A special park for children One of the best parks to go with young children in Barcelona is the Parc de la Ciutadella (underground L1, Arc de Triomf, and bus). It is a historic park built in the estate occupied by the Ciutadella, a fort built by Felip V after the Guerra de Sucesión, in the XVIII century. With time, this area, originally for weapons, was taken over for the enjoyment of the public. The park was designed by the architect Josep Fontseré. The original project preserved some of the buildings of the old Ciutadella, for example that of the Parlament de Catalunya (visits by arrangement), which was modified for the 1888 Universal Exposition. The Parc de la Ciutadella is recommended for games, sport and leisure. Its nearness to the city centre and the fact that it houses the zoo, makes it a busy place with tourists and locals. The Parc de la Ciutadella oozes the multicultural atmosphere of the city and is full of groups of people from different cultures. It is an ideal park to take children to the special children´s park and the ludoteca - the park also has public toilets and first aid for children. The children are attracted by the waterfall and the ducks swimming in the pond. The more adventurous can hire boats and bikes. Near the waterfall, children stand with their Fountains at Parc de la Ciutadella Parc de la Ciutadella mouths open in front of the great stone mammoth (mamut de piedra) and climb its long trunk. To round off the visit, you can go to the Zoo de Barcelona, where children always enjoy themselves.   « Back   Learn surrounded by green spaces The Parc de la Ciutadella also has important museums, such as the Museum of Zoology and that of Geology, which are part of the Museo de las Ciencias Naturales. As one of the activities of Forum 2004, the exhibition "La diversidad de la vida" will be on at this museum from the third of June 2004 to June 2005. This exhibition, for which Jordi Vigas was commissioned, demonstrates the origin of life, energy and the causes and changes of biological diversity. The demonstration is an attempt to make people appreciate the importance of conserving environmental diversity. In the Parc de la Ciutadella there is also the Hivernacle, where you can have a soft drink and el umbráculo. Together with the Museo de las Ciencias Naturales, in the twenties, these formed a group dedicated to Natural Sciences. The architecture, both within and outside of the buildings are also of interest to the visitor. Parques y Jardines de Barcelona offer different training programmes, as well as the Aula d'Ecología Urbana del Parc de la Ciutadella. In the Parc del Laberint d'Horta you will find the Centre de Formación del Laberint. The centre designs an annual programme of activities. It is possible to join in gardening courses, which start at a level for those who are just interested and go on to courses with a more technical and specialised content. To register for the courses you need to get in contact directly with the centre (telephone: 934 282 500). Because of the increasing public interest in Nature, Parques y Jardines have started a programme of activities of environmental education with Ecoima, an ecological non-profit making association. They have set up a programme for the protection of aquatic birds in the city parks. One of the things which is part of this education is that they ask you not to feed the animals, as this encourages litter and rats and, in the end, prejudices the birds. It is also important that you do not abandon pets such as turtles and tortoises, fish or birds in the gardens; as well as being cruel, it is also illegal. Many parks have set up systems for composting. This is part of a programme of sustainability which takes advantage of waste vegetables and trimmings to use as fertiliser.   « Back   Parks to think and dream in Parks are one of the best places to sit and think. If you want to visit an exceptional place, you can visit the Parc del Laberint d'Horta (underground L3, Llars Mundet, and bus), a complete marvel. This park is catalogued in the historic group of parks in the city along with Parc de la Ciutadella, Parc Güell and Turó Parc. But the Parc del Laberint d'Horta has something special which you can only capture by walking through the trees. It preserves the neoclassical garden of the XVIII century, which is the oldest in Barcelona. The building belonged to the Marqués de Llupià y de Alfarràs, but in the seventies it was passed into the hands of the City Council, and opened to the public. In the neoclassic style garden house there is a defence tower, known as the Torre Subirana, which dates back to mediaeval times. The place oozes a dreamlike atmosphere, in particular around the romantic canal, built in 1853. Where the canal ends there is the l'Illa de l'Amor, near which it is easy to find couples holding hands. The romantic garden and the small classic temples of Ariadna and Dànae introduce us to a sensual, languid world which encourages you to pause and reflect. The labyrinth is the central piece of the iconography of the park. It is a green labyrinth of cypresses around a statue of Eros, representing love. Parc del Laberint d'Horta Statue of Eros in the centre of El Laberint The fact that it is far from the centre and that there is a small fee to enter, makes the park less frequented by visitors. In addition, dogs and bicycles are not allowed in, and it is forbidden to have picnics or play ball games or other noisy games. The Parc del Laberint d'Horta is an ideal place to spend an afternoon reading a good book, thinking and for romance. For the same reasons, the Jardins del Palau de Pedralbes are also interesting. They were on the estate of J. A. Güell, who gave the tower found within to build a palace destined as a residence for the Spanish Royal Family when they stayed in Barcelona. It is a splendid architectural site. In 1983, hidden in the vegetation, a fountain designed by Gaudi was found. It is a park of dense, exuberant vegetation, with flower beds and cosy corners where the visitor can easily be alone.   « Back   Botanic jewels Barcelona has several thematic gardens, some of which are very curious and interesting. The Parc de Cervantes i Roserar (underground L3, Zona Universitaria, and bus) is one of these. It is a garden dedicated to roses. There is a botanical route which allows you to admire roses from all the continents. In the zone known as la Pérgola, there are 233 varieties of climbing roses, miniature roses and other surprising species. In the Parc de Cervantes, near the rose garden, there is an ideal area for sport, as it is very large. It is a good place to run, cycle or walk. The Jardí Botànic de Barcelona (underground L3, Paral·lel + Funicular de Montjuïc, bus and mechanical stairs from the plaza de Espanya, Metro L1 y L3) is in Montjuïc. Just on this hill, and in the surrounding areas there are eleven different gardens, so it is possible to follow a route which goes through the Jardins del Joan Maragall, neoclassical style; the Jardins del Viver dels Tres Pins, and the jardins del Mossen Cinto Verdaguer. The area around Montjuïc is ideal to spend a morning playing sport, reading or simply thinking. The Botanic gardens have species from Mediterranean climates from around the world and others which are able to adapt to the climate. Parc de Cervantes i Roserar Jardí Botànic     « Back   Parc Güell, artistic marvel Parc Güell (underground L3, Lesseps, and bus) was an attempt to create an urbanisation in the countryside. Gaudí, with the help of the architect Josep Maria Jujol, used all his knowledge and urban restlessness. The park covers twenty hectares where not a single straight line can be seen. Everything is undulated, twisted and sinuous, creating a magic atmosphere. The Sala Hipóstila is one of the most interesting places, frequented by tourists and sometimes by musicians who play classical pieces. Before arriving there you will find ornamental motifs on the steps, elaborately worked with fragile materials (materials such as ceramic and glass fragments). These support a balcony with the most well-known views of the city. At the edge of the terrace there is a stall to buy soft drinks. According to the locals, the areas around the plaza of Parc Güell were caves, where people hid during the bombings of the Civil War. From this privileged vantage point the people in hiding could watch terrified as bombs fell on the city. The park has always been a place for children´s games, hiding behind the columns designed by Gaudí, which are all over the park. Parc Güell is the work most extensive, in size, of the architect Antoni Gaudí and was classified Dragon at the entrance to Parc Güell The balcony at Parc Güell as World Heritage by UNESCO in 1984. The vegetation is basically Mediterranean and pine trees, carob trees and other native species are abundant. You can take the opportunity to visit the nearby Parc de la Creueta del Coll.   « Back