More than meets the eye… Montjuic

Sairica — Wed, 26 May 2010 10:05:52 +0000

Several thousand years ago, Iberic Celts settled on Montjuïc, a 213m high hill southeast of Barcelona’s current city centre. The hill was later used by the Romans as a ceremonial site, and then the 1800’s saw the crowning construction of the castle. Today Montjuic is full of sights and attractions, most of them originating from two major events that took place here: the 1929 International Exhibition and the 1992 Olympics.

Any guidebook to Barcelona worth its salt will pay homage to Montjuic – as the central hill that hosts some of the best views and sights the city has to offer. Home to the Castell de Montjuïc, the Olympic Stadium, the Font Magìca, the majestic MNAC art museum, The Poble Espanyol, The Fundacion Joan Miro… The Mies Van der Rohe pavilion… The Hill of the Jews warrants several days of sightseeing.

Beyond this dazzling array of must-sees, Montjuic has a smattering of lesser-glorified treasures that are also well worth visiting….

La caseta del migdia

Next door to the castle, this charming chiringuito atop the hill offers unbeatable views, and the perfect spot to savour the sunset over the city, whilst enjoying a copa and a light bite. La Caseta offers scrumptious crepes. barbecued dishes, salads, cookies and pastries and is open in summer and autumn. Djs add a breath of melodic fresh air to the stifling summer nights.

Mirador del Migdia

www.lacaseta.org

Sala Montjuic – Cinema under the stars

What could be better than the big screen, a blanket, a bottle, some nosh and good friends? Sala Montjuic projects original language cinema on the wall of the Montjuic castle each Monday, Wednesday and Friday of July. Entrance costs 4 euros and deckchair hire is 2 euros (get there early as they tend to go, rapido), or you can just plonk yourself down on the grass.

Free buses run up the mountain from Plaça España towers from 20.30h to 21.30h and down again after the films, or you can drive, hike or bike up and down if you’re feeling valiant.

Archery Range, Montjuic

www.salamontjuic.com

Mercat de les Flors - Centre of Moving Arts

Housed in a breathtaking building, the Mercat de les Flors theatre offers a rich program of avant-garde dance and drama, and an array of renowned international productions.

The building itself is a mishmash of protruding facades and domes, situated on Montjuic hill, and built for the 1929 International Fair. It was designated for its current usage in 1983, and has since become a hub of Barcelona’s cultural scene. It is worth visiting at least once, purely for the opportunity to witness a performance in such an impressive venue. The nearest metro is Poble Sec.

Plaça Margarida Xirgú

C/Lleida 59,

Phone: +34 93 426 18 75

www.mercatflors.org

CaixaForum

Just across from the Mies Van der Rohe pavilion is one of Barcelona’s newest museums, the CaixaForum, a vast Modernist textile mill, which has been slickly redesigned to house an excellent permanent collection of contemporary art and several exhibition halls. Pick up a brochure for details of seasonal events, which include concerts, dance performances and other cultural events. ForumCaixa has an excellent café-bar: good for a post-art rest.

Avda Marquès de Comillas 6-8,

Phone: +34 93 476 86 00

www.funcadion.lacaixa.es

Getting there

Getting to Montjuic is easy. (You can’t miss it – it’s a bloomin’ great mountain, after all!) –The nearest metro stops are Paral.lel, Poble Sec and Espanya; a funicular train trundles up and down from Paral.lel to just beside the Fundacion Miro and there are plenty of buses. The intrepid can hike it, with redemption arriving in the form of an escalator or two to help the hamstrings. For a fabulous if slightly giddying view of the city on the ascent, try the Telefèric de Montjuïc cable car, which glides from Paral.lel up to the Castell de Montjuïc.

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More than meets the eye… Montjuic