The Plaça Reial is a lively gathering point in the center of the Barcelona Old Town quarter. Its mix of restaurants and bars attracts a varied crowd of vacationers and locals, helping the square to come alive at night. On a visit to the Plaça Reial sit in the shade of a palm tree and appreciate the spacious setting of this vast plaza.
Relax near the Fountain of the Three Graces and people-watch in this social hub. Pass through the colonnade and visit the various boutiques. Notice the intriguing form of the lampposts, which were designed by iconic architect Antoni Gaudí. Stately buildings once belonging to aristocratic Catalan families surround the square. Inspect the porticos and terracotta features adorning the façades.
Come to the Plaça Reial to rest between sightseeing activities. There are many benches dotted around the square. Enjoy a meal at one of the restaurants with tables spilling out onto the plaza.
Stay into the evening and get cocktails or beer from the various bars. The square also has some of the most popular nightclubs in the city, where revelers dance into the early hours of the morning. Attend the open-air concerts that are organized in the square for the September La Mercè festival and New Year’s Eve.
Note that a Capuchin convent once stood on the square, before it was demolished in 1835. Architect Francesc Daniel Molina I Casamajó designed and built the plaza later in the 19th century.
The Plaça Reial is just off La Rambla boulevard in the historic center of Barcelona. Get off the metro at the Liceu station and walk southeast for a few minutes to reach the square. You can also ride a bus to one of the stops on La Rambla. See other nearby attractions such as the Gran Teatre del Liceu, the Església de Sant Jaume church and the Plaça de Sant Jaume.
