Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
You may as well start where the locals start, first thing in the morning, shopping for bread
and provisions in the
Mercat de la Llibertat
, a block west of c/Gran de Gràcia. The build-
ing was first revamped in 1893 by a former pupil of Gaudí,
Francesc Berenguer i Mestrès
,
who sheltered its food stalls under a
modernista
wrought-iron roof. It's since been beauti-
fully restored again and is always worth a walk through, especially if you fancy the breakfast
of champions - oysters, grilled razor clams and a glass of cava - available from one of the
classy stand-up café counters.
Casa Vicens
C/les Carolines 24 • No public access • Fontana
Antoni Gaudí's first major private commission, the
Casa Vicens
(1883-85), is on the north-
ernedgeoftheneighbourhood.HerehetookinspirationfromtheMoorishstyle,coveringthe
facade in linear green-and-white tiles with a flower motif. The decorative iron railings are a
reminder of Gaudí's early training as a metalsmith and, to further prove his versatility - and
how Art Nouveau cuts across art forms - Gaudí also designed much of the mansion's fur-
niture (though as it's a private house, unfortunately you can't get in to see it).
Plaça de la Virreina
Fontana
Pretty
Plaça de la Virreina
, backed by the parish church of Sant Joan, is one of Gràcia's
favourite squares, with the
Virreina Bar
and others providing drinks and a place to rest and
admire the handsome houses, most notably
Casa Rubinat
(1909), c/de l'Or 44, the last ma-
jor work of Francesc Berenguer. Children and dogs, meanwhile, scamper around the small
drinking fountain. Nearby streets, particularly
Carrer de Verdi
, contain many of the neigh-
bourhood's most fashionable boutiques, galleries, cinemas and cafés.
Parc Güell
AntoniGaudí'sextraordinaryurbanparkontheoutskirtsofGràcia,
ParcGüell
,washismost
ambitious project after the Sagrada Família. It was commissioned by Eusebi Güell (patron of
Gaudí's Palau Güell, off the Ramblas) and was originally planned as a private housing estate
of sixty dwellings, furnished with ornamental paths, recreational areas and decorative monu-
ments. The idea was to build a “Garden City” of the type popular at the time in England -
indeed, Gaudí's original plans used the English spelling “Park Güell”. Gaudí worked on the
project between 1900 and 1914 but in the end only two houses were actually built, and the
park was officially opened to the public instead in 1922.
Ithassincebecomeoneofthecity'sbiggestdraws,attractingmorethanninemillionvisitors
in 2012. In an effort to curb the crowds and help conserve the park's most iconic sites, the
cityintroduced anentrance fee.Yourticket grantsaccess tothe
MonumentalZone
-anarea
