Parc de la Ciutadella: a must-see!

If you have to recharge your batteries for an hour or so and forget that you're in the heart of a city of over one and a half million inhabitants, Parc de la ciutadella (or Parc de la Citadelle) is the place to be!

Thirty hectares of palm and orange trees!

Lying on the grass, in the sun, meeting new people, playing games or listening to music...

Anything is possible in this park, where Barcelonians love to hang out in the afternoons!

In summer, it's relatively crowded, but it's still a peaceful spot for a picnic.

You'll find all sorts of drinks on offer from cocktails to chai teas...

Have a picnic? Take your instruments to Parc de la Ciutadella?

Here's a tip: pack your picnic gear and come along for the ride. a "pica-pica where everyone brings what they like to share with the other companions.

The locals also pick up their instruments and come along to play a few notes...

Where is the ciutadella park?

The park is very well placed, as you can combine your visit with a stroll along the Avenue de l'Arc de Triomphe or a swim on the nearby beach of Barceloneta...

Here's the exact address: Passeig de Picasso, 21, 08003 Barcelona

How to get there by metro, you can stop at Jaume I (Yellow line, L4).

Access is free of charge and open from 10am to 10:30pm.

Also, there's a whole the necessary infrastructure for people with reduced mobility.

A little history of Parc de la Ciutadella...

Before suggesting all the activities available in the park, I'd like to explain the following the origin of the name...

Parc de la Ciutadella is so named because it used to be a citadel or fortress. a fortress.

Star-shapedit had to be the largest in Europe. It was the new Bourbon king who wanted to build this citadel in the early 18th century, dislodging over 4,500 people in the process.

Over time, public opinion began to question the real need for the citadel, and its ineffectiveness, given that the French had managed to invade the city in spite of it.

Note that this is not the only building designed for military protection because there's also Montjuic Castle.

Later, the citadel became a prison (dismantled by General Prim, whose statue also stands at the heart of today's park)!

Destroyed in 1868, the city of Barcelona decided to build a park for the 1888 Universal Exhibition.

The Josep Fontseré who was commissioned to design this magnificent promenade.

A unique diversity of flora and fauna

Le parce is a little marvel for its sheer number. of plants and century-old trees: acacias, orange trees, pines...

And over a hundred species of birds fly in the sky...

Incredible biodiversity!

What is there to visit in Ciutadella Park?

For the perfect visit, I recommend arriving at the Arc de Triomphe and going straight to thehe splendid fountain with its gilded statues designed by Josep Fontseré in 1875 and inaugurated in 1881.

The fountain was created long before the emergence of Catalan modernism, but it is still a work of art. the fabulous architect Gaudi even participated in its design when he was beginning his architectural research.

The fountain is superb with its double staircase!

And doesn't it remind you of something?

And yes! Fontseré was inspired by the Rome's Trevi Fountain...

Take a close look at the impressive sculptures. There's even a representation of the birth of Venus...

Look out, too, for the monument to Sonia Rescalvoa transsexual murdered in 1991.

Then continue on to the gigantic Mammoth statueby Miquel Dalmau, which is life-size and a delight for children.

As you go deeper into the park, you'll discover an incredible lake where you can even take a boat ride.

Take a tour of the lake and discover swans, ducks...

and then return to a wide avenue where you'll see the Umbraclea structure made entirely of wrought iron and glass designed to protect floral species from the sun by recreating a tropical atmosphere.

And finish with Three Dragons Castle which is now the Museum of Zoology, and the modernist work of Domènech i Montaner.

Numerous statues are scattered throughout the park, including works by Josep Clarà or Antoni Clavé.

The independent monuments in the Parc de la Ciutadella...

Both a place of political organization, the park also includes the Parliament of Catalonia but also the zoo of the city, but you have to enter through a private entrance on the beach side. The zoo is famous for its albino gorilla Snowflake.

Watch out for the park entrances!

When you arrive near the park, be careful because there's a whole area where there's no entrance, as it's the zoo. The best way to enter is either from the Passeig de Picasso side or from the Arc de Triomphe side.

The Parc de la Citadelle is the ideal place to take a break between your many visits to the city center.

A little interlude where you can take an hour to relax and recharge your batteries!