Sights to see in Barcelona


	by Craig Grimes	català español

Sights to see · Restaurants · Bars · Night Clubs

Montjuïc

	Parc de Montjuïc
Parc Montjuïc is the hill in the southwest of Barcelona and allows great views of the city and the Mediterranean. Because the park is set on a hill some of the roads are rather steep and also some of the paths are in poor condition. It is possible to walk or wheel around the park but it can be tiring as some paths lead to steps. Probably the best way to get around the park is by bus Parc de Montjuïc. Getting There: It depends on where in Montjuïc you want to go to which method of transport is the best. To get to the top of Montjuïc take the Metro, L2 (purple line) from Passeig de Gracia to Paral.lel. At this station catch the Fenicular de Montjuïc. There is only one stop on the Fenicular and the disabled area is at the front of the train. (Follow the disabled symbols on the floor) It is important to board the Fenicular at the allocated doors because at the top there are stairs and the disabled area on the train enables easy access to the upper station. Once at the station there is a platform stair lift in order to exit the building. Only TMB staff are permitted to operate the lift, a call system at the bottom of the stairs is available to attract their attention. By bus and then the Fenicular de Montjuïc, catch the Number 20 bus from between Passeig de Gràcia and Calle Mallorca. (This bus route has accessible vehicles with automatic ramps.) Get off at Paral.lel and walk down the street towards the sea. The first entrance for the Metro and Fenicular station is not accessible for people with mobility problems, however, the second has been installed with a lift. Then take the Montjuïc de Fenicular as above. To get to the bottom of Montjuïc and Plaça Espanya; several buses which have disabled access depart from Placa Catalunya and Gran Via. These include route numbers 9 and 50. The number 9 departs from Placa Catalunya and continues up Gran Via towards Placa Espanya. Get off the bus just before Placa Espanya and then Montjuïc is just a short walk away. The number 50 leaves from Gran Via and goes directly to Montjuïc. Another way to get to Parc Montjuïc is by using the Bus Touristic, please see section ‘Getting Around’. Parc Montjuïc also has its’ own bus service run by the TMB which has disabled access. (At time of writing the Parc de Montjuïc bus only operates at weekends and festivals.) NB.The cable car that operates over the harbour to Montjuïc, is not accessible for wheelchair users. However, people with a narrow wheelchair (less than 60cm wide, including wheels) and don’t mind being carried up six stairs may be able to access the cable car. This may depend on how busy the attraction is and what kind of mood the staff are in! Buy a return ticket because the other end of the line really isn't suitable for wheelchair users due to the innumerable amount of steps to exit the station.
	Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys (Olympic Stadium)
Passeig Olímpic 17, Barcelona There is a viewing platform in the stadium, which is accessible, free and open daily from 10am – 6pm. There are also souvenir shops and a restaurant.
	Palau Sant Jordi
Passeig Olímpic Barcelona Just next to the Estadi Olímpic is Palau Sant Jordi where many of Barcelona’s indoor music and sporting events take place. From here there is an impressive view of the Estadi Olimpic and Torre Calatrava telephone tower.

