La Rambla

Travel piece for Creative Non-Fiction

“LA RAAAMMMMBBBLLAAAAA”.

Hearing our Brazilian dorm-mate singing the name for the third time that morning, we knew we were not alone in our infatuation with the most famous part of Barcelona.

Luckily our hostel was situated right at the start of the 1.2km-long street, and life was all the much better for it. La Rambla is a drawcard for tourists from all over the world, who, like us, came because the guidebook said to, and thanked the heavens we did. Over the course of our week-long visit we walked the length of it several times a day - not only to experience its delights, but because you can get practically everywhere you want to go via La Rambla. It is no surprise then that a rumoured 150,000 people walk down it every single day, which did not make a misguided attempt at cycling down it very successful!

La Rambla is your gateway to everything Barcelona has to offer, no matter where your interests lie. If you are after seafood so fresh its still moving and exotic fruits from around the globe, then La Boqueria markets are about half way down on your right. If seeing street performers with huge, intricate and sometimes scary costumes and more your thing, they are dotted up and down the strip; you can’t miss then. If you fancy buying some nougat and a baby duck, there’s a stall for both. There are dozen of men selling lukewarm €1 beers, which, unfortunately for anyone foolish enough to purchase, are kept in the street bins! Postcards to send home, various Gaudi-style figurines for souvenirs (I chose an elephant one), hotels, clubs, and even a sex museum can all be found. The Spanish spirit is out for everyone to see on this magical strip, it has enough paella, sangria and tapas to feed an army, and you’ll hear men making kissing noises to young women as they walk past in their hot-weather shorts. Beware if on the receiving end, this noise will make the hairs on your neck stand up, and not in a good way. If you’re around once the sun has gone down, you will certainly see the ladies of the night, and some other questionable characters. By the time you’ve walked to the end and reached the Christopher Columbus statue overlooking the harbour, you’ll have had your eyes opened (literally and figuratively) in a way that is so unique to Barcelona. The street may be a tourist haven, but it is also the heart and soul of the Catalan capital.