Parc de la Ciutadella Outdoor Activity / Park

La Ribera / El Born, Barcelona –

For a peaceful escape from the city streets, Barcelona denizens step into the Parc de la Ciutadella where picnicking, jogging, or paddling rowboats on the lake are the order of the day.

Acres of beautiful landscaped lawns and gardens are interspersed with architectural delights designed by the likes of Gaudí and Montaner, and together they make for a soothing and even educational stroll along the meandering pathways.

Important landmarks include the Castle of the Three Dragons by modernist architect Montaner, and Josep Fontsere’s splendid Cascada Fountain, designed with a little help from Antoni Gaudí.

There’s also an impressive statue of a giant woolly mammoth, although to see his descendants in the flesh requires a trip to Barcelona’s wonderful zoological gardens – which are also conveniently located within the ample grounds.

The park attracts an eclectic mix of people on the weekends – especially on Sunday evenings when hippies assemble en masse – and becomes the site of an impromptu music festival as hundreds of people play bongos, sing, juggle, or otherwise entertain the passersby.

Thankfully, for those who find bongo drums the instrumental version of the apocalypse, there are plenty of quiet nooks throughout Parc de la Ciutadella to simply relax and enjoy the Barcelona sun in peace.