La Boqueria food market – a feast for the senses

Arguably the king of all European food markets, La Boqueria is a feast for the senses and cannot be left off your Barcelona bucket list. Just off the Ramblas, this fabulous market is loved by both the locals and the throngs of tourists who visit every day. Come here to stock up on the freshest and best-quality produce or just to take in the sights, smells and sounds that surround you.

La Boqueria food market, Barcelona

Trust us, you will feel the electric atmosphere as soon as you step over the threshold and through the market’s iconic iron gates.

From humble beginnings…

The history of the formally known ‘Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria’ is rich and complex, the first mentions dating back to 1217. It has lived through many phases, originating as a travelling open-air market where Catalans would sell their fruit and vegetables in front of the old city wall. Since then, the market has passed through various stages of construction, most notably in 1836 under the guidance of architect Mas Vilá. In 1914 the market’s emblematic metal roof was added.

La Boqueria food market, Barcelona

…to a modern day mecca for foodies

La Boqueria is more or less like a supermarket in terms of its size and produce available. It takes up 2,583 square metres and is home to around 270 stalls selling the most mouth-watering ingredients. If you fancy doing something different, you can take a tour round La Boqueria as part of a cooking class, but it’s just as good to go and explore the place yourself.

La Boqueria food market, Barcelona

At the entrance you’ll find stalls selling dried fruits, nuts, chocolate and sweets, but try to resist these until the end as these appetising displays are also the most expensive. Instead, head straight into the middle of the market to check out the seemingly endless samples of fruits you will struggle to put a name to. Grab a delicious fruit smoothie – there’s extremely good value and the perfect portable drink as you’re meandering around.

La Boqueria food market, Barcelona

Of course, the Boqueria has much more on offer than just fresh fruit and veg. Continue further and you’ll see the delights the butchers have to offer (you won’t stare the pigs out, we’ve tried). Make your way through the dizzying maze of Serrano hams, chorizos and fuets (cured, Catalan sausage) and enter the beating heart of the market where the floors are glistening wet from melted ice – welcome to the domain of the fishmongers.

Don’t neglect the furthermost corner of La Boqueria, either. Right at the back are some little-known stalls selling all sorts of wild mushrooms, while on the fringes are several spots to perch on a stool and grab a bite to eat. This is the perfect way to really absorb the madness going on around you.

La Boqueria food market, Barcelona

The need-to-know

La Boqueria is open from 8am until 8pm every day except Sunday but to snag the freshest produce, you really you need to get there before midday. The market tends to be less busy in the afternoon, which might be a better time to visit if tightly packed aisles aren’t your thing.

It’s very easy to get taken in by the ambience, but try to keep in mind the pesky pickpockets who take advantage of distracted tourists whose eyes are occasionally not on their belongings.

La Boqueria food market, Barcelona

If you are intending just to do a quick shop then don’t head to La Boqueria; it’s always very busy and you have to do some serious weaving. The prices are higher than in the supermarkets but that’s to be expected given the top-notch quality. Take a shopping trip here and you are sure to have a truly wonderful Catalan feast… enjoy!

The Sagrada Família – Gaudí’s last work

When planning your trip to Barcelona, it’s impossible to ignore Gaudí’s masterpiece – the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia (‘Holy Family’). Once you are in Barcelona, the Sagrada Família can be seen everywhere, from postcards and guide books to snow globes in souvenir shops, and it’s a monument that all Catalans are proud of. This Basilica is no hidden secret, but rather an imperative for anyone visiting the city.

We would like to give you an idea of its history and architecture, as well as offering you some practical advice for visiting the church. At the bottom of the article, you will find some important information such as opening times, and the official website. 

History

Although the Sagrada Familia is recognised as Antonio Gaudi’s masterpiece, he wasn’t the person responsible for placing the first stone, on 19 March 1882. This responsibility fell to the architect Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano, who was planning a smaller church than the one that was eventually constructed. Once sufficient funding for its construction was collected, work began in 1882 under Villar’s supervision. Very shortly, a disagreement arose with donators, and responsibility for construction was passed over to Antoni Gaudí, who at that time was 31 years old.

