Passeig de Gracià is this mythical avenue in the heart of Barcelona.
Gracià was previously a small village on the outskirts of the Catalan capital... and today, it's a trendy neighborhood where people are flocking to live.
One of the city's most popular and expensive districts!
All the chains are fighting to have a store on the avenue.
And it has everything: from luxury stores to more accessible brands. There are over 600 stores on the Passeig!
A feast for the eyes for lovers of originality and discovery.
It's a magnificent avenue where Barcelona's bourgeoisie built incredible houses and palaces throughout the last century, calling on the services of renowned architects: Gaudi, Domènech i Montaner, Puig i Cadafalch...
Architects who deeply believed in Catalan modernism and want to make Barcelona even more resplendent.
Passeig de Gracià: where does it come from?
Passeig de Gracià or "The Way of Jesus was born of the desire of 20th-century urban planners to reorganize the city.
Visit Plan Cerdà is a bit like Haussmann's urban planning movements in Paris, i.e. to create arteries that are easy to use, thus facilitating mobility.
The idea is that villages can be easily reached on the outskirts of Barcelona at the time.
What to do on Passeig de Gracià?
There's plenty to choose from!
First, you can stroll down the avenue and discover or go shopping.
I'd also recommend stopping off for a coffee and pastry in one of the avenue's chic cafeterias.
And why not the "Caffé di Francesco at Passeig 66!
From one end to the other: from Plaça Catalunya to Gracià
The Passeig begins at one of the entrances to Plaça Catalunya, the city's main thoroughfare.
The place where Barcelonans gather during demonstrations, for example.
Art Nouveau in Barcelona
Called ModernismoCatalan Art Nouveau was a cultural and artistic revolution.
This art was intended to give Catalonia's letters of nobility and stands out in particular for its colors and its more variegated side.
By the end of the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution had conquered the population and demonstrated its immense technical capacity.
A new era begins in Europe! Modernism in art will be one of the proofs!
The Houses and Palaces of Passeig de Gracià
At the end of the 19th century, the Catalan capital was in the midst of an economic renaissance. increasing industrialization.
The bourgeoisie grew wealthier, thanks in particular to the riches of its colonies and industrialists with flair.
Bourgeois make their fortune in chocolate, tobacco, banks...
Thanks to this phenomenon, patronage and artistic commissions are soaring...
And it's up to you to build the most beautiful house, the most subtle ornament...
On the Passeig, several houses stand out:
- At number 6, at the beginning of the avenue, you'll find les Cases Rocamoras A collection of Gothic-style houses decorated in stone. The orange-colored ceramics are spectacular. The Rocamora family made their fortune with soap.
- Number 13: the splendid Marcet Palace built in 1887. Now a cinema, it was once a comedy theater.
- Number 27: the Casa Malagrida and its incredible wrought-iron ornament. Manuel Malagrida had made his fortune in tobacco.
The island of discord
When you approach the Casa Battló, don't miss the house next door (Casa AmatllerPasseig de Gràcia 41, designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch) and the Casa Morera (Passeig de Gràcia 35 designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner) slightly further away.
Today, hordes of tourists flock to visit the incredible Casa Battló but these other two houses are absolutely splendid too...
And at the beginning of the 20th century, this led to quite a few problems, as the the three greatest architects who built a house on the same block.
This led to the place being named the "island of discord".
The styles are very different, and so are the architectural visions.
In Castilian, they evoke the "manzana" or "apple", the apple of discord.
Gaudi and the incredible Battlo and La Pedrera houses!
Visit Casa Battló is no longer in need of introduction! It is internationally renowned for its originality.
A must-see, frombreathtaking beauty. She color change in the sun.
Illuminated at night, his marine inspirations are even more resplendent. The interior is designed as atotal art, i.e. everything is Gaudieverything is modernism.
I highly recommend see it again and again!
And then there's la Pedrera or Casa Milà, also built by Gaudi and commissioned by Pere Milà i Camps!
It's a pleasure to admire. It too changes with the sun's movements. Its shadows transform and its wrought iron sometimes gives the impression of invading the house.
It can also be visited, especially its incredible mosaic-sculpted terrace with a fantastic view!
Architecture that merges with the curves of nature and the unique inspiration of Gaudi.
The parallel avenue: Rambla de Catalunya
Near the Passeig, don't miss the Rambla de Catalunya, with its restaurants and small, quieter bars.
At the end of the Passeig: the Gracià district
A trendy district full of designers, organic boutiques and trendy stores.
And pretty places like Plaça de la Virreina, Plaça del Diamante, Plaça del Sol or Plaça Villa de Gracià.
It's a great way to discover these little streets with their small houses, where you love to get lost...
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