I’ve recently moved to Barcelona, Spain so you can expect quite a few posts on this beautiful city.
For those of you who know me, this shouldn’t be a surprise. I haven’t been able to control myself and I’ve been eating at amazing delicious places all over town.
One of my first brunches was at Picnic, a cozy little place located in El Born. You should expect a big line, at most times but if you are a small group it should be fairly quick to get a table. For big groups I’d recommend calling and making a reservation.
Now for the yummy part, how should I put this? Their eggs Benedict with salmon are to die for, their pancakes make you go back to your happy childhood memories and their tacos take you momentarily to Mexico. They also have a wide variety of cocktails. Sounds perfect right? I have to admit that in my opinion this comes pretty close to what I consider a perfect brunch!
After all this eating, we headed to Ciutadella Park just around the corner. At one end you will see Arc de Triomf, a triumphal arc built as the main access gate for the 1888 Barcelona World Fair. You can read on the central section of the stone “Barcelona rep les nations” which is Catalan for “Barcelona welcomes the nations”.
If you go down the promenade you’ll walk into Ciutadella Park. After it’s creation in the 19th century, it was for long the only green area in town. At the park you’ll also find the Catalan Parliament which is not open to public, Barcelona’s zoo, a few lakes and an enormous fountain.
The park is perfect for a stroll or even for some exercise. It’s a very diverse place so you’ll find street artists playing music or selling handmade crafts, entertainment for kids, boat rides, picnic areas, people relaxing on the green areas and sporty people.
The main attraction is the charming cascade fountain by Josep Fontsér who used Fontana di Trevi in Rome as inspiration. On both sides of the pond you’ll find a staircase that brings you to a small podium with a sculpture of Venus that opens way to the cascade.
TIPS
- Metro stop: Arc de Triomf (L1, red line) or Ciutadella Vila Olimpica (L4, yellow line)
- Metro map: Click here
- Park entrance fee: free
- Park opening hours: daily from 10am to 7pm
Barcelona is a beautiful city!
Glenn