BARCELONA: OLYMPIC MARINA AND BEACH

The Olympic Marina has become one of the most popular leisure areas of Barcelona. Located opposite the Olympic Village, it was built in 1991 during the redevelopment of this area of Barcelona previous to the 1992 Olympic Games. In the summertime, the beaches on either side of the marina – Barceloneta and Nova Icària – are the perfect place for sunbathing or for a cooling dip in the sea.

Sunrise view from La Barceloneta beach in Barcelona

The two twin skyscrapers on either side are the Mapfre Tower and the Hotel Arts. Located next to the Olympic Marina, they changed absolutely the skyline of Barcelona and have become one of the reference points of the city.

The twin skyscrapers of Barcelona beside Barceloneta beach

Next I will suggest a walk which begins in the Olympic Marina and ends near the W Barcelona Hotel, also called Vela Hotel. Through this walk you will enjoy the views of Barcelona beaches and the Port Vell. Let's begin!

Olympic Marina

Sailing boats in the Olympic Marina of Barcelona

Another nice image of sailing boats with the promenade in the background

Mar Bella Beach

Mar Bella beach is located next to the Olympic Marina

Barceloneta, Nova Icària and San Sebastià beaches

The twin towers beside the beach of Barcelona, the Mapfre tower and El Hotel Arts, which changed the skyline of Barcelona

Barcelona seafront are one of the most beautiful areas to walk under a lovely day



Barcelona promenade and Barceloneta beach with the twin towers on the horizon

Overview of the Barcelona promenade along the beach and the twin towers

Playing beach volley on Barceloneta beach

A closer view of the twin towers which changed the Barcelona skyline

Along the promenade between the Olympic Marina and La Barceloneta there are a lot of nice restaurants where enjoy a meal near the Barcelona beach

The W Barcelona Hotel, or Vela Hotel (Vela means sail), has changed the views from Barcelona beaches



W Barcelona Hotel beside the beach



Beach of Barcelona from which you can see a view of the coast of Barcelona



Another view of the previous beach in Barcelona, called San Sebastià



Palms near the W Barcelona Hotel in Barcelona

 The W Barcelona hotel with its 26th floors 

Barcelona from Eclipse Bar in W Hotel. This bar is on the 26th floor of the hotel

Barcelona Port Vell

Palau de Mar with the twin towers in the background

Walking along the beautiful promenade of the Barcelona Port Vell you will see nice Palms like these ones

A classic sailing ship in Barcelona Port Vell with the twin towers in the background on the right

The bridge called Rambla de Mar connects La Rambla with the Maremagnum and Aquarium

Another image of this bridge with the Vela Hotel in the background

Port Vell overview where the twin towers appear clearly. If you click on the picture, you will see the Columbus Colomn on the left, the Rambla de Mar bridge and the IMAX and Maremagnum area

Port Vell of Barcelona when you can see the Columbus Monument and the Maremagnum Shopping Mall

The Columbus Monument, which opened in 1888 during the Universal Exhibition, stands at the end of La Rambla, near the sea. From the top, 60 metres above the ground, you can enjoy great panoramic views of the city and the port

When you arrive at the Columbus Column you are actually in La Rambla, so you can keep walking along this nice boulevard which will lead you to the city centre and the Gothic Quarter too.

- How to get the Olympic Marina:

• Metro L4, stop Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica.
• Bus 10, 36, 45, 57, 59, 71 and 92.
• Tram T4, stop Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica.
• Barcelona Bus Turístic, stop Port Olímpic.

- Web site: www.portolimpic.net

I hope you enjoyed this route. Other interesting routes in Barcelona are:

• Raval Route
• Gothic Quarter route
• Gaudí and Modernist Route
• Route through the large green area in Montjuïc.

Besides if you like beaches, clicking on the next links you will find more pictures of another fantastic beaches in Catalonia: 

- Beaches near Barcelona

• Castelldefels beach
• Sitges beach

- Beaches in La Costa Brava:

• Blanes (S'Abanell and Sant Francesc beaches)
• Tossa de Mar
• Sa Tuna, Sa Riera and Aiguablava beaches in Begur
• Llafranc and Calella de Palafrugell beaches
• Tamariu beach
• L'Escala, L'Estartit and Les Illes Medes
• Cadaqués, Roses and Empuriabrava

- Costa Daurada beaches

• Barra del Trabucador beach in Delta de l'Ebre
• L'Ametlla de Mar
• Salou beach

Other fantastic beaches I have visited in Spain and Portugal are:

• Beaches of Mallorca
• Cádiz and Costa de la Luz
• Beaches in  Galicia
• Basque Country - Guipúzcoa and San Sebastián
• Cantabria and Santander
• Alicante

• Beaches in Algarve

Finally, clicking on the next link you will find links to more beautiful places of Barcelona. 

