Plaça d'Espanya - Plaza de España

Plaça d'Espanya - Plaza de España


Plaça d'Espanya is one of Barcelona's famous squares and a convenient place to stay in Barcelona for many reasons. In the English language the Spanish word 'plaza' usually indicates a square but Plaça d'Espanya not a square at all but a roundabout with a fountain in the middle. The name Plaça d'Espanya is the Catalan language name. In the Spanish langauge it's called Plaza España. This is one of Barcelona's main traffic and transport junctions and close to some charming neighbourhoods as well as nice attractions and it's very convenient for many sports venues, concert venues, exhibition areas and the airport.

Find hotels near Plaza Espanya. 
Plaça d'Espanya is quite close to the following landmarks and concert halls: Magic Fountain, the MNAC Art museum, the Palau Sant Jordi arena, the Sant Jordi Club concert hall and Poble Espanyol Spanish Village. The square was built as part of 1929 International Exposicion at the foot of Montjuïc hill in the Sants-Montjuïc district.

Staying near Plaza Espanya has become popular for a number of reasons. Plaça d'Espanya is a little off center of town, but connects to Barcelona downtown central square Plaça Catalunya with a short journey of 3 metro stations on the red line. Plaça d'Espanya has the advantage of being is quite close to the airport - only 15 minutes by taxi or airport bus.

There are many sights and activities near Plaza Espanya which were built at the foot of Montjuic hill for the 1929 World fair and later for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic games. The two Venetian Towers  are 47 m /154 ft tall and lead the way down the Av de la Reina Maria Cristina which is a splendid avenue often used for major festivals and events including the Barcelona marathon, the Merce festival and New Years Eve celebrations.

Sometimes the Avinguda de la Reina Maria can be closed of if it is being used for trade shows and festivals at the Fira Montjuic trade show area. At the opposite end of the Venetian Towers along the Avinguda de la Reina Maria is the famous Montjuic Magic Fountain and behind that one of Catalonia's finest museums, the MNAC Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, located in the Palau Nacional building built for the 1929 International Exhibition.

Las Arenas is a brand new Barcelona shopping mall built in a former bullfighting ring of the same name. Now Arenas has 5 floors of shops and cafes and a fabulous 360 degree rooftop sky walking platform with lovely views of Montjuic hill.

Some of Barcelona's nicest attractions are near Plaza Espanya. The closest is the Magic Fountain which has an amazing water, light and music display and a wonderful cascade of fountains flowing down from the MNAC art museum where you can also see wonderful city views. From the Magic Fountain it is just a short walk to the magnificent Poble Espanyol - Spanish Village which allows you to see all of Spain's architecture in one place and visit over 40 craft shops.

If you walk to the top of the fountains and go past the MNAC museum in the national palace, then you are near many other sights in cluding the miro museum and a cable car to the top of Montjuic where you can visit the former military castle Castell de Montjuic, which is now used for cultural activities and festivals.

Montjuic hill itself has a former military castle - Montjuic castle - on the summit with magnificent views of Barcelona's coastline. Montjuic castle oftens a variety of festivals and events in the summer.

Other sights on Montjuic include the Joan Miro museum, the Barcelona Olympic stadium, the Olympic diving pools (only open in July and August,) Barcelona botanical gardens, the Olympic sports museum and numerous lovely parks. You can also enjoy a cable car ride to the top of Montjuic and from another place on Montjuic you can take the port cable car over to the San Sebastia beach and the seafront Barceloneta area.

Just around the corner from Plaza is the Parc de Joan Miró (previously known as Parc de l'Escorxador (the Abbatoir Park) named after the Catalan painter Joan Miró and one of his major works in Barcelona is on public display in the park.

It is the 22m tall statue by Miro called "Dona i Ocell" (Woman and Bird)

Keep going down Carrer de Tarragona and you will come to Barcelona Sants central station where Spain's high speed AVE trains arrive in Barcelona.

Across from Plaza Espanya part of the former International exhibition area is still used for many exhibitions and trade fairs.

The nearby neighbourhoods of Sant Antoni and Poblesec are very authentic and have a growing number of excellent hotels, restaurants and bars.

Plaza Espanya also borders the Eixample district of Barcelona where you can find many lovely modernist buildings and it is about a 20 minute stroll through the streets of Eixample to the city center of Plaza Catalunya while enjoying the architecture and atmosphere.

There is another grand avenue called Avinguda del Paral·lel - in English Parallel Avenue which goes from Plaça d'Espanya all the way down to the seafront.

It got this odd name because it unlike other Barcelona streets, the street runs parallel to the Equator.

On the right side of Parallel if you are walking down to the sea from Plaza Espanya you find Poble Sec neighbourhood and on the left you can find a very nice part of the Eixample area with some nice streets, restaurants and cafes. 

Hotels near Plaza Espanya

Plaça de Espanya attractions


Arenas de Barcelona shopping mall 
Poble Espanyol Spanish Village
Montjuic castle
Magic Fountain
Miro Museum
MNAC national art museum
Mies Van der Rohe pavillion

Plaça de Espanya connections


Metro station Espanya connects red line L1 red, green line L3 so from station Espanya it is just 4 stops on metro red line to Catalunya metro station on Plaza Catalunya and 4 metro stations on green line L3 to the middle of Las Ramblas pedestrian street in the old city. Espanya station also is on FGC train network which operates L8 train which takes you the to Fira Gran Via exhibition centre in just 3 stops.

Also at Espanya station you can find the FGC train Llobregat–Anoia line with Baix Llobregat metro train lines S33, S4 and S8, and regional commuter rail lines R5, R6, R50 and R60.

The R50 or R5 lines take you to the famous Montserrat mountain 1 hour west of Barcelona. Further down Avinguda Paral·lel there are metro stations on both the L2 (purple line) and the L3 (green line).

There are numerous bus connections on Plaza Espanya and the Aerobus airport bus makes a stop there.

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Last Updated on Thursday, 14 March 2024 10:18
 

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