Barcelona landmarks and Barcelona highlights

Las Ramblas or La Rambla is the best known landmark in Barcelona. It is a 1.2 km long and busy avenue, popular with both tourists and locals. Las Ramblas is going down from Plaza de Catalunya all the way to the Columbus statue.

Walking down Las Ramblas in Barrio Gotico you can visit its many shops or enjoy watching the various street performers, of which some of them have an amazing act or either present a very special creature. Furthermore there are several newspaper kiosks, flower and animal stands. On both sides of Las Ramblas are also many bars and restaurants. Here you can eat or drink something while watching the busy street.

The name Las Ramblas means, in Spanish and Catalan, an intermittent water flow. Back in the day Las Ramblas used to be a river bed that ran from the mountains to the sea.

Even though Las Ramblas is one continuous street, it actually consists of five Ramblas: Rambla de Canaletes, Rambla del Estudis, Rambla del Sant Josep, Rambla del Caputxins and Rambla de Santa Monica.

Rambla de Canaletes is the first Rambla starts at Plaza de Catalunya. This Rambla is named by a fountain. According to a legend, once you drink from the fountain, you will keep coming back to Barcelona. The second Rambla is Rambla del Estudis. It is named after a 16th century university, the Estudis Generals.

The next Rambla is Rambla del Sant Josep named after a convent which was demolished in the mid 1900 and replaced by Mercat de Boqueria. La Mercat de Boqueria is a popular covered food market. Here you can find fresh fish, vegetables, fruit and meat. Note, the stalls near the entrance are the most expensive.

The fourth Rambla is Rambla del Caputxins. This Rambla is also named after a demolished building, Capuchin monastery. A very interesting building, called Gran Theatre del Liceu, is situated at this part of Las Ramblas.

The last Rambla is Rambla de Santa Monica. This Rambla leads to a roundabout with the Columbus Monument. This part of The Rambla is wider then the upper Ramblas and while walking down be sure to look to your left and walk into Plaza Real for a drink to cool off. If you are looking for paintings from locals artists you should find some here, and at the end of Las Ramblas you will find a nice roundabout which has the statue of Colom as a center focus point.

From Las Ramblas you can pass a bridge over the sea and continue your experience by going into the Maremagnum complex. Get your Barcelona apartments near Ramblas.