The itinerary begins on the steps in front of the National Art Museum of Catalonia at Montjuïc.
You can reach Plaça Espanya on Metro lines 1 or 3 or the trains of Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya. When you come out the station, continue along Avinguda Maria Cristina Avenue, passing by the Magic Fountain and the four columns until you reach the top. The climb is made easier by the escalators on almost the entire stretch.

Protect your skin from the sun:

– Apply a generous amount of sunscreen to your face, ears, neck, the nape of your neck and any other exposed part of your body.
– Apply a lip balm with sun protection to your lips.
– Put on your sunglasses.
– Wear a hat or cap (remember, the wider the brim, the more it will protect you. So it will not only protect the skin on your face, but also the back of your neck, neck and neckline).

Remember that on cloudy or rainy days you also need to protect yourself from the sun. It is very important to follow these sun protection tips to prevent unpleasant sunburn and avoid harming your skin. Overexposure to the sun is a risk factor for the development of wrinkles, sun spots and skin cancer.

Healthy eating:
Did you have a good breakfast? I hope so! Next, we’ll give you some ideas for a healthy breakfast before starting the day:

– Wholemeal toast with cottage cheese
– Yogurt with strawberries and oat flakes
– Wholemeal toast with radish and tomato
– An apple with peanut butter

Prefer to take it with you? Here are some healthy snack ideas:

– Banana and nuts
– Wholemeal bread sticks low in salt
– Wholemeal sandwich with escalivada and tuna
– Vegetable sticks and hummus
– A handful of walnuts
– Wholemeal sandwich with hummus, tomato and corn salad

These are just some ideas. Now it’s your chance to demonstrate your creativity!

Stay hydrated:

Do you drink enough water? Remember you should mostly drink water; always carry a bottle with you when you go for a walk. Take sips along the way, even if you’re not thirsty. If water seems boring to you, here are some tricks:

– Hot or cold teas
– Flavour the water with pieces of fruit (blueberries, raspberries, lemon, orange, etc.).
– Vegetable broth (to warm you in winter)!

Clothing and footwear:
– Remember to wear comfortable clothing and appropriate footwear. Don’t go for long walks the first day you wear new shoes, because they can cause blisters. Remember to take the appropriate accessories for the time of year:
– Cap or hat if it’s sunny
– Waterproof clothing if it’s cloudy or might rain
– Gloves, hat and warm clothes if it’s cold

First-aid kit:
– Sticking plasters
– Bandages between 5 and 10 cm
– Dressings
– Sutures (steri-strip)
– Gauze
– Gloves
– Chlorhexidine or alcohol
– Physiological serum (single dose)
– Scissors
– Insect repellent and bite treatment
– Sugar
– Ointment for bruises (Thrombocid)
– Paracetamol

What to do if you feel faint:
First of all, try and catch yourself before you fall. Once on the ground, if possible roll over with your legs raised at a 45-degree angle and your head to one side in case you throw up. Loosen your clothes (belts, ties, scarves, etc.) to help your breathing. Try to prevent too many people gathering around you. Remain in the lying position with your legs at a 45-degree angle for 15 minutes. When you start to feel better, slowly sit up. Faintness is usually caused by a drop in blood pressure. Drink water to relieve the faintness once you are partially sitting up; that way your body fluids will be replenished and your blood pressure will increase. If the feeling of faintness persists, you need to be seen by a healthcare professional.

First aid if you hurt yourself:
If you injure yourself and there is an open wound, the first thing to do is clean it thoroughly, if possible with running water and soap. Then disinfect it with antiseptic (povidone iodine) or chlorhexidine. If there is a lot of bleeding, apply compression with a clean gauze until the bleeding stops. Once the bleeding has been stopped, cover the wound to prevent it from becoming infected. If you have any doubts, or especially if it is a deep wound, you should seek the advice of a health professional.
In any case, it’s a good idea to have your tetanus vaccine up to date.

We’re heading to the Laribal Gardens. You’re on the steps of the MNAC lookout point with the city at your feet. Go right towards Avinguda (avenue) dels Muntanyàns. Before turning right on the road, be sure to take in the fabulous views of the city from the lookout point.

Once on the avenue, cross it on the pedestrian crossing and walk through the small square with benches surrounded by trees.

