Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.  Parliament of Catalonia (Parlament de Catalunya) building in the Ciutadella Park (Parc de la Ciutadella).

@lkonya/iStock

Parlament de Catalunya

La Ribera


On the eastern side of the Parc de la Ciutadella, in the fort's former arsenal, lies the regional Parlament de Catalunya, open for independent visiting only on 11 September from 10am to 7pm. At other times, you can join free 45-minute guided tours, in a range of languages, with at least two days' advance booking (online), on which you'll see the sweeping Escala d’Honor (Stairway of Honour) and the semicircular Saló de Sessions where parliament sits.

At the centre of the garden in front of the parliament building is a statue of a seemingly heartbroken woman, Desconsol (Distress; 1907), by Josep Llimona.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

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