Visit The rambla and the marine in a car with driver

The Rambla is possibly the most well known avenue and represents a typical postcard of the city.

A place for public and sport celebrations, the Rambla is a boulevard that starts in Plaça Catalunya (Barcelona’s commercial area) and ends in the Port, offering a multicoloured picture of people enjoying a walk, kiosks selling flowers and birds, live statues, artists, musicians, painters and atmosphere.

One of the symbols of the Rambla is the Fountain of Canaletes. Tradition says that visitors who drink from this source will return to Barcelona.

It is worth to stop for a moment and visit the Church of Betlem and the Palau de la Virreina, with permanent exhibitions of interest.

A visit to the Market of la Boqueria is advisable to enjoy an incredible contrast between colours and activity, ideal to discover why Mediterranean cuisine is internationally known due to its ingredients.

Walking down the avenue, in direction to the sea, we find the Plà de la Boqueria. Its pavement is decorated with a mosaic of Joan Miró. Very near is the Gran Teatre del Liceu (the Opera House), recently reconstructed after a devastating fire in 1994.

To the right, in Nou de la Rambla Street, the Palau Güell can be seen, a beautiful palace of recommended visit where you will be able to appreciate all the creative capacity of Antoni Gaudí

Crossing the Rambla we find the Plaça Reial, an interesting porticoed square ideal to relax and enjoy a coffee in on of the many cafés.

The Rambla ends in the port, dominated by the Columbus Monument, built in 1888 and accessible to the public.

One of the major transformations of contemporary Barcelona is the marine facade and the Port Vell. In less than ten years, Barcelona, that lived with its back to the sea, has discovered new areas, transforming old dockyards and warehouses into very popular walking areas full of restaurants, ideal to stop off and have lunch in an open and sunny terrace, enjoying a pleasant view of the port.

Another new leisure area created for the 1992 Olympiads and connected to the Passeig Colón, is the complex of Maremagnum, where the Aquarium, the IMAX, cinemas, restaurants of all type and fashionable night clubs are located.

Very near are the Drassanes (Royal shipyards). Their construction began during Pedro the great reign, becoming the largest ship construction area of the middle Ages, in which up to 30 ships could be built simultaneously.

At present, this complex accommodates the Marine Museum, of great interest.