Citadel Park, Barcelona: A Guide to the City’s Most Beautiful Green Space

The Citadel Park is one of the oldest and most picturesque green areas in Barcelona. Locals love to walk here on weekends and arrange picnics, and for tourists the zoo and museums are of interest.

General information

Ciutadella Park or Ciutadella is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Barcelona, both among tourists and locals. It was founded in the late 19th century, and is located in the north-eastern part of the Old Town.

For many decades, it was the only place in the area where you could relax, so the Citadel now houses a number of museums, a zoo, and the Catalan Parliament building.

The park covers an area of 30 hectares, and is named after the citadel, which once stood on the site of a park complex.

The central part of the Citadel is an artificial lake and 3 alleys (Linden, Elm and Poplar). Here you can also find several fountains and sculptures. And the Picasso Avenue, which runs along the park, is famous for its ancient buildings built for the World’s Fair, the center of which was Ciutadella Park.

What is available on the territory of the park

Waterfall and lake

The waterfall and artificial lake are located in the central part of Ciutadella Park, and are very popular holiday destinations for both tourists and locals.

These two attractions appeared in the park shortly before the Barcelona World’s Fair. Architect Josep Fontsere has tried to create an antique effect, so that visitors feel as if all the sculptures and statues have been standing here for many decades.

There are only two attractions associated with the lake. The first is a leisurely walk, and the second is a boat ride through the picturesque parts of the Citadel Park.

Castle of the Three Dragons (Castell dels Tres Dragons)

The Castle of the Three Dragons is another landmark of Barcelona, built for the World’s Fair. This is a large stone building in the Art Nouveau style, which for a long time was a cafe.

Crenellated towers, original plates with floral ornaments, small bridges connecting different parts of the castle-all this creates an indescribable atmosphere of fabulousness and antiquity.

Now the Castle of the Three Dragons is one of the hallmarks of Ciutadella Park in Barcelona. Here is the Museum of Zoology of Catalonia, whose permanent exhibition includes:

1. Minerals. The collection features more than 300 types of unusual minerals brought to Barcelona from all over the world.
2. Animal world. Here you can get a closer look at the animals that live on the territory of Spain and Europe in general.
3. An apiary. This is one of the most interesting parts of the exhibition, where you can not only see the recreated apiary, but also get acquainted with how bees live and work.
4. Volcanoes. In this part of the museum, you will learn a lot about the Olot volcanic area.
5. City birds.

Opening hours: 11.00-18.00.

The Catalan Parliament Building (Parliament de Catalunya)

The Catalan Parliament sits in one of the oldest buildings in Barcelona – a former military arsenal built in 1720. This is a small, but very interesting, from an architectural point of view, structure consisting of two floors and an attic.

If you look at the building from above, you can see that it is built in the shape of a cross. In the center – a massive dome, on the sides-small courtyards with greenery.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the building was reconstructed. So, it was covered with terracotta tiles, and the facade was decorated with busts of famous Catalan artists.

You will not be able to get into the parliament building, which has been sitting here since 1980. You can only enjoy the interesting facade.

Zoo

The zoo is the most visited part of Ciutadella Park in Barcelona. When you buy a ticket at the ticket office, you will receive a colorful booklet with a detailed description of the animals and recreation areas in the zoo.

Aviaries where animals live are well equipped, and you can watch the animals from different points of view. In the zoo, you will see:

• monkeys’;
• bears;
• pavlinov;
• parrots;
• behemoths;
• rhinos;
• flamingo;
• elephants;
• lizards.

One of the most interesting parts of the park is the kitchen. Here, children and adults can watch who cooks food for animals and how.

In addition to the zoo itself, the ticket price includes a visit to the dolphinarium – you can go backstage, as well as visit the show for free. You should arrive at least 20-30 minutes before the show starts – the show is popular and seats are quickly taken up.

Tourists note that the Barcelona Zoo is not much different from other European parks, so if you come to the capital of Catalonia without children, you can safely skip this attraction.

Lady with an Umbrella statue

“Lady with Umbrella” is one of the most famous sculptures of Ciutadella Park. It appeared here in 1888, for the World’s Fair in Barcelona. The statue was created by sculptor Rog Soler from marble.

“Lady with an umbrella” is an excellent example of a girl who lived in one of the wealthy Catalan families at the end of the 19th century. She is dressed in the fashion of that time: an elegant dress with a fitted top and an elegantly falling skirt, in her hands – a miniature umbrella.

Practical information:

How to get

Ciutadella Park is located in the north-eastern part of Barcelona, 2 km from the seafront. The French Train Station and Barcelona Aquarium are located nearby.

You can get to the attraction by:

1. By train. Get off at Estació de França (French Train Station) and walk 300 meters in a northerly direction.
2. Metro. You must get off at either Ciutadella Vila Olímpica station or Jaume I. This is the yellow metro line (L4). You will need to walk 200-300 meters to the attraction.
3. By bus. The following routes run to the Citadel Park in Barcelona: H16, 59, V19, V27, B20, B25, H14, N0, 136, V21, N11. Transport runs every 10-25 minutes.

Practical information:

• Location: Passeig de Picasso, 21, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
• Opening hours: 10.00-17.00 (January-March, November, December), 10.00-19.00 (April, May, October), 10.00-20.00 (June-September).
• Ticket price (to the zoo): 21 euros-adult, teenagers up to 12 years-13 euros, children up to 3 years-free of charge.
• Official website: https://www.barcelona.cat

Useful tips

1. Buy a ticket to Ciutadella Zoo in advance on the official website – so you will save time and get a 20% discount.
2. If you plan to visit the dolphinarium, bring pillows or towels – the entire show, which lasts 1.5 hours, is offered to the audience to spend sitting on the cold stone steps.
3. If you plan to spend a few hours in the Citadel Park, bring food and water – there are no shops on site.
4. Unfortunately, there are quite a few pickpockets in Barcelona who often steal from visitors to the city. Since Ciutadella Park is a tourist destination, always take good care of your belongings. Also, try not to carry a backpack on your back, do not ostentatiously unfold the map (this is a signal for thieves). It is advisable not to wear a camera around your neck.

The Citadel Park is a well-kept corner of Barcelona, where you can find a lot of entertainment.