They say that Barcelona is a city surrounded by 7 hills in the image of Rome. But the hills that surround Barcelona are some more: Turó del Carmel, Turó de la Rovira, Turó de la Creueta del Coll, Turó de la Peira, Turó del Putxet, Turó de Monterols and Turó de Modolell, Montjuïc and Mont Tàber, located In the Gothic Quarter, 16.9m above sea level, where the Roman Barcino was built.
It is not strange that we can observe the city from many points of view.
I recommend that during your stay in the city you visit one of the spaces from where you can see Barcelona in its entirety. It is worth accessing one of these points to see the urban evolution that the city has been undergoing, locate the places you are visiting and enjoy their views.
Torre de les Glòries: Mirador Torre de les Glories
Work of the architect Jean Nouvel is inspired by the forms of the mountain of Montserrat
Ovoid floor plan 144m 30 concrete floors covered in lacquered aluminum in 26 colors (earth, red, blue, green and grey) and 52,744 transparent and translucent glass slats in its outermost part.
You can visit 3 spaces:
Hipermirador Barcelona
Located on the -1 floor, it is a dynamic space where data from Barcelona is collected in real time with which different artistic installations, both visual and sound, are created.
Mirador de la Torre de les Glòries
Previously called the Agbar tower, an acronym for Aigües de Barcelona, a company that had its headquarters in this building from its inauguration from 2005 to 2015. It is currently named after the square where it is located.
From its viewpoint located 125 meters high (on the 30th floor) you can enjoy an impressive 360º view of Barcelona, the layout of its streets, its best-known monuments, the sea, the mountains that surround it and the closest towns. .
Cloud Cities
It is an immersive work by Tomás Saraceno that allows us to experience its suspended space in the viewpoint. Work to admire and to interact through its fabric.
Information
Torre de Urquinaona
Built by the architect Antoni Bonet, between 1968 and 1970 in a rationalist style, it is located in a corner of Barcelona’s Eixample
Octagonal in shape with prismatic shapes and finishes in dark-colored glass and ceramic that resist contamination.
Its 70 meters high (22 floors) allow 360º views over the center of the city.
Its different spaces decorated with subtle aromas exhibit paintings and sculptures and create an environment that will allow you to relax while enjoying the panorama of the city. Do not miss the privileged views of the sinks, or the sunset while having a drink.
Information
In the Ciutat Vella neighborhood, you can visit churches of great beauty and history, some of them offer visits to their terraces or towers from which to observe the oldest Barcelona.
Cathedral of Barcelona terrace
The Metropolitan Basilica of the Holy Cross and Holy Eulalia Cathedral, built at different times, began in the 13th century on the old Romanesque cathedral, built in turn on a Visigothic church that was preceded by an early Christian basilica. Its façade is from the XIX
In Catalan Gothic style that will be modified in other times, with its 3 naves, 1 apse with an ambulatory, chapels on its sides, choir stalls in its central nave, dome, stained glass windows and a cloister with 13 geese (symbol of the years of Santa Eulalia and her 13 martyrdoms) is a monument that I recommend you visit and go up to its roof.
Information
The bell tower of Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi
14th century Catalan Gothic-style church built on top of a previous Romanesque one, it has suffered earthquakes with the destruction of its rose window (1428), damage in the Succession war of 1714 and a fire that burned its interior in the war of 1936 and which have fact that its facade and structure have undergone restorations and modifications.
Its bell tower, begun in 1379, was completed in the 16th century. It has an octagonal plan with 5 floors and 54m high, its faces are oriented to the 8 winds or cardinal points and the construction material is stone from Montjuic. It is accessed by a spiral staircase that takes us in several stages to the bell tower and from there to the flat roof of the tower from where you can see a wonderful view of the city and you can locate the most important buildings you will visit in the Ciutat Vella.
On your guided tour of the Basilica, museum, treasury, garden and tower, you will hear its history and the legend of the demon of the bell tower.
Information
The bell tower of Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar
The basilica located in the Ribera neighborhood began to be built in 1329 on a Romanesque church called Santa María de las Arenas and its construction, in the Catalan Gothic style, only lasted 54 years thanks to the donations of Pedro III the Ceremonious, nobles and bourgeois, as well as the work provided by unions and workers such as bastaixos (port unloaders), carpenters or glaziers. At this time (14th century) the city is a power of the Crown of Aragon thanks to its Mediterranean trade.
On October 23, 877, the relics of the co-patron saint of the city, Santa Eulalia (4th century) were found and they were taken to the primitive Romanesque church of Las Arenas until, in 1339, Pedro III transferred them to the Gothic sepulcher in the crypt of the Cathedral. from Barcelona.
The visit includes access to the interior of the temple, to the towers and to the different levels of roofs of the building, to the space-museum of the stands and to the crypt.
Information
The terraces of some hotels
In them you can contemplate the city while you rest having a snack. Check our website where I recommend the ones that, for me, are the best.
Other places in Barcelona
Other places in Barcelona from where you can see the city from other angles are:
- The Bunkers of Turó de la Rovira
- The MNAC Terrace that you can access when you visit this museum that has essential works of art such as Romanesque frescoes from the Catalan Pyrenees.
- The Castell de Montjuic that has a good view from its wall and from several viewpoints that we find around the castle such as that of the Alcaide.
- If you prefer to see the city from the air, you can do it with the Montjuic Cable Car and the Barcelona Cable Car, as I explain on my website in the Barcelona with children section.
- And if you are lucky enough to visit the city during the Santa Eulalia festivities, you can access the Mirador de María Aurelia Capmany for free, located on top of the new City Hall building from where there is a privileged view of the city center
