Quiet spots in the big city: Barcelona's gardens

Actually, it is not exactly a park but a city garden. It is small though very picturesque and extremely popular in summer when it serves as a venue for open-air classical music concerts. Despite modest size it has fountains, a greenhouse and rows of sculptures that look particularly spectacular in the evenings.

This small intimate park with rows of cypresses and rose-beds often serves as a venue for concerts of world-class celebrities. The artists perform on an antique scene with excellent acoustics. It’s best to come here at sunset when you can see how beautiful the city is when it’s lit by yellow light: the park’s terrace offers a fantastic view on Barcelona.

It’s one of the places that are commonly associated with modern Barcelona. A small green area filled with weird sculptures from metal and concrete is considered to be one of the most popular places for photoshoots. You get an idea that something interesting awaits you there already at the entrance, when you see the park’s conceptual fence with its huge aquarium-like windows.

Number one Gaudi work, it was commissioned by his patron, tycoon Eusebi Güellm, who wanted to create a stylish park for Barcelona aristocracy. Initially, the architect was to build luxury houses at sixty lots but only two were built – one was taken by the tycoon himself and another stood empty as no one wanted to move so far from the city center. The awesome park is famous for its amazing stone decorations, stunning tiling and fascinating buildings. At the entrance you will be welcomed by the famous dragon fountain with multicolored mosaic salamander. Then take a walkway supported by twisting rock pillars to the top of Güell– here you get a wonderful view of the park and of Barcelona City seating on a long sea-serpent shaped bench. Workers collected thousands of old tiles and bottle glass to create it. The park is so vibrant that everything seems alive and breathing – all creatures and even buildings – it’s just amazing that it was created more than a century ago. Better come early to be able to see the famous dragon without crowds.

Montjuic is commonly called a park, though actually it is a green complex made of botanic and city gardens, walking zones and cultural sites. It is situated on a very picturesque hill by the seaside and is a very well-groomed park with escalators and cableways that will take you to the viewpoint with a medieval fortress nearby. The special thing about Montjuic Parc is that it exudes calm and serenity.

Don't miss the chance to visit a historic bunker located at the edge of the park. The spot is very popular with history fans, photographers and those who simply enjoy climbing unusual buildings. Parc del Guinardo offers a panoramic view over the city which is thought to be the most spectacular in Barcelona.

At the beginning of the 20th century the Catalans suddenly developed a passion for making their city green and began planting city gardens here and there. Mount Tibidabo alone counts 6 or 7 of them, despite being the green zone itself.
One of these gardens is in the far end of the amusement park and is especially beautiful because of its desertion. It is almost free from tourists, which is good for preserving the special atmosphere of the last century.
Generally a visit to Tibidabo is a unique opportunity to see you favorite city with its suburbs from 500 meters high, and you just can’t miss it.

This garden looks somewhat like the famous Parc Guell if you remove all the Gaudi masterpieces from the latter. Jardines del Turo del Putxet is quite a simple park with endless serpentine paths. Here you either go uphill or downhill. I like it because it is deserted and has a nice view from the hill top. The park is not so picturesque, which is why it’s not so popular. This is more of a place for those who have already visited Barcelona more than once or those who stay here long.