Passeig de Gracia (Gracia Avenue), Barcelona (must see)
Gr脿cia Boulevard, located in the heart of Barcelona鈥檚 Eixample district, is one of the city鈥檚 most significant shopping and business areas. Formerly known as "Jesus Road", it was initially a rural lane connecting Barcelona to the then-separate town of Gr脿cia. The avenue鈥檚 development began in 1821 but was delayed by epidemics and eventually resumed in 1827. The 42-meter-wide boulevard soon became a favorite spot for the aristocracy to showcase their horse-riding skills and luxurious carriages.
By the early 1900s, Gr脿cia Boulevard had transformed into the city鈥檚 most fashionable street. The architect Pere Falqu茅s i Urp铆 designed its renowned wrought-iron benches and street lamps in 1906, largely adding to its unique charm.
During the Spanish Civil War, the Basque government was based here, and the Catalan poet Salvador Espriu lived in Casa Fuster (at Number 132). Today, Gr脿cia Boulevard is the most expensive street in Barcelona and Spain, comparable to the Champs-脡lys茅es in Paris or 5th Avenue in New York City. The avenue is lined with upscale stores, though more affordable dining options can be found in its side streets.
More notably, the avenue is home to remarkable Modernist architecture by famous architects such as Antoni Gaud铆, Josep Puig i Cadafalch, and Llu铆s Dom猫nech i Montaner, concentrated along the main street and some of the adjacent streets as well. Major highlights include Gaud铆's 鈥淟a Pedrera鈥� building and the so-called 鈥淏lock of Discord,鈥� a cluster of Modernist masterpieces. With most mansions here belonging to Barcelona's wealthiest citizens of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there's no shortage of richly and tastefully decorated facades to behold. Buildings, balconies, stained-glass windows, and carved doors are all within sight.
Day or night, Gr脿cia Avenue offers a fantastic opportunity for architecture buffs to crane their necks. In addition to these, the Gaud铆-designed pavement tiles depicting abstract sea creatures make it a top destination for strollers, offering a visual feast of Barcelona鈥檚 rich urban heritage.
Tip:
This boulevard is particularly magical in summer when the locals compete between themselves decorating the streets as part of the Gr脿cia Festival, which, together with the live music played everywhere, makes it a really fun place to be.
By the early 1900s, Gr脿cia Boulevard had transformed into the city鈥檚 most fashionable street. The architect Pere Falqu茅s i Urp铆 designed its renowned wrought-iron benches and street lamps in 1906, largely adding to its unique charm.
During the Spanish Civil War, the Basque government was based here, and the Catalan poet Salvador Espriu lived in Casa Fuster (at Number 132). Today, Gr脿cia Boulevard is the most expensive street in Barcelona and Spain, comparable to the Champs-脡lys茅es in Paris or 5th Avenue in New York City. The avenue is lined with upscale stores, though more affordable dining options can be found in its side streets.
More notably, the avenue is home to remarkable Modernist architecture by famous architects such as Antoni Gaud铆, Josep Puig i Cadafalch, and Llu铆s Dom猫nech i Montaner, concentrated along the main street and some of the adjacent streets as well. Major highlights include Gaud铆's 鈥淟a Pedrera鈥� building and the so-called 鈥淏lock of Discord,鈥� a cluster of Modernist masterpieces. With most mansions here belonging to Barcelona's wealthiest citizens of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there's no shortage of richly and tastefully decorated facades to behold. Buildings, balconies, stained-glass windows, and carved doors are all within sight.
Day or night, Gr脿cia Avenue offers a fantastic opportunity for architecture buffs to crane their necks. In addition to these, the Gaud铆-designed pavement tiles depicting abstract sea creatures make it a top destination for strollers, offering a visual feast of Barcelona鈥檚 rich urban heritage.
Tip:
This boulevard is particularly magical in summer when the locals compete between themselves decorating the streets as part of the Gr脿cia Festival, which, together with the live music played everywhere, makes it a really fun place to be.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Barcelona. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Passeig de Gracia (Gracia Avenue) on Map
Sight Name: Passeig de Gracia (Gracia Avenue)
Sight Location: Barcelona, Spain (See walking tours in Barcelona)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Barcelona, Spain (See walking tours in Barcelona)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Barcelona, Spain
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Creating your own self-guided walk in Barcelona is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Barcelona Introduction Walking Tour
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Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.7 Km or 3.5 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.7 Km or 3.5 Miles
Gothic Quarter Walking Tour
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles
Montjuic Walking Tour
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Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.0 Km or 3.1 Miles
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Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.0 Km or 3.1 Miles
Barcelona Shopping Walk
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
La Rambla Walking Tour
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Start... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Start... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
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