Fun Segway Barcelona

To talk about Las Ramblas is to talk about the heart of Barcelona. This popular avenue that runs between the Plaza de Cataluña and the port, almost two kilometers long, is a cheerful and cosmopolitan place, full of color that welcomes everyone with open arms, both to the people here and to the innumerable visitors who fill it during the day and late into the night.

This popular avenue receives several names. To the upper section, the one that starts from the Plaza de Cataluña, is known by the name of Rambla de Canaletas.

For her we began to descend in our Barcelona Segway tour to the sea. The first thing we find on the central platform on the right is the fountain of the same name, which tradition says that those who drink from the waters that flow from one of its four jets will return to the city. It is around this fountain that Barça fans gather after their team matches to celebrate successes or to philosophize about their defeats.

On the left side of the Rambla, the Santa Anna street starts. Let's go into it, at number 29 a gateway takes us to the beautiful church of Santa Anna, this church unknown to many Barcelonians because it is hidden between the Plaza de Cataluña and Santa Ana Street, it began its construction in the middle of the 12th century in Romanesque period, but it was not finished until three centuries later already in Gothic period, reason why in her we found mixture of the two styles.

Let's go back and walk back to Las Ramblas.

After crossing the street of "Bon Suceés", the avenue is called "Rambla del Estudis" (Rambla de los Estudios), so named because it was located in one of the first university buildings in the city, it is also known Rambla by some, like "Rambla dels ocells" by the number of birds that nest in the branches of the plane trees and also because it is in this space where you could traditionally buy birds, fish and other domestic animals.

One of the best known theaters by the Barcelonans, the Poliorama, we find it in this section of our route Barcelona Segway tour, in its facade a clock marks from 1891 the official hour of Barcelona. If we continue down, also to our right we will see the church of Bethlehem on the corner of Calle del Carmen. This old convent of the Jesuits, which burned down in 1671 and was rebuilt in 1680, is a clear example of Catalan Gothic.

But we continue our Barcelona Segway tour, past Carrer del Carmen, the avenue will change its name one more time, now without realizing it we will start the Rambla de Sant Josep, also known as Rambla de les Flors (of flowers). We do not have to say what his nickname is. The numerous kiosks where all kinds of flowers, seeds and plants are sold give us the answer. Now the aroma and color will make our walk even more enjoyable.

Immediately attracts our attention a building mix of styles and precursor of the late nineteenth century modernism, the work of architect Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas also author of the Arc de Triomf in Barcelona and the Casa Enric Batlló, today Hotel Condes de Barcelona. It is the Casa Bruno Quadras, also known as "Casa dels Paraigües". It was built by the architect for Bruno Quadras who had an umbrella shop in that place. Fans, umbrellas, paintings with Japanese scenes and a great dragon holding a lantern are some of the objects that adorn the facade of this original building.

Right at the "Pla de la Boquería" begins the Rambla de Caputxins. It was in this place where in 1976 the artist Joan Miro located his mosaic, very close to the Credit Passage in which he had been born 83 years before. In red, yellow and blue colors, this mosaic trodden by millions of people is circular and pretends to be a representation of the cosmos.

Returning our route Barcelona Segway tour to Las Ramblas and following the descent to the sea, we immediately stumbled upon the Gran Teatre del Liceu, the building is faithful representation of the one that caught fire on January 31, 1994. It is currently the oldest theater in the city . The most famous ballet companies and the most prestigious opera singers have passed through its stage. It is considered one of the most important opera theaters in the world.

A little further down, on the left, Calle Colón will take us to the neighboring Plaza Real, which occupies the site of the old Convent of Capuchinos. The two lanterns that adorn the central fountain of The Three Graces are the work of the then young architect Antoni Gaudí. Maybe this square is an appropriate place to rest with a beer.

Also on the right side a few meters from the Ramblas we can visit the Maritime Museum, housed in "Les Reials Drassanes", in a civil Gothic style. These medieval shipyards are the largest that can be found anywhere in the world.

Also along the walk numerous living statues arouse the curiosity of the stroller, for their costumes, their sparkle and their characterizations in most cases very careful. At the end of the Ramblas before us stands a tribute monument to Columbus, the sculpture of the discoverer is on a large column and inside contains an elevator that goes up to a viewpoint from which you can contemplate interesting views of the city.

Here we put an end to our walk along Barcelona's Ramblas. The bustle of the people who fill it at all hours, the song of the birds, the aroma of the flowers, the joy of the numerous terraces that we have found in our path, the gastronomic offer, the museums, the originality of the traveling artists , the buildings that mark it ... are some of the reasons that make us say: that not walking on the Ramblas is not having visited Barcelona.

More information: www.barcelonasunsegway.com