Parc de Ciutadella – the largest and the greenest Barcelona Park

Barcelona, like most large cities, has beautiful parks where people can go to escape the “hustle-and bustle” of city life and just relax.  Parc de Ciutadella is a good example. It is the largest and greenest park in all of Barcelona, a pleasant place to visit and it is centrally located, as well.

Once the only park in all of Barcelona, Parc de Ciutadella actually stands on the site where the Spanish King, Phillip V, built a huge fortress during the War of Spanish Succession for the express purpose of watching over his reluctant subjects and the entire city, too. The name of the park, Ciutadella (in Catalan) is a direct reference to the fortress – or Citadel — built by Phillip V.

A large section of the El Borne district was razed to clear space for the construction of the fortress. In total, 1,200 buildings were demolished and 4,500 people lost their homes and had to be re-located.

Parc de Ciutadella was actually fashioned after another very famous park – the Park of Luxembourg in Paris. Construction took place in 1865 after the fortress was torn down.  It was also used as the setting for the Universal Exhibition of 1888, for which the park’s “Arc de Triomph” at its northern end served as the main entry point.

Today, Parc de Ciutadella is located in Barcelona’s El Borne district and sits in a triangular area between the Estaçio de França (one of the city’s main railway stations),  the Arc de Triomph and the Vila Olimpica beach area.

The park covers 17.4 acres (not counting the extensive zoo which sits within its borders) and, for the convenience of all, has 10 entry points. Visitors to the park can still see some of the old symbols of government which once stood prominently on park grounds, such as the Arsenal (which currently houses the Parliament de Cataluña) and the Governor’s Palace.

Parc de Ciutadella is also very well-known for its sculptures. One of the best and most popular sculptures is the “over-the-top” gigantic fountain sculpture The Cascade, which is centrally located and easy to find and enjoy. The result of the combined efforts of seven sculptors, including a very young Antoni Gaudi, the fountain replicates Rome’s world-famous Trevi Fountain.

The Cascade is one of the true nerve-centers of the park … an area where people go to relax with a drink or a snack at the small bar (with an open terrace) that is located in the area and watch the passing parade of other park visitors. There is also a very funny sculpture next to the bar of a giant prehistoric Mammoth. People enjoy taking pictures of one another while sitting on the Mammoth’s giant trunk. (the fountain is currently under construction: May, 2009)

Visitors and locals will enjoy the Park’s natural beauty. Parc de Ciutadella is an island of beauty in the middle of a big city. If you go there, you’ll enjoy its green, leafy avenues, its comfortable shady nooks and crannies … and its impressive array of Mediterranean plants, palm trees and colorful flowerbeds. It really is a welcome respite from the steel and concrete of city streets.

There are also  several museums to visit. Located right next to the Ciutadella Green House is Barcelona’s Geological Museum, which is situated in an interesting 19th century building and was actually the city’s very first museum.

The Zoological Museum is also in the park – in the beautiful Castle of Three Dragons, a building that was designed by LLuis Doemenech I Fontaner – as a café-restaurant – for the 1888 Universal Exhibition. The building – and the restaurant – still exists today so that you can take a break from your tour of the park, relax and enjoy a meal on the restaurant’s comfortable open terrace.

The Park is a great place to bring the kids. Parc de Ciutadella has something to offer people of all ages and social status. Several playgrounds, funny sculptures, a lake with boating and a zoo make the park an ideal destination for families with young children.

Boats are available for rent at the lake at affordable prices. A boat rental for 30 minutes (minimum) costs 6 Euros for two people; 9 Euros for three people and 10 Euros for 4-5 people. Boats can be rented daily from 11:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. 

Many parents enjoy sitting on one of the numerous lakeside benches while their children are out on the lake boating. So just relax and enjoy the beautiful greenery, the stately trees that offer shade from the sun and the cooling breezes while your kids are occupied.

Bicycles are also available for rent in the park, either individual – for one, of course – or “family bicycles” which closely resemble a golf cart and are fun to drive. Whichever you choose, it’s a great way to travel around the park.
Clearly Parc de Ciutadella is a “green oasis located in the very heart of Barcelona … a nice way to enjoy open space, fresh air and people watching.

How to get there:
The Park is easily accessible from the center of the city. You can take the Metro L4 Yellow Line (Jaume 1 Stop) or the L 1 Red Line (Arc de Triomph Stop). Of course, it is also easily accessible by foot … just a short walk from “midtown.”

It is open daily starting from 09 A.M. till darkness.