Barcelona Port

Practical information Barcelona Port

Address: Port Vell (old port in Catalan) is known as the old port of Barcelona or the Barcelona marina. It is located in the historic centre of the Catalan capital, between the famous avenue Las Ramblas and the Barceloneta district and its beaches.

Siteweb: Port de Barcelona

 

To reach the port of Barcelona, there are several public transport options, including:

Metro: Line 3 (green line) Drassanes station - L4 Barceloneta station

Bus : Bus lines 14, 20, 36, 57, 59 and 64.

 

Map of Barcelona Port

 

The port of Barcelona is actually much larger, as it also includes the cargo port and the cruise ship port. The whole area extends for about 8 km along the coastline, almost as far as Barcelona airport in the southwest of the city. To give you an idea, the commercial port will handle 71 million tonnes of goods in 2022, more than the previous record of 67.8 million tonnes in 2018. A huge machine that works day and night. 

 

Barcelona's Old Port in constant transformation

In 1992, with the Olympic Games, Barcelona finally discovered the sea and completely changed the urban planning of the district and the coast. The result was a success. The old industrial areas were transformed and a new district emerged: the Olympic Village, another port that invites movement, day and night: water sports, discos, bars. It is always bustling. Right next door is Barceloneta, the traditional district of sailors and fishermen. Mediterranean colours and delicious seafood restaurants are on the menu. It's a must before heading to the beach.

The old port of Barcelona has also been redeveloped to accommodate many pleasure boats and offer a wide variety of leisure activities and services, such as restaurants, shops, cultural venues and tourist attractions.

 

Tomorrow, the 2024 America's Cup will further transform this area.

Over the next few months, the Old Port of Barcelona will receive more than 86 million euros of public and private investment for 17 new architectural projects, including an elevated promenade to be built on the Llevant pier and a belvedere.
See you in 2024!

 

Tour of the Port of Barcelona

Port Vell is now a popular destination for visitors to Barcelona, offering stunning views of the city from the sea.

>>Take advantage of our good addresses such as restaurants and shops.This is also part of discovering a city.

 

 

 

1- Monument of Christopher Colombus *

Monument

Monument of Christopher Columbus

The monument of Christopher Columbus is a 60 meters high column, It was put up for the universal exposition of 1888 in homage to the famous explorer. The sight of the city is remarkable.

Elevator to the top of the Monument a Colom ticket

The Columbus Monument "Monument a Colom" in Catalan, also known as "Monumento a Colón and Mirador de Colón" in Spanish, was built for the Barcelona World Fair (1888). It is located at the bottom of Barcelona's Ramblas, on the spot where Columbus returned to Spain after his first voyage to the Americas. The monument recalls that it was in Barcelona that Christopher Columbus reported to Queen Isabel and Ferdinand after his most famous voyage.

 

The 7-metre high statue was sculpted by Rafael Atché and is said to represent Columbus pointing towards the New World with his right hand, while holding a scroll in his left hand. An amusing detail is that instead of pointing west, i.e. towards the New World, the statue points east, i.e. towards his home town of Genoa.

The statue stands on top of a pedestal, on which is inscribed the word "Tierra" (Land).

 

Christopher Columbus monument in Barcelona

Monumento a Cristóbal Colón - Barcelona

 

Another interesting anecdote is that originally the statue at the top of the column was supposed to represent the Greek goddess Athena, who symbolised the city of Barcelona. However, the organisers of the World Fair eventually decided to replace the statue of Athena with a statue of Christopher Columbus, which would be more appropriate for an international exhibition. The statue was installed on top of the column in 1888.

 

Christopher Columbus, the European navigators and the story of a discovery

We know that indigenous peoples who had been living in America for thousands of years discovered America long before the arrival of European explorers.

However, if we talk about the discovery of America by European explorers, the Genoese navigator Christopher Columbus is generally credited with the discovery of America in October 1492, when he reached the Caribbean after crossing the Atlantic Ocean with three ships financed by the Spanish crown.

