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Port Vell: Seaport Entertainment Center

Most visitors will arrive to the lively Port Vell area by foot as they reach the lower end of Las Ramblas, Barcelona’s popular pedestrian boulevard. The towering bronze Columbus Monument stands as the portal to Port Vell welcoming visitors with Columbus’ raised right hand. This beautiful harbor area was updated for the 1992 Olympics adding modern cruise ship berths, shops, restaurants and a scenic pedestrian walkway. Visitors can stroll around and take in the sights and lunch at an outdoor terrace for prime people watching and water views.

Maremàgnum - The Maremagnum building floats in the harbor on a manmade island, with access by way of the Rambla de Mar, a pedestrian footbridge. The Maremagnum houses a recently updated shopping center; complete with numerous restaurants and a multi-screen movie theatre. In years past, the Maremagnum was known for its seedy discothèques, but was recently renovated to focus on upscale shopping and dining. The mall now offers popular designer stores such as, Calvin Klein, Adolfo Domínguez and Miss Sixty.

It also features a new section of unique fashions from Spanish designers, named Boutiques Independents. The Elx Restaurant and El Chipiron de Moncho’s both offer fresh Mediterranean seafood dishes such as paella, tapas and Levantine rice. Moncho’s has two floors with a lively bar area and stunning views of the harbor. Standard chains such as McDonalds and Starbucks can also be found here.

The Aquarium and IMAX Theater - The Barcelona Aquarium and the Imax theatre are popular Port Vell attractions located behind the Maremagnum building. The IMAX theatre boasts three projection screens including one in 3D, but the main attraction here is the Aquarium. It is the largest aquarium in Europe and features an underwater viewing tunnel, 11,000 fish and mammals, a huge Oceanarium and nearly a dozen sharks from the Mediterranean.

The Aquarium offers, truly brave souls, an opportunity to dive in the Oceanarium with the sharks for the price of 300 Euro. You must come prepared with a diving certificate, but the Aquarium provides all the necessary diving equipment. The fee also includes a guided tour of the Aquarium, an instructional class about sharks, admission for two additional people, insurance and a souvenir.

Where is Port Vell: Lower end of Las Ramblas

How to get to Port Vell: By Subway – Line 3 to Drassanes Station or Line 4 to Barceloneta Station




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