Plaça d'Espanya, Barcelona
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Plaça d'Espanya - by Canaan (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Description
The Plaça d'Espanya of Barcelona is at the junction of several major thoroughfares and leads to the Palau Nacional which houses the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. It was built for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, held at the foot of Montjuïc. The major features of the square are its central fountain, the 47m tall Venetian Towers and the Arenas de Barcelona, a bullring reconverted into a shopping centre. Trivia: the site was used for public hangings until the early 18th century - always nice to know.
Access & Transport
The metro lines 1, 3 and 8 stop there as well as several suburban trains (S3, S4, S8, S9) and regional trains (FCG, R5, R6). The square is also served by over 20 bus lines.
Instructions & Recommendations
We would recommend starting or ending your day here and combine this with attractions around Montjuic, starting with the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. The square is impressively lit at night so it may be worth making a 2nd pass then.
Environmental & Social
Terrible motorized traffic but overwhelmingly not due to tourism, so we deem this activity environmentally neural. Part of the city's architectural heritage.
Conclusion
The Plaça d'Espanya is visually striking and worth a detour, although it is likely to be on your way at some stage. We would recommend going early in the morning for a more relaxed experience with less tourists and road traffic, or around sunset time for the best colours and lighting.
Key positive
Fast and easy to get to by public transport
Impressive fountains, towers and view of the Palau Nacional
Key negative
Heavy traffic
Suitability
Accessible for visitors with reduced mobility
About this Rating
TYPE
Desktop
RESEARCHED IN
May 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:0h 25m
est. visit time:0h 45m
Sunrise / early morningOk
MorningOk
Lunch timeOk
AfternoonOk
Sunset / eveningOk
Night – bef. midnightOk
Night – aft. midnightNo