The original idea was that the church, dedicated to the Holy Family, would be entirely financed by donations. When Gaudí received a large donation from an anonymous source, he decided to transform the old neo-Gothic project into something more monumental and innovative as far as its shape and structure.

In 1914 Gaudí decided to dedicate himself exclusively to the Sagrada Familia project, even installing small living-quarters within the building, so that he was always on hand. Tragically, on 7 June 1926, on his way to the building, he was run over by a tram, eventually dying three days later. All of the city dressed in mourning and the Pope agreed for Gaudí to be interred in the unfinished crypt of the Sagrada Familia.

Gaudí had planned for a construction period of 200 years for the church. However, he did not leave a complete construction blueprint, as he wanted to count on the opinion of future generations.

After his death, several different architects continued work on the monument. Since that time, construction work has never been suspended, even during the difficult times of the Civil War when plaster models to scale, drawings and plans of the building were lost and destroyed.

Design

The Sagrada Familia comprises five main naves and three transverses, forming a Latinate cross. The five main naves have a total length of 90 meters and the transverses of 60 metres. When construction finishes, there will be 18 towers with a height of between 90 and 170 metres – the latter being the highest tower on a church in the world. These towers are dedicated to the apostles, the evangelists, Mary and Jesus Christ.

The three entrances symbolise the three virtues: Faith, Hope and Love, and are symbolic of the lifetime of Christ. The Nativity Façade is dedicated to his birth, the Glory façade is dedicated to his glory period and the Passion façade is symbolic of his suffering.

During the later years of his life, Gaudí planned many areas of the building so that they could be built by other people in the future. He did so by combining geometrical forms, chosen for their formal, structural, luminous, acoustic and constructive qualities: hyperboloids, paraboloids, helicoids, conoids and ellipsoids – surfaces which are ruled, making construction easier.

Visits

Of course, you don’t need to wait until 2025 to visit this impressive building. I would recommend that you visit it as early in the morning as possible. The best bet is at 9 o’clock, when doors open, as queues tend to form very early.

The first thing you will see in the interior of the church is the huge scaffolding. This makes it difficult to take in the building full dimensions. You can also use an audio-guide, which, for €4 extra, will allow you to see many other details.

Upon looking upwards, you feel very small. The enormous pillars rise up like trees up to the rafters. These impressions are doubtlessly caused by the trunk like structures branching upwards towards the ceiling. This lends a very pleasant feeling of being enveloped in warm light when the sun shines through the stained-glass windows.

You can also visit the tower for a small extra cost of €4.50, which is definitely worth it. A lift will take you to the top as going up by foot is prohibited but you are however allowed to go down by taking the stairs.

Tips

We would strongly recommend buying your ticket in advance, unless you happen to enjoy spending hours queueing! You can do this at the ticket office there or even better, book online.

If you haven’t booked in advance, make sure you arrive as early as you can, as early as 9am would be advisable on weekends to beat the crowds.

Invest in an audio guide to get the most out of your visit and hear lots of little details. They are available in Catalan, Spanish, English, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Chinese.

Visit the museum before you leave, located in the basement on the Passion façade. There’s a whole host of exhibitions – including photos from all stages of its construction, original designs and sketches, models of the church and information regarding the architects and craftsmen, past and present.

Address

Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia (Expiatory Church of the Holy Family)

C. Mallorca, 401

08013 Barcelona

(The entrance is on the Passion Façade – Sardenya Street.)

Website: http://www.sagradafamilia.cat (in Spanish and English)

How to get here

Metro: L2 or L5 Sagrada Familia

Opening times:

From October to March: from 09.00 to 18.00

From April to September: from 09.00 to 20.00

25th and 26th December, 1st and 6th December: from 09.00 to14.00

Park Güell – Gaudí’s playground

Park Güell is synonymous with Barcelona and it’s no surprise it’s one of the top five tourist attractions in the city. Not only does it offer stunning panoramic views, fantastical architecture and beautiful gardens, but you can also discover the house of the great man himself in the grounds of the park.

