Montjuic

As we were sailing away from Barcelona last November, we admired the castle/fort which dominated Montjuic. As we prepared to visit the fortress castle this April we asked no fewer than 11 people about the castle and received different responses from each of them. It was disappointing to learn that most of the local people were under the impression that the castle was in total ruin, that the inside had been gutted, and that no visitors were allowed. The extensive gardens on the city side of the castle are very popular with the locals, and they spend their free time strolling through the park and having picnics under the trees. The castle has been renovated extensively and is well worth the visit. We asked a taxi to drive us to the entrance. There are other options to reach the summit. A local bus leaves from the Placa Espanya (Plaza Espana) and follows a route which concludes just a few feet from the entrance. If one likes aerial rides, it is possible to take the funicular half way to the top of the mountain, followed by a cable car ride which ends near the entrance to the castle. If you are making several visits to the castle, the bus offers the most economical way to travel. The next several photos are of the castle on Montjuic.