Let’s be honest, after spending time being captivated by the art in our museums, who can resist the temptation to take a break and enjoy a nice cold beer while soaking up the incredible views? Especially now that summer has officially arrived in Barcelona! At the Articket museums, not only will you find the best art in the city, you’ll also discover terraces and views that will take your breath away! Take note!
The MACBA Bar, a meeting point in the heart of the Raval
If you’re looking to experience one of Barcelona’s most authentic settings, the MACBA Bar is right up your street. Located in Plaça dels Àngels, in the middle of the Raval neighbourhood, it has a large terrace which is open all day, all year round. Skaters, Barcelona natives, tourists and all kinds of characters make this place one of the most dynamic and fascinating in the city.
Casual cuisine with Mediterranean dishes, signature cocktails and plenty of choice for vegans and vegetarians too. It is, without a doubt, the perfect space to take a break before or after a visit to the MACBA or the CCCB, which are both just a minute’s walk from the terrace, and which you can also visit with your Articket passport!
Hang out with Barcelona’s cultural community at CCCB’s Terracccita
The CCCB also has its own bar restaurant with a terrace, the Terracccita, located in the Plaça de Joan Coromines. You’ll often find people working with their laptops or holding meetings there, and it’s one of the most popular destinations for Barcelona’s cultural and artistic community to meet up.
An ideal spot to have breakfast before visiting the museums or to eat from a creatively designed menu to refuel after a day of full-on culture. If you find a group of elderly people there, they might well be the former residents of the Casa de la Caritat, a space that is now occupied by the CCCB and which used to be a charitable hospice. The community continues to meet every Thursday and has done so for more than 20 years.
Four tempting options at the Museu Nacional, to ensure you get it just right!
There is a selection of magnificent spots at the Museu Nacional to allow you to recharge your batteries in a beautiful setting. At the Oval Room Café, for example, you can have lunch or an aperitif in one of the most iconic rooms of the Palau Nacional, under an immense dome that has hosted some of the biggest social events in Europe. You can even take a hamper with you for a picnic in the park!
If you are looking for a top-notch gastronomic experience, in the old Saló de Tron where Alfonso XIII inaugurated the International Exhibition of 1929, you will find the Òleum Restaurant. Its huge windows will allow you to enjoy spectacular views over Barcelona, with Avinguda Maria Cristina at your feet and delicious dishes on your table.
If you prefer the open air and something a little less formal, at Terrassa Fresc located at the entrance, you’ll also get to take in a unique perspective on the city, enjoying the live music that can often be heard, while being just a stone’s throw from the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc. Here you will find more information about the opening times.
Another must-see is the Palau Rooftop Viewpoint, where you can enjoy free access with your Articket. Here, you will be able to take in 360 degrees of the skyline, from the Sagrada Familia to the Torre Glòries and the buildings of the Vila Olímpica, to the facilities that make up the Olympic Ring. Don’t miss it!
An oasis of calm and rationalism at the Fundació Joan Miró
The Fundació Joan Miró is a museum where art and nature intertwine. From the Pati de l’Olivera, at the heart of the building, you can see Montjuïc Park on one side and the city of Barcelona surrounded by the Collserola mountain on the other.
In the Pati Nord, you will get to enjoy a unique panoramic vista of the city with the sculpture Study for a monument (Moon, Sun and One Star) in the foreground. The terraces will allow you to take in the courtyards, the leafy vegetation and Miró’s sculptures that are part of the landscape.
The restaurant of the Fundació Joan Miró is another hidden corner full of light and tranquility, with large windows and magnificent views of the Jardí de les Escultures (Plensa and Perejaume are among the designers) and a wonderful interior terrace located in the Pati del Garrofer. From here you can take in all of Sert’s volumetric architecture and a century-old carob tree brought from the region of Baix Camp, an area that Joan Miró was particularly fond of and which enjoys a symbolic presence here.
A sock on the terrace of the Fundació Antoni Tàpies
When, in 1991, the architect Gae Aulenti remodelled the Palau Nacional to house the Museu Nacional, his plans for the Oval Room included placing a sculpture by Antoni Tàpies, representing an enormous, white, 18-metre-long sock with holes. The controversy it generated led her to abandon the idea.
Finally, a smaller version was made in 2010, as part of the renovations of the Fundació Antoni Tàpies, which you can visit on the terrace. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy a tranquil spot or take part in one of the activities organised there in July to celebrate summer (along with a good vermouth). From here you can also see a wonderful example of the interior part of Barcelona’s Eixample neighbourhood!