Go down the stairs at the end on the left and, once on the road, to the right you’ll see the Ethnological Museum.
Reach it via the pedestrian crossing. Go up about 20 metres and you’ll see the signpost for the entrance to the Laribal Gardens, where you’ll find the Colla de l’Arròs rose garden.

Prepare your body for the adventure!

– Rotate your shoulders gently back and forth.
– Move your head gently from right to left.
– Move your head gently back and forth.
– Bring your hands together in front of you, interlace your fingers and make gentle movements with your wrists in one direction and another.
– With your legs slightly apart, place your hands on your hips and gently twist your waist to the right. Change direction and twist to the left.
– Bring your legs together, rest your hands on your knees and, without them separating, make circles with your legs to the right. Then make circles to the left.
– Put your body weight on your left foot. With your right foot, touch the ground with your toe and then your heel. Then repeat the process with the other foot.

Now you can set off!

In this “The Art of Walking” itinerary you can also enjoy the art of photography while practicing it! Along the route we’ll give you brief photographic suggestions so that you too can experiment with your camera (or mobile phone) and become an artist!
Natural landscapes, sculptures and historical monuments, trees of a thousand shapes and flowers of a thousand colours, together with the best views of the city. These are the perfect settings either for taking your first photographs or perfecting your technique.
Photography is many things and is used for many more. But on this itinerary it will help us find moments of calm and make it easier to observe our surroundings. It will allow us to direct our attentive gaze, to marvel at the world around us and at all those things that Mercè Rodoreda referred to when she wrote that “the important things are those that don’t seem so”.
The art of photography is more than just clicking a button. You have to train your gaze and observe the landscapes in constant motion, decide what you want to photograph, how to portray it and, above all, why. Photography begins when you start looking at your surroundings and feeling them.
To take photographs you need a camera. You need to know its technical aspects such as the lenses, diaphragm, shutter and sensitivity. Today, however, automatic cameras and mobile phones make it very easy to begin taking pictures straight away and then gradually learn all the technical elements. That’s why these photography tips are designed for taking photos with your mobile phone.

But to get started, we’ll give you some very basic initial tips to keep in mind when taking photos:

– Clean the camera lens. It is through this small opening that the light enters to create your photograph; the cleaner and clearer it is, the more light can enter and the better the photograph. It’s very easy for the lens of your mobile phone camera to get dirty, especially as you can easily touch it while making calls. You can clean it with a soft, dry, smooth or microfibre cloth. If you don’t have one at hand, you can clean it gently with a cotton shirt, making circular movements.
– Avoid taking photos against the light. If you’re facing the sun, the objects you’re photographing will be darker and light aberrations may appear in the image. Whenever possible, you should have the light source (in this case the sun) at your back or to one side.
– You must bear in mind that daylight is of key importance to the result of your photo. Bright sunlight or a cloudy sky will make a big difference to the result. The textures, shadows and light temperature will change.

The best time to take photos is early morning or late evening. The light at midday causes sharp contrasts between light and shade, although this can also be used as a strong point if that’s what you’re looking for artistically.

From the MNAC lookout point you have an impressive panorama across the city to Tibidabo, a photo not to be missed! Or you can also start with small details of the sculptures you have around you. Along the various sections of the route we’ll offer you brief tips and techniques. But remember: once the techniques have been mastered, a good artist ignores them!

To get to the Sculpture Garden head towards the centre of the pergolas and you’ll see some steps with a tree right in the middle of them.

Climb them and once at the top go to the left where you’ll find the “Repose” sculpture by Josep Viladomat. The building in front is the Joan Miró Foundation. The Sculpture Garden is behind it.

When you reach the pergola, look for one of the benches in the shade. Make yourself comfortable and observe nature with the city in the background.

Then close your eyes for a moment. Feel your weight rooted in your feet. Let the sounds of nature come to you, without effort. Don’t judge, don’t try and change anything, just observe. Then, slowly bring your attention to your breathing. Count “one” when you inhale, “two” when you exhale, “three” when you inhale, “four” when you exhale, and so on until you reach the number ten. When you get to ten, gently open your eyes. What do you notice in your body? Is it the same as when you started this short meditation? Again, don’t judge, just feel if there’s been any change or none at all. Either way it’s fine. What about your mind? Is it the same as when you started this short meditation? Again, don’t judge, just observe if there’s been any change and also if there hasn’t. Both are fine.

