By Alex Gutiérrez (@AlexGutierrezM)
Barcelona’s hidden attractions
Perhaps it’s not your first time in Barcelona and you've already visited the most obvious places, or maybe you prefer to escape the herd and avoid the crowds... either way, here are ten recommendations to lose yourself in the city beyond the Sagrada Familia and the tourist hotspots.
1. Tibidabo
Otherwise known as The Magic Mountain, for the last 120 years it has provided entertainment to the people of Barcelona with its vintage amusement rides, neo-Gothic style church, iconic watchtower, and the Automata Museum which transports you back in time.
More Coney Island than Disneyland, both in terms of size and vibe, it has a vintage feel to it which is all the better to wander around in. The ascent via funicular and old tram is part of the experience and, at the top of Collserola Mountain, another of the park's historic attractions awaits you… an aeroplane!
Installed in 1928, the plane is a replica of the one used for the first commercial flight between Barcelona and Madrid and includes original elements from that time. It offers breathtaking views of the city from the air as it rotates driven by its own propeller.
Plan your visit: https://ja.cat/mwc_tibidabo
2. Second-Hand Book Market in Sant Antoni
If you've already visited Barcelona but want to see real Barcelonians in their element, head to Sant Antoni market on a Sunday morning.
The midweek indoor food and clothing stalls are closed, however all the way around the outside you’ll find stalls selling thousands of second-hand books and magazines from yesteryear – those would make for an original souvenir! You will also find collector's items from old coins to video games.
The atmosphere is truly authentic and why not round-off your visit with a vermouth in one of the many wine bars in the Sant Antoni neighbourhood, which has become quite hip in recent years. Oh and in case you were wondering, all of those people huddled on street corners – to the despair of those trying to get past in a hurry – are trading card collectors on the hunt for that one card to complete their album.
Plan your visit: https://ja.cat/mwc_santantoni (in Spanish)
3. Mossen Costa and Llobera Gardens
A quick way to escape the crowds is to take refuge on Montjuic’s lesser-known slope. Only a few minutes away from the city centre and home to one of the most unique landscapes in the city you’ll find the Mossen Costa and Llobera Gardens.
Inaugurated in 1970, it consists of three hectares of plants that thrive in the subtropical microclimate of the sunny hillside. It’s one of the most important cactus and succulent gardens in Europe, and even if botany doesn’t float your boat, a walk around the area will offer you privileged views over the loading docks in the port and the impressive Montjuic Cemetery.
To get back to civilisation a great option is to take the cable car only a few yards away that will take you all the way to the port.
Plan your visit: https://ja.cat/mwc_jardins
4. The Greenhouse in Ciutadella Park
For many years it was the only public park in the city, built on the macabre grounds where King Philip V of Spain erected a citadel after winning the War of Succession, with the sole purpose of controlling and repressing the people of Barcelona.
Three buildings from that era remain standing: the chapel, the Governor's Palace (now a secondary school) and the arsenal, which was later expanded and converted into a royal palace and then went on to house the Parliament of Catalonia during the short-lived republic of the 1930s and then again from 1977 with the return of democracy.
This year, the newly restored art nouveau-style greenhouse can be visited again after being closed for 15 years. So take a seat and rest for a while as you gaze at the beautiful botanical displays. Take a selfie with a mammoth, rent a rowboat on the lake and pay a visit to Barcelona Zoo are just a few of the other things you can do while visiting the park.
Plan your visit: https://ja.cat/mwc_hivernacle
5. Fabra Observatory
For creatures of the night go on a small adventure up to the Fabra Observatory, which will take you back in time. To observe what exactly? Well, the thousands of bright lights of the city and the millions of bright lights in the sky.
Built between 1902 and 1904 by architect Josep Domenech i Estapa, its telescope is the fourth oldest in the world still in operation. This revered facility still focuses on meteorology, astronomy and seismology, but visitors can simply wander the grounds outside and admire the city below and treat themselves to a long look through the refracting telescope, which has a diameter of 38 centimetres.
It’s worth checking out what’s on beforehand, and if you’re in Barcelona in the spring, make sure you book an experience called Dinner with the Stars, which includes an astronomy-themed dinner, an astronomy talk and an observation.
