This is a small but delightful and sunny park, with spaces to enjoy the shade, located in the Eixample de Barcelona. It is ideal to enjoy quiet picnics very close the centre of Barcelona and the busy Parc de la Ciutadella.

It is the work of the architects Andreu Arriola, Carme Fiol and Enric Pericas that gave way to a park of approximately five hectares, with enough room for pitches of grass and trees in the open air around the old railway station del Nord, closed in 1972. It was the American sculptor Beverly Pepper with her work Fallen sky which gave a creative shape and personality to the green area. Inspired by the Gaunian style, the sculpture is a surface of diaphanous and clear lines, where the green of the grass contrasts with the blue of the mosaic.

The park is also a communication point between buildings of Barcelona such as the Auditori, the TNC and the Archive de la Corona de Aragón. It is very accessible by public transport (Metro L1 – Arc de Triomf, L1 – Marina; Bus 6, 40, 42, 54, B20, B25, H14; Tram T4 – Marina and train Renfe – Arc de Triomf) and even on foot.

More information / How to get there

This park is divided into two parts: the Northeast and the Southeast. It has a recreational feature and is ideal for having picnics with family or friends. It has lawns, trees, children’s games, ping pong tables and a picnic area. The Northeast (el Roserar), has a clear botanical/scenic interest: The garden is known for its lovely roses and is very well kept (and where we advise against the practice of picnics to preserve the environment). It is beautiful to see, especially in spring and summer. There a rose competition takes place and sculptures of Andreu Alfaro, Eulàlia Fàbregas de Sentmenat and Jacinto Bustos Vasallo are erected. It is very accessible by public transport (Metro Línea 3 – Palau Reial, Tram, Bus).

This park is ideal for having a picnic with family or with friends and visiting the Northeast zone, where you can appreciate its very interesting botanic features.

More information / How to get there

A garden with lawns, trees and ponds. The trail has many corners which, despite the amount of people visiting the area, provide intimate spaces (especially on the right side, both North and South). It is very easily accessible by public transport (Metro Linea 3 – Palau Reial, Tram, Bus).

It is a garden with historical, architectural, artistic, botanical and scenic interest. It hosts the old country house Can Feliu which was the residence of the Spanish Royal Family between 1919 and 1931 when they visited the city. It was renovated by Antoni Gaudi who also designed part of the garden. It contains a group of sculptures by Josep Llimona, Enric Casanovas, Eusebi Arnau, Àngel Tarrach, Enric Casanovas, Carles Buïgas and Eulàlia Fàbregas.

The palace currently contains the Ceramics museum, the Museum of Decorative Arts and the Textile and Clothing Museum.

More information / How to get there

This is a separate green area where we can find a variety of parks and places of interest. Montjuïc has been a witness and protagonist of important historical events, which have shaped its current character. Remains have been found which indicate prehistoric human presence here, although more recently, the international show in 1929 sparked the urbanization of the area and the celebration of the Olympic games in 1992 caused its great renovation.

In Montjuïc you can visit museums such as the Fundació Miró, the Museum of Archaeology, Ethnological Museum, the National Art Museum of Catalonia -MNAC and the German Pavilion by Mies van der Rohe. The old textile factory Casaramona, work of the modernist Puig i Cadafalch, displays the CaixaForum expositions. La Font Màgica and the Poble Espanyol,  where you can find the city of craftsmen (ciutat dels artesans), are another places of interest which you can’t miss in Barcelona.

In the area of la Anilla Olimpica, you can find the Stadium Lluís Companys, the Palau Sant Jordi, work of Arata Izosaki and the telecommunications tower of Santiago Calatrava. Very close by, the Museu Olímpic i de l’Esport Joan Antoni Samaranch and the Jardí Botànic are also worth visiting if you cross the Montjuïc park.

It is very easy to access this mountain by public transport (Metro, Bus or on foot despite the incline) and has various services such as three areas with picnic tables (see map), games and giant slides for children (in various gardens), toilets (see map) and various viewpoints where you can appreciate the beauty of the city.

In this area various activities take place in summer such as an outdoor cinema in the Castell de Montjuïc, the festival Música als Parcs, the Brunch Electrónic or the Piknicelectronik (nothing to do with us, but highly recommended if you like electronic music).