Park Güell – Gaudí’s playground

The dream-like exuberance of Gaudí’s imagination remains breathtaking to this day and as you stroll around you can’t help but admire how skilfully he integrated his work into the landscape. His usual imposing style can be seen throughout the park – bright colours, unusual architectural forms, influences from nature that include natural shapes and curves.

The grounds of the park are pretty big and it can be bit overwhelming on arrival. To make life a little easier, check out our guide on what to see and do during a visit.

Park Güell – Gaudí’s playground

The history of Park Güell

Built from 1900 to 1914, the Gaudí Park is situated on the hill of El Carmel in the Gràcia district of Barcelona. Park Güell is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site called ‘Works of Antoni Gaudí’ along with his other masterpieces such as the Sagrada Família and La Pedrera.

The park was originally commissioned by the Catalan entrepreneur Eusebi Guëll, who wanted around 60 houses built in the style of English garden cities for the wealthy of Barcelona to enjoy. (The English influence can also be seen in the anglicised spelling of ‘park’.)

Park Güell – Gaudí’s playground

Work on Park Güell was interrupted by the outbreak of war in 1914 but the idea of a housing estate never really took off due the park’s distance from the city centre. So in 1922 the unfinished estate became the property of the city of Barcelona and is still open to the public today as a municipal park.

Things to see in Park Güell

The two gatehouses – these Hansel and Gretel-like gingerbread houses are what greet visitors who have made the climb to the Gaudí Park. They flank the park entrance and are famous for their fantastical roofs and mushroom-shaped domes with colourful tiling work. Originally there were two, life-size mechanical gazelles at the entrance of Park Güell, but they were unfortunately destroyed during the Civil War.

The staircase - for some, the stairs themselves will not be an attraction but it’s the beautiful fountains on the way up that you should take a look at. The infamous salamander or drac is one of them and like a lot of the Park, it’s decorated in broken ceramics and glass in a mosaic style known as trencadís. It’s one of the most popular photo spots in the whole park and you often have to queue for a quick snap.

Park Güell – Gaudí’s playground

Room of 100 Columns’ – 100 Doric columns hold up the square above and provide a shady pavilion from the summer heat. If you look to the ceiling you’ll find numerous coves, elaborated with religious, mythological and astrological symbols.

The serpentine bench – this beautiful tiled bench surrounds the viewing terrace or main square and is supposedly the longest bench in the world. It’s a great place to sit back, relax and admire the spectacular view of the city and the Mediterranean Sea in the distance. The benches themselves are covered in an array of unique mosaics, delicately created by Gaudí’s assistant Josep Maria Jujol.

Gaudí museum – the Museum, otherwise known as Casa Museu Gaudí, can also be found in the grounds of Park Güell. It was his home between 1906 and 1926 and today it’s open to the public for a small fee. Among the artefacts inside are furniture and mirrors from the other Gaudí buildings such as Casa Batlló, the Pedrera and Palau Güell, as well as the artist’s wardrobe, bed and personal possessions.

Park Güell – Gaudí’s playground

The peak – the stone cross at the top of Park Güell marks its highest point and it’s here that you’ll find extraordinary panoramic views of the city. On a sunny day you can spot the majority of Barcelona’s most famous landmarks – Sagrada Familia, Agbar Tower, Camp Nou and of course the Mediterranean Sea. It is an unforgettable sight and the perfect way to start or finish a trip to Park Güell.

How to get to Park Güell

You wouldn’t get the spectacular vistas you do in Park Güell without its hill-top location, but it’s this hill-top location that makes getting to it a little tricky at times, especially on a hot day! The main Park Güell metro stop is Lesseps however it involves a 20-minute uphill walk to the entrance of the Gaudí Park. A top tip is to go one stop further on the metro to Vallcarca, catch the escalators up to the cross at the park’s highest point and then head down into the park. You will essentially see the Park in reverse and end up leaving through the entrance but it does mean you walk down the hills instead of up!

