boqueria Market, the cities finest market and containing all kinds of fresh fruit, fish and meat. Opposite is the Museu of Erotica, containing a mixture of erotic art and a little further down, is Casa Bruno Quadros, a former umbrella maker’s house decorated with a green Chinese dragon and various umbrellas.

Flowers for sale

Crowds in the Boqueria Market

Casa Bruno Quadros

The Rambla dels Caputxins is marked by a colourful pavement mosaic, created by Catalan artist Joan Miró. His characteristic abstract shapes and primary colours are clearly on display here. The Gran Teatre del Liceu is Barcelona’s magnificent opera house, founded in 1847. It was destroyed by fire in 1994 and restored 5 years later. As well as staging operas, the building features a hall of mirrors and a grand marble staircase. Next you will come to the entrance to the Plaça Reial, the Royal Square, which was previously the site of an old convent. The two lamp posts by the fountain are the work of the young Gaudí, and have arms that sprout at different heights, as if they were the branches of a tree. Leading out from the southern corner of the square back to the Rambla is the romantic Passatge Bacardí, dating from 1856, spanned by an iron bridge that originally had its windows painted with tropical landscapes.

Pavement Mosaic by Catalan artist Joan Miró

Gran Teatre del Liceu

Buildings in the Plaça Reial

Passage Bacardí

The section leading to the sea is the Rambla de Santa Mònica. It contains the Teatre Principal, one of the oldest theatres in Barcelona. Other interesting buildings include the Santa Mònica Art Centre, which used to be an old convent dating from 1626, and the Museu de Cera, a wax museum with a wide range of historic and contemporary figures.

Teatre Principal

Entrance to the Museu de Cera

Top - Home