Parc de les Glòries

Parc de les Glòries is one of Barcelona's newest and largest urban parks, laid out over a former traffic junction where three major Eixample avenues meet: Diagonal, Gran Via and Meridiana.

Why does this park exist?

Ildefons Cerdà's 19th-century city plan envisioned a grand public square on this spot — a civic focal point for the expanding Eixample district. For decades, reality looked different: Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes was mostly a sprawling road interchange, tangled with flyovers and traffic lanes rather than a place for residents to gather. That changed only through a long engineering project that routed Gran Via's through-traffic into an underground tunnel and pushed the remaining car traffic to the square's perimeter, freeing up the center for green space.

The park was built in phases. The first section, around 20,400 square meters, opened to the public in April 2019. The final phase wrapped up in March 2025, adding another 4.3 hectares to the 4.7 hectares already completed. The whole park was officially inaugurated on April 26, 2025, with music, workshops and family activities marking the occasion.

What will you see there?

Today the finished park covers nine hectares, with over 30,000 square meters of greenery and a thousand newly planted trees — making it Barcelona's second-largest park, trailing only Parc de la Ciutadella.

At its heart lies La Gran Clariana, a sweeping 1.1-hectare grass esplanade perfect for a picnic or a rest under the trees. Nearby stands the Umbracle, a shaded structure of nearly 700 square meters built for activities out of direct sun, and the Àgora sensorial Berta Cáceres, a multipurpose plaza of more than 2,500 square meters used for both casual strolling and outdoor events. Families will also find a sizeable playground covering almost 2,000 square meters with 35 play elements.

The park sits right next to Barcelona's unmistakable Torre Agbar, the Els Encants flea market, the Disseny Hub Barcelona design museum, and the cultural complex formed by L'Auditori and Teatre Nacional de Catalunya — worth combining with your walk through the greenery.

How do you get there, and when should you go?

The easiest way in is by metro — Glòries station on line L1 sits right at the park's entrance, and it's also a handy stop for linking central Barcelona with the Poblenou neighborhood and the beaches.

The park is open year-round and free to enter. Early morning or late afternoon are the best times, when the sun is gentler and the shade of the trees and the covered Umbracle offer relief from the heat — especially in summer. Spring and autumn are just as pleasant for a walk through the freshly planted greenery, and crowds tend to be thinner than at the city's typical tourist hotspots.

Frequently asked questions

Is entry to Parc de les Glòries free? Yes, the park is open to everyone at no cost, every day.

What's the fastest way to reach the park? Take metro line L1 to Glòries station — the park entrance is right beside it.

Is there anything for kids? Yes, the park has a playground of almost 2,000 square meters with 35 play elements.

What's worth seeing nearby? Torre Agbar, the Els Encants market, Disseny Hub Barcelona, and L'Auditori together with Teatre Nacional de Catalunya — all directly adjacent to the park.