Best picnic spots in Barcelona

Of all the parks currently operating in the city, this was the first one specifically designed to be a public park, and it's also home to the Barcelona Zoo and a lake where you can rent paddle boats. Though it's an extremely popular weekend destinations, you can still try to find a patch of your own among the dog-walkers and bongo players to picnic, sunbathe, practise the guitar or hula hoop... Fans of botany are happy among the foliage, and recently it's become the best place to try to spot the Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottus), a type of bird that mocks other bird songs, made popular thanks to the ‘Hunger Games’ trilogy.

This park has three claims to fame: first, the 'Elogi de l’Aigua' ('In Praise of Water'), a colossal structure by Eduardo Chillida, suspended by steel cables anchored to stones from the old Coll quarry; the second is a large pond that functions as a shallow public pool in summer; and the third, a small square you have to hike up to where you’ll find tables, benches, a fountain and a beautiful view of Barcelona that makes the walk up worth it.

You can get a fantastic two-for-one deal around lunchtime at Palau Robert. First you can visit the exhibitions inside, where they've hosted outstanding photography and other art shows. They've also got a space for concerts and a tourist information office inside the building. Next, just walk into the gardens, find a shady tree, park it and picnic. The price for the whole afternoon out? Absolutely free.