Gardens, parks, squares and green places in Barcelona – landscape architecture – 37 palces + map

Barcelona is a city that is well known for tourism. I’m sure that a horticultural tourist will feel like in paradise here. In Barcelona there is a lot of Gardens, parks, squares and green places. I have created a guide with a map of the gardens of Barcelona, ​​which will be usefull when you visit Spain.

During my gardening trips, I finally found my place on Earth. A place where I hope to live someday. I’ve been there three times and I have not seen everything yet. Barceona is a very green city. Palms and plane trees are growing along the streets and there are many parks, squares and gardens. It took me many days to prepare for each trip, because I didn’t find a guide of green places in Barcelona. Many green places were described on foreign blogs, but some gardens I found only on Google Maps.

I hope that the following list along with the map will be very useful for you. There are many green places, which is why I divided them into three categories.

Gardens

1. Barcelona Botanical Garden (JBB – Jardi Botànic de Barcelona)

The Botanical Garden seeks to demonstrate the great similarities between Californian, Chilean, South African and Australian landscapes and those of the Mediterranean basin through a wide-ranging representation of plant species from Mediterranean-type climates. The ticket cost € 3.50 It’s free on the first Sunday of every month and other Sundays from 15:00. More photos here: Jardi Botanic de Barcelona.

2. Garden in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia (Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia)

It’s amazing that there is a garden in the cathedral. The building is beautiful inside and outside. In the middle there is a courtyard with a garden that looks mysterious. I didn’t expect to see it there. It’s free, but you have to have a modest outfit – covered arms and pants to the knees.

3. L’Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau

As before, this garden was also not on my list and I saw it on the way to another garden. The hospital has a beautiful architecture. During the renovation, the gardens were also renovated. Entry is 14 euros, on some Sundays for free.

   

4. Jardins de Laribal 

This is one of my favorite gardens. It is located on the hill of Montjuic. There are a lot of mysterious corners, stairs that don’t know where they lead, ponds, fountains. You can get lost here.

 

5. The Greek Theater (Jardins del Teatre Grec)

The Greek Theater is located next to the Jardins de Laribal. Next to the theater there is a garden with low plants in geometric flowerbeds and small pond.

6. The Cactus Garden (Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera)

This garden must see every lover of greenery. For the first time in my life I’ve seen something so amazing. Thousands of cactus in one place! This is a collection of unusual, original plants.

7. Jardins de Joan Brossa

This is a garden with some very strange sculptures. An architecture lovers will definitely pay attention to the original surface of paths. It is located on the side of the Montjuic hill.

 

8. Jardins d’Ignacio Urenda

This is an extraordinary place that will not like to everyone, but the freaks of landscape architecture will be impressed. The garden is located between two blocks in the poor part of Barcelona. There is a lot of concrete and not  attractive plants. You can take the elevator to the garden. It looks the best from the windows of the apartments, but unfortunately you can not go there.

 

9. Jardins de Miquel Martí i Pol

The garden was founded around the building of the Museum of Modern Art. There are narrow paths and it’s quite shady. There is a huge wooden bench and many people always rest on it. I was impressed by the gate made of chains.

   

10. The Vertical Garden at Diagonal Avenue (Avinguda Diagonal, 662)

I saw this building during a bike ride. The elevation is covered with a lot of concrete pots. A huge plants grow in them.

 

11. Jardins de Tarradellas (vertical garden)

This is another vertical garden that has been „glued” to the existing building. A steel structure with thousands of plants was added to the wall without windows.

12. The garden of hadge maze (Parc del Laberint d’Horta)

This is the oldest garden in Barcelona, which attracts tourists with a labyrinth of plants. The labyrinth did’t impress me, because many plants died and a few years will pass before it return to splendor. The park is not just a maze. It is beautiful, shady, very romantic. There are also other buildings and water pond. The entrance costs 3 euros and it is free on Sundays.

 

13. Jardín de Aclimatacion

I visit this small garden when I was going to the Olympic stadium. There is very charming, that’s why I saw many resting people there.

 

Squares

14. The Sagrada Familia Square (Plaça de Gaudi)

Everyone known this place who visit the Sagrada Familia. This is the best view of the church, where tourists relax and take pictures there. The square is not very charming. In the middle there is a pond with green water.  I decided to mention it because in the eastern part of square there are beautiful floral compositions.

  

15. Passeig de Sant Joan

It is a long square next to the road. It has a very nice surface of grass in the pavement and beautiful benches.

 

16. Plaça de Joan Antoni Coderch

A square that is not attractive during the day, but takes on colors at night. I spotted it from the tram 🙂

 

17. Plaça de les Cascades

This is probably the most famous square in Barcelona, located in front of the National Palace. There are giant stairs, lots of cascades and a huge fountain. The square is worth seeing during the day and at night. There are also multimedia fountain shows.