Park Güell – Gaudí’s playground

Another option which is great if you are sightseeing with children or the elderly is to take the bus. Bus No. 24 drops you directly outside Park Güell’s entrance and goes from Plaça Catalunya and Poble Sec, while bus No. 92 does the same but goes from Glòries & Port Olympic. Other buses that will drop you nearby are 31, 32, H6 and 112.

Park Güell opening hours

January to March – 10:00 to 18:00

April – 10:00 to 20:00

May to September – 10:00 to 21:00

October – 10:00 to 20:00

November – 10:00 to 19:00

December – 10:00 to 18:00

Park Güell – Gaudí’s playground

Park Güell prices

From october 2013, Park Güell entrance has a cost. 

Cabalgata Reyes Magos – the parade of the three kings in Barcelona

When one Christmas isn’t enough…

If the festive season isn’t long enough and you want the excitement to continue into the New Year, Barcelona’s your city.

On 5 January the Catalan capital hosts La Cabalgata de Reyes Magos (the Three Kings’ Parade), followed by the official bank holiday of El Día de los Reyes (the day of the kings) on the 6th. Christmas Day takes a back seat in Catalonia and throughout Spain as locals fling themselves into these early-January festivities with gusto.

Cabalgata Reyes Magos – the parade of the three kings in Barcelona

The traditions

While there are clearly many similarities between this celebration and the way that Christmas is celebrated in many countries, the traditions surrounding the day of the kings are centuries old.

The story goes that after the three Kings (aka the Magi, or Three Wise Men) had been to Bethlehem to give their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus, they then made their return journey. And on this return journey, they gave gifts to children – gifts which children in Spain wake up to on the morning of 6 January (Day of the Epiphany).

Similar to the way children write a letter to Santa, Spanish children write to the Three Kings in advance and prepare for their arrival by leaving out straw and water in their shoes for the camels. They wake up early the next morning to find out whether their shoes will be empty and if their letters have been answered. Kids who haven’t behaved themselves over the year may end up with nothing more than a bag of carbón dulce – a sweet that resembles charcoal. Many well-behaved children also receive some – just to remind them to keep up the good work next year!

Cabalgata Reyes Magos – the parade of the three kings in Barcelona

Spanish families spend the day very much like Christmas, exchanging gifts and tucking into a large family meal.

Three Kings’ Parade – a city-wide party

The celebrations actually begin on the evening of 5 January when the Three Kings arrive in Barcelona to a stunning reception of crowds, cannons and fireworks. Thousands of people gather around the city’s port in anticipation of the three kings sailing in on their own ship – the Santa Eulàlia (named after the city’s patron saint). Once on land, they’re greeted by Barcelona’s Mayor, who hands them a set of keys to allow them to go round the houses of the city distributing gifts.

Cabalgata Reyes Magos – the parade of the three kings in Barcelona

But this is just the beginning. A parade soon weaves its way around the streets of central Barcelona, ending up at the Magic Fountain at the foot of Montjuïc. Around 500,000 people turn up to see this spectacular parade of colourful floats, giant animals and professional dancers, actors and circus acts. The streets of the city are also crowded with stalls selling all manner of sweet treats and other culinary delights to revellers as well as children clamouring for the thousands of sweets thrown from floats to the crowds.

Cabalgata Reyes Magos – the parade of the three kings in Barcelona

Experience the ‘Spanish Christmas’

The day of the Kings is a very merry festival, not to mention an amazing spectacle, and it’s no wonder that visiting Barcelona for this celebration is becoming increasingly popular. The whole city gets involved (there are loads of smaller parades spread throughout the suburbs) and an infectious atmosphere of child-like excitement takes over. Whether you’re a big kid, want to experience a different take on winter celebrations, or if one Christmas just isn’t enough for you, come to Barcelona this January and beat the winter blues Spanish style!

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Barcelona 2016

Barcelona, the ultimate party city, certainly leaves no stone unturned when it comes to New Year’s Eve. There are loads of options available if you want to enjoy the last day of the year in style. Whether you celebrate in the streets, at a party, in a beach club, or at a gala dinner, Barcelona is a fantastic place to start your new year with a bang!

