5 parks in Barcelona to enjoy this spring
Forests, thematic, historical, urban... and so up to 89 green spaces of different sizes spread throughout Barcelona, a city geographically bounded by the Besòs river to the north and the Llobregat river to the south, by Collserola to the west and by the sea to the east. Despite the dark legend that follows our city, compared to other major cities like London or Paris, we must puff out our chests and boast about Barcelona's parks, which, although not numerous, are of excellent quality for spending a day with the family. We're going on an excursion! Are you coming?
Ciutadella Park
More than just a park, the Ciutadella is an open-air museum brimming with cultural life. Architecture, history, and ancient trees turn the lung of Barcelona into a place where you can spend a morning. Enjoying the Ciutadella Park is an experience that goes beyond sitting on a bench to read or enjoying a space full of tranquility in the heart of the big city. Built at the end of the 19th century, it was the first space specifically designed as a public park in Barcelona, which served, among other purposes, to host the Universal Exhibition of 1888.
From that entire historical process, buildings such as the current Parliament of Catalonia, the Museum of Geology, the greenhouse, or the Museum of Zoology have been preserved. Alongside the historical buildings, the park also boasts another architectural highlight: the grand monumental waterfall, symbolizing the birth of Venus, accompanied by other mythological scenes created by 19th-century Catalan sculptors. In addition to the architecture, the park features many high-quality sculptures that reflect characters or significant moments in the history of Catalonia. Another standout feature is a huge stone mammoth made to life-size.
But above all, the Ciutadella is a park. As such, we Barcelonians can enjoy large green areas where we can stretch out to read a book or simply rest from a busy day in Barcelona. And with an area of 17 hectares, the park becomes an excellent place for running or taking a peaceful walk to enjoy the largest garden that Barcelona offers in its urban core.
Labyrinth Park
This is the oldest garden preserved in Barcelona. Originally conceived as a neoclassical garden with an Italian touch, its main attraction is undoubtedly the vegetal maze made of cypress hedge walls it treasures within, which is dominated by a statue of Eros at its center. That is the main appeal of this space immortalized in the film Perfume. Its design dates back to 1794, when the Marquis of Llupiá commissioned the work to the Italian Domenico Bagutti, who dedicated more than 14 years to its creation. The garden remained private property until 1971 when the Barcelona City Council purchased it and refurbished it as a public park open to the citizens.
The excellent architecture of the place, filled with works of art, perfectly blends with the vast biodiversity that the enclosure treasures. To the different plant species that refresh and oxygenate the upper part of the city, we must add ponds, waterfalls, fountains, and a canal at the top that make the place a true garden-museum to which one could dedicate an entire morning.
Montjuïc Park
A park of parks, reclaimed for the city since 1929, when it was reorganized and arranged for the International Exhibition of 1929. Its size and extent are such that we present it here as a unit, although one could dedicate a post to unravel the number of unique spaces that the second largest urban park in the city has, which stretches across the entire Montjuïc mountain. Nature, forested areas, and thematic gardens coexist with recreational, sports, and cultural zones. And what can one do in Montjuïc? Well, practically any healthy activity that comes to mind. Hiking throughout the mountain, running and cycling on one of the legendary urban circuits of the international peloton, as well as trips to the Montjuïc Castle. Montjuïc will always be a place linked to sport. Visiting the Olympic Museum or reliving the spirit of Barcelona'92 is still possible through the architectural legacy preserved in the Olympic ring.
Moreover, the park is a great place to discover the micro-spaces concentrated on all its levels. From visiting the gardens of the Teatre Grec to the legendary Font del Gat, including the Albéniz mansion or the Botanical Garden. Montjuïc has so much to offer us!
Park Güell
One of the most beautiful icons of Barcelona designed by Antonio Gaudí on the commission of Eusebi Güell, who gives the place its name. A park surrounded by modernist elements from where to enjoy one of the best panoramic views of the city. Although it was conceived as an English-style garden city, the project did not come to fruition and was halted in 1914. In 1922, the City Council purchased the estate and turned it into a public park where one can inseparably enjoy the native flora alongside the architectural elements envisioned by Gaudí. This symbiosis was recognized in 1969 when it was declared a historical-artistic monument of national interest and in 1984, when UNESCO recognized it as a World Heritage Site.
Although it is an icon as a monumental space of Barcelona, we must not forget that Park Güell is, above all, a public park, equipped with all the facilities and services so that it can be enjoyed not only by tourists, but also by the neighbors and the people of Barcelona in general, enjoying its impressive views or the different gardens and walking areas that the enclosure offers.
Gardens of the Pedralbes Palace
An oasis of greenery located on the main thoroughfare of Barcelona: Diagonal Avenue. One of the most stately gardens in Barcelona where one can stroll, read, or simply enjoy the lush vegetation. The accidental fire of the former royal residence in Barcelona in 1875 was the origin of this landscaped area. The bourgeois Güell family purchased a series of estates adjacent to the old palace with the intention of refurbishing them and donating a new palace to the monarchs for their stays in our city. In this way, various agricultural fields were transformed into gardens, and an old palace that was there was renovated to adapt it for its future use as a royal residence. Since then, the enclosure has belonged to the City Council and the Generalitat, which currently uses it to organize events and official ceremonies.
Given that these gardens are so ancient, one can find unusual species such as Himalayan, Atlas, or Japanese cedars. From the main entrance on Diagonal Avenue, one can see a pond with two sandy paths on either side leading to the palace at the top of the estate, through two rows of linden trees located on the main axes of the garden. Since the enclosure is surrounded by high walls along its entire perimeter, its state of conservation is magnificent.
In addition to its lush vegetation and large rest areas with benches for enjoying a good read, the enclosure offers some architectural gems that are worth seeking out among its nooks and crannies. Specifically, two that bear the hallmark of the brilliant Antoni Gaudí: a Hercules fountain with an iron dragon head from which water flows, and which was “discovered” in 1984 during maintenance work, as well as a parabolic pergola covered with climbing plants.
The list of green areas in Barcelona where we can enjoy time with our loved ones continues with spaces where vegetation, sports, nature, and history come together. Fortunately, the arrival of spring, and with it the daylight saving time, guarantees us several months of long days to take advantage of in the parks of Barcelona. More than enough time to keep discovering them!
