Guide of Port Vell Marina Area of Barcelona

About Barcelona Port Vell Area

Barcelona's Port Vell, is a great place to spend half to a full day when in Barcelona and offers a little of everything with museums, shopping, sailing trips, walking and good food if you know where to go.

Barcelona port can be found at the bottom of Las Ramblas starting from the Columbus monument and reaching to Barceloneta to form a modern marina called Port Vell that was extensively redeveloped for the 1992 Olympics. The port today contains and island shopping centre, called Maremagnum. Maritime tourist attractions such as sailing ships and coastal boat tours can be found here.

The maritime port of Barcelona dates from the 4AD. The port was active as a crucial frontier trading post throughout the Middle Ages because of its location on the border between Muslim southern Spain and North Africa and the Christian world of Europe. However, the region suffered powerful storms which damaged the ships while docked in the port. From this period the Drassanes Reial Shipyard (royal shipyard), which was used to build and repair sailing galleys, survives and today houses the Barcelona Maritime museum. Originally the Drassanes Reial Shipyard building was on the sea front with a long ramp leading out into the sea to launch the boats, but everything in front of this building is today modern land reclamation to build the modern port.

On the landward side of the Marina between Drassanes and Barceloneta is Moll de Fusta. Moored alongside Moll de Fusta is the sailboat Santa Eulalia which is a living exhibit of the Maritime museum and is included in the MMB (Museo Maritim de Barcelona) entry ticket. Also here is the Port Authority - Admiral Historic Authority building, built 1902, to handle port taxes. Today this building is being refurbished.

Attempts were made throughout the centuries to create an artificial sheltered harbour which could shield boats from the storms. In the 15th century Barcelona began to build breakwaters on the spit of land today known as Barceloneta and today the port is enclosed on three sides. From the 18th to 20th century Barcelona port was very industrial with many brick dock warehouses, modelled on the Warehouses of East London. Only one survives today, The Palau del Mar, and is now the History of Catalunya museum.

In the middle of Port Vell and Maremagnum. Construction of this island shopping centre started in the 1980s and was finished for the 1992 Olympic games. The whole port area underwent a huge urban renewal to transform it from a derelict industrial port with railway lines into a public space with boulevards. Interesting fact is that Maremagnum is the one of only a few shopping complexes in Barcelona that is permitted to open on Sunday's due to it being exempt from the normal trading laws because of its location "in the sea"!

Linking Maremagnum and the "Island in Port Vell" to Las ramblas is a white steel and wooden decked swing bridge that was built as an extension of Las Ramblas called Rambla Del Mar. Pedestrian traffic is stopped over this bridge sometimes to allow the sailing vessels to pass out of Port Vell. It is around here that you will find the Sailing cruises and Las Golondrinas boat tours.

Between the Columbus monument and Barceloneta neighbourhood Are several buildings of historical interest such as the Post office and telegraph building which still has the old radio telegraphy antennas on the roof. It is an active post office that can be visited and still retains the splendid customer hall. Also on the landward side of port Vell is Our Lady Of Mercy Baroque style basilica which is an incredibly ornately decorated church that can be visited. Inside the Christopher Columbus monument is a lift which can be taken to a small viewing gallery at the top that provides spectacular views on a clear day of the port and Cuitat vella areas of Barcelona.

The Barcelona aquarium, next to the Maremagum shopping centre, is a child friendly museum that is full of tanks with many Mediterranean fish species and habitats. Between Maremagnum and the Aquarium you will find some outdoor bars and crepes stalls. These are tourist traps and I do not recommend eating there.

The Port has many old historic buildings such as the clock tower Torre del Relotge from the 18th century and Capitania General d'Espanya former military barracks. These buildings are not open as tourist attractions but can be viewed from outside.

Once you have finished exploring the Port Vell area, I recommend visiting El Bosc de les Fades for tapas and drinks. This is a theme bar decorated like an enchanted fairy tale forest and is child friendly having indoor fountains and caves to explore. The bar is Part of the Barcelona Wax museum.

For a detailed breakdown of the attractions in Port Vell Marina, click on any of the images below.

Happy Exploring!