Plan your visit: https://ja.cat/mwc_observatori (in Catalan)
6. Bravas at El Tomas de Sarria
Deciding who makes the best patatas bravas in Barcelona is nigh on impossible, but El Tomas de Sarria is definitely a top contender and the name you’ll probably get more often if you ask locals.
In any case, tasting their most popular tapa in this busy and unpretentious bar offers the perfect excuse to then wander aimlessly through the Sarria neighbourhood – the last of the independent villages that was annexed to Barcelona in 1921 – and its quaint streets lined with dainty houses.
The perfect cut, just the right amount of spice and some well-kept secrets by the owners give the occasion a certain mystique, as you try to decipher the alchemy that makes their bravas so delicious.
A few yards away from Bar Tomas is the Foix patisserie, another neighbourhood classic, but with a literary pedigree. The establishment is owned by the family of the poet J V Foix, who was a leading figure of the Catalan avant-garde writing scene at the beginning of the 20th century.
Plan your visit: https://ja.cat/mwc_tomas (in Spanish)
7. Monastery of Pedralbes
Founded by the Poor Clares nuns on March 26 1327, there is still a community of nuns present as this calm and beautiful site approaches its 700th anniversary.
The cloister is the main attraction, consisting of two Gothic style lower floors and a Renaissance style upper floor.
There is a medicinal garden which will tickle the senses of any visitor roaming around its enclosure. St Michael’s Chapel, also from the 14th century, is housed onsite and there are often cultural activities taking place.
The entrance is on a square surrounded by houses, which are remnants of another era and reflect the high standard of living of one of the city's wealthiest neighbourhoods.
Plan your visit: https://ja.cat/mwc_monestir
8. Barcelona Design Museum
Barcelona has a long-standing tradition in design and, since 2014, there is a unique building dedicated to all the decorative arts. Designed by Oriol Bohigas and the MBM team of architects, and located in Placa de les Glories, it contains more than 70,000 objects from various disciplines.
A few yards away from the museum there are two points of interest that make a good combo. On the one hand, there’s the Glories tower (formerly Torre Agbar), which is part of the Barcelona skyline: a 34-storey building designed by Jean Nouvel with a viewing point on the top floor.
On the other side of the square you can rummage around Fira de Bellcaire, also known as Els Encants Vells, a 15,000m flea market that has existed since the beginning of the 14th century, where you can buy all manner of things. In 2013 it moved to its current site which has a futuristic aesthetic designed by b720 studio.
Plan your visit: https://ja.cat/mwc_dissenyhub
9. The German Pavilion
When Barcelona hosted its second World Fair in 1929, one of the architectural gems was the German Pavilion, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich and located at the foot of Montjuic.
A key work of modernist architecture, with its clean lines, geometric rigour and combination of glass, steel and different marbles, its delicacy never fails to impress. In fact, soon after the event ended it was dismantled, but only half a century later it was rebuilt and reopened in 1986 at the original location, just beside the Fira Montjuic venue where MWC was held until 2012.
A few yards away, there is an interesting Catalan art nouveau building: the old Casaramona factory which, since 2002, has housed the CaixaForum cultural centre.
Nearby, for those who appreciate a bit of quirkiness with a touch of kitsch, is the must-see Poble Espanyol. Also built for the World Fair in 1929, it consists of a walled complex containing replicas of squares, streets and 117 houses (that were never lived in) which showcase the essence of traditional Spanish architecture.
Plan your visit: https://ja.cat/mwc_mies
10. Anti-Aircraft Shelter No. 307
In the Poble-Sec neighbourhood lies a secret door that gives access to more than 400m of vaulted tunnels that served as a shelter for Barcelona residents who, during the Spanish Civil War, needed to take cover from indiscriminate bombs dropped by Francisco Franco's army in collaboration with the Italian and German fascist air forces.
From February 13 1937 there were a total of 192 bombings which forced people to use the metro network and basements as shelter. When the attacks intensified, shelters like this one – one of the best preserved – had to be specially built.
An understandably claustrophobic space, with 2.1m high by 1.6m wide passageways, it was designed to accommodate around 2,000 people. During your visit, you can see the toilets, a fountain and the infirmary. Advance booking is required.
Plan your visit: https://ja.cat/mwc_refugi