The sprawling site of the 1992 Olympic Games is worth the trip to Montjuïc. You will see the Palau Sant Jordi, an indoor sports complex, the Picornell swimming pools, and most famously, the Olympic Stadium Lluís Companys, built in 1929 in a bid to host the 1936 games (the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War scuttled that chance). Tour the refurbished 55,000-seat stadium, which now hosts big musical acts and soccer competitions, and visit the Olympic and Sports Museum next door. A vast esplanade lined with curious columns that resemble smokestacks is one of the area’s most distinguishing features, as is Santiago Calatrava’s soaring all-white communications tower with its needle-shaped spire.
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Montjuïc, MNAC, and the Olympic Park
Start at the top with sweeping views of the Catalan capital from Montjuïc Castle and the Olympic Park (Paseo Olímpico, 17-19). Then, learn about everything Miró at Fundaciò Miró before you widen your horizons at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (Palau Nacional), housed in a palace, no less. At Poble Espanyol, tour some of Spain’s most memorable historic architecture, built for the 1929 International Exposition. End your day with a son-et-lumiere show at the Magic Fountain in front of MNAC.
