Little Barcelona
The beautiful beaches here are brimming with people during the summer months. Visitors can relax under the hot Spanish sun, take a dip in the sea, or get involved in water-sports.
There’s more to see here than golden sands and the bright blue Mediterranean, however - the promenade is lined with shops, hotels, and a slew of great restaurants, where the seafood is particularly good. The district of Barceloneta ('Little Barcelona') is traditionally the home of the city’s fishermen. In recent years, the popularity of the seafront has attracted a number of great bars and nightclubs which stay open well into the early hours.
Monuments and malls
Just before Barceloneta is the Olympic Village district, which was built in 1992 and sparked a period of urban rejuvenation in the area. Further along is an impressive 60 metre monument to the famed explorer Christopher Columbus, placed on the spot where he brought the report of his discovery of America to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. The Late Baroque church La Mercè, dedicated to the city’s patron saint, is also well worth a visit. For further shopping, the enormous Moll Espanya Maremagnum, an extension of La Rambla, will put your luggage capacity to the test.
Another highlight is the Drassanes Reials, now hosting the excellent Maritime Museum: these medieval shipyards are a rare surviving example of civic Gothic architecture. Barcelona became great as a centre of maritime commerce, and, as is typical of the city, its seafront offers both historical interest and fun in the sun.
