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So, do you want to know what to to around les Rambles? Oh wait. Is it las Ramblas or les Rambles? Well, Las Ramblas is in Spanish and Les Rambles in Catalan. Make your choice, we understand both perfectly when asked for directions, but hey, everybody can say Las Ramblas. Only locals can use Catalan. So, we dare you to say Les Rambles! Here are things to do in Barcelona around Las Ramblas.
Free art for everyone
Two of the best Barcelona’s free museums are here so, when asking yourself what to around Les Rambles the answer is clear: visit these places. They are Arts Santa Mònica, at the end of the avenue, close to the sea, in front of the wax museum and next to Drassanes Metro stop, and La Virreina, close to Liceu metro stop.
Arts Santa Mònica is dubbed as a «creativity center» and features mainly contemporary art, workshops related to new media and exhibitions about Catalan culture. On the other hand, the Palau de la Virreina calls itself «The image center» and also has contemporary art among it’s specialties (they featured an exhibition of Ai Weiwei’s work not so long ago) but they have more audiovisual and graphic content, not necessarily related with art. For example, the most interesting exhibition I saw there was a compilation of electoral campaigns from around the world (yes, I’m a freak for politics, sorry for that).
Eat at La Boqueria
Locals argue if this place is a genuine market or a theme park for tourists, but no matter what we say, La Boqueria market appears in all the lists of what to do around Les Rambles. That may be because, thanks to tourism, this market is more and more gorgeous day after day (they care a lot for the presentation of their goods) or because great chefs in the city still buy fresh fish, seafood or meat from here every morning. If you can fight for your space, try to eat something at the food places. Ferran Adrià, our most famous chef has been seen having a snack at Pinotxo. Enough said.
Taste chocolate the way we like it
Do you have a sweet-tooth? Then this idea for what to do around Les Rambles is for you. Why don’t you have a merienda consisting in chocolate and xurros at Carrer Petritxol? This place is a narrow alley parallel to Les Rambles. To get there, just find Carrer Cardenal Casanyas or Carrer Portaferrissa. In both cases, Petritxol is the second crossing. There you’ll find traditional bars called granges that can serve delicious melted chocolate where you can deep fried and sweetened churros. A pleasure of the Gods! As it’s quite a hidden place (but we, Barcelonians, know how to find it), nobody is going to know that you skipped your diet!
Fancy an opera session?
Almost at the point that marks the middle of Les Rambles there’s Barcelona’s Opera House, the Liceu. So, when looking for what to do around Les Rambles, why not listen to some opera, if it fits your budget? But be careful! We like to say Liceu is cursed because it has been totally destroyed several times since it’s construction in 1847. The last one was on 1994 and that piece of news is one of my first memories as a child! But anyway, now it’s a safe place where you can go on a tour inside for only 6€ and get a unique insight of one of the world’s most beautiful opera houses.
We hope you now have plenty ideas for what to do around Les Rambles. If you still need inspiration just come and visit this magic avenue. There’s always something to do at Les Rambles in Barcelona.
