Barcelona Weekend Break
Las Ramblas
Las Ramblas is a 1.2 kilometre long boulevard in central Barcelona. It divides the old town (Ciutat Vella) in two and forms an invisible boundary between the ancient districts of Barri Gotic and Raval.
Las Ramblas starts at the "Placa Catalunya" (square) and runs seaward to the Christopher Columbus monument in the "Port Vell" district (and, since around 1990, onwards to the MareMagnum complex).
In reality "las Ramblas" (plural) is in fact a collection of no less than six separate "Rambla" streets running one into another. The "greater" las Ramblas starts with "Rambla de Canaletes", in the town centre, and finishes with "Rambla de Mar" at the seafront. Rambla de Mar is a new addition to the street and takes las Ramblas all the way in to the harbour and the new recreational centre of MareMagnum.
What makes las Ramblas special
Las Ramblas is considered to be Barcelona's Champs Elysees and a walk down it quickly confirms why.
The street is lined with trees running down the centre of the boulevard and there are separate carriageways running either side of this shop and "Market stall" filled island. Both sides of las Ramblas see shops, stores, restaurants, hotels and cafes and the street is rarely anything short of crowded.
Las Ramblas remains busy throughout the day and into the night and it is a hot spot for many of the more popular and trendy cafes, bars and restaurants. It is also on las Ramblas where you will find some of the more interesting and unusual street performers, buskers, human statues and tiny markets, many of them selling flowers.
In days gone by las Ramblas was one of the cultural and social hearts of Barcelona, but today it is well and truly in the domain of the tourist, but this should not deter you from taking a walk down it. Las Ramblas is lively, atmospheric and there is always something to see.
Aside from being a good starting point from which to branch out and explore the city, las Ramblas has many virtues that make it an attraction in itself. Part way along the street there is a bird market, something uncommon in English speaking countries, and there are a number of historic and visually appealing buildings lining its pavements.
The Palau de la Virreina is one such building and it dates back to the eighteenth century. It is one of several grand mansions on this "strip", another of which is the Gran Teatre del Liceu, an opera theatre approaching two centuries in age.
Las Ramblas also holds the bustling and colourful market called Mercat de la Boqueria and, as you approach the sea front, the large monument to Christopher Columbus. All told this is street is a hive of activity and additionally it manages to sit within easy walking distance of several major tourist hot spots like Gaudi's modernist cathedral and the amazing Barcelona maritime museum.
More to see on las Ramblas
Seeming more like a promenade than a regular street, las Ramblas has many points of interest beside those mentioned above, so here are a few for you to consider for your weekend break (all are on or close to the las Ramblas boulevard).
The Miro mosaic, the Palau de la Virreina, the Centre d'Art Santa Monica, the Gaudi designed Palau Guell, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Town Hall, the Palau de la Generaltat and the Barri del Raval (The city's "red light" district) – which is probably the one you may wish to avoid.
As a final observation, the trees that line the central reservation (island) of las Ramblas are called the "plane" tree and they are abundant throughout the city. Few visitors are directly aware of them, but they set the mood for this fascinating stretch of Barcelona city.
Las Ramblas and security
The whole of las Ramblas is accessible and pleasant during the day, although all visitors need to be aware of pick pockets.
In the evening a high police presence ensures that the boulevard remains safe, but some areas at the south most end of las Ramblas still have a minor reputation for "ladies of the night". This offers no threat, but is something that you may wish to be aware of.