Barcelona is well known for its culture and its architecture. But what might you have not known is that Barcelona also has some of the prettiest parks in Europe. Here are the top 5 parks you should explore in Barcelona:

Park Guell

The park was designed by the architect Antoni Gaudi. The idea was to build a park for rich families that featured beautiful views. They began building it in 1900 and finished it in 1914. The entrance to the park represents the Gates of Heaven. The whole park was integrated into nature and everything Gaudi made was in modernist style and based on curved forms. According to Gaudi perfectly straight lines don’t exist in nature. The icon of the park is the salamander that rises prominently on the stairs at the entrance of Park Guell. Park Guell is one o the top attractions in Barcelona and you most definitely shouldn’t miss it!

Parc de la Ciutadella

The park got its name from the old citadel that occupied the real estate when the city was defeated by the Bourbons in 1714. Over 4,500 people living in the area were given just a few weeks to pack up and leave, so a giant fortress could be built to control the city and prevent future uprisings: its canons were always pointing to the city, not outwards to protect it from enemies coming. Eventually, in 1868 the citadel started being dismantled and in 1888 the park that it had become hosted the first Barcelona World Fair. The Ciudadela Park is now a free public garden (no entrance fee or ticket to purchase), and it opens daily from 10 AM to 10.30PM

Parque del Laberinto de Horta

The “Parc del Laberint d’Horta” is the oldest Park in Barcelona. It consists of a neo-classical garden dating from the 18th century, which was extended to several elements of a romantic garden in the 19th century. It was given the name of the labyrinth park due to it being one of the most beautiful, still existing garden labyrinths in Europe. The artful labyrinth was built right in the heart of the grounds and is the most wonderful attraction in the park. During the 18th century, the place turned out to be a summer residence for a lot of wealthy and blue-blooded people. In general, the park is a must-see for all of Barcelona’s visitors. It’s beautiful, interesting and romantic. You can sit on the benches, relax, enjoy mother nature, and the unique surrounding buildings.

Montjuïc

Barcelona is an extraordinary city overflowing with all kinds of sights and attractions. Due to its rich and fascinating history, this destination is filled with various museums, galleries, and other historic sites that were created to honor this city’s past stories and leaders. One of the best places to explore Barcelona’s history and culture is the Parc de Montjuïc, an attraction bursting with things to do and see. Once a ceremonial place of the Romans, this mountain is now a beloved recreational area. Many museums can be found within the magnificent Palau Nacional, a spacious pavilion center. One of the best museums found in here is the Catalan National Art Museum, which contains countless, valuable works of art, spanning a wide spectrum of styles and time periods. You can also observe countless monuments that resulted from the 1992 Olympic Games that were held here, like the Calatrava Tower, the Olympic Stadium of Barcelona, and the Sant Jordi Palace.  

Parc de Joan Miró

This large park with lots of open space is also known as the Parc l’Escorxador (so named because it stands on the site of the old municipal slaughterhouse: escorxador in Catalan) and is used by visitors and locals from Barcelona’s Eixample Esquerra to relax. In 1979, Barcelona began dismantling its old municipal slaughterhouse. A group of young architects, headed by Beth Galí, designed a park that occupies four blocks of the Eixample, which Ildefons Cerdà – the architect behind the Eixample district – had originally envisaged for this part of Barcelona. The park, which is known locally as the Parc de l’Escorxador, is a jigsaw puzzle of different elements set out around a cement plaza designed to host all kinds of events and activities. Around the plaza, there are platforms on different levels, pathways, pergolas and landscaped areas with pines and evergreen oaks, which are the ideal place to take a stroll and enjoy your free time.

These are just 5 of Barcelona’s best parks, but many more exist. Come to Barcelona and explore them all!

See you soon.

Team HelloBCN