Top 5 Walking Routes in The City of Barcelona

The best way to see any city is by foot.

If you’re visiting Barcelona to enjoy one of it’s many cannabis cafes, then it’s a great way to see different parts of the city.

Many of the Barcelona weed cafés are around the Ciutat Vella, the oldest part of the city. This area covers El Born, the Barri Gotic and El Raval. This area also contains the highest concentration of Barcelona cannabis clubs  and is a great place to get high and go for a walk.

In this article we’ll look at the top 5 walking routes in Barcelona and give some direction on how to get there from the Ciutat Vella. If you’re in a Barcelona coffeeshop right now, light up a bowl and prepare yourself for a cultural walk through this beautiful and historic city. 

5. Las Ramblas

Undoubtedly one of the most famous streets in Barcelona, this is a hot-spot for tourists. While the food and shopping on Las Ramblas is not the best in the city, it is a beautiful cultural walk and worth the effort. In reality this famous street is a series of shorter streets that are collectively referred to as ‘Las Ramblas’. If you’re in a Barcelona coffeeshop in Ciutat Vella, then it will be easy to locate as these streets run between the Barri Gotic and El Raval districts.

There are many sights to see on these streets, so it doesn’t really matter which direction you head in. The abundance of street-performers, market-traders and classic Catalan architecture can be seen whichever direction you take. One of the most famous covered markets in the world is also located on Las Ramblas. ‘La Boqueria’ was officially opened in 1840 however there have been markets on this site since the 1200s. This is a great place to come and soak up the sights and sounds of Catalan life. Every type of food is on offer here, from the staple dishes to the weird and the wonderful.

There are plenty of other attractions to see on Las Ramblas. The Liceu Theatre is an opera house built in 1847 which is a popular place for tourists. There is also a Joan Miró piece of art that adorns the floor of Las Ramblas close to Liceu theatre. We’d recommend starting at Drassanes Metro station and heading along Las Ramblas until you hit Plaça Catalunya for a very entertaining time.

The standard advice for anyone visting Las Ramblas is to watch your bags and pockets. This area is a hotspot for street thieves and while it may feel very casual, the risk of being pick-pocketed is very high. If you have just left a BCN cannabis club then you will probably look super-high, so take extra care.

4. The Seafront

The seafront in Barcelona is very long and perfect for a stoned walk after leaving a Barcelona cannabis café. There are some cannabis clubs that are close to the seafront, although many of the higher quality clubs are either in Ciutat Vella or further in-land. Being a city located next to the sea, it is very easy to navigate your way to the beach and if you get lost you can just ask a local. As an international metropolitan hub, many people in Barcelona speak Catalan, Spanish and English. So, help is never difficult to find.

The main beach you will probably experience when you come to Barcelona is Barceloneta beach. This famous beach located next to the Barceloneta district was drastically improved for the 1992 Olympics and had sand imported from Africa. This area was formerly where some of the poorest in the city lived, but now it attracts plenty of tourists and is one of the best places in the city to find seafood. Chances are if you are walking from the Ciutat Vella via Port Vell you will land on Sant Miquel or Barceloneta beaches. From here you can head north along the esplanade towards Port Olimpic Marina. You’ll pass Somorrostro beach and where you can see the outdoor gym and playground. These beaches will be very busy but the life and energy here is great to watch. There are also plenty of restaurants and bars where you can relax and unwind in this area. Unfortunately though, there are no Barcelona cannabis clubs with seafront views!

If your legs can carry you there are plenty more beaches beyond the Port Olimpic Marina. They extend all the way to Banys Forum and beyond. Many of them are much quieter than those directly next to Barceloneta but it does take some time to access them. If you want to explore them more then we would recommend getting on the Metro or Renfe and heading up the coast by train. This area is well worth exploring but finding cannabis clubs this far up the coast will be a bit more difficult for a non-local.