These lush gardens are an ideal place in which to experiment with your camera, photographing everything that’s there and going on around it. Observe the immense trees or the tiny creatures hiding behind the leaves or in the pools of water. Look at all the worlds that are hidden there, see them from another perspective. As the photojournalist Robert Capa used to say, “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough”.

On this section of the route we’ll talk about the importance of composition, the arrangement of the elements in a picture and how they are placed. This is one of the most creative moments of the process. It’s like when a painter decides how to arrange the features in a painting or when a musician decides which notes to play and in which tempo. Symmetry will help you create pleasing and beautiful images. Straight lines and frontal framing will give you static sensations, curved and diagonal lines and a sense of movement.

When you frame a shot through the viewfinder or the screen, you have to decide which elements will be seen. It’s as important to decide what will not be included and as what will. Do you want to show the whole garden or just part of it? Which will be the main features and which will be secondary, and how should they be highlighted?
At this point you can practice the rule of thirds, a basic rule for composing visual images: two horizontal and two vertical lines divide the image into nine equal parts and serve as a grid to position the elements of photograph. The main elements of attention are placed at the four intersection points, sometimes called the “power points”. Thus a balanced and symmetrical image is created (on most mobile phones the grid can be activated in the configuration section).

Leaving the Sculpture Garden you come to the busy Miramar Avenue.

Turn left and follow the avenue until you come to the Cable Car station. Cross the pedestrian crossing in front of it. Continue along the pavement to the left and go up to the right towards Carrer dels Tarongers. After about 50 metres you’ll come to the main gate of the Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer Gardens.

You may notice that your body is a little tense at this point, so I suggest a series of tension-releasing exercises. Now you’re in the Plaça d’Escultures, look for a quiet spot. It can be on the stairs you’ve just come from, the benches on the side or next to the tree alongside the Foundation building. Any place you choose will be fine. Take it your own pace, don’t force it and do as much as your body can. Always remember to make gentle movements. Here we go!

Open and close your fingers wide. Once you’ve done this a few times, shake your hands downwards, as if you’re trying to loosen something stuck to them.
Pass your right hand over your head and bring it to the nape of your neck. At the same time, bring your left hand to your lower back. The movements should be gentle, not forced. It doesn’t matter where you end up, we just want to let your body relax and release any possible discomfort. Then, repeat the movements the other way round: your left hand goes to the nape of your neck and the right hand to your lower back. Repeat the exercise several times. We’re not looking for speed, but to make the movement wide and fluid, without straining yourself.

Rest your weight on your left foot and bring your right knee up. Again, it’s not about forcing your body or losing your balance, the aim is to give your legs some mobility. Then rest your weight on your right foot and bring your left knee up. Repeat several times.
Without moving your body, turn your head as if you want to look over your right shoulder. Gently and consciously, turn your head the other way as if to look over your left shoulder. It’s very important to make this movement slowly to avoid getting dizzy. As you do this, I want you to feel your neck muscles stretch in the direction of your gaze.
Once your body has been stretched, drink some water to make sure you’re properly hydrated before you continue with the itinerary.

Now we’ve worked on framing, we also need to consider perspective when creating the image. Perspective is both the relationship of the objects with each other and the direction and position from which the photograph is taken.

We usually take pictures from our eye level. That’s understandable, it’s the point from which we see the world. But why not take a risk and change the perspective when taking photographs – and also in life! This helps you see things as you may never have seen them before. Take the photo from ground level or from the top of some steps looking down. Move around, look for different angles, you’ll see how your pictures will be much more creative!

The high-angle shot is when the camera is located above the photographed element, and the low-angle shot is just the opposite, with the camera at a lower level.

To reach the Joan Brossa Gardens, go down past the aquatic plant ponds until you reach the small lake in the garden.
Right in front you will find the other entrance gate to the park, go through it, cross Carrer dels Tarongers via the pedestrian crossing and enter the Joan Brossa gardens.

