The Montjuïc is a hill located near the center of Barcelona. It features a large number of attractions including the Spanish Village and the Montjuïc Castle.

Montjuïc is translated as 'Hill of the Jews' in medieval Catalan, or is perhaps related to the Latin phrase Mons Jovicus ('hill of Jupiter'). The name is found in several locations in the Catalan Countries: the Catalan cities of Girona and Barcelona both have a Montjuïc, as does the island of Minorca. When written in a Spanish rather than Catalan context, it is generally spelled Montjuich (this is old Catalan spelling before the orthographic reforms of Pompeu Fabra).

Barcelona's Montjuïc is a broad shallow hill with a relatively flat top overlooking the harbor, to the southwest of the city center. The eastern side of the hill is almost a sheer cliff, giving it a commanding view over the city's harbor immediately below. The top of the hill (a height of 173 meters) was the site of several fortifications, the latest of which (the Castell de Montjuïc) remains today. The fortress largely dates from the 17th century, with 18th century additions. In 1842, the garrison (loyal to the Madrid government) shelled parts of the city. It served as a prison, often holding political prisoners, until the time of General Franco. The castle was also the site of numerous executions. In 1897, an incident popularly known as Els processos de Montjuïc, prompted the execution of anarchist supporters, which then led to a severe repression of the workers' struggle for their rights. On different occasions during the Spanish Civil War, both Nationalists and Republicans were executed there, each at the time when the site was held by their opponents. The Catalan nationalist leader Lluís Companys i Jover was also executed there in 1940, having been extradited to the Franco government by the Nazis.

Several thousand years ago, Iberic Celts settled on the Montjuïc, a 213m high hill southeast of Barcelona's current city center. The hill was later used by the Romans as a ceremonial place. Today the hill features a large number of sights and attractions, most of them originating from two major events that took place here: the 1929 International Exhibition and the 1992 Olympics.

One of these sights is the Palau Nacional (National Palace), the central pavilion of the International Exhibition. The majestic building in neo-baroque style is home to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC). Its collection includes Roman, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque art as well as 19th and 20th century works of art.

At the center of a plaza in front of the Palau Nacional is the Font Màgica or Magic Fountain, an impressive fountain built for the Universal Exhibition that was held here in 1929. From here, you have a great view of the palace, especially at night when both the building and the fountain are illuminated.

Right next to the fountain is the Pavelló Mies van der Rohe, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe as the German pavilion for the 1929 Barcelona International Exhibition. Like all other pavilions, the German pavilion was demolished after the exposition, but since it is considered one of van der Rohe's most influential works, it was reconstructed in the 1980s. The glass and marble building is typical for Mies van der Rohe's work, whose maxim was 'less is more'.

Another remainder of the 1929 Exhibition is the Poble Espanyol (Spanish village), a collection of houses in different Spanish architectural styles. The village was originally slated for demolition after the end of the Exhibition, but due to its popularity it was kept intact. The Poble Espanyol is still a very popular tourist attraction.

Montjuïc is also home to the Anella Olímpica (Olympic Ring) which consists of a number of sports facilities built for the 1992 Olympics. At the center of the ring is the Olympic Stadium. Its exterior dates from 1929 but the interior of the stadium was completely rebuilt for the Olympics.

Another structure from the 1992 Olympics is the Olympic Tower. Built by renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava in a typical curved white style, the sleek tower was built as the main communications tower for the coverage of the Olympic Games.

With the arrival of the Olympics in 1992, the many gardens on the Montjuïc were given renewed attention and since several new gardens were added. Some of the most interesting are the Nou Jardí Botànic, a botanic garden with more than 2000 different plants created in the 1990s and the Jardins de Mossen Costra i Lljobera, with hundreds of different types of cactuses.

The oldest sight on the Montjuïc is the Castell de Montjuïc, a large 18th century fortress. It was built by the Bourbons on the remains of a fort dating back to 1640. Originally built for the defense of Barcelona but often used against the city at the foot of the hill, the fortress now houses the Museu Militar (military museum). The fortress can be reached by a funicular and cable-lift, which starts at the Parallel metro stop. Even the best way to reach Montjuic is an attraction in itself - the Teleferic de Montjuic Cable Car will hoist you up the hill in a skiing-style four-person carriage, right up to the Montjuic Castle. From this side of the mountain you can look down on the sprawling port. To access the attractions on the other side (the lion's share) take the metro to Placa Espanya and approach between the 47m high twin Venetian Towers.

Montjuic is quite a large area in Barcelona. The area around Placa Espanya offers you ready access to all areas of the city with excellent transport connections by both bus and metro. You also have a short 10 minute walk to the magic fountain of Montjuic and 15 minutes to the Olympic stadium. The area is full with bigger and smaller hotels that offer low-cost and luxury apartments. That’s why Montjuic is preferred by lots of tourists to stay when in Barcelona. You can get there via direct flight to Barcelona or to Girona, Reus or Lleida – Alguaire.