Plaça de Catalunya – Catalonia Square

Welcome to Plaça de Catalunya, the heart of Barcelona. All the main shopping streets lead to this square. It’s also a popular meeting place, and no wonder why! There’s so much around you: shops, bus stops, statues, fountains, and a constant flow of people. There’s no better place to feel the city’s energy, it’s also where major public events and protests have taken place. If you want to see the square and the whole city from above, head to the cafeteria at Corte Inglés. This massive, rounded department store features a top-floor space, with a view over the city. Despite today’s hustle and bustle, this area was once a stretch of wasteland outside the old city walls. In 1927, King Alfonso XIII formally inaugurated the square into the city, becoming its central hub. Its luxurious hotels, bars, and theatres were built for the 1929 Universal Exposition. It now connects the old town’s Gothic Quarter with the Eixample district, and no, this doesn’t mean example, but expansion! The Eixample district is full of Art Nouveau masterpieces, which our second intinerary will introduce you to!