The best gardens (in order of priority) to enjoy a great picnic are:

The Mossen Cinto Verdaguer gardens

This is a space of 4.3 hectares, highly-recommended for having a picnic. It has a lots of lawns, shade, a great lake and views of the city from the highest part of the park.

The Joan Brossa gardens

5.2 hectares long, it is mostly made up of a lawn area on an incline. It contains mostly Mediterranean vegetation although you will also find coniferous trees such as Cedar, Pines and Cypress. As well as its plants, it also has various areas for children’s games and leisure activities, such as a range of sculptures divided between different sites. This garden has around 230 species of plants.

The Barcelona Acclimatization gardens

This garden is divided into lawn areas in the shade with shrubbery which gives way to enclosed spaces. It is ideal for very hot days.

The Mirador del Alcalde gardens

This is a wide area of land on the west side of the Montjuïc mountain, at the foot of the castle, with magnificent views of the Barcelona port, and the coastline area of the city. A big part of the green area of these gardens is made up of laws, pine trees and palm trees of many diverse species. Its larger part, closer to the castle, is the best place for having picnics especially next to the pond. It is a frequently visited area, especially by tourists and we only recommend having picnics in the higher areas. Despite its limited space, it is an interesting place with great views of the city.

The Mirador plazas and walkways are made up of a mosaic paving of 420 m2, made with cutting edges, cobbles, bricks, tiles, iron and concrete. Designed by Joan Josep Tharrats, this paving forms a part of the Local Art Association catalogue.

The garden of sculptures (Jardí d’Escultures)

This garden is located next to the Miro Foundation. It is a small lawn area with a few trees. The most interesting part about this space is that it is filled with sculptures made by contemporary artists. It was built in 1990 as part of an architectural project by Jaume Freixa and Jordi Farrando, and in 2002 it was rebuilt by Marina Salvador. It contains the work of sculptors such as Tom Carr, Pep Duran, Perejaume, Enric Pladevall, Jaume Plensa, Josep Maria Riera i Aragó, Cado Manrique, Ernest Altès, Gabriel Sáenz Romero and Sergi Aguilar.

How to get there (from this point you can walk easily, catch the cable car up the mountain or take various buses – see Map above)

This is a wonderful place in Barcelona, without a doubt one of the best lookout points in the city. With a height of 262 metres you can fully appreciate the city, and with various paved terraces where you can enjoy a picnic. There is currently free access to section of the Barcelona History Museum located there where you can read about its history, particular about the bunkers and the past experiences of immigrants in the barracks.

This part has no shaded areas, therefore if you want to have a picnic we recommend that you go on a cooler day or even in the evening. The beautiful sunset attracts many people to this area, so if you want to find a good spot then you will have to get there earlier than later.

There are no services in this area but right next to it you will find the parks of Guinardó and Park Güell.

More information / More information 2 / More information 3 / How to get there

This park has both a well-kept garden area and typical Mediterranean woods area with pine trees. Its garden terraces and pine trees turn this place into one of the most peaceful and refreshing green zones in the city. It has various services such as parking, children’s games area and picnic area.  It is made up of three separate parts:

The forest park (near the Carmel Bunkers)

This large pine tree inhabited area has beautiful views of the city, perfect for having picnics in summer and on very hot days, or ideal for combining a visit to the bunkers with a picnic in the forest.

The historic park

This is made up of a rustic and dense leafy garden, which runs up by the mountain through lookout points connected by pathways or steps. Above it all there is a fountain where you can enjoy the most magnificent views of Barcelona in this park.

The urban park

This is where the main entrance is located. It is formed by terraces located on different levels, separated by embankments with lawns, trees and bushes. It is perfect for walking around or sitting on a bench to enjoy the scenery for a while.

More information / More information 2 / How to get there

This small park is located just beyond the sea, between the Bogatell beach and the Mar Bella beach. It is an area containing laws and pine trees next to the sea, ideal for combining a beach day with a relaxed picnic beneath the pine trees. It has three ping-pong tables, games for children and an area which allows in dogs.

How to get there

Barcelona offers you 4.2 kilometres of golden sandy beaches, only 10 minutes from the centre of the city. The perfect combination of sun, sea, sand and a picnic. The coastline of the city is divided into the following beaches (from South to North): Sant Sebastià beach, Sant Miquel beach, Barceloneta beach, Somorrostro beach, Nova Icària beach, Bogatell beach, Mar Bella beach, Nova Mar Bella beach and Llevant beach.

