Las Ramblas of Barcelona
Las Ramblas is a tree-lined pedestrian boulevard
packed with buskers, living statues, mimes and itinerant salespeople
selling everything from lottery tickets to jewellery.
The bird market on the second block of La Rambla is worth a stop,
as is the nearby Palau de la Virreina, a grand 18th century rococo
mansion, with entertainment and arts information and a ticket
office. Next door is the Mercat de la Boqueria. Just south of
the Boqueria the Mosaic de Miró punctuates the pavement.
La Rambla terminates at the lofty Monument a Colom (Monument to
Columbus) and the harbour. You can ascend the monument by lift.
Just west of the monument, on Avinguda de les Drassanes (Avenue
of the Shipyards), stand the Reials Drassanes (Royal Shipyards),
which house the fascinating Museu Marítim.
It has more seafaring paraphernalia than you'd care to wag a sextant
at - boats, models, maps, paintings, ships' figureheads and 16th-century
galleys.
Barcelona guide