Central Barcelona DIY Walking Tour

[These are very thorough walking directions – you shouldn’t be getting lost in Barcelona when following this guide. However, I definitely recommend that you follow the Google Streetview route of the entire Barcelona Central DIY Walking Tour first, from the comfort of your own home before you head to Barcelona, as this will allow you to better visualise the entire route before you arrive].

START – Plaça de Catalunya [MAP]:

You are ultimately heading to the pedestrian crossing at the southeast corner of Plaça de Catalunya, but there are STEPS leading to the Font dels Sis Putti there (the Sis Putti Fountain). If you can easily manage walking down a few steps (with no handrail), then head directly there.

Otherwise, and for a completely step-free route though, head to the northeast corner of Plaça de Catalunya first, then turn RIGHT and walk down the eastern side until you arrive at the same point (at the foot of the steps by the Font dels Sis Putti;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs. Crosses the southern side of Plaça de Catalunya.

At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD along the pedestrian Avinguda del Portal de l’Àngel;

Plaça Carles Pi i Sunyer [MAP]:

When you reach Plaça Carles Pi i Sunyer (you will see Carrer de Duran i Bas heading off to your left here), keep to your RIGHT, and continue walking along Avinguda del Portal de l’Àngel;

Carrer dels Arcs [MAP]:

At the end of Avinguda del Portal de l’Àngel, head LEFTISH and walk down Carrer dels Arcs;

Plaça Nova [MAP]:

At the end of Carrer dels Arcs, turn LEFT into Plaça Nova, and continue to Barcelona Cathedral (which will be on your RIGHT). There is a ramp just to the left of the steps leading up to the Cathedral [MAP]. This is not the accessible entrance to Barcelona Cathedral (we will come to that later on on this walk – you’re not actually visiting the interior of Barcelona Cathedral this time – just having an up close look at the front). This ramp will allow you to access Placita de la Seu – the forecourt in front of Barcelona Cathedral.

After visiting the front/exterior of Barcelona Cathedral, turn RIGHT, and continue along Avinguda de la Catedral until you reach Plaça d’Antoni Maura;

Plaça d’Antoni Maura [MAP]:

Keep to the RIGHT as you approach Plaça d’Antoni Maura, and you will see a pedestrian crossing (which crosses Via Laietana ahead of you);

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Via Laietana.

At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD along Avinguda de Francesc Cambó until you see the wavy roof of Santa Caterina Market on your RIGHT;

Santa Caterina Market [MAP]:

Turn RIGHT as you leave the main entrance of Santa Caterina Market, and turn RIGHT again at the end of the market building, into the tiny Carrer d’En Giralt el Pellicer and keep to the LEFT at the end of the market building, as the already tiny Carrer d’En Giralt el Pellicer gets even narrower. Continue to the end of the passage (where it meets Carrer dels Carders);

Carrer dels Carders [MAP]:

At the end of Carrer d’En Giralt el Pellicer, turn RIGHT into Carrer dels Carders, and then take the very first turning on your left (into Placeta d’En Marcús);

Placeta d’En Marcús [MAP];

Walk STRAIGHT AHEAD through Placeta d’En Marcús, into tiny Carrer de Montcada, and continue until it meets the crossing at Carrer de la Princesa;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

NOT light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Carrer de la Princesa.

At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD along Carrer de Montcada, until you see the Picasso Museum on your left;

Picasso Museum [MAP]:

After visiting the Picasso Museum, if you went inside (accessible),  turn LEFT and continue down Carrer de Montcada, until you see the MOCO Museum on your left;

MOCO Museum of Barcelona [MAP]:

Just after the MOCO Museum on your LEFT as you proceed down Carrer de Montcada, you will pass Palau Dalmases on your RIGHT.

After Palau Dalmases, continue to the end of Carrer de Montcada, where it meets El Born;

Passeig del Born [MAP]:

At the end of Placeta de Montcada, turn RIGHT into Passeig del Born. Immediately on your RIGHT you will see the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar. However, there are steps at this rear entrance, so continue along Passeig del Born (with the church on your right) until you reach the ramped side entrance to the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar;

Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar [MAP]:

Ramped side entrance.