Nor was he the only explorer at that time in that same part of the oceans; John Cabot explored the coasts of North America in 1497, Amerigo Vespucci explored the coasts of South America in 1499-1502 - he gave his name to that continent - and Jacques Cartier explored the St. Lawrence River in North America in 1534.

 

When he died on 20 May 1506, Columbus was still convinced that he had reached the Indies. But his record as an explorer was exceptional: he discovered many of the Caribbean islands and named several of them, including Guadeloupe, Marie-Galante, Trinidad and Dominica. Columbus' name was later attributed to several territories in America: Colombia, Gran Colombia, British Columbia.

Address : Pl. Portal de la Pau
Opening hours : Get to the top of the statue and enjoy a breathtaking view of the city and the Port of Barcelona every day from 8:30 to 14:30
Metro/Bus : Metro: L3 Drassanes

2- Church of La Merce*

Monument

Basilica of Our Lady of Mercy

La Mercè

The Basilica of Our Lady of Grace and St. Michael the Archangel, known simply as the Basilica of Mercy or the Basilica of the Merced, is one of the most emblematic places in Barcelona, located in the Gothic Quarter.

 

The Basilica de la Mercy was built by the Catalan architect Josep Mas i Dordal in 1765. It is dedicated to the patron saint of Barcelona, Our Lady of Mercé. The interior of the church is impressive, with Gothic architecture adorned with sculptures and religious frescoes. It is also known for housing the statue of the Virgin of Mercé, which is carried in a procession during the Mercé festival in September.

 

Virgen de la Mercé

 

History of the Basilica of Mercy 

The history of the Basilica de la Mercé dates back to medieval times, when the inhabitants of Barcelona asked the Virgin Mary to protect them from the plague and pirates. Legend has it that the Virgin appeared to a merchant, Sant Pere Nolasc, and asked him to build a church in her honour. Since then, the church of La Mercé has become an important place of pilgrimage for the people of Barcelona and visitors from all over the world.

 

If you visit the church of La Mercé, be sure to see the crypt, which houses the remains of Saint Eulalia, the patron saint of Barcelona before the Virgin of La Mercé.

 

In 1918 it was granted the title of minor basilica by Pope Benedict XV in commemoration of the 7th centenary of the apparition of the Virgin to St. Peter Nolasco, founder of the Order of Mercedarians.

 

La Mercé

La Mercè

 

Our advice: You can attend a mass or a religious celebration to discover the spiritual atmosphere of the church. At the bottom of the page we indicate the times of the masses and the opening hours of the Basilica. The Basilica can be visited all day, the morning being the least busy time of the day.

 

According to online reviews, visitors are impressed by the beauty and serenity of the Mercé church. Comments highlight the historical and religious significance of the place, as well as the artistic richness of its architecture. Visitors also recommend attending a mass for an authentic spiritual experience.

Address : Plaça de la Mercè, 1
Opening hours : From 9am to 1.30pm. Afternoons: from 16.30 to 20.00h. // Mass times: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: at 19,00h. Wednesday, at 12.00h. Saturdays: 10.00h and 19.15h (bilingual). Sundays: 11.00h (Spanish); 12.30h (Catalan) and 19.00h (Spanish).
Phone : +34 93 315 27 56
Metro/Bus : Metro: L3 Drassanes - L4 Jaume I

3- Moll d Espanya*

Monument

Moll Espanya Maremagnum

Moll d'Espanya - Maremagnum - Barcelona

The Moll d'Espanya is a continuation of the Rambla and is located in the middle of the water in the Port Vell, Barcelona's old port. The city's inhabitants love to take walks and sunbathe on its wooden pontoons, almost in the water. It can be reached on foot from two directions: either from the Barceloneta metro station or from the Drassanes metro station at the bottom of Las Ramblas. 

 

Moll d'Espanya - Maremagnum - Barcelona

Moll d'Espanya - Maremagnum - Barcelona

 

But above all, it is a shopping centre called Maremagnum, which is very popular with the locals at weekends. This large shopping centre has no less than 28 brand shops (Desigual, Lacoste, Mango, Victoria's Secret to name but a few).

There are about 15 restaurants, mainly fast food restaurants, which have the advantage of being economical. Maremagnum is open every day of the week from 10am to 9pm.

 

The Moll d'Espanya is also home to the renowned Barcelona Aquarium, one of the largest aquariums in the Mediterranean.

 

It is also home to the two most famous private sailing clubs in the city:
> The "Reial Club Marítim Barcelona", is known for organising the Ioles Regatta or the Rowing Trophy.
> The "Reial Club Nàutic de Barcelona" organises numerous nautical activities such as the Conde de Godó Regatta and the Ermenegildo Zegna Regatta.

 

The history of Moll d'Espanya and Maremagnum 

The Moll d'Espanya as we know it today owes its origins to the transformation in the 1980s of the old dock of Spain (El muelle de España) to accommodate the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992. This construction included leisure facilities, such as the IMAX panoramic cinema (now closed), an aquarium, the Maremagnum shopping centre, as well as nightlife venues such as cocktail bars and discos. Following incidents at night, all 25 nightclubs closed in the 2000s. The Moll d'Espanya and Maremagnum are now only a daytime entertainment venue. 

Address : Moll d'Espanya
Opening hours : Every day from 10am to 9pm / Restaurants till 1am
Phone : (+34) 930 129 139
Metro/Bus : Bus: 19, 40 / Metro: L3 Drassanes - Barceloneta L4.

4- Barceloneta

 


5- Olympic Port

Monument

Olympic Port

El Puerto Olímpico - Barcelona

In 1992, with the Olympic Games, Barcelona opened up to the sea and brought about urban upheaval. The result was a success. The old industrial land was transformed and a new district emerged: the Olympic Village, which has now become the Olympic Port District.

A port that invites movement, day and night: water sports, discos, restaurants, hotels, bars. It is always in effervescence.

 

>>> From 2023 to 2024 the port will be transformed architecturally once again! All the restaurants in the marina will be closed to reopen in the summer of 2024 for the America's Cup, see below.

 

How to get to the Olympic Port

Barcelona's Olympic Port is located in the Vila Olímpica del Poblenou district. It can be reached via the Carrer de la Marina directly from the Sagrada Familia. Two beautiful beaches surround it: "Platja del Somorrostro" and the "Platja de la Nova Icària" and you are only 10 minutes walk from the Barceloneta.

 

Address: Carrer de la Marina, 17 , 08005 Barcelona, Spain.

The Port Olympic area is easily accessible by public transport:

Metro: Line 4 (Yellow), Ciutadella/Vila Olímpica station

Bus: Lines 36, 45, 59, 71, 92, H16, V21

Hop-on hop-off Bus: The red line takes you to the Olympic Port stop.

 

Map of the Olympic Port of Barcelona

 

Barcelona's Olympic port: a completely new district

The Olympic Port Quarter was built for the 1992 Olympic Games, which were a major event for Barcelona and led to a major urban transformation. Prior to this, the area was a former industrial district in decline. The construction of the Olympic Village, the sports facilities and the marina gave birth to this new district, which has since become an emblematic place of the city.

The architecture of Barcelona's Olympic Port was created by a group of Spanish architects and urban planners, including Oriol Bohigas, Josep Martorell, David Mackay, Albert Puigdomènech, and Jordi Henrich. They designed a modern and dynamic space with sailing facilities, public spaces, beaches, restaurants and bars.

 

The great architect Frank Gehry also left his mark on the port with the giant metal sculpture of a fish at the foot of one of the two towers of the port, the Hotel Arts tower. This monumental sculpture has also become one of the symbols of the city.

 

El Puerto Olímpico - Barcelona

El Puerto Olímpico - Barcelona

 

A new Olympic port in 2024

On the occasion of the 2024 America's Cup, a new marina will see the light of day with a brand new Olympic Port with a purified and luminous architecture, even more turned towards the sea and more ecological. On the agenda: a 24,000 square metre space, 11 restaurants, gourmet areas, a new Moll de Gregal with a great design.

Barcelona is definitely undergoing a radical urban transformation.

 

Nouveau Port Olympique 2024

 

 

What to see in the Olympic Port?

Today, the port is appreciated for its unique blend of modernity, culture and leisure.

>>Tips for visiting: Enjoy the two beautiful beaches surrounding the port, take a walk to Barceloneta, take a break in one of the chiringuitos, take some time to visit the excellent photography exhibitions at the KBr Fundació MAPFRE Barcelona Photo Center...

Address : Carrer de la Marina, 17
Phone : +34 93 356 10 16
Metro/Bus : Metro: L4 Ciutadella/Vila Olímpica / Bus: 36, 99

6-  Museum of the History of Catalonia

Museum

Museum of the History of Catalonia

The Museum of the History of Catalonia is located in the Palau de Mar in Barcelona, the former general grocery shops, the last building of its kind in Barcelona's old port.

 

The Museum of the History of Catalonia (Museu d'Història de Catalunya in Catalan) in Barcelona aims to present the history of Catalonia, from the earliest times to the present day, highlighting the events, people and processes that have marked this region of north-eastern Spain.

 

 

The museum has permanent collections that show the evolution of Catalan society over the centuries, through themes such as agriculture, crafts, industry, popular culture, traditions and social movements. The museum is also committed to researching and disseminating the history of Catalonia through various educational activities, temporary exhibitions and publications.

Articket: Art Passport Card for 6 Art Museums in Barcelona

Address : Pl. de Pau Vila, 3
Opening hours : Tuesday to Saturday: 10am - 7pm / Wednesday: 10am - 8pm / Sunday & holidays: 10am - 2.30pm. / Mondays (not holidays) closed / Closed on: 25-26 Desember and 1st and 6th January
Phone : 93 225 47 00
Metro/Bus : Bus numbers 14, 17, 19, 36, 39, 40, 45, 51, 57, 59, 64 i 157 Metro L4 (yellow) Barceloneta
Last comment
Great port
slim (24 Mar 2023 - 09:24)
The port of Barcelona is fantastic with its Sunday market on the Barceloneta side.
Beautiful boats too. To roam around up to the beach ;-)
Add a new comment View comments

3 comments

  1. Great port - slim (24 Mar 2023 - 09:24)

    The port of Barcelona is fantastic with its Sunday market on the Barceloneta side.
    Beautiful boats too. To roam around up to the beach ;-)

  2. POrt of Barcelona - CR, UK (29 Jun 2011 - 11:45)

    A typical cruise tourist...

  3. POrt of Barcelona - Bill Bates USA (3 Apr 2011 - 18:15)

    I am trying to find the CRUISE SHIP dock in the port. I wasn't trying to find monuments, shopping, or anything other then WHERE the Cruise Ship Port is located. Preferably on a MAP. Your web site search doesn't help at all...

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3 comments

  1. Great port - slim (24 Mar 2023 - 09:24)

    The port of Barcelona is fantastic with its Sunday market on the Barceloneta side.
    Beautiful boats too. To roam around up to the beach ;-)

  2. POrt of Barcelona - CR, UK (29 Jun 2011 - 11:45)

    A typical cruise tourist...

  3. POrt of Barcelona - Bill Bates USA (3 Apr 2011 - 18:15)

    I am trying to find the CRUISE SHIP dock in the port. I wasn't trying to find monuments, shopping, or anything other then WHERE the Cruise Ship Port is located. Preferably on a MAP. Your web site search doesn't help at all...

Your comment has been recorded and will be published after moderation.

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