Placa de Catalunya (Catalonia Square), Barcelona

As well as being the most connected transit hub for Barcelona's metropolitan area, Plaça de Catalunya is the heart of the city in a wider sense. It is undoubtedly one of the busiest and most interesting places, acting as one of the starting points of Barcelona's main arteries, such as Las Ramblas, Passeig de Gràcia, or the pedestrian street Portal de l'Àngel. It is also the connection point between the Old City and its gridded 19th-century extension known as Eixample, which is home to some of Europe’s most exquisite architecture.

One of the largest squares in Spain, it stands as one of Barcelona's most bustling places due to the endless restaurants, hotels, shops, cafes and entertainment venues found throughout the area. If you look in the middle of the square itself, you will find pavement stones arranged in the shape of a star which, they say, marks the center of the Catalonian capital.

For high fashion, design, jewelry and department stores, the principal shopping axis starts here – so if you're in for some retail therapy, this is the place to go. An initial orientation point for visitors is the white-faced El Corte Inglés, Spain's only surviving department store, an enormous fortress-like behemoth that houses everything you would expect – from books, music and food to high fashion, jewelry, technology, and homeware. The store is famous for its decent customer service, but also the 9th-floor cafeteria where you can get a seat by the window affording a great panoramic view over the square below. On the opposite side is El Triangle, a commercial center that is home to FNAC, a mega media store with several slick floors of books, music and technology.

Plaça de Catalunya is also known for its fountains and statues, attracting flocks of tourists and pigeons in their thousands. As the afternoon proceeds, it gets increasingly crowded and colorful, perfect to get a sense of life in Barcelona as there are always lots and lots of details to observe.

Tip:
The fountains are pretty in the day but the display at night is beautiful, illuminated by alternating colored light.