As you walk through the green landscape of the Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer Gardens, I’d like you to pay attention to the pressure exerted by your feet on the ground. Note whether you lean asymmetrically on one and the other, or perhaps you support your weight equally on both feet. Again, we don’t want to judge or change anything, we just want to observe what’s there. What does the ground look like? Is it even or uneven? Are there any leaves on it? Is it wet or dry? Concentrate on these sensations. Remember, you’re taking a walk and you the aim is to enjoy the surroundings and its nature. Don’t run, don’t strain your body. Stop and admire the contrast of colours that nature offers us in contact with the light.

Bring your attention to the sensations on your skin. Can you feel a breeze? Perhaps it’s windy? Is it a rainy day and raindrops are falling on your face? Is it humid? Or, on the contrary, is it a dry day? Focus on all this, again without wanting to change it, accepting the day and the weather as it is.
Now I want you to become aware of any special smells; just let them come to you, without forcing them, without putting too much effort into it, paying gentle attention to your nose.

At this point on the itinerary you’ll be able to use your cameras to capture the explosion and wealth of colours and textures that nature offers us with the bulbous flowers, water plants, the streams of water in the ponds and the magnificent trees of the Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer Gardens.
– To take close-ups of small insects or the texture of flowers, activate the “macro” or “supermacro” mode on your mobile phone (the flower icon). Nowadays almost all phones have this option. With this mode you can get very close, as near as 2 to 3 cm, and capture very sharp images.
– On many devices you can adjust the focus point by directly touching the screen and centring the part of the image you are most interested in focusing on.
– The colours of the flower petals are very intense and stand out very well against the green background of the leaves and stems. In this case, take advantage of the backlight of the sun’s rays on the petals (let the light come from behind the petals) and you’ll see how the colours are brighter and look like brushstrokes of light on the flowers.
Here you can also play with the reflections on the water. Look for symmetries and reflections both in the water lily ponds and the garden’s central lake. If it’s a sunny day, the reflection of the sun’s rays on the water can add a very creative touch to your images.

Water lilies



The association is easy amidst the water lily ponds: surround yourself with beauty to cover everything that is not right. Expose an immediate experience of nature when the truth takes on the trembling texture of a convulsion. Perhaps it is me, I tell myself. Perhaps it is these dog days and the common threat from multiple fronts that I normalise, perhaps it is in this corner of the world and at this point in the day and the calendar, far from the narrowness of routine and the limitations of circumstances, that beauty bends under an excessive weight.
I think about it staring at the scandalous stamens of the white water lilies, inevitably recalling the series of water lilies painted by Monet beginning in 1914. While he planted his easel in front of a pond in the garden of his house and prepared to paint the exuberance of the water lilies, the First World War was breaking out around him. A world of peace in a world of war. The unyielding desire to want to be somewhere else when reality becomes frightening and exhausting and for that other place to be home.
On a personal note, I should say that it has always seemed to me that the beauty of the water lilies, those of Monet and the real ones, hides something cruel, that contains a kind of indifference towards all of us who do not achieve the absolute luminosity these floating nymphs radiate. Since childhood my eyes have interpreted them as a kind of synchronised choreography, as if they were aquatic ballerinas, drawing circles and figures while moving their legs and arms with stylised and confident movements. I envy the strength, endurance and flexibility of aquatic dancers and water lilies everywhere. I envy them that innate beauty. They seem to exist for perfection and to be admired, like love when it is still just desire. Love had to come out, of course. How do you avoid love? How can you flee from it? I often pride myself on thinking that my feelings are genuine, but all I have to do is descend the stairs, with the faint sound of running water in the background, to come face to face with the water lilies, and all of a sudden I become aware that what is happening to me is not real at all.
By now, I should have a clear account of my life, but I am still right there, at that crossroads. Nobody said it would be easy. And the fact is that in any edifying story we tell ourselves, even one with perspective, love plays an important role. I only know a few things about it; it, of me, even fewer. Taming desire with these minimal measures, with just the decorum that we both publicly display in this new way of relating, seems easy enough. For now we are two water lilies that rub up against the perfection floating in low water, boasting of the best version we can offer each other. The problem will come when, as time approaches us, time demands to know more about me, more about you; questions will be fired that will bring us both down into the depths, to where the roots, fragile and long, are entangled with the past of each of us. Down there we will have to battle with colonies of amphibians that have always been there, wise creatures that know how to camouflage themselves and jump far when they want to be alone.
I try to shrug it off and tell myself that, after all, love isn’t everything in someone’s life, but a voice rushes to remind me that maybe it is everything in someone else’s life. Do you see? You start out looking at sweetened water lilies of such beauty and end up losing control of your destiny.



