Port Guides: Barcelona

Barcelona’s port is a canvas painted with centuries of history. The Romans used the beaches of Barcelona – then a mere colony called Barcino – as a commercial hub from which to send goods back to Rome. A port-proper began to take shape in the 14th century, but the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 – which suddenly halved travel time between Western Europe and the Middle East – tasked an official port authority with keeping Barcelona up to speed with maritime innovation. Prestigious hosting duties for the 1992 Olympic Games and 2024’s America’s Cup yacht race have since progressed its evolution. Below the castle-topped Montjuïc hill, a sweeping road bridge links the cruise terminals to Moll de Barcelona, which houses the World Trade Center, and Moll de Drassanes, where small boats called Las Golondrinas have whisked visitors on coastline tours since 1888. The wooden Rambla de Mar footbridge, with curved handrails in the style of Catalan Art Nouveau, leads to the Maremagnum shopping center. Inland, the 197-foot Christopher Columbus monument is a useful compass for your bearings. Built to commemorate Columbus disembarking in Barcelona after his voyage to the Americas, it doubles as an elevator-served viewing deck and a gateway to La Rambla, Barcelona’s famous pedestrian street, which begins to its rear.

Pause to contemplate the portscape’s patchwork of old and new: the wave-reflecting mirrored sides of Ricardo Bofill’s sail-shaped W hotel; the cable-car wires hanging like washing lines; and Sagrada Família’s tallest towers peeking up like party hats in the distance.

Barcelona’s magnetism extends beyond its bold and imaginative architecture, though. It’s a city that’s both relaxed and rebellious – part of Spain, yet a proud defender of its regional identity. You’ll notice this in the language, where Catalan often takes precedence over Spanish, and in the cuisine, which is almost always built around seasonal, local ingredients.

How to spend an evening

Ten minutes’ walk (0.4 miles) from Columbus, Bar Cañete is a beloved foodie institution. From the tightly packed bar stools, watch on as waiters appear to dance in and out of the tiny-but-frenetic open kitchen that specializes in seafood tapas. For a nightcap, follow in the footsteps of Picasso and Hemingway, who drank at nearby Bar Marsella. The décor’s unchanged, for better or worse. Try new-wave Catalan cuisine at Berbena, Suru and Greek-inspired Margarit, where young chefs push boundaries deliciously, and sommeliers uncork offbeat tipples. Debate rages when the UNESCO-listed Palau de la Mùsica Catalana is most spectacular: by day, when you can wander through its color-drenched mosaic columns, or at night, when the opulent hall explodes with performances spanning symphony orchestras and flamenco. Gaudí’s wildest creations are also nocturnal. La Pedrera’s guided night tours include light projections and cava; in summer, jazz riffs rise from its roof. Casa Batlló’s Magic Nights pair rooftop concerts – guitar, rumba, soul – with a largely crowd-free visit.