Streets, squares & neighbourhoods
Gradually, leisure and cultural attractions found the perfect location on La Rambla. The convents disappeared and florists and newsstands set up there premises here. As you walk along, you"ll see landmark buildings, such as the greatest theatre of Barcelona"s opera, the
Gran Teatre del Liceu, the
Palau de la Virreina and the spectacular
Boqueria Market. This human river, with its street artists, tourists and locals, who still come here for a stroll, take us on a journey through this microcosm of contemporary Barcelona.
Now they are proud to show visitors their shopping streets and attractive and innovative green spaces. Maybe the clearest proof of this are the many green areas in the district, such as the
Parc de la Guineueta, the
Parc del Turó de la Peira and the modern
Parc Central de Nou Barris which covers a surface area of 17 hectares and is the city"s second biggest park. It opened in 1999 and was extended in 2003, and uses the greenery in its different spaces to integrate the district"s unique and historic buildings, such as the former
Santa Creu Mental Hospital, the current home of the district council;
Can Carreras, an old farmhouse; and the business innovation centre, the
Forum Nord.
As you explore the narrow streets of the old Barceloneta neighbourhood in Ciutat Vella, you"ll discover the charm and atmosphere of a working-class district, which attracts many tourists to its beaches, fine restaurants and bars.
The old part of Sarrià, with its small squares and main street, the Carrer Major, perfectly mirrors the history of the neighbourhood, where nearly every house and building reveals the origins of what was once one of the most prosperous villages on the Barcelona plain.
The Parc del Fòrum is located on the waterfront at the northernmost end of the city. The park was built for the
2004 Universal Forum of Cultures. It isn"t a park or green space in the strictest sense of the word, but a large area which brings together a series of spaces and amenities which host a wide range of events.
