Barcelona’s central green space proudly boasts everything from fountains, museums and a zoo to the Catalan Parliament building! Parc Ciutadella is a perfect place to come for a peaceful stroll or to enjoy the creative ambience of people practicing everything from circus skills and tightrope walking, to guitarists and drummers, yoga and improv theatre. This beautiful park covers approximately 42 acres of land. It is a tranquil oasis that started to come together in the 1860’s as a result of Philip V’s authoritative rule. In 1715, he ordered a star-shaped citadel or ‘Ciutadella’ to firmly contain his power in the city, but when his army fell, so did the fortress and its was converted into Barcelona’s first public park.
A popular meeting spot, the park is artistically designed for an well-rounded experience of nature, recreation and culture. Perhaps the most exciting feature is the Cascade Fountain which is a grandiose Baroque style monument that suggests Gaudí’s flamboyant hand in its creation. There is a large boating lake which is full of ducks; it’s a great spot for a picnic, which you can pick up from the lively Santa Caterina food market northwest of the park. But this is no ordinary chill-out park. It also houses Barcelona Zoo with over 400 exotic species from across the globe, and the Catalan Parliament building where today’s political leaders gather for meetings.
Info:
Address:
Passeig Picasso
Area:
Born
Open:
9:00 – sunset
Where:
