Following our previous post about “curious places in Barcelona (I)“, from MH Apartments, we suggest you to continue our points of interest and attractions route to discover the catalan capital.
Roman Columns of the Temple of August
Walking through the Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter) of Barcelona you’ll have to find the Paradís street. At number 10 it is a little-known but very special place: the great ancient temple of Augustus. At the entrance, an impressive courtyard includes four Roman columns about 9 meters high and two thousand years old. This place was part of the Forum of Barcino and it was built during the 1st century BC as a cult of the Emperor Augustus. It has been hidden for a long time to the public but, through the rebuilding of the temple in the early 19th century by the architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, today you can walk freely through it.
Photo: SantiMB.Photos
The 13 Geese in the Cloister of the Cathedral
Dedicated to the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, co-patron saint of the city, the Barcelona Cathedral have various points of interest, including the cloister. In there, there is a garden with palm trees, magnolias, an orange tree, a fountain of the mid-fifteenth century (place of the traditional “ou com balla” (dancing egg) of Corpus Christi) and a pond. Around this last spot is where the thirteen white geese of the Cathedral wander freely. Legend has it that Santa Eulalia’s body rests in the crypt of that place, because she was convicted for refusing to renounce her Christian faith. Thus, the number of geese coincides with the thirteen tortures that were applied to her and with her age. However, it is also said that during the construction of the cathedral the guardian of the reform had some geese, which prevented the thieves from stealing the place. Since then, the geese have freedom to roam.
Photo: Ang
Carrer Petritxol (Petritxol street)
If you consider yourself a true chocolate lover, you can not visit Barcelona without going through the Petritxol street and be delighted with its delicious smell. It is a classic tradition to enjoy a good hot chocolate with churros in historical establishments like the Granja Pallaresa and the Granja Dulcinea. However, if you like better chocolate cakes, Xocoa Petritxol bakery has lots of variety. Besides chocolate, you can also find a different art galleries and exhibition halls such as Sala Parés (where artists such as Picasso, Rusiñol and Ramón Casas have exhibited), Maragall Ediciones, Art Petritxol and Carré d’Artistes. Furthermore, the soprano Montserrat Caballe had her rehearsal studio in this street until recently.
Photo: Carlos Lorenzo
The Pool at the Jardins de la Torre de les Aigües
A very curious beach is waiting for you in the middle of l’Eixample, inside a courtyard at the foot of the Torre de les Aigües. It is so-called as “playa de l’Eixample” (Eixample’s beach), but it is not a regular beach. It is a pool surrounded by sand and gardens. This public space is opened from June to September (Mondays to Saturdays) and the access costs 1.50 € per person. It also has a toilet and shower area. The gardens are usually a pretty popular place for families with children, because it is a place where they can distract themselves and interact with each other.
Photo: Jordi Domènech
Europe falls. It contains amazing cities full of culture, history and leisure services that are perfect for tourism. This is the case of Barcelona, the famous “Barcelona” and the case of Prague, a city that seems out of a fairy tale, this is the reason that both sites are the most visited in the whole continent and in fact, every year millions of people decide to seek an accommodation in Barcelona or accommodation in Prague to discover from beginning to end.
Photo cover: Richard Barrett-Small
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