The most beautiful parks and gardens Barcelona

In 1715, Philip V decided to build a citadel to lock up and control the city. This decision to repress the Catalans is explained by their long resistance to the siege of Philippe V. It also closed universities to drive out intellectuals, and prohibited the expansion of the city to increase its population. The construction of the citadel led to the demolition of more than a thousand houses in the Ribera district. Hated by Barcelonians, the citadel was finally destroyed in the 19th century. Among its rare remains, the former arsenal has been the seat of the Parliament of Catalonia since 1932. The architect Josep Fontserè designed a 17-hectare park with an artificial lake for boating. Inspired by the Paris Plant Garden, he built the Museu Martorell (1882) to house the collections of the Museum of Natural Sciences (now on display in the Museu Blau), as well as the Umbracle (1883) to house tropical plants. The young Antoni Gaudí participated in the construction of a monumental waterfall. The park was inaugurated in 1881 and a few years later hosted the 1888 Universal Exhibition. Several modernist buildings date from this period, including the Castell dels Tres Dragons by Lluís Domènech i Montaner (former Zoology Museum), the Hivernacle by Josep Amargós, and the monumental Arc de Triomf, inspired by Neo-Mudejar. The land left free after the exhibition allowed the creation of the Barcelona Zoo in 1892.

By turning on the left and in a little amount, we come to this garden, which was once a amusement park. This is the latest date on the hill and is a work by Patrizia Falcone. Specially dedicated to children with all kinds of games, it nevertheless kept much of the original vegetation, especially a beautiful pine massif. The sculptures in the amusement park were also preserved, they are dedicated to the dancer Carmen Amaya, the gymnast Joaquim Blume, but also to Charlot and clown Charlie Rivel.

In addition to Miramar Road, this garden was inaugurated on July 20, 1970 by the dictator Francisco Franco, along with two other gardens on the hill, also dedicated to two poets, Joan Maragall and Mòssen Cinto Verdaguer. The one dedicated to Miquel Costa i Llobera specialises in the cacti and is one of the largest gardens, in this area, Europe. The asientos of suegra (mother-in-law seats), in the shape of géantes giant sponges, come from Mexico, the notable cactus tunnel, formed from cacti originating in Africa and the oldest cactus that is more than two centuries old. A little phantasmagorical with the port in the background. By continuing the path, we arrive at Dante's Plaza, where since 1920, 600 th anniversary of the death of the famous poet Dante Alighieri (the Divine Comedy) is a monument to his memory. But the monument that attracts the most attention in this place is a beautiful female nude in the middle of a fountain, the Belleza (1925), work by Josep Llimona.

The current botanical garden in the city was opened in 1999. It is located behind the Olympic Stadium, on a plot of 14 hectares. There is a didactic route that has been identified by signs that allow us to observe the vegetation of the different Mediterranean climate areas of the world, Australia, Chile, California, South Africa and of course the Mediterranean coast. It is, of course, a large project that needs time to grow, so it will have to come back in a few years'time so that some plants have reached their maximum size. It's already a marvel. The world's greatest architects, passing through Barcelona, always visit him. The author, Carlos Ferrater, organized the ground into triangular platforms that saved the slopes of the hill and create small micro-climates suitable for plants.

From a higher place, close to the Miró Foundation, to the surroundings of the Greek Teatre, following the curve of the Paseo de Santa Madrona, this large garden has been created by Jean-Claude-Nicolas Forest for the 1929 Exhibition. Originally, it was a large property owned by the lawyer and journalist, Josep Laribal, director of the newspaper El Diluvio. In 1908, it was purchased by the Ayuntamiento, which entrusted it to the French gardener. It made it a Spanish-Arabic garden that benefits from the slopes of the old quarries that were there and the existing vegetation. There was a set of waterfalls flowing into waterfalls, paths with pleasant curves, where you can admire the city. In the lower part is the historic font Font del Gat, a chat fountain, memories of the fountains that were at other times popular places of rest by the hikers fleeing the city.

Just opposite the previous one is the park, to visit absolutely if you are there in March, April, May because it is the moment when the bulbous plants that characterize the place (begonias, chauderon, captures and other tulips) bloom. In June and July, the aquatic plants are honoured. A range of terraces and water plans allow you to admire lotus flowers, water lilies, hyacinth, etc. Do not surprise you if you see a first recipient or groom for a photographic report of "their" day, it is a very romantic and very popular place for this kind of typical Spanish pleasure.