 

18. Plaça de l’Armada (Jardines de Miramar)

I fell in love with this place. The square is located on the Monjuic Hill from the sea and offers the most beautiful view of the harbor. There is a very nice garden (Jardines de Miramar) with perennials and ombu trees (Phytolacca dioica).

19. Plaça del Virrei Amat

Here I saw a different side of Barcelona. The square is not described in any guidebooks, so there are no tourists here. It is attractive for lovers of landscape architecture, becouse there are original constructions. I paid attention to the original surface (concrete + granite strip).

 

20. Plaça de Harry Walker

This square is located in the usual residential area of Barcelona. There is an original fountain here. No tourists 🙂

21. Plaça Reial

On the square there are probably the most beautiful palms in all of Barcelona. Of course, this is not what the square is famous for. Tourists come here for buildings, palaces, arcades, beautiful fountain. I liked the lanterns designed by Gaudi.

 

Parks

22. Parc de la Ciutadella

I like this park, becouse it was the first place I saw in Barcelona. This is on of the biggest parks in Barcelona and one of the most attractive. There are water ponds, beautiful fountains with a cascades, lots of plants, and a zoo. Unfortunately, greenhouses with tropical plants are under renovation. In the park there is the Catalan Parliament.

 

23. Park Güell

One of the main attractions of Barcelona. Antonio Gaudi designed here a housing estate consisting of 60 plots, but only 5 buildings were built. The whole area was transformed into a park.

 

24. Diagonal Mar Park

I really like this park, that’s why I was here during the first and the second trip. It is located near the sea in a modern district of Barcelona. The park is also very modern. There is a very large pond with fountains, very nice plants and many artistic installations. For children there are wide slides on the hills.

    

25. Jardins de Can Miralletes

There is a huge pergola built of bricks and wood. A nice place to rest.

 

26. Parc del Centre del Poblenou

I was lucky because there was a party at night 🙂 It is a large park consisting of three parts separated by roadways. There are a lot of artistic installations, original benches and lanterns, luminous balls. I really liked the pergola above the road.

   

27. The garden of Barcelona Design Museum (Museu del Disseny de Barcelona)

The building of the Design Center is very original, so it’s no wonder that there is a very modern garden at its back. I like the green walls near the water.

28. Jardins de Joan Maragall

I like it in Barcelona! The new one is intertwined with the old one. Before two world exhibitions, many buildings and gardens were built in Barcelona. An example is this garden. Unfortunately, open only on Sundays.

 

29. Espanya Industrial Park

Espanya Industrial Park is an extraordinary place that will not like to everyone, but the architecture lovers will be impressed. There is a lot of concrete. At one of the entrances, there is a sculpture of a dragon, which is also a slide for larger children.

 

30. Parc de Joan Miro

Dona i Ocell, „Woman and Bird” is a 22-metre high sculpture by Joan Miró located in the park built for his celebration. Unfortunately the sculpture was under renovation, so I do not have a photo of it. The art of this Barcelona artist is in many places around the city. I recommend you visit the Joan Miro Foundation. I was there, worth it!

31. Parc de Pedralbes

A park like many in Barcelona, but there is something in it that will attract architecture lovers, especially Gaudi lovers: a pergola designed by him.

32. Jardines de la Rambla de Sants

I saw pictures of High Line Park in New York a few years ago, but I didn’t think I would see something also wonderful in Barcelona. It is hard to believe that a few years ago a railway line was here. The railway line is still here, but it was covered with a viaduct with garden on the roof.  It’s landscape architecture at the highest level.

33. Parc de la Pegaso

A simple park, but it’s nice to rest in it. It is located in a residential area, so there are no tourists. The park is full of life.

 

34. Parc Central de Nou Barris

This is one of the largest parks in Barcelona. Like the previous one, it is located in a residential area, but I have not seen many people here. It is worth seeing because there are original wooden constructions.

35. Parc del Fòrum

Why is this place in my guide? It’s a concrete desert. It’s true, there is not much greenery here, but landscape architecture is not just plants. This is probably the windiest place in Barcelona, so not many plants could be here.

36. Parc de les Rieres d’Horta

This park was built a few years ago along the roadway. It is very modern and everyone should see it. For example to see that you can design a nice playground, which is not in all the colors of the rainbow.

37. Parc de l’Estació del Nord

I lived next to this park during my second trip to Barcelona, but I came to it next trip. The park is large but well-kept. Most of the area is lawns for recreation. It is worth seeing because of large mosaic sculptures and an interesting square with trees.

This is the end 🙂

I’m glad you read everything. I admit that this guide is long, but in Barcelona there are so many places to see. I tell you that after my next trip to this city, more places will be here. If you want more now, go googles with Parc de Can Rigal 🙂

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