Montjuïc: Barcelona's Hill of Museums, Gardens and Views

Montjuïc is the green hill that rises above Barcelona's port, and it is one of the best places in the city to spend a half-day. It has museums, gardens, a 17th-century castle, sports venues from the 1992 Olympics and some of the best views in Barcelona. The hill hosted the 1929 International Exposition, which left behind grand palaces, avenues and fountains, and many of those buildings are now museums and cultural centres. The name is thought to mean Jewish mountain, from a medieval Jewish cemetery on the slope.

The most famous sight is the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc, at the foot of the hill in front of the Palau Nacional. In the evening, the fountain performs a free show of water, light and music, with jets rising in changing colors, and crowds gather on the steps to watch. The Palau Nacional houses the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, which has a great collection of Romanesque church frescoes from the Pyrenees, along with Gothic and Baroque art, and its terrace has a panoramic view over the city.

The Castell de Montjuïc, at the top, is a 17th-century fortress with sweeping views over the port and the Mediterranean, and it can be reached by cable car for the best experience. Nearby, the Fundació Joan Miró, a modern building designed for the Catalan artist, displays his colorful, playful works, and the Poble Espanyol, an open-air museum of Spanish architecture, shows replicas of buildings from across the country. The Olympic Stadium and Palau Sant Jordi, from the 1992 Games, are also on the hill.

The gardens are the quiet pleasure. The Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera hold a collection of cacti and succulents with views over the sea, and the Jardins del Teatre Grec and Laribal are shady, terraced gardens ideal for a stroll. You can walk down the hill through them, ending in the Poble-sec neighborhood, famous for its Carrer de Blai, a lively street of cheap pintxos and tapas bars. It makes a great way to end the day with a drink and a snack.