Plaça de Santa Maria [MAP]:

Turn RIGHT to the front of the church, on Plaça de Santa Maria, and then continue STRAIGHT AHEAD along Carrer de l’Argenteria;

Carrer de l’Argenteria [MAP]:

Continue STRAIGHT AHEAD along Carrer de l’Argenteria until it ends (where you will see a pedestrian crossing on your LEFT);

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses Via Laietana.

At the end of the crossing, turn RIGHT, then immediately turn LEFT into Carrer de Jaume I, and continue along until the end at Plaça de Sant Jaume;

Plaça de Sant Jaume [MAP]:

Turn RIGHT into Plaça de Sant Jaume, and head towards the start of Carrer del Bisbe (it runs alongside the Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya);

Carrer del Bisbe [MAP]:

Turn RIGHT into Plaça de Sant Jaume, and walk STRAIGHT AHEAD along Carrer del Bisbe.

Halfway along Carrer del Bisbe, you will see the accessible entrance to Barcelona Cathedral, on your RIGHT [MAP].

After visiting Barcelona Cathedral, turn RIGHT as you exit the cathedral at the same place on Carrer del Bisbe, and continue as before, until the end of Carrer del Bisbe (at Plaça Nova again);

Carrer dels Boters [MAP]:

When you reach Plaça Nova again, take the second street/passageway on your LEFT (Carrer dels Boters) – and continue down Carrer dels Boters until you reach the very first turning on your left (into Carrer del Pi);

Carrer del Pi [MAP]:

Follow Carrer del Pi until you reach the Basilica de Santa Maria del Pi, at the Plaça del Pi;

Basilica de Santa Maria del Pi [MAP]:

There are a couple of steps (without a handrail) at the entrance to the Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi. If steps are not an issue, then you really should go up to the top of the bell tower – the views of old Barcelona are amazing.

With your back to the church as you leave, turn LEFT and continue along Carrer del Cardenal Casañas, until you reach the pedestrian crossing just after Plaça de la Boqueria;

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

Light-controlled; dropped kerbs.

Crosses La Rambla (in two stages).

ONLY cross the first road of traffic though. When you reach the end of the first stage of the crossing, turn LEFT and wander down the pedestrian path which actually runs down the centre of La Rambla (between the roadways);

La Rambla [MAP]:

Tourist central (which means pickpockets and sneak thieves – so keep an eye out here).

La Rambla is not the most popular street in Barcelona for no good reason though. A wide, tree-lined, pedestrian thorughfare through the heart of old Barcelona all the way down to the Columbus Monument and then on to Barcelona harbour.

You’re not going all the way down yet though (there’s a wee detour to Plaça Reial to make first). So just walk down La Rambla until you see the pedstrian crossing (that leads to Carrer de Colom) on your LEFT [MAP];

Pedestrian Crossing [MAP]:

NOT light-controlled; but has dropped kerbs.

At the end of the crossing, continue STRAIGHT AHEAD, along Carrer de Colom;

Placa Reial [MAP]:

After wandering around Placa Reial, retrace your steps back along Carrer de Colom, back across the crossing to the central La Rambla walkway, and turn LEFT;

La Rambla (again!) [MAP]:

After returning to this point (AFTER your visit to Plaça Reial), turn LEFT and head down La Rambla again. This time you will continue all the way to the end, at the Columbus Monument (Monument a Colom);

Pedestrian Crossings [MAP]:

Before you reach the Columbus Monument (which is actually located in the middle of a traffic roundabout), you first have to cross twice. The first crossing is NOT light-controlled; but there are dropped kerbs where required. The second crossing is light-controlled; with dropped kerbs;

Columbus Monument [MAP]:

After seeing the Columbus Monument (Monument a Colom), retrace your steps back across the two crossings, and continue along La Rambla (it’s actually called Rambla de Santa Mònica at this end), until you see the lift entrance to Drassanes Metro station.