Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
L'Aquàrium
Right
Swing Bridge, between La Rambla & Moll D'Espanya
Port Vell, Barceloneta & Port Olímpic
T
HE HEADY ALLURE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN
permeates Barcelona, and a
dip into its azure waters is only a few metro stops (or a brisk walk) away.
Barcelona's beaches were once hidden behind an industrial wasteland, but
things changed radically in preparation for the 1992 Olympics. The rallying
cry was to create a new Barcelona
oberta al mar
(open to the sea); the result
is phenomenal, as is the presence of large crowds seeking sun and sea.
Tons of sand were transported to create miles of silky beaches from the
fisherman's quarter of Barceloneta to Port Olímpic and beyond. Palm trees
were planted, water cleanliness standards implemented and, this being
design-obsessed Barcelona, numerous contemporary sculptures erected. The
city's first two skyscrapers, the Torre Mapfre office building and the five-star
Hotel Arts
(see p143)
, punctuate the port's skyline, while the nearby Port
Olímpic throbs with the highest concentration of bars and clubs in the city.
Sights & Attractions
1
Beaches
2
Museu d'Història de
Catalunya
3
Rambla de Mar
4
L'Aquàrium
5
Barceloneta
6
Boat & Cable Car Trips
7
Pailebot Santa Eulàlia
8
Submarine Ictíneo II
9
El Centre de la Vila-Port
Olímpic
0
World Trade Center
Barceloneta beach
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96
Take a boat tour of the port area
See p133