Where to Eat Barcelona Port Vell Area

Maremagnum Shopping Complex

The restaurants here are targeted at the tourist market and are the usual branded chain restaurants. I would not recommend eating here unless you specifically want junk food.

• Alrouche restaurant: lebanese and arabic food
• Don Bretzel: pretzel and pastry snack store
• Dunkin: Doughnut and pastry snack store
• El Racó: Traditional Mediterranean food restaurant
• Ginos: Italian food restaurant for pizzas and pastas
• Kurtz and Gut: German sausage tapas and beers
• la Jijonenca: Icecream snack store
• Lavazza: Coffee, icecream and tapas snack bar
• McDonalds: American burger junk food
• Mirando al mar: Traditional Mediterranean food restaurant, Catalan recipies
• Pans and Company: Chain sandwich snack bar
• Starbucks Coffee: Chain coffee store famous for spelling your name wrong
• Subway: Chain sandwich snack bar with vegan/vegetarian options
• Chipirón: Cocktails and Tapas
• Tapa Tapa: Traditional Spanish Tapas, small dishes, cocktails, wines and beers.

Correos Post office Area

• 7 Portes: 187 year old Catalan Restaurant with historic interior lounge and outside dining in the colonnades. I recoommend book a table here in advance.
  Passeig d'Isabel II 14, 08003 Barcelona
• Bo de B: Take away cafe for bocadillo baguette sandwiches, salads & other casual food.
  Carrer de la Mercè 35, 08002 Barcelona
• Vegan Cat Bar: modern an stylish vegan restaurant bar with playful cat decor serving homemade vegan burgers, shared tapas dishes & craft beers.
  Carrer de la Mercè 29, 08002 Barcelona
• El Bosc de Les Fades: A fabolous themed forest of the faries bar next to the Barcelona Wax museum. This place is an absolute must to get a coffee, beer and snack.
  Passatge de la Banca 7,08002 Barcelona

Palau del Mar / History of Catalunya museum Building

The restaurants here are targeted at the tourist market but do serve good food, if slightly overpriced. The location is premium with views over the Marina.

• Terrazza Ravello: Traditional Italian pizzeria restaurant with Napolitan specialties. Otside dining terrace with views looking toward Barcelona city.
  Plaça de Pau Vila 1, 08039 Barcelona
• La Tagliatella: Mediterranean/Italian meat dishes, risottos, salads, focaccias, carpaccios or oven-baked gratins, as well as pastas and pizzas. Outside dining facing Barceloneta Neighbourhood.
  Plaça de Pau Vila 1, 08039 Barcelona
• La Gavina: Traditional Mediterranean cuisine specialising in fish & seafood dishes in an intimate interior dining room or at terrace tables overlooking the Port Vell marina.
  Plaça de Pau Vila 1, 08039 Barcelona
• B-ONE: Mediterranean cuisine with a balance of meats and vegetable dishes or fish & seafood dishes in an interior dining room or at terrace tables overlooking the Port Vell marina.
  Plaça de Pau Vila 1, 08039 Barcelona
• Cal Pinxo: Mediterranean cuisine with meat, fish, seafood & Paella dishes in an interior dining room or at terrace tables overlooking the Port Vell marina.
  Plaça de Pau Vila 1, 08039 Barcelona
• Merendero de la Mari: Mediterranean cuisine with meat, fish, seafood & Paella dishes prepared by a family of 5th genration restaurateurs served on the terrace overlooking the Port Vell marina.
  Plaça de Pau Vila 1, 08039 Barcelona
• MOLO 39: Tapas, pizzas, pastas and cocktails in an informal and relaxed atmosphere on a terrace with views of Barceloneta.
  Plaça de Pau Vila 1, 08039 Barcelona
• BlackLab Brewhouse & Kitchen: Craft beers brewed on premises and pub food such as Burgers and Nachos.
  Plaça de Pau Vila 1, 08039 Barcelona
• Restaurant Brisa: Mediterranean meat, fish, seafood & Paella dishes served on the terrace overlooking the Port Vell marina.
  Plaça de Pau Vila 1, 08039 Barcelona