La Rambla is at the very heart of Barcelona in more ways than one; never has a street captured the essence or verve of a city so concisely. Bordered by age-old townhouses, framed by towers of trees, La Rambla is home to countless restaurants, bars and hotels as well as market stalls, artists and world famous street entertainers.
The mile long avenue, which runs roughly from Placa Catalunya in the north to Port Vell in the south, began life as a gully carrying rainwater from the Collserola mountains to the sea. It later acted as an open sewer outside the city walls, until it was gradually paved over in sections. This is why you’ll notice different stretches of La Rambla have different street names; it became a promenade one section at a time.
