Guide to Las Ramblas in Barcelona

Ok, let’s break the illusion. Ramblas used to be the center of Barcelona city life. With the inclusion of Raval in the walled city, it was very much in the center, becoming a commercial hub. However, with the explosion of tourism that Barcelona has been suffering incrementally since the Olympic Games in 1992, it has become basically a 1.2 km-long tourist trap.

Let me explain. Ramblas are in essence a beautiful street that crosses the Old Town of Barcelona, but the restaurants, shops and street vendors that you can find along them are exclusively focused on tourists, in the worst way possible. They sell bad products for double the price. And this may be the reason that you won’t see any locals in Ramblas. Well, that and that it is probably the capital of pickpockets.

With all that said, Ramblas are a must if it’s your first time in Barcelona and there are many things to do and see around them. So, clutch your purse, hang your backpack in the front and please, oh please, wear your wallet in the front pocket and have a stroll through this once magical street and you will see the magic again.

Plaça Catalunya is the center of the city and you can get there from basically anywhere

Start from Plaça Catalunya the real center of Barcelona, and walk down on the southwest side. On the right you will see a street light with a fountain at the bottom. That is Font de Canaletes, the meeting point for any Barça celebration.

Font de Canaletes is the meeting point any time Barça wine something important

Continue south and you will find Palau de la Virreina on your right hand side. It was built in 1778 for the Viceroy of Peru and his wife in a Baroque and Rococo style.

Continue towards the sea to find, also on your right, the famous La Boqueria, a market dating back from 1217, just outside of the city walls, although the current structure was built in 1914 in the modernist style.

The actual name of the market is Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria

Today it is a hub for fresh produce at decent prices and it is a perfect pit stop for a break of the temperatures of the street in the summer and perhaps a fruit juice. Also, if there is a kitchen in your accommodation, it is a fantastic spot to buy some groceries (don’t miss the seafood!) and perhaps some jamón to bring back home. For the best products, go inwards, as the first stalls are more focused on tourists (and will charge you a lot for some pre-cut fruits).

You can find fresh products in La Boqueria, especially fruit

Make sure you stock up on jamón!

If you continue downwards, you can diverge a bit from the main road to the right in Carrer de l’Hospital. If you walk for 250m, you’ll find Hospital de la Santa Creu on your right. It is the old Hospital of the city built in 1401 and a perfect example of Gothic architecture. You can walk in and enjoy the inner yard. Now the building hosts the Library of Catalonia.

Right before the Liceu metro station, on the left, you will see Casa Bruno Cuadros. This quirky building used to be an umbrella store and managed to mix the early stages of modernism with a touch of orientalism. Check out the umbrellas in the façade as well as the dragon sculpture.

This quirky building is known by locals as House of Umbrellas

Go back to Ramblas and continue downwards and you will eventually walk over a mosaic by Joan Miró and, immediately after, on your right side, you’ll see the Liceu Theatre, the most important theater in the city and one of the most important in the world.

This is a good moment to link this guide to the Medieval Route of the old town:

→ Medieval Barcelona: a route through Barcelona’s Old Town

The Liceu Theatre is a beautiful building and worth going to a show.

Travel tip: the liceu is a beautiful theatre and it offers tours. You can also of course buy tickets for one of the shows, which will make a great addition to your trip. You can book both here.

A bit further south on your left you will see Plaça Reial, one of the most beautiful and exotic squares in the city. Originally a Capuchin convent, it was repurposed into this square flanked with arches and with lampposts designed by Antoni Gaudí. Restaurants, bars and nightclubs line the square, that bustles with energy at night.

Plaça Reial is an exotic square full of life during the day and night

If you continue down the Ramblas you will see some human statues in costumes that are ready to put an act for a coin. At the end of the Street you will find two important attractions. On the left, you will find Drassanes, the former Royal Shipyard erected in the 16th century in Gothic style. Now it hosts the Maritime Museum. Straight ahead you will see the Columbus Monument, a 60m tall pillar erected in 1888 for the Universal Exhibition of Barcelona. Funny enough, Columbus is not pointing to the New World, but to India, the original goal of his trip. You can get nice views of the city from up the statue. Buy your tickets here.

Columbus Monument and, behind it, the Royal Shipyard (Drassanes) of Barcelona

Columbus points in the wrong direction, but in the direction he originally wanted to go

Closing statement

As you see, there are many interesting things to see and do in Las Ramblas. Just beware of tourist traps and try not to buy any souvenirs or meals in that street. Chances are you will be ripped off. It is not unusuall to see souvenir shops in Ramblas selling Mexican sombreros (very much not typical from Barcelona).

Take your time to go from the city center to the seafront and understand what this street meant to the city and how it shaped it. Enjoy its little cornes and anecdotes. If you have time, there are some odd museums in the street, such as the Wax Museum or the Erotica Museum, as well as Pastisseria Escribà, one of the best pastry shops in the city.

Discover more wonders of Barcelona in our general post:

→ Top 10 things to do in Barcelona

If you’d like to visit some of the museums, ot may be interesting to buy the Articket, which grants you entrance in six art museums of the city: Museu Picasso, Fundació Joan Miró, National Museum of Catalan Art, Contemporary Culture Center, Museum of Contemporary Art and Fundació Antoni Tàpies.

Make sure you don’t miss these experiences by buying the tickets for these attractions in Tiqets.com and skipping the lines here:

In particular I recommend purchasing the Barcelona Card if you are interested in visiting some of the city’s museums and attractions. With this card you get free entrance to many museums and attractions as well as unlimited use to the public transport for an amount of time as well as transport from and to the airport. It also includes a discount coupon booklet that you can use for other attractions, tours and entertainment of the city.

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