For the best panoramic view over Barcelona head for the Turó de la Rovira, a viewpoint enjoyed by locals at the weekend, but not on the tourist map.
This location is approximately 15 minutes by taxi from the centre of Barcelona, we had a hire car so it was relatively easy to access, although there is limited free parking, we were fortunate to take the last space on arrival. You can also catch these buses, 24, 92, 119 & V17. Or if you are coming via Metro, Alfons X is the nearest station.
We took the circular walk, following the road that is restricted to general traffic up through the trees that teased us with glimpses of the view. It wasn’t obvious where to go, so we just headed for the highest point, passing through a collection of small properties on Calle Marià Labèrnia, and there we found the sign for the MUHBA Turó de la Rovira.
The Turó de la Rovira is the name given to the hill which reaches a height of 262 metres above sea level and provides a natural viewpoint over the city. It is also the location for the Búnquers del Carmel, where the anti-aircraft guns were installed to protect Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War. The area was left to ruin until a restoration project to protect this historical site was undertaken and it opened officially in March 2011. In spring 2015 the Museu d’Història de la Ciutat (Barcelona’s museum of history) added an exhibition with historial information and images.
Unfortunately it wasn’t a clear, sunny day on our visit, although the grey cloudy sky added some drama to our photos. We almost had the viewpoint to ourselves apart from a wedding shoot capturing the spectacular Barcelona background for prosperity.
It really is worth making the effort to try and visit this place, it offers 360° panoramic views of Barcelona, it’s free of charge to visit and open 24 hours, 365 days of the year. If you want to plan a visit in conjunction with the museum the opening times are Wednesday 10:00-14:00 and weekends 10:00-15:00. We followed the path signposted for the toilets which led us back to the car and completed our circular walk.