And here ends the first part of the route! If you would like more, you can enjoy the second part on another day. But if you want to keep walking, let’s head towards the Joan Brossa Gardens, where we will talk about sounds, volumes, textures, etc.

If you decide to continue to the next section of the route, listen to the orientation audio.


To go to the next section of the route, the Mirador de l’Alcalde, leave the Joan Brossa Gardens through one of the upper exits and you’ll come out on the Montjuïc road. `

Once there, go up the road about 50 metres, cross over the pedestrian crossing, and you’ll be at the Mirador de l’Alcalde (lookout point).

If you would like to continue enjoying this moment, I invite you to bring your attention to your surroundings, to the here and now, to the present moment. Pay attention to the people around you, the surrounding nature, the clouds in the sky and how they are moving, observe your hands, your waist, your legs, your feet.

For a few moments connect to the present moment. Let your thoughts go, don’t be distracted by your mobile phone. Focus your attention on a specific point that catches your eye, its colour, shape, intensity, movement, etc. Everything is fine, no matter what has happened so far, no matter what will happen from now on. Focus on the moment you are living. Enjoy it, experience it; it’s unique, it won’t be repeated. Stay a while enjoying your moment.

From close-ups and the beautiful flowers of the Joan Brossa Gardens we come to the grand panoramas. Walking along the paths of Montjuïc you will have noticed the marvellous landscapes they have to offer. To capture them, follow these recommendations:

– Landscape photographs are usually taken with the camera horizontally to be able to capture a wider angle, especially if you have a horizon line. You can also take the photograph vertically if the features that appear have vertical lines, for example trees, or diagonal lines that help give dynamism to the image.
– The lens used to capture a large landscape is a normal or wide angle aperture. But be careful if you use a wide angle, because if it’s wide open it distorts the sides of the image.

– Almost all mobile phones have a very limited optical zoom and use digital zoom. Never use it, it will reduce the quality of the image.

– Our eyes are able to perceive details and balance light contrasts that your camera cannot perceive. In this case, you can activate the HDR option in the menu, which will help photos with a high contrast to be more balanced and not show very dark or “burnt” areas with too much light.

– Sometimes you don’t need to include many elements in the picture. Less is often more.

– Even if it’s landscape photography, have in mind what you want to convey, what feeling or idea you wish to capture in your photograph. This will help you decide what the image will look like and what elements will appear in it.

There are feelings that are not written anywhere. While they are formed they create an illusion similar to that of throwing fictions into the air. It doesn’t always happen, it doesn’t happen everywhere. But it happens here and now. It happens in the midst of silence and restful distance. Perhaps it is only an illusion generated by the views of the big city in the background. It becomes a hum that contains the nerve of rush hour or the gathering up before the dark night, but in any case the views seem to belong to another reality and not to this ephemeral moment of intimacy. In The Lonely City: Olivia Laing writes, “I began to realize that solitude was a very populated territory: a city in its own right.” I walk among sculptures that are the memory of what this place used to be, a place of leisure that still breathes with little splashes of families here and there. I’ve become used to going around the world alone. I like it, or perhaps it’s something I need to affirm to myself. Believe me, too: one can feel lonely anywhere, but high on this mountain, halfway between a forest park and a city garden, where some corners are a true forest, the isolation drives you to avoid gloomy thoughts. Perhaps it is the contrast of the distant rush and the present silence that accompanies and instigates a loneliness shared with others, even with others who are no longer there. In fact, it was you who explained to me that trees have memory and that they can even store information for decades. The explanation had the charm of a fairy tale and the aftertaste of a youthful conquest, and yet it was convincing enough to make me smile and capture my attention. Basically, at that time, few words could define us better than this: young people. I didn’t like the way it sounded then, and I still don’t like the way it sounds now. It happens to me often with words that lump too many people under one category.

