One of Barcelona’s secrets is the bunkers del Carmel that are definitely worth a visit when you move to Barcelona. The vibes, the view and rest is just amazing
A little bit of history
The bunkers del Carmel are located on top of the Rovira in the Carmel barrio and are the remains of the civil war bunkers. This bunker was built to protect the city from the air bombings in 1938. Large cannons were mounted on the concrete to protect Barcelona from any further bombing. After the war the guns has been removed and the bunkers were left to crumble. A few years later the bunkers have had some renovation done so the place is cleaner and safer than before.
What makes the bunkers del Carmel so special?
There are quite some stairs to walk when you are going to walk to the top of Turó de la Rovira, but in my opinion that makes it even more worth than going with the bus. When you are finally to the bunkers you have a panoramic view of the whole city. You are able to see Sagrada Familia, the MAPFRE tower, tower agbar, Tibidabo and all other iconic buildings in Barcelona. Next to all these iconic buildings you are also able to see the narrow streets, the sea, the city lights and the other hill tops.
The area surrounding Turó de la Rovira viewpoints is property of the heritage of the city of Barcelona and totally free to visit.
How I found out about the bunkers del Carmel
You won’t see the bunkers del Carmel popping up in any of your tourist guides, so you know it is a local/secret place! So how do I know about this place?
Since our last Live Further event I have met some amazing people who fill up my weekends and sometimes evenings with fun things to do. As two friends knew about this place and already went, it wasn’t hard to be jealous of the amazing view they had. So with a group of Livefurtherers we decided to go, first with the metro and then walking. A bit exhausted and all sweaty we were finally at the bunkers. But that all did not even matter because the view was what took our breaths away! We brought some food, drinks and a pack of cards. As we sat there enjoying the view, the sun took its time to go under and in another group there were some people playing the guitar.
We are definitely going back!
Some tips we want to give you
You are able to see the sunrise for if you are an early bird, or the sunset during your evening walk. These moments are the most beautiful and a must to experience.
When you go to the bunkers in the evening, then make sure that you are on time to see the sunset. And while you are there, why not have a picnic with some friends or with a loved one.
If you love photography then don’t forget to bring your best camera with you, it will be worth it!
If you would like to do more than enjoy the amazing view of Barcelona, you could book one of the guided tours of the bunkers del Carmel. These tours are organized by MUHBA Museum and are given from time to time. Do you want to know more about these tours? You can always email them for all the information.