Beach and Mountain circuit
Montjuïc is the lofty starting point for a run which crosses Barcelona from end to end. The hilltop castle dominates the city, while the cable car offers spectacular views of the port and the sea.
Close by, the Anella Olímpica keeps alive the spirit of the 1992 Olympic Games. This area includes the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, now used for sports events and concerts. It is also home to Palau Sant Jordi, designed by Arata Isozaki, which can host both shows and international competitions thanks to its versatile architecture. The Piscines Bernat Picornell, where the swimming and waterpolo events took place, have also attracted many audiovisual productions. Finally, Torre de Calatrava, with its slender silhouette evoking the figure of an athlete, has become a symbol of the city.
As you descend the mountain, you'll pass in front of Poble Espanyol, an outdoor architectural site. At the foot of the mountain, you'll cross Avinguda de Rius i Taulet and Plaça de Carles Buïgas, home to the Font Màgica de Montjuïc, a large circular fountain. Across Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes and entering the Eixample Esquerre district, you'll find two drinking fountains. This Barcelona neighbourhood is known for its intense commercial and cultural activity, with Art Nouveau architecture and wide avenues. One of the most notable sites is La Model, a former prison now transformed into a cultural space offering an overview of the city's history.
Continue uphill to the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi district, with its jumble of cobbled streets and old-fashioned houses in marked contrast to the more modern urban planning of most of the city. The Sarrià neighbourhood leads into Collserola, and Carretera de les Aigües follows a path suspended between the woods and the city, with a unique view stretching all the way to the coastline. Farther on, Turó d'en Cors is revealed as a natural viewing point, while Pantà de Vallvidrera, hidden among the foliage, offers a moment of peace and quiet.
The route ends at Santa Creu d'Olorda, a Romanesque chapel sheltered by the mountain, which conserves the silence of the centuries. At this high point, nature reclaims the landscape and the city below is a distant skyline.