New Year’s Eve Parties

Night-owls by nature, it’s no wonder that the Spanish tend to head out after midnight on New Year’s Eve. There are so many famous clubs in the city, all offering something unique, so have a look around and maybe think about getting your tickets in advance to avoid disappointment. Even better – the metro is open 24 hours on New Year’s Eve so there’ll be no problem getting home safely. Here are a few of our recommendations.

Razzmatazz – Barcelona’s one and only super club, this 5-room extravaganza goes all out for New Year’s. As well as entry to the club, you get two drinks, a t-shirt, grapes, a glass of champagne and a party bag – all for €45.

Otto Zutz – the place for hip-hop in Barcelona, Otto Zutz can compete with the best of them and this New Year’s Eve is no exception. Exact details of the event aren’t out yet but there’s no doubt that it’ll be filled to rafters when the big night comes.

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Barcelona 2016

Sala Bikini - this popular and exclusive venue pulls out all the stops on New Year’s Eve. Party-goers dance the night away to a selection of the best Latino music as well as enjoy the live shows and surprises that the club puts on.

Other places to try once you’ve downed your New Year’s grapes are the ever-cool Jamboree, upscale Sutton Club or even the home of the ravers, Moog. A popular hotspot is also Poble Espanyol’s New Year’s Party – a huge university bash housed in three indoor tents in the mock-medieval Spanish village. It plays a large repertoire of music, ranging from the 70s to what’s in the charts right now – all for 35€.

New Year’s Eve Gala dinners

Shôko – one of the coolest restaurant cum clubs in Barcelona, it’s no surprise that the all-inclusive ticket will set you back €190. It includes a lavish dinner complete with flamenco and guitar performances. Luckily there are cheaper tickets for €50 which includes the entry charge and two drinks. They celebrate the New Year four times throughout the night as the theme changes from New York, London, Rio de Janeiro and Seville!

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Barcelona 2016

Rita Blue – located in the up-and-coming Raval, Rita Blue teems with Barcelona’s trendy 20-somethings on New Year’s Eve. As well as serving a selection of Mexican fusion food, it also opts for the traditional Spanish campanadas and cava – grapes and sparkling wine at midnight. There’s also a lively DJ set and with the reasonable prices and a great atmosphere it’s a night to remember in a more relaxed setting.

New Years out in the Streets

The streets in the centre of Barcelona fill up with revellers on New Year’s Eve, as tourists and locals mill around on the hunt for the celebrations. The most popular spots are Las Ramblas, Plaça Catalunya and Plaça Reial and they get pretty busy as midnight draws near. There’s no official firework display in Barcelona on New Year’s Eve but the Torre Agbar does have a light show at midnight and sometimes the hotels on the beachfront put on fireworks of their own.

A typical tradition on New Year’s Eve in Barcelona is to eat 12 grapes at midnight, one on each chime of the clock. In Barcelona, thousands of people head to Plaça Catalunya to do this in unison and soak up the atmosphere. Make sure you eat all 12 in time and make a wish – it’s considered bad luck not to! And yes there are seeds!

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Barcelona 2016

Barcelona beach clubs

The ‘street’ offers many possibilities, but don’t forget that Barcelona is also famous for the beach. So if none of the above takes your fancy, make sure you head along to one of Barcelona’s beach clubs and see what’s going on. The busiest area is Vila Olímpica, with a great atmosphere as the party gets into full swing at about 2am. The waterfront is buzzing and people spill out of the cool bars and beach clubs like Opium Mar, Catwalk, Sotavento and Carpe Diem.

Down by the beach is also Barcelona’s newest five-star hotel, the W Hotel. It boasts the 26th-floor Eclipse Bar complete with beautiful people and spectacular views over the Mediterranean coastline. Cocktails aren’t cheap but for an unrivaled view of Barcelona by night it’s definitely worth splashing the cash this New Year’s Eve.

