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Recently, while many of my friends went travelling during our first three-day weekend, my roommate and I decided to take a day trip to Montju�c, a mountain in Barcelona that looks over the old part of the city. Located in Pla�a d’Espanya, Montju�c is home to many important sites of Barcelona, including the Montju�c Castle, the Montju�c Cemetery, various museums, and the Olympic Ring. As soon as I got off of the Metro in d’Espanya, I was met with the breathtaking sight of Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, which houses over 1,000 years of Catalan art.

 

As we made our way up the mountain, we were met with many other beautiful sights. Fountains, gardens, and glorious views of the city were everywhere to be found.

 

As we climbed closer to the top, we heard live music playing, so we followed the sounds to check it out. What we happened to stumble on was celebration for a marathon that was being run. The starting and finish lines were there, and while waiting for the runners to some through, people were able to watch tightrope walkers, listen to live music, ride down a zip line, and some other cool outdoor things like a hot air balloon.

 

When we finally got to the Olympic Ring, which was the venue for the 1992 Olympic Games, I couldn’t help but feel amazed to be able to see a serious part of sports history right in front of me. The Olympic Ring includes the Estadi Llu�s Companys stadium, the Palau Sant Jordi sports palace, and a telecommunications tower designed by Santiago Calatrava. The shadow that this tower casts serves as a gigantic sundial (when the shadow hits the square).

 

Finally, the real reason that we wanted to go to Montjuic: The Magic Fountain. Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night (time varies depending on the season), this fountain puts on a free show with beautiful colorful lights, really awesome water acrobatics, and it has music accompaniment that varies from classical to modern pop or rock. All of the bells and whistles that this show utilizes make the fountain come alive. This show was really something to see, and I definitely recommend to anyone that comes to Barcelona to check it out one night.

Location: Montjuic, Barcelona