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Montjuïc, Barcelona

Old town rooftops with a bell tower and tall towers, and a long green hill behind them under a blue sky
Photo: Fabio Alessandro Locati, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Hill and gardens free
Hours
Park always open; museums and cable car by day
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
3 h
With kids
Fine with kids
Getting up
Funicular, cable cars, escalators
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Highlights
Palau Nacional, the fountain, gardens, Fundació Miró
Time needed
Half a day
Fountain
Evening shows on set days
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Location
Espanya or Paral·lel metro
Coordinates
41.36417, 2.15806YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

≈ 185 mheight of the hill above the sea
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
1929the International Exposition was held here
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
1992the main Olympic events took place here
SourceEnglish Wikipedia
1975the Fundació Joan Miró opened
SourceEnglish Wikipedia

About Montjuïc

Montjuïc is a flat-topped green hill by the sea, south-west of the old town. Almost everything on it was built for two big events. The 1929 International Exposition brought broad stairways, palaces and a cascade of fountains from Plaça d'Espanya up to the Palau Nacional, plus the Poble Espanyol, a village of copies of buildings from across Spain.

For the 1992 Olympics the stadium was renewed and the Olympic Ring built, with its pools and sports hall. Today Montjuïc is a favourite local park for running, family walks, picnics in the gardens and watching the sunset over the port.

What to see on Montjuïc

Start at Plaça d'Espanya: from its two Venetian towers a wide avenue with fountains and escalators climbs to the Magic Fountain and the Palau Nacional, now home to the National Art Museum of Catalonia. The terrace in front of the palace has one of the best views of Barcelona.

Nearby are Mies van der Rohe's austere Barcelona Pavilion and the Poble Espanyol with its craft workshops. Higher up are the Fundació Joan Miró, full of bright paintings and sculpture, the Olympic Ring and several gardens: a cactus garden above the port, a rose garden and the romantic Joan Maragall gardens.

What to see on the hill

  • The Magic Fountain — an evening show of water, light and music.
  • Palau Nacional — the art museum and its view terrace.
  • Barcelona Pavilion — Mies van der Rohe's modernist classic.
  • Poble Espanyol — streets and houses from all over Spain.
  • Fundació Miró — Joan Miró's paintings and sculpture.
  • The gardens — cacti above the port, roses and fountains.

The Magic Fountain

The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc was built for the 1929 Exposition, and music was added in the 1980s. In the evening its jets dance to music and change colour while crowds gather on the steps and along the cascade. The show is free and lasts about half an hour.

The schedule varies with the season: shows are more frequent and later in summer, rarer in winter, and the fountain may be switched off during droughts. Check the timetable on the city's site before you go and arrive early to get a spot on the stairs by the palace, where you can see both the fountain and the city.

How to get to Montjuïc

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on footdestinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

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On foot

  • National Art Museum of Catalonia is about 14 min away on foot.
  • Magic Fountain of Montjuïc is about 16 min away on foot.
  • Barcelona Pavilion is about 19 min away on foot.

More tips

  1. Metro Espanya (L1, L3) for Plaça d'Espanya, the fountain and the palace.
  2. Metro Paral·lel (L2, L3) to change for the Montjuïc funicular.
  3. The port cable car, from Barceloneta beach across the harbour.
  4. Bus 150 climbs the hill from Plaça d'Espanya to the summit.

Tips for your walk

A good route is to ride the funicular and cable car to the top, then walk down through the gardens to the Palau Nacional and the fountain, ending with the evening show. That way it's all downhill and you see the highlights in half a day. Bring water in summer, as there's little shade and cafés are far apart.

Montjuïc is great for a picnic, with lawns and benches overlooking the port. With children, the Poble Espanyol and the fountains work well, and art lovers have two big museums, best not crammed into one day. Head back in the evening from Espanya metro.

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Places in Barcelona: compare and choose

Places in Barcelona rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.

Sagrada Família692 hPaid4.6 km
Barcelona Cathedral5350 minPaid by day2.7 km
Park Güell501 h 45 minPaid5.5 km
Montjuïcyou are here453 hFree—
Columbus Monument4325 minFree36 min walk
Plaça d'Espanya4225 minFree25 min walk
Torre Glòries411 hViewpoint paid5.1 km
Casa Milà371 h 15 minPaid3.5 km
Tibidabo373 hFree7.3 km
National Art Museum of Catalonia342 h 30 minPaid11 min walk
Montserrat335 hFree39.4 km

Montjuïc in half a day

The Palau Nacional, the Barcelona Pavilion and the hill.

  1. Montjuïcyou are here3 h · Free
  2. 11 min walk from the previous stopNational Art Museum of Catalonia2 h 30 min · Paid
  3. 6 min walk from the previous stopBarcelona Pavilion40 min · Paid

3 places · about 6 h 27 min with walks · 17 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby and on the way

Barcelona Pavilion

Barcelona, Spain

40 min · Paid · 17 min walk

Plaça d'Espanya

Barcelona, Spain

25 min · Free · 25 min walk

How to do it right

  • Funicular up, walk down.
  • Stay for the fountain show.
  • Bring water: little shade.
  • Best view from the Palau Nacional.

Questions

What is there to see on Montjuïc?

The Magic Fountain, the Palau Nacional museum, the Barcelona Pavilion, the Poble Espanyol, the Fundació Miró and the gardens.

How do you get up Montjuïc?

By funicular from Paral·lel metro, by cable car or by the escalators from Plaça d'Espanya.

How long do you need on Montjuïc?

Half a day, or into the evening with the fountain show.

Is Montjuïc free?

Yes, the hill and gardens are free; the museums and cable car are paid.

When does the Magic Fountain run?

In the evening on set days; the schedule varies by season, so check the city's site.

Is Montjuïc good with kids?

Yes: the gardens, fountains, Poble Espanyol and cable car are all popular with children.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • English Wikipedia: Montjuïc
  • Barcelona City Council tourism portal, barcelona.cat
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 11.11.2026 ·
How we checkedFacts from English Wikipedia. Hours, prices and the fountain schedule weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge.

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