3. Montjuïc

I use Montjuïc here as a catch all term for the massive hill, the castle and the selection of excellent museums all within the same area. There are also some excellent BCN cannabis clubs at the bottom of the hill in the local area of El Poble Sec and Sant Antoni. If you can get yourself an invitation to one of these cannabis coffeeshops then it’s also a great base to explore this area.

First up worth noting is Montjuïc castle. This historic city fortification dates to the 1700s and is a major tourist attraction for the city. In the same area you can find the Barcelona botanical gardens and the Jardins de Joan Brossa. The latter was named after the Catalan poet and writer who wrote most of his work in the Catalan language when it was outlawed by the dictator Franco. The area is great for walking, with many amazing views of the ocean and city.

Behind the castle and many amazing gardens are the Olympic stadiums, monuments and swimming pools built for the different Olympic projects. Some of them were built for the conceived 1936 Olympics which never happened due to civil war. Others were built for the 1992 Olympics which revolutionised the city of Barcelona and brought many of its poverty-stricken districts into the 21st century.

If you’ve visiting Barcelona and looking for a nice walk then this area is one of the finest in the city for exploration. Our recommendation would be to get high in one of the BCN cannabis clubs at the bottom of the hill, walk towards Montjuïc via Joan Brossa gardens, then head on to the botanical gardens. After this walk towards Placa Europa, then follow the road round towards Poble Espanyol – the excellent outside architecture museum. Beyond here you can explore the other museums and galleries in this area. The walk may not look much on your favourite web-based map app, but in practice it will probably take you a whole day. This area is huge and has an extensive list of places to explore and relax.

2. Passeig de Gràcia

The area of Passeig de Gràcia was built to house the affluent residents of Barcelona after the Ciutat Vella became overrun with sailors, drugs and prostitutes. The urbanisation projects of the 1800s brought lots of development and Passeig de Gràcia became a very popular area for architects to show off their skills. Antoni Gaudi has two major works on this street, which are arguably two of his most iconic works.

Casa Batlló and Casa Milá are both excellent examples of his work and attract millions of visitors every year. Both are shrouded in folk-lore and interesting history. Like the family who still pay 1920s level rent on their apartment in Casa Milá thanks to a contract from the original owners. Or the daughter of the owners of Casa Batllo, who was told by Gaudi to change her instrument after her parents had commented that he hadn’t left enough room for a piano.

There are numerous good BCN cannabis clubs in Eixample, but this area is also easy to access if your cannabis club is in Ciutat Vella. We would recommend getting on the Metro and arriving at the Passeig de Gràcia stop, then heading along the road until you reach the Diagonal station. This is a nice easy walk with plenty to see and do. Unlike Las Ramblas, most of the food and drink in this area is great and you’ll find some authentic Catalan experiences here. It is also one of the wealthiest districts of Barcelona, so you can expect to pay a little more. If you are smart, then there are some great eateries around the side-streets that are well-worth a look.

1. Park Güell to Park Guinardo

If you want to explore a less tourist-focused area of Barcelona, then this walk will take you through the neighbourhood of Gracia. This area is very popular with locals as it delivers more of an authentic local experience and this is where many of the native Catalan and Spanish speakers choose to live. It’s also home to some of the cities finest cannabis clubs. The local BCN cannabis clubs in this area are some of the best but can be a little tricky to get membership with. If you are lucky enough to be member of a cannabis club in this district, then you’ll undoubtedly have some of the best weed in the city. You’ll probably need a good walk after smoking up in a cannabis club here!

Park Güell is a major tourist attraction in Barcelona and many people come to this district just to visit the park. This means they do miss out on a lot of what this district has to offer. There are plenty of great value restaurants further down the hill from Park Güell that serve up authentic cuisine and some excellent coffeeshops. It’s worth exploring the local culture in these quiet streets where you’ll find some interesting experiences.

Finish up your journey around Park Guinardo, one of the larger parks in the city and home to some great walks and epic views. You’re also near to Bunkers de Carmel which is one of the best places in Barcelona to get panoramic views of the city.