	Fundació Joan Miró
Parc de Montjuïc 08038 Barcelona Tel: 93 443 9470 www.bcn.fjmiro.es The Fundacio Joan Miro is located on the same road as the Estadi Olimpic which pays homage to this great Catalan artist. The museum has a permanent section devoted to Miro as well as an area of temporary exhibits. The entire building is wheelchair accessible, including the roof where several colourful sculptures may be viewed with a backdrop of Barcelona. The disabled toilets are located near the gift shops and restaurant on the ground floor. Closed Mondays.
	Poble Espanyol
Avinguda del Marquès de Comillas 13, Barcelona Tel: 93 508 6300 www.poble-espanyol.com Poble Espanyol, known as the ‘Spanish Village’ is the home to different types of architecture from around Spain. The buildings themselves are restaurants, bars, cafes and souvenir shops, after 9pm Sunday – Thursday entry is free. On a weekend there is a charge to enter during the evening when many of the bars and restaurants become a trendy hang out for many people. Access itself isn’t fantastic, with lots of uneven cobbles and the main courtyard has steps up to the terrace and to some of the shop fronts. However, there is a disabled toilet in this courtyard and other areas of Poble Espanyol have been adapted with platform stair lifts. It can be tough going because as with most of Montjuïc, the village is located on some steep slopes.
	Jardí Botànic (The Botanical Gardens)
Doctor Font i Quer 2, 08038 Barcelona www.jardibotanic.bcn.es A garden of tranquillity amongst the hustle and bustle of Barcelona life with fantastic views of the city and beyond. The garden is the home to beautiful plants and trees from all over the world, which are classified accordingly. There is an accessible toilet in the entrance area of the garden. Once again as with all of Montjuïc, the garden is built on very steep slopes, even getting to the entrance takes a lot of effort. Once at the reception area there are electric scooters for hire should you want one.
	Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
Palau Nacional Parc de Montjuïc 08038 Barcelona www.mnac.es The Palau Nacional is a massive art gallery where you could easily spend an entire day wondering around looking at all the exhibits. It boasts the largest collection of Romanesque art in the world as well as Gothic and Baroque exhibitions. The building has been well adapted at the front entrance with an assortment of platform lifts scaling the small fights of stairs in the foyer. They have also created a level rear entrance to the gallery for wheelchair users.
	Fonts de Montjuïc
Plaça Carles Buïgas 1 08038 Barcelona www.bcn.es/turisme This is a colourful show of ‘magic fountains’ which surge and dance in time with music. It only lasts about 10 minutes but it's worth seeing, the shows alternate between classical and contemporary music. This year they will function from 9pm – 11.30pm, Thursday – Monday (May – 2nd October). In the low tourist season (7th October – 7th January) the shows are only on Fridays and Saturdays from 7pm – 9pm. The fountains are closed during January and February due to maintenance work.

Gòtic

	Museo Picasso
Montcada, 15-23 08003 Barcelona Tel: 93 319 6310 www.museupicasso.bcn.es The museum has a collection of Pablo Picasso’s early pieces many of which were completed in Barcelona. The collection represents his lesser known pieces and styles from his younger days as an artist. The entrance to the museum is paved with cobbles which can be a problem for wheelchair users, however, once inside the access is fairly good. There is a lift but you must ask when buying the tickets to use it as you will be accompanied by a security guard. Once inside there are some short but relatively steep ramps where some wheelchair users may require a bit of a push. The accessible toilets are on the ground floor as is the gift shop and café. Warning: This area is notorious for pick pockets and petty thieves please be careful when going to the museum especially on Calle Princessa.
	La Iglesia de Santa Maria del Mar
Plaça de Santa Maria 08003 Barcelona The first recorded documentary reference for this church was 998ad and is one of the most beautiful churches in Barcelona. As you enter the plaça you will be confronted by a staircase to the main entrance. However, on the right hand side of the building there is a smaller ramped entrance. It is a very popular church for weddings and there are a couple of cafes in front of it where you can sit and watch as the newly-weds exit under a shower of rice.

	Parc Ciutadella
Passeig de Picasso (Main entrance) www.bcn.es This is a great city park with lots of character and life. In the summer months it’s full of people and families out for a picnic or a stroll. There are many sculptures and statues littering the park with a central fountain and a large pond. The whole park is quite level although the gravel paths may cause minor problems for some people. There are a couple of small cafes which have accessible toilets.
	Palau de la Música Catalana
Sant Francesc de Paula 2, 08003 Barcelona Tel: 90 244 2882 www.palaumusica.org The Palau de la Música Catalana was designed by a Catalan architect called Lluís Domènech i Montaner. He has many other works around Barcelona such as Hospital Sant Pau and there is a website dedicated to his work: www.gaudiallgaudi.com Entrance to the guided tour costs about € 8.00 and you may have to book in advance so go to the ticket office to make your reservation. There is a lift to access the upper floor and the accessible toilets are located on the ground floor next to the bar. There are regular concerts during the day and in the evening. (See their website for further details)

				back to top


cmpst.com	accessiblebarcelona.com © 2003-2008	dreamhost.com