Montjuich: a stroll among parks and gardens

Having already visited most of the famous landmarks in Barcelona, I opted for spending a nice December day strolling around on the Montjuich hill. Actually I had planned to visit two of the best museum of the city, the National Museum of Catalan Art (MNAC) and the Mirò Foundation, but due to the warm sun which caressed Barcelona I partially changed my mind.

Therefore, after leaving behind me the chaotic Plaza de Espanya, I headed for Montjuich along the avenue leading up to the MNAC. Taking advantage of the escalators to contemplate in all relax the spectacular cascades, I finally went by the majestic building hosting the museum, postponing the visit to a future occasion. Following the useful signposts (which will be my guide during the whole day), I took the path on the left towards the Mirò Foundation. On the way to this museum I enjoyed the first views on the city, with the unmistakable silhouette of the Sagrada Familia and the Tower Agbar standing out of the skyline. At the same time, I could enjoy the pleasant natural environment offered by the lush gardens which will be the leit motif of my Montjuich experience.

Just before reaching the Mirò Foundation, indeed, I went through the Jardins de Laribal, one of the many small parks which are the main feature of this area of Barcelona. The visit to the museum, which culminated in a refreshing break at the cafeteria, took me a couple of hours. As the sun was still warm and well up in the sky, I resumed my tour going past the station of the funicular and up the stairs which led me in the heart of the garden called Jardin de Mossèn Cinto de Verdaguer. The great variety of plants which grow in this park including tulips, aquatic plants and various species of trees, is really worth admiring. Not by chance many Barcelonins have chosen this place for their picnic, and even a newly married couple was having their photographic set done right here.

After a last look to the fascinating ponds which reflect the surrounding trees, I crossed the road, entering the Jardin Joan Brossa, where my walk was cheered up by more views of the city and a series of strange-looking statues. Climbing up the hill among bushes and typical Mediterranean vegetation, I finally got to Plaza de la Sardana, where an intermediate station of the funicular is placed. The area looks quite uninviting, but the scenery changes radically as soon as you cross the wide clearing heading towards the sea. Beyond the curious monument representing the Catalan traditional dance, called indeed sardana, I reached the panoramic point called Mirador del Alcalde, which offers spectacular bird's eye view on the Eixample, Ciutat Vella and Barceloneta.

To avoid the temptation of sitting down and resting for long, though in such a deserving place, I resumed my climb, not without contemplating for a while the magnificent effect created by the gush of the nearby fountain in contrast with the skyline of the city. The last steep part of the climb to Montjuich culminates in front of the castle. Despite having been a symbol of oppression for a long time (the fortress was used by the Spanish government to control the city, and after the Civil War many republicans were killed there), the castle has now become an important attraction in the Montjuich zone.

Indeed, though most of the work is still to be done as for touristic facilities (at the moment it only houses a self service restaurant and a couple of exposition of little importance), the place is really charming. Apart from the fine gardens which surround the fortress, it is possible to admire breath-taking views both on the Northern part of the city and of the port area. Of course, an excursion whose main feature consisted in walking among trees, flowers and ponds could not but end with a stroll on the path just under the castle, following the so-called Camì del Mar, once again surrounded by a pleasant garden.