Travel

Barcelona part 2 Rambla and Gothic Quarter

We begin this walking tour in the main square at the center of Barcelona, Plaça de Catalunya -- a patch of greenery, with trees, lawns, fountains and benches, and flanked by two large department stores, El Corte Ingles and FNAC. Barcelona's modern shopping district is just north, and the Old Town is just south. Catalunya is a transit hub, with several metro and commuter trains underneath, major bus stops all around, and nine streets leading into it. You can catch the open-top tour bus in front of Corte Ingles, but hold off on that scenic ride until tomorrow after you have seen the heart of town on foot. RAMBLA: Stroll from Catalunya along the famous Rambla, a broad pedestrian promenade extending from the southwest corner of the square and continuing for ¾ of a mile to the waterfront and column in honor of Columbus. The Rambla is Barcelona at its best, day and night, so plan to come back to this stretch many times during your visit. The Rambla is always busy with people walking past its flower shops, newsstands, bars, cafes and is alive with activity throughout the day and night, making this one of the top venues for strolling in all of Europe. All but one of the lanes extending from the east side of the Rambla into the Old Town are for pedestrians only, so take the plunge. Rather than walking the full length of the Rambla straight to the waterfront this first time, detour into the Gothic Quarter and explore the gold mine of little lanes. Half the fun of this experience is just wandering and getting a little lost, although it always helps to have a map and general itinerary for guidance. Some of the main sights you want to be sure you cover are outlined here, but the network of walking paths is so continuous and compact you could follow your own instincts and have a good time exploring it. The walking paths are continuous, without dead-ends, and the historic zone is so compact that you cannot get very lost.