(English) What to see in Montjüic?

On any trip to Barcelona, a visit to the Sants Quarter is a must if you want to discover the magical mountain of Montjüic. Montjüic offers a multitude of different options for every taste. Whether you want to relive the historical past of Barcelona, contemplate the wonderful panoramic views of the city, soak up the Olympic spirit, or perhaps visit the biggest and best art galleries in town, it’s all possible right here. Over the years, two events have majorly influenced the mountain: the World Exhibition of 1929 and the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992. Not forgetting its privileged location as the highest point in the city, alongside Tibidabo.

Here are just some of the must-see spots on Montjüic mountain:

The Magical Fountain of Montjüic

Your visit to the mountain will start off with a picture-postcard site of unsurpassed beauty. Two Venetian-style towers preside over the entrance to the Magical Fountain of Montjüic, a true spectacle of light, music and colour thanks to 3,620 jets of water dancing to a careful choreography of rhythm and music alongside an impressive display of colour.

Palacio Nacional and MNAC

Montjüic is home to some of the best museums in Barcelona and a visit to the main headquarters of the MNAC (Catalan National Museum of Art) is a must, found within the Palacio Nacional de Montjüic, where you can explore the most comprehensive collection of Romanesque art in the world. The Palacio Nacional, or National Palace, was constructed between 1926 and 1929 for the World Exhibition of 1929 to house some 5,000 artworks of Spanish origin and to host the opening ceremony. In 1934, it underwent significant renovations to house the MNAC headquarters.

Caixa Forum de Barcelona

Located in a former towel and blanket factory, the Caixa Forum is another jewel of Catalan modernism. Designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch to house the Casaramona factory, since 2002, the Caixa Foundation has managed this cultural centre as part of its diverse programme of social events. A beautiful building in its own right, it also houses some of the city’s greatest cultural and artistic exhibitions.

Fundación Miró

In a building designed by the painter himself, here you’ll find all the most important works of Joan Miró.

Poble Espanyol

Originally designed as an open-air museum and built as part of the World Exhibition of 1929, Poble Espanyol is one of Spain’s most important locations. Here, you can get up close and personal to 117 scale artefacts of Spanish architecture depicting a real Iberian town. There are also plenty of great bars and restaurants nearby.

Montjüic Olympic Stadium

Without doubt, the stadium led to one of the biggest transformations ever seen in Barcelona, thanks to the Olympic Games. Known as the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium until 2001, it was opened in 1929 as part of the World Exhibition. Undergoing a total transformation to accommodate the athletic competitions it hosted as part of the Olympic Games, it was also the setting for both the opening and closing ceremonies.  Visit the stadium to soak up the fantastic Olympic spirit, as well as the Games Museum, where you can discover everything this ‘five-star stadium’, as classified by UEFA, has to offer.

Palau San Jordi

Also known as the jewel in the Olympic Rings, Palau San Jordi hosted the majority of the Games’ competitions. Currently, it hosts all kinds of sporting events and musical performances.  With a capacity of over 18,000, it is regularly the setting for some of the biggest international tours that visit Barcelona.

Castillo de Montjüic

One of the greatest shows of strength in Cataluña, a visit to Montjüic Castle is to travel back in time through Barcelona’s amazing and exciting past. This ancient fortress has seen tremendous battles over the years in competition for its privileged location, but it was also where the President of the Generalitat, Lluís Companys, was executed, as well as serving as a prison and weapons museum.

Montjüic Cemetery

Found on the southern slope of the mountain, Montjüic Cemetery was created to solve the issue of a lack of space at Poblenou Cemetery in the city. Part of the very popular cemetery trail through Barcelona, it is home to the tombs of some very important figures from history, including Lluís Companys, Joan Miró and Joan Gamper.

Montjüic Botanical Gardens

Reopened to the public in 2003, here, you can see 2,000 different species of plants from across the world.

Montjüic Panorama

From Montjüic mountain, you can take in one of the best views of the city of Barcelona, either from Montjüic Castle or from the Alcalde viewpoint.

These are just some of the main tourist attractions on the magic mountain. Staying near Montjüic is the perfect way to see all the great treasures of the 1929 World Exhibition and the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games that still play a prominent role in life and tourism in the city.

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