Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cost and Hours:
€4.30, Mon-Sat 10:00-19:00, Sun 10:00-15:00, Carrer del Comerç 36,
Metro: Jaume I, tel. 932-687-878,
www.museuxocolata.cat
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Maritime Museum (Museu Marítim)
Barcelona's medieval shipyard, the best preserved in the entire Mediterranean, is home to
an excellent museum. Its permanent collection is closed for renovation, likely through 2014,
during which time the museum will host temporary exhibits in various sections.
The building's cavernous halls evoke the 14th-century days when Catalunya was a naval
and shipbuilding power, cranking out 30 huge galleys a winter. As in the US today, military
andcommercialventuresmixedandmingledasCatalunyabuiltitstradingempire.Whenthe
permanent collection reopens, it'll cover the salty history of ships and navigation from the
13th to the 20th centuries. Riveting for nautical types and interesting for anyone, its modern
andbeautifullypresentedexhibitswillputyouinaseafaringmood.Thehelpful,includedau-
dioguide tells the story well and explains the various seafaring vessels displayed—including
an impressively huge and richly decorated royal galley.
Your ticket also includes entrance to the
Santa Eulàlia,
an early 20th-century schooner
docked just a short walk from the Columbus Monument.
Cost and Hours:
Museum price depends on exhibits, daily 10:00-20:00, last entry 30
minutes before closing;
Santa Eulàlia
—€1 for entry without museum visit, Tue-Fri and Sun
10:00-19:30,Sat14:00-19:30,closesat17:30inNov-March,closedMonyear-round;breezy
café in museum courtyard, Avinguda de la Drassanes, Metro: Drassanes, tel. 933-429-920,
Located where the Ramblas hits the harbor, this 200-foot-tall monument was built for the
1888world'sfairandcommemorates Columbus'visittoBarcelonafollowinghisfirsttripto
America. The tight four-person elevator takes you to the glassed-in observation area at the
top for congested but sweeping views (elevator may be closed when you visit). There is also
a small TI inside the base of the monument.
Cost and Hours:
€4, daily May-Oct 8:30-20:30, Nov-April 8:00-20:00.
At the harbor near the foot of the Columbus Monument, tourist boats called
golondrinas
offer two different unguided trips. As Barcelona's skyline isn't all that striking from the
water, these trips are pretty pointless unless you'd just like to go for a boat ride. The
shorter version goes around the harbor in 35 minutes (€6.90, daily on the hour 11:30-19:00,
