Barcelona city guide: Montjuïc

Montjuïc is a mountain with an old military fortress on top (featured in our blog here) with several gardens and parks to get there making it one of our favorite green areas, and also usually one of our favorite photography backgrounds. The most famous building however must be the National Museum, from where you are going to have a wonderful view of our city, and then all the Olympic games stadiums (Barcelona celebrated the games on 1992, quite long ago!). We are not into sports memorabilia, thus we appreciate the mountain to go on a hike or museum hoping.

A pack-before-you-get-here picnic is in order if you are not leaving the mountain for the day, but we recommend in this guide the nearby area called Paral·lel to grab a bite. Also Paral·lel has a high gastronomy area with awarded restaurants that are a treat, thus makes also a good spot for a fancy dinner date if you have something to celebrate.

eat

• The fish & chips shop: This is a super charming small place with the best fish and chips with fresh hake and homemade tartar sauce and mango chutney we have ever tried. Ok, we are not English so we may be cheating in this, but we can swear it is goood! You won't regret to stop by and wait the queue, maybe you can meanwhile ask them to serve you outside the tasty truffle oil fried edamame.
  Address: Carrer de Rocafort, 70
• Tickets : This is a 2 Michelin stars awarded restaurant that serve creative tapas from the most famous chefs in Spain (Adrià Brothers). Everything you can try here would be mind-blowing (their must are the olives!) and with unexpected textures and presentations. Reservations are mandatory and should be made 2 months in advance, the ticket would be around 60-70 € per person.
  Address: Av. del Paraŀlel, 164
  Featured in our blog: here
  

Shop

• El Recibidor: This is not a shopping area, although there is a mall inside what it used to be a bull fighting plaza. However the stores inside the mall are quite the regular ones you will find at any other place so instead we are recommending El Recibidor, a vintage store that is nearby and that we love to peak from time to time. If you don't live in Barcelona you probably won't be able to find a lot to bring home, but if you are a vintage furniture lover you may have a great time just browsing their items.
  Address: Carrer de Viladomat, 9

Visit

• CaixaForum: Located in an old brick factory called Casa Ramona, this is an exhibitions gallery that hosts temporary large exhibitions that are always very interesting to check out. A part from the exhibitions it has a free access to the emblematic building including its terrace, make sure to include it in your itinerary!
  Address: Av. Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia, 6-8
  Featured in our blog: here
• Views from MNAC: The National Museum (MNAC) is a museum that should appear in every guide of the city. The museum has one of the European's best romanic art and an impressive art noveau (our favorite of the two!) collections. If you are not in the mood for a museum visit, you should equally climb to the museum to enjoy the views of Barcelona. Don't worry, it has automatic escalators to makes things smoother.
  Address: Palau Nacional, Parc de Montjuïc, s/n
  Featured in our blog: here
• Jardins Mossèn Costa i Llobera: We are including our favorite garden of the area as a representation of all the parks and gardens in the Montjuic mountain. We usually start at MNAC and then climb the mountain up crossing Joan Maragall and Laribal gardens and then Cinto Verdaguer and Joan Brossa to end at the Cactus garden. Quite the walk! The hike should always add the black cat fountain, don't miss it! The cactus garden includes 800 species of cactus & succulents and views to the Mediterranean sea. It is an irresistible combo, isn't it?
  Address: Ctra. de Miramar, 38
  Featured in our blog: here
  

Check this & more (equally cool) addresses of the area in our map: