See & Do
Places of Interest
The Plaça Ajuntament is the heart of L’Hospitalet, a square which holds the town hall, dating from 1895, and the Santa Eulàlia de Mérida church and clock tower, from 1492. Beside the town hall is the Porto Rico cafe, a building dating from 1912, with walls lined with photos of L’Hospitalet through the ages. Next to the church is a sculpture honouring the Lleva del Biberó, a squadron of boys aged just seventeen who fought for the Republican cause in the Civil War.
Behind the church, off Carrer Barcelona, is L’Hospitalet’s best visitor sight, a group of historical buildings clustered around Carrer Xipreret. The street itself is narrow and cobbled, lined by houses dating from the 16th century. Their elderly occupants sit outside their front doors on summer afternoons, giving the impression of having been transferred to a country pueblo. At the bottom of the Xipreret is L’Harmonia, a stately home from 1595, part of the original Torre Blanca estate. Here also stands La Talaia, a lookout tower built in 1587 on the outskirts of the city but moved to its current location in 1972. Other significant buildings include the Casa Espanya, another stately home, now the Museu de L’Hospitalet (93 338 13 96), and the Can Sumarro (93 337 20 82, www.l-h.es/biblioteque), an old farmhouse which has been converted into a library.
Continuing on from the top of Xipreret, on the other side of the train tracks, is the Can Buxeres park, which features the Casa Alta, an old farmhouse that was later converted into a modernist palace. Back through Centre, the Rambla de Just Oliveras is a pretty, tree-lined boulevard which runs down as far as Bellvitge. Half-way along, at the junction with Carrer Major, is the old casino (1873) and two old farmhouses awaiting renovation. Outside of Centre is the stately home of Pubilla Cases, on Carretera Collblanc. Within Collblanc itself is the Gratacels ‘skyscraper’. This narrow, high-rise column of flats was built in 1927, as the first attempt to solve the housing shortage, and was the only premises in L’Hospitalet to feature a lift. Somewhat away from the architectural appeal of the area is the draw of fine restaurants. Waves of Galician and Andalucian immigrants have brought with them some of the best tapas restaurants in the Barcelona area. Make a bee-line for Plaça Eivissa in Pubilla Cases and indulge.
Behind the church, off Carrer Barcelona, is L’Hospitalet’s best visitor sight, a group of historical buildings clustered around Carrer Xipreret. The street itself is narrow and cobbled, lined by houses dating from the 16th century. Their elderly occupants sit outside their front doors on summer afternoons, giving the impression of having been transferred to a country pueblo. At the bottom of the Xipreret is L’Harmonia, a stately home from 1595, part of the original Torre Blanca estate. Here also stands La Talaia, a lookout tower built in 1587 on the outskirts of the city but moved to its current location in 1972. Other significant buildings include the Casa Espanya, another stately home, now the Museu de L’Hospitalet (93 338 13 96), and the Can Sumarro (93 337 20 82, www.l-h.es/biblioteque), an old farmhouse which has been converted into a library.
Continuing on from the top of Xipreret, on the other side of the train tracks, is the Can Buxeres park, which features the Casa Alta, an old farmhouse that was later converted into a modernist palace. Back through Centre, the Rambla de Just Oliveras is a pretty, tree-lined boulevard which runs down as far as Bellvitge. Half-way along, at the junction with Carrer Major, is the old casino (1873) and two old farmhouses awaiting renovation. Outside of Centre is the stately home of Pubilla Cases, on Carretera Collblanc. Within Collblanc itself is the Gratacels ‘skyscraper’. This narrow, high-rise column of flats was built in 1927, as the first attempt to solve the housing shortage, and was the only premises in L’Hospitalet to feature a lift. Somewhat away from the architectural appeal of the area is the draw of fine restaurants. Waves of Galician and Andalucian immigrants have brought with them some of the best tapas restaurants in the Barcelona area. Make a bee-line for Plaça Eivissa in Pubilla Cases and indulge.
