The best things to do for free in Barcelona
Below our expert shares her top recommendations on the best things to do for free in the city, while for further
Nearest metro:
Metro Liceu
In Roman times, the hill where the city's cathedral now stands was home to a complex that included the main temple and forum, along with a smaller temple – the Temple d'August (dedicated to the emperor Augustus). Today, you can see the four Corinthian columns which formed part of the temple, but for centuries they were hidden in the fabric of other buildings; they were only rediscovered in the 19th century. They are found within the patio of a mountaineering centre, but are accessible to the public, and entrance to the space is free. A more recent discovery is the townhouse, mosaics and other Roman remains nearby at Carrer Fruita 2.
Contact
:
Nearest metro:
Metro Jaume I
Nearest metro
: Metro Jaume 1
The gorgeous old Born market lay unused for decades, but it has now been transformed into an impressive archaeological exhibition space – the Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria. The slatted iron and patterned brickwork framework surrounds a sunny atrium, where visitors can walk around the medieval remains of buildings razed to the ground after the Catalans' defeat in the War of Spanish Succession in 1714. This gives the building huge symbolic significance in the current political climate and is free to enter, but there's also a ticketed exhibition space that looks at life at the time, the battle and its aftermath.
Contact
:
Nearest metro:
Metro Jaume I
For Old City residents, Ciutadella is the nearest they have to a back garden, and so year-round you'll see kids learning to rollerskate or cycle, musicians practising and old ladies walking their tiny dogs. Plenty is on offer for tourists, too, including a boating lake, a waterfall partly designed by Gaudí, the city zoo, snack bars and an abundance of sculptures. There are picnic zones, outdoor ping-pong tables, and a couple of playgrounds – including one for blind or disabled children. The most peaceful place to read or picnic is next to the pond in the formal rose gardens.
Opening times:
Daily, 8.30am-sunset
Nearest metro:
Metro Arc de Triomf
Nearest metro:
Metro Paral·lel, then Funicular de Montjuïc
Nearest metro:
Bus 47, H16 or V15 to Passeig Marítim
After stints living in Seville and Madrid, in 2001 Sally Davies settled in Barcelona's El Born, a stone's throw from Ciutadella Park and the Santa Caterina market, two of her favourite places anywhere.
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