These mighty Gothic shipyards shelter the Museu Marítim, a remarkable relic from Barcelona's days as the seat of a seafaring empire. Highlights include a full-sized replica (made in the 1970s) of Don Juan of Austria’s 16th-century flagship, fishing vessels, antique navigation charts and dioramas of the Barcelona waterfront.
The pleasant museum cafe offers courtyard seating and a decent menú del día (set-price menu) at lunchtime. Also in the courtyard, you can have a look at a swollen replica of the Ictíneo, one of the world's first submarines. It was invented and built in 1858 by Catalan polymath Narcis Monturiol.
