This part is about Barcelona's famous main touristic street La Rambla, the old city center that surround it(except for Barri Gòtic, shown in a separate section) and the circle around the Columbus monument were La Rambla ends. La Rambla is a great introduction to the city, but should be avoided otherwise since it is a tourist trap - noisy and expensive.

La Rambla

Already the first day, after reaching Placa Catalunya, we walked along the whole southern part of the famous pedestrian street La Rambla down to La Rambla del Mar, the harbour extension of La Rambla and its entertainment complexes. Despite it was in the middle of the night, everyone was there, and it was hot. After that night it was sunny almost all the time and at most 34 C(a little bit too hot to appreciate walking around looking at the sights).


La Rambla´s southern beginning at Placa Catalunya. This is the most important part. It goes to the south down to the Columbus statue and the harbour.


At La Rambla, there are many hotels, street musicans and artists that make performances all the time.
They pretend to be statues; Bart Simpson, Cleopatra etc.

La Rambla is always crowded with tourists. It is also the street with the largest number of pickpockets in Europe.

On both sides of La Rambla's pedestrian streets there is a lane for cars.


Teatre del Liceu. This is were Freddie Mercury sang "Barcelona" together with opera singer Montserrat Caballé for the Olympics in 1992.


Teatre del Liceu. In the mirrors you can both see the elegant interior, and the busy La Rambla mirroring.


El Raval. Despite it is just west of La Rambla, this district looks rundown!


Palau Güell, one of Gaudi's most famous buildings, is situated in El Raval near La Rambla. As a task from the rich patron of the arts Eusebi Güell, this is one of the works that started Gaudi´s career. works that made Gaudí famous. Palau Güell has a very decorated roof, just like La Pedrera. (The photo I took got destroyed for some unknown reason, this is why I hotlink to another website. We only saw it at dark though.)


The famous Mirador de Colom (the Columbus monument) from the southern edge of La Rambla. You can even see the WTC and cableways going through Torre Jaumei.


Meanwhile, at the right side you can see: Edificio Colón. At 110m, but only 28 floors, this was the first skyscraper in Barcelona (built in 1970) and the only one in the absolute city center.

Mirador de Colom

Monumento a Cristóbal Colón, Mirador de Colom or just The Columbus monument. In 1888, this 57m tall monument was erected at Placa Portal de la Pau, the place were Columbus took land when he thought he had discovered America. That is why he is pointing to the west. I have heard that you can take the elevator to the top, but it didn´t felt like that was true. The lions that surround the monument are very popular among tourists.


Placa Portal de la Pau is a very busy traffic circle. The place and the Columbus monument is surrounded by buildings that are so magnificent that I thought they were world famous. But they are just average palaces! To the west you can see Montjüic.


Govern Militar with typical black and yellow Barcelona taxis in the front.


Govern Militar. The avenue to the right of this majestic military building is Passeig de Colom.


Port de Barcelona (HQ for the harbour government?) is another grandiose building at Placa Portal.


Duana de Barcelona. Also very nice!