# Parc de la Ciutadella, Barcelona > Parc de la Ciutadella is old Barcelona's main park, between El Born and the sea. It hosted the 1888 Universal Exposition, which left a monumental cascade fountain topped with a golden chariot, the Castle of the Three Dragons and historic greenhouses. You can row on the lake, picnic on the lawns or visit the zoo. Entry is free; allow 1 to 1.5 hours. Web page: https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/parc-de-la-ciutadella - City: [Barcelona](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona), Spain - YesGo score: 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 15 min - Opening hours: Daily from morning until late evening - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free - Highlights: The cascade, rowing lake, greenhouses, Three Dragons - Boats: Rowing boat hire, paid - Time needed: 1–1.5 hours - Zoo: Inside the park, separate ticket - Location: Arc de Triomf (L1) or Ciutadella (L4) metro - Coordinates: 41.38811, 2.18752 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1872** — work began on the park (source: English Wikipedia) - **1888** — the Universal Exposition was held here (source: English Wikipedia) - **Josep Fontserè** — designed the park and the cascade (source: English Wikipedia) - **Gaudí** — helped build the cascade as a student (source: English Wikipedia) ## About Parc de la Ciutadella The park is named after the old citadel that stood here until the 19th century. When it was pulled down, the city turned the land into gardens: in **1872** the architect **Josep Fontserè** began laying out a park with avenues, a lake and fountains. A decade and a half later it hosted the **1888 Universal Exposition**, which brought pavilions, greenhouses and a triumphal arch at the entrance. Today it's the favourite green space of the old town. At weekends people picnic on the lawns, musicians and jugglers perform, cyclists glide along the avenues and children run around the fountains. The park is compact and easy to cover in an hour. ## The cascade and the lake The centrepiece is the **Cascada Monumental**, a two-tier fountain with an arch, sculptures, grottoes and a waterfall, crowned by the golden **chariot of Aurora**. Fontserè built it with help from a young architecture student, **Antoni Gaudí**, making it one of his earliest works. Stairs lead to the top for a view over the park. Next to it is a **lake** with a palm-covered islet, where you can hire rowing boats, one of the most romantic things to do in Barcelona, especially at sunset. In a far corner stands a huge life-size stone **mammoth**, a favourite with children. ## What to see in the park - **The cascade** — a fountain with a golden chariot and grottoes. - **The lake** — rowing boats and a palm islet. - **Castle of the Three Dragons** — a red-brick modernista pavilion. - **The greenhouses** — the 19th-century Umbracle and Hivernacle. - **The mammoth** — a life-size stone mammoth. - **Arc de Triomf** — the grand entrance on the promenade. > **Making the most of it** Start at the Arc de Triomf, walk down the promenade to the main gate, then head for the cascade and the lake. Bring a picnic: you can sit on the lawns, and there are few cafés in the park. Hire a boat on a weekday, as there can be a queue at weekends. ## The 1888 Exposition pavilions By the Passeig de Picasso entrance stands the **Castle of the Three Dragons**, a red-brick building by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, built as a café-restaurant for the exposition. Its turrets and battlements look medieval, but it's early Catalan modernisme, and it later housed a natural history museum. Nearby are two historic greenhouses: the slatted wooden **Umbracle**, shading palms and ferns, and the glass and cast-iron **Hivernacle**. They're among Spain's finest 19th-century greenhouses, and some open for exhibitions and concerts. ## How to get to the park 1. Metro **Arc de Triomf** (L1), then through the arch and along the promenade, 5 to 7 minutes. 2. Metro **Ciutadella | Vila Olímpica** (L4) for the south gate and the zoo. 3. From El Born, 5 minutes on foot from [Santa Maria del Mar](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/santa-maria-del-mar). 4. The main entrance is on Passeig de Picasso. ## Tips for your visit In the morning the park is quiet and cool; on weekend afternoons it's noisy and fun, with street performers. In summer the trees offer shade from the heat. It pairs well with a stroll around El Born and a trip to Barceloneta beach, 15 minutes' walk away. With children you could spend half a day here: the cascade, boats, mammoth and playgrounds, plus **Barcelona Zoo** in the southern part, with its own ticket. The park empties when the gates close in the evening, so plan a picnic for the day or for sunset. ## Walk checklist Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Walk through the Arc de Triomf - [ ] Climb the cascade - [ ] Row a boat on the lake - [ ] Find the stone mammoth - [ ] Pack a picnic ## Places in Barcelona: compare and choose Places in Barcelona rated by YesGo. - [Park Güell](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/park-guell) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 45 min · Paid - [Montjuïc](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/montjuic) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free - [Parc de la Ciutadella](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/parc-de-la-ciutadella) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Free - [Barcelona Zoo](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/barcelona-zoo) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Paid ## Don't mix it up Parc de la Ciutadella and Park Güell are different parks. Gaudí's Park Güell is on a hill in Gràcia; the Ciutadella is in the centre, by the sea and El Born. ## Tips - Entry is free. - Hire a boat on a weekday. - Bring a picnic. - The beach and El Born are close. ## Questions ### Is Parc de la Ciutadella free? Yes; boat hire and the zoo are paid. ### What is there to see in Parc de la Ciutadella? The golden-chariot cascade, the rowing lake, the Castle of the Three Dragons, the greenhouses and the mammoth. ### How long do you need in the park? 1 to 1.5 hours for a walk; half a day with the zoo. ### How do I get to Parc de la Ciutadella? By metro to Arc de Triomf (L1) or Ciutadella (L4). ### Can you go boating? Yes, there's rowing boat hire on the lake. ### Is the park good for kids? Yes: playgrounds, boats, the mammoth and the zoo next door. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Opening hours and boat hire prices weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Parc de la Ciutadella - Barcelona City Council tourism portal, barcelona.cat --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.