Ciutat d’alegria. The city of fun.
Barcelona. The capital of Catalonia and home to 1.5 million proud, fun-loving people. Having a
good time is more than a part of unwinding here, it’s a way of life. From the alleyways of the
Barri Gòtic to the world-famous Ramblas, the city buzzes 24/7, making it the perfect place to
explore on the BMW F 800 S and BMW F 800 ST.
1. Las Ramblas
Sooner or later everyone ends up on the bustling Ramblas.
It leads from the town’s focal point, the “Plaça de Catalunya”,
down to the “Monument a Colom” at the port. One high-
light in its descent is undoubtedly provided by the “Mercat
de la Boqueria”, a covered market built from iron and glass,
where the city’s ² nest chefs buy their food. Also worth a
visit is the “Palau de la Virreina”, a rococo building dating
from the 18th century that offers information and tickets
for all aspects of Barcelona’s rich cultural life.
2. Barri Gòtic
The “Barri Gòtic”, for many the most attractive district in
the city, is the heart of Barcelona. Located directly next
to the Ramblas, it is home to a range of medieval buildings
from the 14th and 15th century, as well as one of Spain’s
largest Gothic cathedrals and the lively “Plaça Sant
Jaume”. There’s also a host of small bars and delightful
cafés just waiting to be discovered down the quaint,
narrow side streets.
3. The “Museu Picasso”
This museum is an absolute must for art lovers. Housed in
three fantastically beautiful stone buildings on the “Carrer
de Montcada”, the collection contains some of the great
man’s best-loved works, with painting and ceramics from
his early career, his impressionist-in³ uenced phase, and
his late period.
4. Montjuïc
Barcelona’s very own mountain is easy to scale with the
cable car. At the top you’ll ² nd the “Castell de Monjuïc”,
a rather dark place in the city’s history that was originally
built to subdue the proud Catalans. Nowadays the castle
houses a military museum, and is a popular place for visits.
As well as the castle, there’s the “Fundació Miró”, a mu-
seum built to honour the greatest Catalan artist of the 20th
century, plus parks and terraces with beautiful views over
the city and the Mediterranean, and the famous “Font
Màgica” fountain.
Barcelona
Spain