The makeover of La Rambla, under construction since October 2022, opens on the weekend of 13 and 14 February 2027 with a citizens' festival. Very close by, Palau Güell, by Gaudí, costs 15 euros and is free on the first Sunday of every month.
La Rambla is Barcelona's most famous street and, for some years now, also a street under construction. People here for a few days hurry along it between fences. People staying a few months have another advantage: they can watch it change and choose when to go into the buildings that make it important. This guide explains where the makeover stands and what along the promenade deserves an unhurried visit.
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The makeover: four years of works and a party in February
Work on the new Rambla began in October 2022. In June 2026 the City Council announced that the renovated street would be inaugurated on the weekend of 13 and 14 February 2027 with a citizens' festival spread across the promenade's five sections.
The makeover isn't just about paving. It removes the old bird and flower stalls that were no longer in use to make way for renovated structures; the flower stalls had to move during the works. And it is part of a broader rethink of the street, with a new land-use plan for Ciutat Vella, tidier terraces and a renovated Boqueria market that will guarantee at least 50% fresh produce.
For someone living in the city, the practical upshot is simple: until February 2027 there will be sections closed or narrowed, and you shouldn't assume last week's route is still the same. If you're in Barcelona on those dates, the opening festival is a good chance to see it with new eyes.
Canaletes: drink to come back
At the top end, next to Plaça de Catalunya, is the Canaletes fountain. Its name comes from the 14th-century channels that brought water from Collserola. People say that whoever drinks its water always comes back to Barcelona.
Since the mid-20th century it has also been the meeting point for Barça fans to celebrate the team's victories. If you live here during a football season, you'll see it packed on a title night, and it's better to know that before walking past in a hurry.
The Liceu: a theatre that burned twice
Halfway down the promenade stands the Gran Teatre del Liceu. It opened on 4 April 1847, Easter Sunday, and the first opera, «Anna Bolena», was performed on 17 April. On 9 April 1861 a fire that started in the tailoring workshop destroyed the auditorium and stage; it reopened in April 1862.
The second fire, on 31 January 1994, destroyed the building. That same day the consortium that runs it decided to rebuild it on the same site, and the new theatre opened on 7 October 1999 with «Turandot», directed by Núria Espert. For someone spending months in the city, the opera and dance season is the natural way to see it from the inside; the programme is on the theatre's website.
Palau Güell, a few steps away
Very close to La Rambla stands Palau Güell, commissioned from Antoni Gaudí by the industrialist, politician and patron Eusebi Güell, and built between 1886 and 1890. In 1984 Unesco declared it a World Heritage Site as part of the Works of Antoni Gaudí.
From 1 April to 31 October it opens from 10:00 to 20:00, last entry 19:00, and from 1 November to 31 March from 10:00 to 17:30, last entry 16:30. It is closed on Mondays that aren't public holidays, on 25 and 26 December, 1 and 6 January and in the last week of January, for maintenance.
A general ticket costs 15 euros and the reduced one 12 euros, for people over 65 and Barcelona Card holders, among others, with proof. On the first Sunday of every month entry is free, something only someone living in the city can make the most of at leisure: you pick the month and go.
How to use it if you live here
La Rambla is more an axis than a destination. It links Plaça de Catalunya with the port, and from it you enter the Gòtic on one side and the buildings around it on the other. Using it well means crossing it to go somewhere specific: a performance at the Liceu, the first Sunday of the month at Palau Güell, shopping at the Boqueria once its renovation is finished.
While the works last, and especially in the busiest months, the early hours are the quietest for walking it end to end.
Checked
Data checked on 15 October 2026 in Time Out Barcelona (2 June 2026 article on the opening of the makeover), on the city's official tourism website (thisisbarcelona.com, by Turisme de Barcelona and the City Council: Canaletes fountain), on the Gran Teatre del Liceu website (history) and on the official Palau Güell website (hours, prices, free first Sunday and history). The makeover dates may shift: confirm them on the City Council website before you go.
Quick questions
When will the works on La Rambla finish?
In June 2026 the City Council announced that the renovated street would be inaugurated on the weekend of 13 and 14 February 2027, with a citizens' festival across its five sections.
What is the legend of the Canaletes fountain?
That whoever drinks its water always comes back to Barcelona. Since the mid-20th century it has also been the meeting point for Barça fans to celebrate victories.
When did the Liceu open?
On 4 April 1847. After the fire of 31 January 1994 it was rebuilt on the same site and reopened on 7 October 1999 with «Turandot».