The Plaza of the Duc de Medinaceli is one of Barcelona’s defining examples of urban approximation to the sea, vividly displayed by palm trees sprouting out of cement. Barcelona has always provided one of Spain’s primary commercial links with the ocean. But the limits of contact with the coast have traditionally been left in the hands of port and industry authorities. No longer.

Famously featured in a scene of Almodóvar’s film Todo Sobre mi Madre, the plaza sits on the site of a 13th century Franciscan convent, which disappeared along with the old city walls in the 19th century. The plaza is currently a key factor in offering city residents a quick escape from the concrete jungle, as a good place to enjoy life at an even more relaxed pace.