A walk through the garden
Barcelona is a city full of places to discover, such as its gardens. The gardens of Barcelona are ideal places to take a walk and to disconnect from the frantic rhythm of the city. There are many, all different and unique, distributed throughout the city. Surely the best known and touristy is Park Güell because of its relationship with Gaudí, but there are many other gardens worth knowing because of its beauty and originality.
Another Gaudí work: Park Güell
Parc Güell, located at El Turó del Carmel, is a large garden with more than 100 years of history since it was built between 1900 and 1914, and it was opened in 1926. The park, which was first conceived as a great luxury urbanization, was commissioned by Eusebi Güell to Antoni Gaudí, who had already done other assignments, that is why the architecture of Parc Güell is completely modernist. The entrance to the park is sure to be the most emblematic space because the salmandra made of trencadís in the middle of the large stairway. The stairs lead to the Hypostyle Hall, a columned forest with the roof decorated with trencadís panels made by Josep M. Jujol. He himself decorated the railing of the Nature Square, one of the busiest points in the park and from which you can see magnificent views of Barcelona. One of the places worth visiting if you are at the Parc Güell is the Casa del Guarda. Initially it was the house of the porter of the enclosure, but now it is part of MUHBA (Museum of History of Barcelona) and you can see the exhibition «Güell, Gaudí and Barcelona. Expression of an urban ideal».
Get lost in the Horta Labyrinth
If we talk about the gardens of Barcelona, we can not forget the oldest one that is conserved in the city: the Horta Labyrinth. Out of our e-bike tour Barcelona, located in the district of Horta-Guinardó, it was the work of the italian architect Domenico Bagutti. This park includes a 18th century neoclassical garden and a romantic 19th century garden. Inside the neoclassical garden is where the labyrinth is named after the park, and in the middle there is a sculpture of Eros surrounded by cypress trees. The theme of this part of the garden revolves around love, and you can stroll among italian style temples, sculptures and inscriptions inspired by classical mythology, and neoclassical style ponds.
The other part of the garden of the Horta Labyrinth in Barcelona, the romantic garden, on the contrary that the other, is inspired by death, and there was even a replica of a medieval cemetery, which today is no longer keep it. In fact, there is little thing about the original design of this part, but you can still walk between fountains, waterfalls and parterres in a particularly shady area. The combination of the two environments makes the Horta Labyrinth one of the most interesting gardens in Barcelona to visit.
The largest garden in Barcelona: Ciutadella Park
One of the indispensable gardens of Barcelona is the Ciutadella Park. Located in the ancient lands of the fortress of Ciutadella, between the Estació de França, the Arc de Triomf and the Olympic Village, it is one of the largest parks in the city. This park houses the building of the Parliament of Catalonia and also the Barcelona Zoo, as well as the Geology Museum and the Zoology Museum. One of the main attractions of this park, as well as the ideal landscaped areas to stroll, is the great lake where you can browse with oar boats. There is also a monumental waterfall designed by Josep Fonserè and in front there is a musical gazebo. Throughout this Barcelona garden there are sculptures and statues that make it an open-air museum. One of the most emblematic is the Desconsol, by the sculptor Josep Llimona. The diversity of spaces in the Parc de la Ciutadella is perfect for doing all kinds of social and cultural activities.
Moorish inspiration: Laribal Gardens
On the Montjuïc mountain we find another of the most impressive gardens in Barcelona. Constructed between 1917 and 1924 on the occasion of the International Exhibition of Barcelona in 1929, Laribal Gardens are the work of Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau Maria Rubió i Tudurí. These gardens have a unique structure since they are formed by terraces at various levels joined by steps and paths. The inspiration for these gardens is hispanoarabic, and brick, stone, fountains, tile ornaments and flowers are elements that stand out in the entire park. In the gardens of Laribal, there is the famous fountain Font del Gat, from where the water comes from the head of a feline, designed by the sculptor Josep Antoni Homs, and other sculptures that give it an artistic touch as well as a landscape. Within these gardens, the Ethnological Museum of Barcelona is located.
Visiting all these gardens in Barcelona can not only be an activity of leisure and relaxation, but we can turn it into a cultural activity to know the fauna and flora typical of Catalonia. Book any of our e-bike tours in Barcelona to visit these and other places in Barcelona that you can not miss!