Barcelona

Travelers' Takes

Rates and Deals

Font Màgica

More Photos
leblanfo
leblanfo
First Reviewer
5 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
4
Reviews
26
Photos
Sort by: Most Recent|Positive|Negative|Most Useful
1-4 of 4
Editor Pick

Water, Music, Motion, and Lights!

  • October 17, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by airynfaerie from St. Augustine, Florida
Water, Music, Motion, and Lights!

A show that has been entertaining specators since 1929, the Magic Fountains of Montjuic is a great ting to witness during a visit to Barcelona...not to mention, it's free! This was our very first stop the evening we arrived in the city, and after taking the metro to the large Placa d'Espanya, we walked towards the glowing fountains with great anticipation.

Designed for the Great Universal Exhibition in 1929 by Carles Buigas, these fountains still are a grand display that people of all ages enjoy to watch. One will find just as many locals out enjoying the show as tourists, as it's such a beautiful way to spend an evening in this Spanish town. Located between the Placa d'Espanya and the regal National Museum of Art of Catalunya, the fountains line the Avinguda de la Reina to the bottom of the hill called Montjuic.

Combining lights, water, music, and motion in a highly entertaining and choreographed show, the Magic Fountains are a sight to behold. The musical accompaniment which are blasted through speakers around the area ranges from classical to modern, soundtracks to rock opera. As we approached the show we heard the themesong to E.T. accompanying the dancing water and light show. The next musical selection was the Star Wars theme and we watched the finale with a song about Barcelona sung by none other than the lead singer of Queen, Freddie Mercury.

Occurring in the weekend evenings of the winter, and later into the night during summer, this show lasts about 30 minutes and is repeated throughout the showtimes. So if you happen to be in Barcelona during the days that the Magic Fountains display their glory, be sure to make a stop! You won't regret it.


• Between National Museum of Art of Catalunya and Placa d' Espanya
• Metro stops Green Line, L3 and Red Line, L1: Placa Espanya
• Performances 7pm-10:30pm (Fri, Sat during Oct - Apr), 9pm - 11pm (Thu - Sun during May - Sept)
• Free admission

From journal Some of the Major Sites of Barcelona

Editor Pick

A Magical Experience

  • September 10, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Jennifer23 from Sunderland, United Kingdom
A Magical Experience

No visit to Barcelona is complete without a visit to the fabulous spectacle which is the Magic Fountain.
I had first seen the Magic Fountain on TV back in 1992 when Barcelona hosted the Olympics. It is situated not far from the outdoor Olympic Pool and stadium. I can remember being quite impressed by the fountain and thinking it would be nice to actually visit and watch the show.
Sixteen years on my wish came true, as myself and my partner were on holiday in Spain and having longed to visit Barcelona, we booked a day trip to the city. We liked it so much we returned again this year.

The fountain stands at the foot of the steps leading up to the impressive National Palace, situated high up on Montjuic, and performances take place in the evenings - four times a week in the summer and twice a week in winter. There are around five shows an evening, and they usually begin around 9pm and then every half hour until 11pm.

We visited the fountain on a hot summer evening, as part of an organised trip which had seen us sightseeing and spending the day in Barcelona, and then on to the fountain show in the evening. We were taken to witness the 10pm show as by then it would be getting dark, and you can then witness the full effect of the changing coloured lights, which accompany the music.

On arriving at the fountain I was surprised at just how many people were there. I had noticed all the coach parties arriving, along with ours, but actually seeing the thousands of people gathering in the Palace grounds and on the steps leading up to the Palace, was a pretty amazing sight!

The first performance of the fountain was back in 1929 during the Great Universal Exhibition. The designer Carles Buigas commissioned 3000 workers to work on the project, and many felt his plans for the fountain were too ambitious, but after one year, the fountain was complete.
We were told by our guide that there are 4730 coloured light bulbs in the fountain, and the central stream reaches 50 metres high.
Around the base of the fountain are smaller fountains, and there are also other smaller fountains at the foot of the steps up to the Palace.

The show is a spectacular display of water acrobatics and colour, set in time to music, and we sat on a small wall at the foot of the Palace steps in front of the fountain to wait for the show to begin.

At 10pm, as the sky began to darken, a classical piece of music began, and the fountain came to life, sending streams of water up to 50 metres into the air, almost dancing in time to the music, while the colours changed.
Actually being there is an amazing experience, and one which I will never forget, as you cannot fail to be moved by the whole display.

