Exploring the Roman ruins beneath Barcelona

It took us several trips, but last fall we finally took the time to visit the ruins of ancient Barcino that run below the heart of the Barri Gotic. This is considered the most extensive underground Roman ruins site in the world, and it's incredibly well-presented and impressive.

Vats were used to make garum, a sauce derived from leftover fish parts that was used as a flavoring.

Barcino dates from about 200 B.C. and persisted about 500 years. The ruins cover 4,000 square meters, about an acre, that visitors wander over on glass or metal walkways. There's nearly a complete village center, with a dye house, shops, a laundry, the garum production facility, and a winery, as well as the protective walls and even the first Christian worship site. Apparently, wine was a big export from the city during Roman times.

This is just one of the historic sites maintained by the Museu d'Historia de Barcelona. The web site has pages for this and many others. We also visited the remains of the Temple of Augustus, completed around the 1st century A.D. Like the ruins, it's a bit of a challenge to find, so if you plan to visit, be sure to clearly understand how to get there, or you may get discouraged if you can't find them. The entrance to the ruins, for example is through the museum's bookstore, and the temple remains are preserved in the wall of a more recent apartment building!

Columns of the Temple of Augustus, once the key element of the Roman Forum in Barcino.

Back underground, here's a small section of the winery, which looked to be the largest enterprise in the city.There were extensive channels connecting the various part of the operation, illustrating that the Romans had a highly developed production flow.

Some of the vats used to make and store wine. Intricate channels connected all the parts of the operation.

There's evidence of the Roman era above ground as well. Not far from here are remains of the protective wall and towers that ringed the settlement.

Remains of one of the towers on the wall that protected Barcino from attack.

I'm not sure of the age of this fountain in the small and pretty Placa Sant Just, but it's still used today and makes a great backdrop for a meal outside at Cafe de l'Academia, our favorite restaurant in Barcelona.

Someone playfully added lipstick to one of the faces on the fountain in Placa Sant Just.

You can't beat the location of these apartments in El Born for seeing the sights of the Old City. In a very well-maintained building and all recently redecorated, they are the perfect base in this walkable city, with plenty to do and see within 15 minutes in any direction. For further exploring, there are a Metro station, taxi stand and bus stops close by.

The main bedrooms are brightened by large acoustic windows that open to small balconies.

View over the pedestrianized street to the bell towers of Santa Maria del Mar church.

There are three sizes, with the smallest still comfortably accommodating four persons in three bedrooms. Larger apartments can hold up to six, and there's an emphasis on families and mature adults, not the party crowd.

If you are fascinated with Roman history, as I am, don't miss the chance to see these wonderfully preserved ruins, and to enjoy all the sights, sounds, fun and food of modern Barcelona.

See more apartments at www.likelivingthere.com, or drop us an email at info@likelivingthere.com with your plans for visiting Barcelona, Paris or Prague.