2 Surprising Little-Known Places to Visit in Barcelona
If you’re thinking of visiting Barcelona any time soon, you’ve probably already added a tour of the Sagrada Familia to your itinerary, perhaps alongside taking a stroll down Las Ramblas, enjoying a picnic or two in Park Güell, and stretching out on Barceloneta Beach under the hot Spanish sun. But the Catalan capital is full of lots of other great places well-worth discovering that, generally speaking, and despite their enormous cultural and historical value, maybe aren’t so well known owing to the sheer popularity of the city’s other more famous tourist attractions.
Today, we want to recommend two of our favourite places to explore, hidden among the streets of Barcelona, so you don’t miss out on your next trip. Read on to find out more!
1. Planning on visiting Barcelona? Don’t miss out on the Temple of Augustus
Just behind Barcelona Cathedral, you’ll stumble upon a relic of Barcino – the name given to Barcelona when it was just another Roman colony – designed as a place for locals to worship the almighty Emperor Caesar Augustus.
It was also a central part of the Forum atop Mount Táber, though, nowadays, just three columns remain standing in Barcelona’s famous Gothic Quarter.
This small part of the temple can be found inside a medieval building on one of the busiest streets in Barcelona, Calle Paradís. Officially in the hands of the Barcelona Museum of History, visitors can access the building’s courtyard to admire the beauty of this architectural treasure, estimated to have been built towards the end of the 1st century. A truly magical insight into the past.
2. Santa María de Pedralbes Monastery, ever heard of this hidden gem?
Founded in 1327 by King Jaime II and his wife Elisenda de Moncada, this monastery is one of the most outstanding monumental structures in the entire city. The monastery, which was originally home to an Order of Saint Clare nuns, is extraordinarily well-preserved thanks to the support of Queen Elisenda, who protected the building from various attacks that damaged other architectural jewels throughout the city.
Today, various monastic treasures that belonged to the religious order are on display as, back in 1931, the site became an official historic and artistic landmark, becoming part of the city’s Museum of History. As such, if you’re planning to visit Barcelona soon and want to discover a hidden treasure well off the beaten track, you really can’t miss the Santa María de Pedralbes Monastery.
Categories: barcelona