Pla de Palau – Parc de la Ciutadella stop
A stop to discover medieval Barcelona, from its main maritime trading square, Pla de Palau, to its narrow streets full of Gothic architecture palaces, which are now home to museums like the Picasso Museum, art galleries and designer boutiques.
Gateway to medieval Barcelona
The Pla de Palau stop on the Red Route is located on the former expansion of the beach, where trading took place from the 13th to the 19th centuries and where now you can see some of Barcelona’s most important Neoclassical buildings like the Llotja and the Porxos d’en Xifré, home to the almost 200-year-old restaurant 7 Portes.
From Pla de Palau you can explore the interesting Born district where you will be greeted by an extensive complex of Catalan Gothic art, whose principal manifestation is the impressively wide Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar, alongside Renaissance and baroque styles evident in streets like Carrer de Montcada. If you want the full history of this district, the best option is to visit the Old Born Market, a cultural centre with information about the War of the Spanish Succession, whose subsoil is home to an archaeological site with remains of the medieval and modern city.
Another option is to walk along Passeig d’Isabel II and Avinguda del Marquès de l’Argentera to one of the side entrances of Ciutadella Park, where you can visit the shade house and glasshouse built for the 1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition.
What to see
Old Born Market. Born Cultural and Memorial CentreOne of the most remarkable iron architecture markets in Barcelona is home to an important modern age archaeological site.
ShoppingIn Barcelona’s shopping areas you can find traditional establishments alongside designer and luxury boutiques, craft shops and gourmet product stores. Passeig de Gràcia, Rambla de Catalunya and Avinguda Diagonal, the Old Town and Gràcia offer some of the best shopping areas.
Basílica de Santa Maria del MarOne of the finest examples of Catalan Gothic architecture, which stands out due to its breadth and sobriety.
Picasso MuseumMore than 4,000 works exhibited in five Gothic architecture palaces show the painter’s formative period and his close relationship with Barcelona.
La Llotja and Pla de PalauMedieval Barcelona’s main commercial square, where the city’s first exchange building was located. As the gateway for goods and people coming into the city by sea Pla de Palau was one of the major points of entry to Port Vell and the centre of commercial trading.
El BornIn this medieval district of Barcelona you can find Gothic palaces, museums, art galleries, churches, restaurants and innovative shops.
Els Porxos d’en Xifré / Porxos Vidal-QuadrasTwo large buildings surrounded by Neoclassical porticos are among the legacy left behind by rich men who had made their fortune in the New World upon their return to Barcelona.
Ciutadella ParkThe venue of the 1888 Universal Exposition is now a large park with two museums, an extensive collection of public art and much more. With a surface area of 17 hectares, Ciutadella Park is Barcelona’s largest urban park after Montjuïc and an open-air sculpture museum.
Ciutadella Park Shade HouseIn Ciutadella Park there is an iron building with a trefoil profile in which tropical and subtropical plants are grown.
Ciutadella Park GlasshouseBarcelona’s Ciutadella Park still preserves an iron-framed glasshouse constructed in 1884. An enclosure made up of three structures for the cultivation of tropical plants was built next to Passeig de Picasso in Ciutadella Park for the 1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition.
MEAM – European Museum of Modern ArtAn 18th-century palace with a Modernista portal is home to figurative and realist works from the 21st century.
Museum of World Cultures of BarcelonaTwo medieval palaces on Carrer de Montcada are home to a museum that disseminates knowledge of other cultures.
Carrer de MontcadaIts Gothic, Catalan Renaissance and even baroque palaces make this street the city’s most important civil architecture site.
Restaurant 7 PortesOne of Barcelona’s most famous restaurants, where you can enjoy paella while admiring works by artists like Miró, Picasso and Tàpies.