BARCELONA: OLYMPIC PARK IN MONTJUÏC

Today is the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games of London 2012. Moreover this week twenty years ago (on 25th july 1992) were inaugurated the Olympic Games of Barcelona 1992. So this post is a tribute to my city in this special date and here I would like to show some pictures of the Olympic Ring in Montjuïc.
The Olympic Ring, built in 1992, is one of the most beautiful places in Montjuïc, as well as the Montjuïc Castle or the Magic Fountain. Actually, the visit to the Olympic Ring can begin in this fantastic fountain. Besides, next to the Olympic Ring you can visit the lovely Joan Maragall gardens.


Montjuïc is, without any doubt, one of the most beautiful places in Barcelona and, from the Olympic Games in 1992, one of the most symbolic places in the city. Montjuïc vibrate with emotion during those wonderful days which showed Barcelona to the world. 

Olympic Stadium

The Olympic Stadium in Montjuïc has a capacity for 55,000 spectators. It can stage sports competitions, musical performances or any type of popular event



The current Olympic Stadium in Montjuïc is a transformation of the old stadium, of which it conserves the façade designed by the architect Pere Domènech i Roure (the son of the modernist Lluís Domènech i Montaner)

Palau Sant Jordi

The Olympic Ring in Montjuïc with the Olympic Stadium in the background, the Palau Sant Jordi and the Calatrava telecommunication tower

The Palau Sant Jordi is considered the most important element of the Olympic Ring in Montjuïc. It is a covered sports pavilion, designed basically for the competitions of athletic and rhythmic gymnastics and the finals of handball and volleyball of the 1992 Olympic Games

National Institute of Physical Education

Behind this square, called Europa square, is the National Institute of Physical Education of Catalonia, also built for the Olympic Games of Barcelona

Sunset in the Olympic Ring

The Olympic Stadium in the heart of the Olympic ring in Montjuïc

Another view of the Olympic Stadium, whose facade wasn't modified during the remodelling of this stadium

The Sant Jordi Sports Hall can stage a wide variety of sports events and other spectacles. An athletics track of 200 m inner perimeter and a skating rink can be installed, as can a stage for concerts or ballet performances

The Calatrava Telecommunication Tower was built in the Olympic Ring to improve communications

Near the Olympic Ring, the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc astonished everyone who went to the Olympic Ring.

Montjuïc Magic Fountain

 Impressive performance at night of the Montjuïc Magic Fountain near the Olympic Ring of Barcelona

Besides I would recommend the following route to discover the fantastic places in Montjuïc around the Olympic Ring:

• Montjuïc Castle
• Montjuïc Magic Fountain
• Views of Barcelona from Montjuïc
• Montjuïc Park
• Palauet Albéniz and Joan Maragall gardens
• MNAC (Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya)
• Poble Espanyol
• Las Arenas Shopping Center

Other areas of Barcelona which were really relevant during the Olympic Games were the Olympic Village and the Olympic Marina. This two places are adjacent to each other and have become one of the most beautiful areas in Barcelona.

Torre Mapfre and Hotel Arts (the twin towers) in the Olympic Village of Barcelona

Olympic Marina in Barcelona

Finally, clicking on the next link you will find links to more beautiful and interesting places of Barcelona.

BARCELONA: OLYMPIC VILLAGE AND BEACH

The Olympic Village is located near the beach and you can find it from every corner of Barcelona thanks to the Twin Towers, which has become a reference of the city since the Olympic Games in 1992. Next to these towers is the Olympic Marina, an interesting startpoint of a walk along the Barcelona promenade.

The two towers of the Olympic Village from the Alcaide viewpoint in Montjuïc

In the middle of the image, the Columbus column and, in the background, the two towers of the Olympic Village from the Miramar viewpoint in Montjuïc

The two towers of the Olympic Village view from Marina Avenue


A closer view of the twin towers, the Mapfre tower and El Hotel Arts, which changed the skyline of Barcelona



The twin towers from La Barceloneta, one of the most lively districts in Barcelona

Barcelona beach with the two skycrapers built for the Olympic Games in the background

Barceloneta beach

View of the Barcelona seafront from the top of the Mapfre Tower

View of the Barcelona Olympic Marina from the Mapfre Tower

- How to get the Olympic Marina:

• Metro L4, stop Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica.
• Bus 10, 36, 45, 57, 59, 71 and 92.
• Tram T4, stop Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica.
• Barcelona Bus Turístic, stop Port Olímpic. 

Finally, clicking on the next link you will find links to more beautiful places of Barcelona.