Barcelona Weekend Break

Plaza de Cataluna

Spelt in Catalan as "placa d' Cataluna", this large square is in the centre of Barcelona and the locals see it as the heart of the city. It is also a perfect point from which to start a tour or exploration of Barcelona, or at which to meet up at the end of a day.

The Plaza de Cataluna sits to one end of the famous "las Ramblas" (street) and it is only a short walk from the historic Barri Gotic district - the original town of Barcelona. It is also within easy walking distance of the magnificent Sagrada Familia (Gaudi catherdral) and the “Barceloneta” district and beach.

The plaza itself is attractive with its near 50,000 square metre area being punctuated by an ornamental fountain and some sculptures. The centre of the square has a large star marked out on it and you can get an excellent (and cheap) view of the plaza and its surrounding by going up to the ninth floor cafe of the "Corte Ingles" department store which overlooks it.

Looking down to the plaza de Cataluna you become aware of the patterned paving and the many buildings that, at ground floor level, appear to wall the plaza in. This part of the city doubles as the banking and business zone and the shopping and commercial zone, so it is ideal for shopping and browsing.

Interestingly the plaza de Cataluna was originally outside the first town walls of Barcelona, but today, with the evolution of the city, it now finds itself at a central location and many of the buildings that surround it have architectural and historic significance in their own right.

Tourist information

Being in the centre of Barcelona, the Plaza de Cataluna is easy to find and acts as a hub where buses and taxis pick up and drop off passengers. (There is an airport bus that runs to and from the square several times per day).

The streets running off from the square are ideal for shopping, restaurants, bars and cafes.

There is a tourist office to the side of the plaza with plenty of free information about the city and its sights.