Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
La Rambla
There may be no better place in the country to indulge in the Spanish ritual of
the
paseo
(stroll) than on this wide, pedestrian street that is anything but pede-
strian. An orgy of activity day and night, La Rambla is voyeuristic heaven. Spray-
painted human statues stand motionless among the passing crowds; buskers
croon crowd-pleasing classics; caricaturists deftly sketch faces;
bustling stalls create an open-air market of bright bouquets
and chattering parakeets; and round-the-clock kiosks sell
everything from
The Financial Times
to adult videos.
Top 10 Attractions
1 Gran Teatre del Liceu
2 Monument a Colom
3 Mercat de La Boqueria
4 Flower & Bird Stalls
5 Font de Canaletes
6 Miró Mosaic
7 Palau de la Virreina
8 Centre d'Art Santa
Mònica
9 Bruno Quadras Building
0 Església de Betlem
Street performer
Kick back at the Cafè
de l'Òpera at No. 74
(see p42)
and soak
up the Rambla
ambience with a cool
granissat
(crushed
ice drink) in hand.
Be warned: La
Rambla is rife with
pick-pockets.
• Map L2-L6 • Metro:
Catalunya; Liceu;
Drassanes • Gran Teatre
del Liceu: open 11:30am-
1pm daily (€4); guided
tour of the main building:
10am (€8.70); guided
backstage tour of the
stage, rehersal rooms,
wardrobe and make-up
room: 9:30am (€10); box
office: open 1:30-8pm
Mon-Fri, one hour
before the performance
Sat-Sun • Mercat de La
Boqueria: open 7am-
8pm Mon-Sat • DA
•
Palau de la Virreina:
open 11am-2pm,
4-8:30pm Tue-Sat,
11am-3pm Sun; free
•
DA
•
Centre d'Art
Santa Mònica: open
11am-8pm Tue-Sat,
11am-3pm Sun; free
•
Església de Betlem:
open 8am-1:30pm &
5:30-8pm daily
!
Gran Teatre del Liceu
The city's grand opera house
(above)
, founded in 1847,
brought Catalan opera stars such as Montserrat Caballé to
the world. Twice gutted by fire, it has been fully restored.
@
Monument a Colom
£
Mercat de
La Boqueria
A cacophonous shrine to
food, this cavernous market
has it all, from stacks of
fruit to
suckling
pigs and
writhing
lobsters.
Pointing resolutely out
to sea, this statue
(above
right)
of Christopher
Columbus (1888) commem-
orates his return to Spain
after discovering the
Americas. An elevator takes
visitors to the top for sen-
sational views
(see p54)
.
12
For sights in the Barri Gòtic & La Ribera
See pp70-73
