Page 163 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

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Barcelona’s Fiestas
La Mercè (24 Sep). The
patroness of Barcelona, Nostra
Senyora de la Mercè (Our Lady
of Mercy), whose church is
near the port, is honoured for
a week around 24 September
with Masses, concerts and
dances. The biggest events
are the correfoc – a wild
pro cession of people dressed
as devils and mon sters,
dancing with fire works –
and the piro musical – an
impressive firework display
with music held at the Font
A golondrina departing from the Plaça del Portal de la Pau Màgica in Montjuïc.
k Golondrinas better maritime communications
between the two became a
Plaça del Portal de la Pau. Map 2 F5. priority. Three of the yards’ four
Tel 93 442 31 06.  Drassanes. original corner towers survive.
Open times vary – phone ahead. Among the vessels to slip
& ∑ lasgolondrinas.com
from the Drassanes’ vaulted
Sightseeing trips around the halls was the Real, flagship of
harbour can be made on Don Juan of Austria, Charles V’s
small double-decker boats illegitimate son, who led the
called golondrinas (“swallows”). Christian fleet to victory against
They moor beside the steps the Turks at Lepanto in 1571 (see
of the Plaça del Portal de la p63). The museum’s showpiece
Pau in front of the Columbus is a full-scale replica decorated
Monument. Tours last around in red and gold.
half an hour. The boats go out The renovated halls now host
be neath the steep, castle- temporary exhibitions with a
topped hill of Montjuïc towards maritime theme, as well as
the industrial port. displaying some historic boats.
An alternative one-and- Three times a month, you can
a-half-hour trip in modern also visit the charming Jardins Firework display during the fiesta
catamarans takes in Barcelona de Baluard, a walled garden just of La Mercè
Harbour, the com mercial port behind the museum, where Els Tres Tombs (17 Jan).
and beaches. you can admire Barcelona’s Horsemen, dressed in top
only surviving medieval city hats and tails, ride three
l Museu Marítim gate. The admission ticket also times through the streets in
includes a visit to the Santa
and Drassanes Eulàlia, a restored century-old honour of St Anthony, the
patron saint of animals.
schooner, which is moored a Dia de Sant Ponç (11 May).
Avinguda de les Drassanes. Map 2 F4.
Tel 93 342 99 20.  Drassanes. short walk away in the Port Vell. Stalls along Carrer Hospital
Open 10am–8pm daily. Closed 1 & 6 sell herbs, honey and
Jan, 25 & 26 Dec. & free Sun after candied fruit on the day
3pm. 7 ∑ mmb.cat of the patron saint of
beekeepers and herbalists.
The great galleys that made La Diada (11 Sep). Catalonia’s
Barcelona a major seafaring “national” day is an occasion
power were built in the sheds for singing the Catalan
anthem and separatist
of the Drassanes (shipyards), demonstrations.
which now house the maritime Festa Major (varies). Each
museum. These royal dry docks district hosts its own festa in
are the largest and most com- which streets compete to
plete surviving medieval outdo each other in the
complex of their kind in the inventiveness and beauty of
world. They were founded in the their decorations. The most
mid-13th century, when dynastic spectacular take place in the
marriages uniting the kingdoms Stained-glass window in the neighbourhood of Gràcia.
of Sicily and Aragón meant that Museu Marítim

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