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Traditionally, it is said that Rome is the city of the hills. In fact, Europe is full of cities which nestle and perch beautifully in their topographies. Barcelona, with its seven hills -Turó de la Creueta del Coll, Turó del Carmel, Turó de la Rovira, Turó de la Peira, Turó del Putget, Turó de Monterols and Turó de Modolell – is one of them.
We can add Tibidabo and Montjuïc to the list too. Mountain and sea are two elements which help create Barcelona’s special personality and atmosphere, and provide lots of places where we can enjoy fabulous views.
Today I would like to show you some some places where you can see the best views in Barcelona from another point of view.
First of all, I recommend going up Montjuïc, the hill where Barcelona (Barcino) was born, when the Romans disembarked and created a small settlement in a natural harbor below Montjuïc before moving to the city’s present location. It’s name could come from Mons lovis (Hill of Jupiter), though another hypothesis says that this hill could have been a Jewish cemetery in the middle ages – Mons Jueus, the Hill of the jews.
Because of its strategic position, it became a fortress in order to defend the city especially in the XVIIIth century, and also to repress its population.
Thanks to the Universal Exhibitions of 1888 and 1929, Montjuïc was converted into a leisure space, with an important amusement park (now closed). The hill is dotted with gardens and viewpoints, of which I especially recommend visiting:
El Mirador del Migdia, located close to the castle with a view over the harbor and the other side of the mountain, including L’Hospitalet de Llobregat and the surrounding area.
Click HERE for Google Maps location
From this viewpoint, we can take Camí del Mar (the sea path), which reveals a delightful surprise, the small and pretty lighthouse of Barcelona.
A bit further on, we arrive at another viewpoint, el Mirador de l’Alcalde, with wonderful views over Barcelona at any hour of the day!
Click HERE for Google Maps location
The third and last option is closer to the city and lets us appreciate it in detail. El Mirador de Miramar, located in front of one of the gorgeous Miramar Hotel (www.hotelmiramarbarcelona.com).
As promised, today we continue our journey through Catalonia…
Now, we can change the landscape and going to one place full of Mediterranean elements and postcards; a place where the climate is really good and, in fact, Hadrian, one of the most important Roman emperors, for this same reason, said long time ago…
Tarraco, ciuitas ubi uer aerternum est (Tarraco, the city where Spring is eternal) So, this option is an excellent idea in order to know the Roman past of Catalunya, whereas you take a nice promenade next to the sea. Its ancient ruins, given that Tarragona (Tarraco) was the main city of one of the three provinces of the Roman Empire in Hispania, the province of Tarraconensis, are really interesting to visit. In fact, they were declared World Heritage by UNESCO.
With your Tarragona’s visit, you will travel some centuries back and see like the new city, organized by three different levels (Temple, Palace and town), is built following the Roman remains and structures. For example, the Cathedral, a great example of medieval art, is located at the same place than the Roman temple.
Barcelona is much more than just a city: it is the main city of Catalunya, such an interesting region full of plans and places to make and go; full of history, good gastronomy and postcard’s landscapes. This is the reason why I would like to show you some of these places in my first post for Food Lovers Company, the best day trips from Barcelona.
All of them are accessible by train from Barcelona, so you will not have any problem in order to get them!
First of all… a little bit of history! Catalunya, a region formed by different counties during The Middle Ages, was divided in Catalunya Vella (Old Catalonia) and Catalunya Nova (New Catalonia). The difference between both Catalunyas was the period of time they were under the Arabic domination. So, whereas Catalunya Vella was the first one in being Catalan, Catalunya Nova was not under Catholic domination until the XIIIrd century.
Nowadays, this difference is still on the environment, on its gastronomy and, especially, on its architecture.
So, do you want to walk with us around our lovely Catalunya in order to know all these elements? 😉
If you want to know the medieval and romantic Catalunya origins, you must go to Ripoll, the cradle of Catalunya Vella and, in consequence, the Catalunya’s cradle. There, you will find a big monastery, a foundation of Guifré el Pilós (Guifré the Hairy), one of the firsts Counts of Catalunya, and his political and religious companion Abad Oliba, one of the most important abbots of this won to Muslims new region.
Inside the Monastery, you will find the tomb of Guifré el Pilós and the flavour of history in its walls.
Although the whole of the building is a reinvention from romantic times, always under the idea of nation and recuperation of the birthplace (you will see that most of the parts of the Monastery are reconstructions from the XIXth century, done by Elies Rogent, an important Catalan architect of this period), the cloister is original.
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