Parc de Montjuic

Overlooking the southwestern portion of Barcelona, Parc de Montjuic is the city’s green hilltop getaway that is packed with both history and a host of sights. Indeed, it is there that you’ll find the Jewish Cemetery, after which it is believed that the “Mountain of the Jews” is named. Montjuic is also the site of its namesake castle, a military fortress dating back to the 17th century.  
But it’s the last century that has brought particular interest to Montjuic: first there was the International Exhibition in 1929, and then the Olympics in 1992. Both of these affairs contributed to the urbanization of this elevated land, and as a result you can expect to find a slew of related sites. These include the water-show-style Magic Fountain, which sits in front of The Palau Nacional, now home to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. And then there’s also the Poble Espanyol, a replica of Spanish villages and their various architectural styles.
The Olympics of course left their mark here too. Wandering around the Olympic ring, you’ll pass the stadium (which was actually built back in 1929), as well as many other event-associated facilities and sights, ranging from the Palau Sant Jordi to the emblematic Torre de Telecomunicaciones.
To take advantage of Montjuic’s greenery, you can visit the botanical gardens, too, with its thousands of different kinds of plants. Meanwhile, if you like museums, Montjuic’s got those also, such as the aforementioned MNAC, as well as the Fundacion Joan Miro, the Museum of Ethnology, the Catalan Museum of Archeology and the Joan Antoni Samaranch Olympic and Sports Museum.

Practical Info

To get to Montjuic, you can take the funicular to the Parc de Montjuic stop, where, if you wish, you can then catch the cable car gondola even farther up the hill to the castle. Hop-on, hop-off bus tours are also another good option for getting up and around this part of town, allowing you to stop at the different attractions that interest you.