Take half a day to leisurely explore the beach and harbor area of Barcelona. Especially for Barcelona with Marta, I’ve created a route that will show you all the special places and sights of Barcelona’s beach and harbor.
Tour Along the Beach in Barcelona
We start our tour at Vila Olímpica (1) in Barcelona, where you will find, among other things, the modern harbor area of Port Olímpic and the two towers, Torre Mafre and Hotel Arts (2). Interestingly, the latter looks as if it’s still under construction. Take a look under the two towers, where the Golden Fish (3) by Frank O. Gehry is located, a stunning sculpture that shines in the sun.
From there, we walk along the Passeig Martítim Barceloneta boulevard towards the fishing district of La Barceloneta (4). La Barceloneta is a neighborhood with colorful streets full of charming and small apartments. It used to be a working-class neighborhood inhabited by sailors, but nowadays it’s very popular, especially with tourists, and it has transformed from a poor area into an emerging, trendy, and touristy neighborhood. Soon, we arrive next to the beach and see, among other things, the famous chiringuitos (5). In these beach bars, you can order a snack or a refreshing drink.
On the beach of La Barceloneta, we also spot one of the most photographed sculptures of La Barceloneta beach (6). It’s a peculiar construction by Rebecca Horn as a tribute to Barceloneta: a reddish structure of four cubes playfully and askew stacked on top of each other. This sculpture is always surrounded by people, and in the summer months, many use its shadow as a shelter from the sun.
We now walk along the beach of Sant Sebastià (7) to one of Barcelona’s newest and most remarkable hotels, the Hotel W (8), also known as the ‘vela’ hotel (which means sail in Dutch). Approaching the hotel, notice the palm trees that decorate this part of the boulevard and mark the entrance to the hotel. Next to the Hotel W, you’ll see the headquarters of the Spanish clothing brand Desigual, where a store will soon be established.
On the other side of the Hotel W, walk up the stairs to the Plaça de la Rosa del Vents (9), where you can enjoy a beautiful view of both the sea and the imposing hotel. From here, you can also see the harbor traffic coming and going.
Then, we walk via Plaça de la Rosa dels Vents to Passeig de l’Escullera, where you’ll see various low buildings and installations of the harbor. Walking along Passeig de Joan Borbó, we come across Torre de Alta Mar (10), where you can dine in a star restaurant at the top of the tower. Next, we see a number of Italian and Mexican restaurants, and if you walk a bit further, you’ll reach Beach Burger Cafe Makamaka (Passeig de Joan de Borbó number 76), a very cozy place ideal for a stop and a drink. On the adjacent Moll dels Pescadors, you’ll find the famous Rellotge dels Pescadors (11), the traditional meeting place for all fishermen.
Along the promenade of Passeig Sant Joan de Borbó, we come across the magnificent Palau del Mar (12), housing the Museu d’Història de Catalunya (a very interesting museum about the history of Catalonia) and many restaurants with beautiful terraces. By the water, you can see a number of beautiful boats docked in the harbor of Moll d’Espanya. We continue walking along the promenade next to the water. In the distance, you can see the colorful sculpture by Roy Lichtenstein, called Cara de Barcelona (13) (‘the face of Barcelona’).
We cross the street to get to the green grass that will lead us to the recreational area of Moll d’Espanya, which includes the Aquarium of Barcelona (14), the 3D cinema of Imax Port Vell (15) (now closed), and the Maremagnum shopping center (16). Here, you can also take a break and grab a bite to eat at one of the many bars and restaurants (like at Buenas Migas, where you can enjoy delicious focaccias).
Leaving Maremagnum via the Carrer del Mar promenade, which runs over the water, we head towards the building named Port de Barcelona (17), the former headquarters of the port of Barcelona. Next to it, you’ll find several boats, including the famous Golondrinas (18), which offer sightseeing trips. Nearby, at Plaça Portal de la Pau, stands the famous Columbus Monument (19), pointing towards America with its finger.
Lastly, we take a look at the sculpture by Andreu Alfaro, Olas (20) (‘waves’), located in the nearby Plaça del Carbó and welcoming people at the current port of Barcelona (Moll de Barcelona) since 2003.
