Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The pieces in this excellent museum capture that priceless moment just before this bold
youngthinkerchangedtheworld.Whileyouwon'tfindPicasso'sfamous,laterCubistworks
here, you will enjoy a representative sweep of his early years, from art-school prodigy to the
gloomy hues of his Blue Period to the revitalized cheer of his Rose Period. You'll also see
works from his twilight years, including dozens of wild improvisations inspired by Diego
Velázquez's seminal
Las Meninas,
as well as a roomful of works that reflect the childlike
exuberance of an old man playing like a young kid on the French Riviera. It's undoubtedly
the top collection of Picassos here in his native country and the best anywhere of his early
years.
Cost and Hours:
€11, free all day first Sun of month and other Sun from 15:00; open
Tue-Sun10:00-19:50,closedMon,lastentry20minutesbeforeclosing;CarrerdeMontcada
15-23, ticket office at #21, Metro: Jaume I, tel. 932-563-000,
www.museupicasso.bcn.cat
.
Crowd-Beating Tips:
There's almost always a line, sometimes with waits of more than
an hour. The busiest times are mornings before 13:00, all day Tuesday, and during the free
going to the “Meeting Point” entrance (30 yards to the right of the main entrance). You can
also skip the line by buying your ticket online at
www.museupicasso.bcn.cat
(no additional
booking fee). Stuck in line without a ticket? Figure that about 25 people are admitted every
10 minutes.
Getting There:
From the Jaume I Metro stop, it's a quick five-minute walk. Just head
downCarrerdelaPrincesa(acrossthebusyViaLaietanafromtheBarriGòtic),turningright
on Carrer de Montcada.
Audioguide:
The 1.5-hour audioguide costs €3 and offers ample detail about the collec-
tion.
Services:
The ground floor, which is free to enter, has a required bag check, as well as a
handy array of other services (bookshop, WC, and cafeteria).
Cuisine Art:
The museum itself has a good
café
(€8 sandwiches and salads). Outside
the museum, right along Carrer de Montcada in either direction, are two great recommended
tapas bars (both closed Mon): With your back to the museum, a few steps to the left is
El
Xampanyet,
while to the right (across Carrer de la Princesa and up a block) is
Bar del Pla.
Thisconcerthall,builtinjustthreeyearsandfinishedin1908,featuresanunexceptionalex-
terior but boasts my favorite Modernista interior in town (by Lluís Domènech i Montaner).
Its inviting arches lead you into the 2,138-seat hall (accessible only with a tour). A kaleido-
scopic skylight features a choir singing around the sun, while playful carvings and mosa-