To reach the top of the mountain and the castle, head to the highest part of the lookout, where there is a path lined by pine trees. A few metres further on you’ll see some steps on the right. Take them to reach the top of the mountain and finish the itinerary at Montjuïc Castle.

After strolling through the Joan Brossa Gardens and maybe playing with the musical pillows, you begin to feel a little tired. That’s normal. I propose some simple exercises to restore your energy and, at the same time, release tension. Remember, don’t make any movement that hurts or causes physical discomfort.

When you inhale, raise your arms above your head and, as you exhale, drop your arms to the sides of your body, release them and let yourself droop as if you were a rag doll. Repeat the exercise a few times.

With your arms relaxed at the side of your body, rotate your right shoulder to the right and the rear, turning your waist. You’ll notice how your left shoulder goes forward. At the same time, let your arms sway, again, like a rag doll. Remember that what we’re aiming to do is release tension. You’ve been carrying your rucksack for a while now and you might notice a little fatigue.

Jump up and down, lifting both feet off the ground at the same time. It doesn’t have to be very high, we just want your legs to relax a little and, at the same time, activate them.

Rest your weight on your left foot and shake your right leg. Then switch sides. Rest your weight on your right foot and shake your left leg. If you have poor circulation or varicose veins, this exercise will bring you considerable relief.

The horizon is a recurring element In landscape photography, like a thin line when we look towards the sea or a steep line in the mountains. To be able to create images where this line has compositional force, it is advisable to follow the horizon rule.

When you’re framing the picture, whether it’s horizontal or vertical, imagine two parallel horizontal lines dividing it into three equal parts. Place the horizon line on one of these two lines depending on the element you want to highlight: the sky or the land, the sea or the mountains.
It is also important to keep the horizon line completely straight to take a good photograph. If it is slightly uneven, it can unbalance the image, although, in some cases, the unbalanced horizon effect can be purposely sought for a more creative image.

You can finish the route by walking along the entire camí cobert (covered path) of the castle. Just follow the dirt path that runs around its entire perimeter. It is a circular route.


To get down from the mountain by public transport you can take bus 150. The bus stop is at the bottom of the stairs just before you reach the castle. You can also take the cable car and enjoy one of the best panoramic views from the sky over Barcelona.


When you finish the walk, I’d like you to find a place where you feel comfortable. It can be standing or sitting. When you’ve found it, close your eyes. Bring your attention back to your breathing and repeat the breath-counting exercise from before. Count “one” when you inhale, “two” when you exhale, “three” when you inhale, “four” when you exhale, and so on, until you reach the number ten. When you reach ten, start again at one and do another round.

When you’re done, bring your attention to the middle of your chest. Visualise a ball of golden light rising from the middle of your chest and slowly growing larger. The golden light covers your body and goes beyond it. It illuminates and envelops the people you are with, the space you are in –Montjuïc, Barcelona, Catalonia, Europe– until it illuminates the whole world. Notice how you are inside this light, it’s a magical light that dispels worries and gives you a feeling of peace. Little by little, it gets smaller and comes back towards you. It becomes a light in the middle of your chest that generates gratitude for all the experiences you’ve had today.
Give thanks for everything that has happened and also what hasn’t happened. Thank your body for bringing you this far and for allowing you to feel all the emotions of today, both positive and negative.

With a big smile, open your eyes and take this experience with you.

Finally, our last photographic suggestion is to keep creating and sharing your pictures, because photography is also the art of telling stories!
We photograph the world to capture the beauty that surrounds us, to capture the moment, to recall experiences, to express emotions or to tell stories – and to share them.
You can create a narrative by combining several images and creating a whole story. The images speak for themselves and also converse with each other; and they take on greater meaning or transform it when grouped together. Experiment with combining them to create sets of images that go beyond a single photo!
On this itinerary you’ve found many special spots at which take great photos, but keep in mind that they can be taken anywhere! Photography is more about how you look at things than about the things you look at.
We hope you’ve enjoyed taking pictures along the route. If you like, you can share them on social media with the hashtag:

#ArtdeCaminar
#LartdeCaminar
#lartdecaminarMontjuïc

We encourage you to keep taking photos wherever you go, on any of the paths you travel, always with your eyes open and with an attentive look at every flower, landscape, gaze and gesture.