Barcelona is well placed for access to the sea and mountains, which is one of the reasons it was picked for the 1992 Olympics. A spin-off from the games was an increased provision of top-quality sports and leisure facilities throughout Catalunya. However, central Barcelona itself doesn't have too many sporting sites from which tourists will get much use. If you really want to swim or work out, you're better off using the region's natural resources: get out onto the beaches, north and south of the city or into the hills of the Catalan Pyrenees.
If you want to check
forthcoming sports events
, buy one of the local daily sports papers,
El Mundo Deportivo
or
Sport
; or phone Audiotex on 934 181 021, for recorded information in Spanish and Catalan on all current sporting events in Barcelona. For details about any sport not included here, call the
Ajuntament
information service on 934 023 000, or drop in to the office that deals with sport, at Avda de l'Estadi 30-40 (next to the Bernat Picornell swimming pool); Metro Espanya, or bus #61 or #20.
American football
American football
is an increasingly popular spectator sport in Barcelona, and the city even boasts its own team, the
Barcelona Dragons
, who play regularly in the Estadi Olímpic against other teams in the World League of American...
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Bowling
For some reason
bowling
has plenty of adherents in the city. Try AMF Bowling Barcelona, c/Sabino de Arana 6 (tel 933 305 048; Metro María Cristina; 11am-1.30am) or Planet Bowling, Parc Comercial Barnasud, Gavà (tel 936 383 650; 11am-1.30am;...
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Bullfighting
Although bullfights are an integral part of many southern Spanish festivals, there has never been great interest in Catalunya. In fact some provincial towns, such as Olot, have imposed outright bans on the activity. Barcelona has two rings, one at either...
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Cycling
Cycling
runs football a close second as a national sport and pastime. If you've got your own machine, there are a couple of events for which you can enter; otherwise, pull up a café chair and watch the puffing and groaning.
May
...
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Football
In Barcelona, football is a genuine obsession, with support for the local giants
FC Barcelona
(known here as
El Barça
) raised to an art form. The team plays at the splendid Camp Nou Stadium in the north of the city, and even if you...
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Horse riding
Courses on Saturday and Sunday mornings for adults, children and disabled people, or hourly sessions at ¬15 for adults, ¬12 for children, at Escola Municipal d'Hípica La Foixarda, Avda Montanyans 1, Montjuïc tel 934 261 066
read more >>
Ice-skating
There are a couple of
ice rinks
in the city:
Skating
, c/Roger de Flor 168, Eixample tel 932 452 800; Metro Tetuan; Mon 5-10pm, Tues-Thurs 10.30am-1.30pm & 5-10pm, Fri 10.30am-1.30pm & 5pm-midnight, Sat 10.30am-2pm &...
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Roller skating
You can rent
roller skates and blades
from Edelweiss, Gran Via 527 (tel 934 548 300; Metro Urgell; ¬9 half-day, ¬12 full day) and Scenic, c/Marina 22, Vila Olímpica (tel 932 211 666; Metro Ciutadella; ¬4.50 an hour).
Popular places for...
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Sailing
There are short weekend courses in
sailing
and
windsurfing
, with special courses for children, senior citizens and people with disabilities, at the Centre Municipal de Vela, Port Olímpic 100 (tel 932 211 499; Metro Ciutadella;...
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Sports centres
C.F. Caralleu
, c/Esports 8, Sarriá tel 932 037 874; FGC Reina Elisenda; open 8am-8pm. Indoor and outdoor pools, indoor football and tennis courts.
Complex Esportiu Barceloneta
, Pg Marítim s/n tel 932 210 010; Metro Barceloneta;...
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Swimming
The city beaches are fine for a stroll across the sand and an ice cream, but the water's none too clean and you'd do best to save your
swimming
for the coastal beaches or one of Barcelona's
pools
. You may need to show your passport...
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Tennis
The following places have
tennis courts
which you can rent by the hour without being a member of the club:
Centro Municipal de Tennis
, Pg Vall d'Hebron 196 tel 934 276 500; Metro Montbau. Mon-Fri 8am-11pm, weekends 8am-9pm;...
read more >>
Walks, hiking and running
Barcelona and its surroundings provide some fine walks. For city-based
walking
, you can supplement the information in this guide with a free pamphlet from the tourist office called
Paseos por Barcelona
(Walks around Barcelona). Or...
read more >>
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