After the classical piece finished, the song 'Apologise' by One Republic began and this was amazing also. Whenever I hear that song now, my mind drifts back to the fountain show.
Finally, the song 'Barcelona' the theme tune to the 1992 Olympics was played, sung by Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe, and this literally made the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, watching the dancing water streams and colour changes . Also at this point, nine beams of lights were cast up into the sky from behind the Palace. Each beam represents one of the letters of 'Barcelona' and combines perfectly with the forms and colours of the magic fountain in front of it. It was absolutely breathtaking, and a magnificent end to a great show!

Admission to the fountains is free, and there are various burger vans etc near the entrance as well as toilets.
As I said earlier, our visit was part of an organised tour of Barcelona with Thomsons, but if in Barcelona, it is possible to reach the fountain by taking the Metro to Placa Espanya.

The fountain show takes place on Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sun evenings from May - September, at 21.00, 21.30. 22.00. 22.30 and 23.00.

From October - April the fountain show takes place on Fri and Sat only at the earlier times of 19.00, 19.30, 20.00, and 20.30.
The Magic Fountain show never operates on Mon, Tues or Weds.

In my opinion, no visit to Barcelona is complete without taking in the Magic Fountain show. I would recommend you visit for one of the later shows, as the full effect of the display is better when it is getting dark.
Once witnessed, it will remain with you forever. A truly amazing spectacle, that won't cost you a penny!

From journals A Break in Barcelona, A Trip to Spain

A Must Do!

  • July 13, 2008
  • Rated 5 of 5 by morph! from Belfast, United Kingdom
A Must Do!

This is something that has to be seen! We visited the 'Magic Fountain' on our last night in Barcelona and it's one of the most special things the city has to offer.

Running from Thursday - Sunday nights during the summer, the action begins at 9pm. Fountains start and light up along the road to Placa del Republic metro station, before the Magic Fountain itself starts to spurt, changing colours and patterns for half an hour before the main event.

All of a sudden, as it was getting dark, Beethoven's Ode to Joy began to play and the fountains 'performed' a choreographed 'dance.' It was an amazing display, with a multitude of colours and foam moving in every direction, changing with every part of the tune. Once one song was over, another began and it continued for half an hour before finishing with a beautiful 'Barcelona' -playing finale. The whole show then starts again, and continues on into the night.

Our guidebooks didn't make much fuss over the fountains, but they are something that have to be seen. The perfect end to a pretty perfect break away!

From journal Barcelona - Brilliant as Ever!

Editor Pick

Font Magica

  • November 3, 2004
  • Rated 5 of 5 by leblanfo from Indianapolis, Indiana
Font Magica

I discovered this hidden gem in my Lonely Planet guidebook. The description was rather vague, but it seemed worthwhile. It sure was! Font Magica is a terrace of fountains that change color and dance to music every evening, much like the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas. The music ranged from classical to 2001: A Space Odyssey to Superman on the evening we were there. We stayed for many shows, because we were enamored with the fountains! Each show was different, so the water spouts raced about to different music, changing into different colors depending on the musical theme. My favorite was probably 2001, because I knew the music well and could try to guess what the fountains would do next.

The fountains are located on Placa D'Espanya, in the center of the Montjuic hill. You can take the Metro to Espanya, then walk up the promenade Avg. de la Reina Maria Cristina -- you'll see the Palau Nacional de Montjuic and fountains as you walk up. They were originally built for the 1929 Universal Exhibition but seem to be doing much better now as an evening attraction.

The best places to view the fountains are either at the bottom of the steps or at the landing on top of the steps. The farther up you climb, the better your view of the entire city becomes. Shows happen during the summer months from 9:30 to 11:30pm, Thursday through Sunday, and last about 15 minutes. During the winter, shows are Friday and Saturday nights only. Shows are very much FREE! What a great way to spend an evening after dinner with your family on a warm summer night. I highly recommend it!!

From journal Lots of Gaudi in Barcelona

Sort by: Most Recent|Positive|Negative|Most Useful
1-4 of 4

Compare Barcelona Rates

1. Enter travel information

City

2. Select websites to compare rates

Each selected website will open a new window.

Helpful Barcelona Links

Barcelona Travel Deals