From the Sebastia beach you can have a picnic with views of the whole coast of the city. Although if you prefer to do something more relaxed and flee from the crowded beaches you could go to the Llevant beach (the further North you go, the quieter).

More information

How to get to: Sant Sebastià beach / How to get to: Sant Miquel beach / How to get to:Barceloneta beach / How to get to: Somorrostro beach / How to get to: Nova Icària beach / How to get to: Bogatell beach / How to get to: Mar Bella beach / How to get to: Nova Mar Bella beach / How to get to: Llevant beach

This is an old modernist complex located in the Les Corts de Barcelona district which, nowadays, is used as a place for various social and institutional activities. The building complex was designed by Camil Oliveras in collaboration with General Guitart. Amongst the modernist buildings there are large gardens with peaceful areas, despite the huge crowds of people constantly passing through them. It also has wide fenced meadows with various species of trees, such as pine, plum, elm, cinnamon and catalpa trees. There are also various areas for children’s games.

There are sculptures of Vicenç Navarro, the workshop El Arte Cristiano (founded in 1880 by Joaquim Vayreda, Josep Berga i Boix and Valentí Carrer), Luisa Granero, Antonio Sacramento and Sergi Aguilar.

More information / How to get there

This was the first public park in Barcelona, built towards the end of the 19th century, similar in appearance to the Luxembourg garden in Paris in the old strongholds of the city. It is widely used area for all types of leisure and cultural activities. It has more than 100 species of plants, many centennial trees and sculptures of interest.

This is the ideal place for having a picnic, with sunny lawn areas and others with more shade. Being the most frequently visited park and the closest to the centre, the lawn is sometimes damaged from so much use. In this area you can combine a great picnic with enjoying the park in many different ways: reading about the history of the old military citadel and the Universal Exposition of 1888, or even simply enjoying the scenery and participating in one of the many cultural activities taking place (we recommend the Park Music festivals). It is an outstanding public park in Barcelona.

Services: Children’s games area, leisure activity area for families, areas for dogs, ping-pong tables, picnic tables, boat hire and a bar.

More information / How to get there

A park with architectural and scenic interest, designed by the French architect Jean Nouvel. The idea was to make a sunny park for winter, which begins to give shade in spring and then turns into a completely shaded park in summer. It has few lawn areas, although there is a beautiful covered section with weeping willows which, acting almost as curtains give way to enclosed and shaded areas. This little corner is ideal for having a quiet and relaxing picnic.

This makes a very interesting visit as it is no longer an habitual  park and having domes, sculptures, pathways and various coloured areas it almost gives an Alice in Wonderland feel. It is located in the 22@ District and is divided into three parts which all have a lot of character. In the park you will find the MUHBA Oliva Artés. There are also children’s games areas, ping-pong tables and a basketball ground.

More information / How to get there

The bathing area forum is a unique space: it is made up of swimming pools with sea water. The floor is paved with slats and you can reach the pools via steps. It is situated at the feet of the Elías Torres and José Antonio Lapeña photovoltaic plate and very close to Fórum building of the Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron.

It is easy to access this area by public transport (bus 7, 143, H16; Metro Linea 4 – Maresme/Forum; Tramvia T4 – Maresme/Fòrum and bike lane). It also offers emergency services, an information point, showers and public toilets.

More information / How to get there

Work of the Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue architects, the park has a modern design and hosts various metallic structures with sculptures shaped in a whimsical fashion, and which in certain areas hosts large gardens decorated with coloured ceramic, created by the ceramicist Antoni Cumella Vendrell.

The park is divided into three areas, two smaller ones with ponds and another larger one with a big lake, inhabited by ducks, geese and aquatic birds. A wooden bridge joins the two banks of the lake. There are many inclined lawn areas, one of which named Magic Mountain has sledges which take children down the hills. The benches take the shape of sea waves. The park’s vegetation is made up of 51 different species of trees, and amongst these is a Canary dredge tree which is 150 years old. The park also includes children’s games areas, football and basketball pitches, boules pitches and ping-pong tables. The other side of the park’s grounds is made up of buildings such as houses, offices, hotels and a shopping centre.

More information / More information 2 / How to get there