AllWays Traveller Features
Visit Spain in a day at Barcelona's Poble Espanyol
Situated on 12 acres in the middle of Barcelona, the country of Spain can be found within the city...Poble Espanyol or the Spanish Village. The Spanish village is a pedestrian friendly, open-air museum which was constructed for the 1929 Barcelona International Exhibition. It was slated to be demolished after the exhibition but proved to be very popular both with the residents of the city and tourists so the village remained. This was a brilliant decision on Barcelona's part.
The 'must visit' list
Poble Espanyol was on our must visit list. Although we have spent considerable time in Barcelona, another attraction always went to the top of the list and Poble Espanyol was pushed further down. This time would be different. The idea of seeing all of Spain's architecture in one location was intriguing. Online reviews were mixed however we like to experience and form our own opinions. I am so glad we visited. It is a piece of paradise in the middle of a busy city.
Walk this way
Representing Spain
The Village
Within the village you'll find restaurants specializing in cuisine from the various regions in Spain, thirty artisans creating jewelry, handbags, ceramics...the variety and quality is superb. With its colorful bunting, the Plaza Mayor attracts school children on a field trip. Their laughter echoes through the village.
If you enjoy contemporary art, stop by The Museu Frans Daurel. Picasso and Dali are just a few of the featured artists. Besides paintings, you'll see interesting sculptures and other mediums of art.
Festivals are held on the weekends with concerts in the evening. The village is family friendly. We enjoyed seeing multi-generations strolling through the grounds. With the youngest family members chasing the birds in the plaza, it made for a lively visit.
When you go:
The village is open 365 days. The hours vary by season
Transportation: Metro - Espanya Station (Line 1 and Line 3) Tourist Bus - Poble Espanyol Stop
Admission: 12E adults, children 4-12 7E, under 4 free
It is an uphill walk to Poble Espanyol. We did our homework, we knew it was on Montjuic. Looking at the map, the walk looked tame although uphill. By walking, we knew we would see details of Spanish life that might be missed by taking the metro or Tourist Bus. It was a scenic walk, however by the time we strolled through the medieval gate to the village, we needed a break. Turning just in time to see smiling people jump off the Tourist Bus, I made a mental note to arrive by that mode of transportation should we visit again.
Representing Spain
The small team of architects who designed Poble Espanyol visited Spain in its entirety choosing the architecture that best represented the regions. 117 buildings from all regions were reproduced with painstaking attention to detail. All buildings are to scale and beautifully maintained. With large open plazas, courtyards with an abundance of flowering bushes, and hanging pots, it looks like a true village. Narrow twisting streets add character to the village. There are over a million visitors a year.
A dark past
The village is picture perfect but looks can be deceiving...there is a dark past. We are surprised to learn that Poble Espanyol was used as an internment camp during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). It is difficult to fathom what it must have been like for the prisoners who perhaps once enjoyed this special village as a place of happiness shared with their families.
The village is picture perfect but looks can be deceiving...there is a dark past. We are surprised to learn that Poble Espanyol was used as an internment camp during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). It is difficult to fathom what it must have been like for the prisoners who perhaps once enjoyed this special village as a place of happiness shared with their families.
The Village
Within the village you'll find restaurants specializing in cuisine from the various regions in Spain, thirty artisans creating jewelry, handbags, ceramics...the variety and quality is superb. With its colorful bunting, the Plaza Mayor attracts school children on a field trip. Their laughter echoes through the village.
If you enjoy contemporary art, stop by The Museu Frans Daurel. Picasso and Dali are just a few of the featured artists. Besides paintings, you'll see interesting sculptures and other mediums of art.
Festivals are held on the weekends with concerts in the evening. The village is family friendly. We enjoyed seeing multi-generations strolling through the grounds. With the youngest family members chasing the birds in the plaza, it made for a lively visit.
When you go:
The village is open 365 days. The hours vary by season
Transportation: Metro - Espanya Station (Line 1 and Line 3) Tourist Bus - Poble Espanyol Stop
Admission: 12E adults, children 4-12 7E, under 4 free
Av de Francesc Ferrar i Guardia 13
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