Barcelona is all about squares

Plaça de Castella

Behind the popular shopping street Carrer de Pelai hides Carrer Tallers full of independent shops and popular with young people. Here you can see the Plaça de Castella, a square situated in the middle of Carrer Tallers, with a small church.

Plaça dels Angels

One of the iconic images of modern Barcelona is the MACBA. This sqaure is a mecca for young urban skateboarders.

Plaça de la Vila de Madrid

This plaça just off La Rambla is the location of a Roman necropolis. Here in the picture you can see the foundation of Barcino, and in the distance lie the Roman graves. The Museu d'Historia de Barcelona organises routes of the Roman graves across the city if you'd like to know more.

Plaçeta Ramon Amadeu

This 12th-century Gothic church is a hidden treasure that lies off Carrer Santa Anna. It contains a perfectly preserved 15th-century cloister, which during the summer months holds music concerts by local artists

Plaça de la Catedral

This plaça is situated in front of the Gothic cathedral of Barcelona (not to be confused with the Modernista Sagrada Familia). It hosts antique markets and sardanes (Catalan traditional dances) on Sunday mornings. In the weeks before Christmas, there is also an important market, Santa Lucia, where you can buy decorations, gifts and typical Catalan Christmas items such as 'caganers' (shitters).

Plaça Ramon Berenguer el Gran

This square is dedicated to Ramón Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona and has a statue depicting him, created by Josep Llimona.

Plaça de l'Angel

When you come out of the metro station Jaume I, in the small square there, you'll find this pastry shop selling traditional Spanish sweets and pastries.

Plaça del Rei

In the Plaça del Rei, you're surrounded by medieval buildings, and you can sit here and enjoy a quiet area of old Barcelona. The photo shows the Palau Reial Major (Royal Palace), which contains the Chamber Tinell.On the right of the photo is the Palatine Chapel or Capella de Santa Àgata. Just in front of it, on the corner of the street Veguer, is the City History Museum (Museu d'Historia de la Ciutat).

Plaça de Sant Jaume

Plaça Sant Jaume is location in the heart of the city, and has a historical past that is rooted in the Roman era. On the north side is the Palau de la Generalitat (the Catalan government building) and on the south is City Hall. The plaça adopted its present structure in 1840 when it was inaugurated with the name of Constitution Square.

Plaça Sant Miguel

This square is just off Plaça Sant Jaume.

Plaça Reial

About halfway down the Rambla, on the left-hand side as you're walking down towards the sea, is the Plaça Reial. In the centre of the square is a fountain called the 'Three Graces'. The two lamps are the work of a young Antoni Gaudí. This square has been remodelled several times and is a good place to sit and have a drink and dinner outdoors on the terrace under the arcades or even go clubbing. But watch your belongings as it's also popular with pickpockets and other shady characters.

Plaça de Pi

In Plaça de Pi, you'll find two buildings facing the Gothic church of Santa Maria del Pi: the shop of the 'Gremio de Revendedores' (Association of Resellers), built in 1685, and the 'casa de la Congregación de la Purísima Sangre' (the house of the Congregation of the Immaculate Blood) both showing the beautiful detail that is often put into local architecture.

Plaça Sant Josep Oriol

In this square you can see the statue of the playwright Àngel Guimerà. It is the work of Josep Cardona and was installed in 1983. Also during the weekends in this plaça, there are stalls set up where painters sell their work