Barcelona’s calling…

New Year’s Eve in Barcelona 2016 has something for everyone – for those who want to spend time with the family, for couples who want a romantic evening, for people who love street parties as well as for those wishing to dance the night away in a club. We hope we’ve provided you with some useful information so you can get planning your Barcelona New Year’s Eve 2016 experience.

Christmas in Barcelona

It’s no secret that the Spanish love to celebrate, and Christmas is no exception. Thinking of visiting the Catalan capital over the festive period and would like to know a bit more about what to expect? Then look no further. We have all you need to know about Christmas in the city.

Christmas in Barcelona

Important dates over the Christmas period

6 December – Constitution Day (bank holiday)

8 December – Day of the Immaculate Conception (bank holiday)

25 December – Christmas Day (bank holiday)

26 December – Boxing Day (bank holiday in Catalonia)

1 January – New Year’s Day (bank holiday)

5 January - Parade of the Three Kings

6 January – Three Wise Kings’ Day (bank holiday)

Christmas markets

Markets are a real Christmas highlight in a lot of European cities, and you”ll find several dotted across Barcelona during the festive period. By far the largest and most popular is the Fira de Santa Llúcia, located in front of Barcelona Cathedral in Plaça de la Seu. It’s been going since 1786 and with lots of handmade decorations and gift ideas in a stunning setting, it’s the perfect place to get into the festive spirit. This year, the fair begins on 30 November and ends on 23 December.

Christmas in Barcelona

Christmas shopping

Barcelona is a fantastic shopping destination, and for Christmas shopping it really does have it all. From street markets to independent boutiques and national institutions like Zara and Mango, there are plenty of options. Plus there are extra shopping days during December during the bank holidays on the 6th and 8th, as well as on Sunday 9th, 16th and 23rd to give you enough time to pick up all your Christmas presents. Two of the most popular shopping streets are Passeig de Gràcia and Portal de l’Angel, but there are so many side streets full of unique things to give as gifts so make sure you explore those too.

Christmas in Barcelona

Ice rink

For the third year now, Plaça Catalunya is playing host to Europe’s largest open-air ice rink. Open from the end of November until the beginning of January, the price per hour is around 8 euros and it’s a great way to get into the Christmas spirit. This isn’t the only ice rink in the city – there are also ones in Gràcia and Passeig de Sant Joan, as well as an indoor one in the Pedralbes shopping centre.

Christmas in Barcelona

Christmas lights

The sparkly street lights in Barcelona certainly spread Christmas cheer throughout the city. They can be seen on over 300 streets around the city, with El Corte Inglés store on Plaça Catalunya putting on its own equally impressive twinkly display. Each district of the city also has its own Christmas tree, the most famous being the 12-metre one on Plaça Catalunya, covered in little lights and decorations.

Nativity scenes

Nativity scenes are huge in Barcelona and people spend a lot of time and money recreating this famous festive stalwart. The intricate nativity scenes displayed around the city are not to be missed, the most popular being in Plaça Sant Jaume, commissioned by a different artist each year. It’s life-sized and people queue at its unveiling just to take a picture of it! The unusual caganer is included in the scene, although not without its controversy. In 2005, the Council banned it, as its depiction of public defecation “set a bad example”. However, many locals were outraged by this killjoy attitude and demanded it be reinstalled.

Christmas in Barcelona

Traditional things to buy in markets

A ‘caganer’

Included in Catalan nativity scenes, this cheeky character can also be found in stalls throughout the region during December. Traditionally, the caganer is a gnome-like figure wearing the traditional Catalan barretina or red beret and with his trousers down, his backside bare, defecating! It’s a very popular tradition in Catalonia and it’s said to be a symbol of good luck for the New Year. In recent years, the Catalan figure has been substituted for famous faces such as Barack Obama, Lewis Hamilton and Homer Simpson.

Caga Tío (‘shitting log’)

Quintessentially Catalan and a big hit with kids, the Caga Tío can be found in homes all over the region. It’s a small log with a face painted on one end and wearing the typical Catalan red hat. From 8 December until Christmas Eve, children feed it sweets and take care of it by covering it in a blanket. Finally, on the 24 December, children sing the Caga Tío song and hit the log with sticks to be able to enjoy the delicacies inside. Sometimes, the log will then be used as fuel to warm the house, ‘repaying’ the warmth it has received there.

Sweet treats

Be sure to try some Spanish turrón during your December visit – a sweet that’s a firm favourite here at Christmas. Traditional turrón is made from nougat with almonds, hazelnuts and honey, although today hundreds of flavours are available. Polvorones are also a popular festive treat made from a sweet, almond paste. They’re similar to shortbread, although a lot heavier and more crumbly.

Three Kings’ Day

Although Christmas on 25 December is celebrated, it’s firmly in the shadow of 6 January – the day that the Spanish consider the most important in the festive calendar. This is the day that people typically exchange gifts and enjoy large feasts. The 5th of January is the Night of the Three Kings, the Cavalcada de Reis in Catalan, when you can catch the spectacular Three Kings’ Parade that winds its way through the main thoroughfares of Barcelona. It’s a massive display of fireworks and elaborately decorated floats, with children throwing hard-boiled sweets at the crowds who turn up to watch. Take our word for it – you don’t want to miss this.

Christmas in Barcelona

Port Aventura Theme Park

It’s Sunday morning, 8 o’clock, and the alarm goes off: today the kids are coming back!

We have a look at the times, our destination being Port Aventura , Barcelona’s theme park and comparable to Thorpe Park or Chessington World of Adventures in Britain.

Port Aventura Theme Park

At the entrance (which also acts as an access point for the adjacent water park, the “Caribe Acquatic Park”) there is quite a significant queue. However, after about half an hour we manage even to overcome this particular obstacle and finally we reach the entrance.

Port Aventura Theme Park

Upon entering, the sight that greets our eyes is a vision straight from a fairy-tale: a huge river, bordered by rocks and thick, luxuriant vegetation which frames the whole Park, which then evolves into different themes the further you delve in to the park. There are Mediterranean, Polynesian, Chinese, SesamoAventura and Mexican themes all the way to the Wild West.

Port Aventura Theme Park

We decide to go straight in to the first ride: ‘Furious Baco’, a capsule which promises to simulate acceleration equivalent to that of a jet taking off. However, thanks to the information panels, placed at the entrance to each ride letting you know the waiting times, we realise that we would have to wait approximately one hour and 30 minutes, which causes us instead to head over to the following attraction, ‘Gran Canyon Rapids’. As you can easily guess from the name, this ride is an adventure through water rapids imitating those of the Grand Canyon, considered as ‘moderate’ on the signs next to each of the rides. We wait roughly 30 minutes, get on board and enjoy the ride. We were refreshed by the sprays of water which are sprayed from the obstacles throughout the duration of the ride.

Port Aventura Theme Park

Getting off the ride, we see an extremely tall tower, which is the symbol of ‘Hurakan Condor’. This time, the queue is practically non-existent, so we get straight on board and are lifted upwards to the top of the tower, to an altitude of 100 metres, hearts suddenly beating fast, and then…down! In 2 seconds flat we are already back to the ground. We make our way around the park and end up trying loads of the other rides, some of them really fun, others less so, but all of them giving the impression that, at least for the day, we had once again become kids.

Port Aventura Theme Park

The park is really crowded…everybody from families with kids; groups of elderly people, to groups of children all of which are in a general spirit of happiness. At times, the queues are rather long, but if you arm yourself with a good dose of patience (as well as the right kind of company), time flies by quickly, with comments exchanged between those in front of and behind you and by the time you get on the ride, they will have become your best friends!

Port Aventura Theme Park

The lunch break is a needed rest from the frenetic adventure, and this you can spend in one of the very numerous themed bars which are located inside the park, or in the shade of the palm trees which line the bank of the river.

Port Aventura Theme Park

It’s 6.30 p.m and we are tired, hungry but also very satisfied, and well in advance of the park’s closing time (from the 25th of May to the 26th of September the park closes at 8 p.m.).