Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona have all served as filming locations for films and TV series that blend naturally into their streets, squares and historic buildings. This route invites you to explore the four Catalan capitals by following the footsteps of these productions, using cinema as a starting point to discover iconic places and small details that only reveal themselves when you explore the city on foot. Barcelona: a city explored by cinema, neighbourhood by neighbourhood The urban route begins in Barcelona, a city that has been filmed from countless perspectives and can be discovered through very different stories. Barcelona through Almodóvar’s lens One of the most recognisable portrayals is All About My Mother (1999), the first film by Pedro Almodóvar shot in the Catalan capital. Over three months of filming, Barcelona hosted 95 of the film’s 122 scenes. Locations such as Plaça del Duc de Medinaceli, the Palau de la Música Catalana, the Teatre Tívoli and Hospital del Mar sketch a sensitive, deeply human city. To complete the experience, fans of the director can visit Almodobar Barcelona, a cocktail bar and karaoke venue inspired by his aesthetic universe and known for its LGTBQ+ friendly atmosphere. Everyday Barcelona with “Merlí” and “Merlí: Sapere Aude” The route continues through the Eixample and the upper districts with Merlí, a series that portrayed a very everyday Barcelona, far removed from tourist clichés. The fictional Àngel Guimerà School, filmed at the Menéndez Pidal School in Sant Genís dels Agudells, is combined with real-life locations such as the Jockey bar, Snooker Billares and CosmoCaixa. Its spin-off, Merlí: Sapere Aude, expanded this urban map by moving much of the story to the University of Barcelona (UB), where the university scenes starring Carlos Cuevas were filmed. During August, the UB became a full-scale film set, with classrooms, corridors and the historic garden filled with cameras and lights. Barcelona by the sea: adventure and action cinema From there, the route heads down towards the coastline with Iron Hand (Netflix), a contemporary thriller starring Eduard Fernández that explores Barcelona’s port area. The Zona Franca, the Port of Barcelona, Marina Vela and several locations in Sants-Montjuïc and Ciutat Vella create a landscape closely linked to the city’s maritime and industrial activity. Uncharted, starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg, also used some of Barcelona’s most iconic locations as the backdrop for its treasure-hunting adventure. The MNAC and the Montjuïc area appear on screen, although the most recognisable setting is the Victoria Eugenia Palace, between the Magic Fountain and the Cascades Square, where some of the film’s most spectacular action scenes were shot. Poblenou and the outskirts: social insight and urban memory Nearby lies the neighbourhood of Poblenou, which became the star of the TV series of the same name in the 1990s. Through it, viewers discovered places such as the Torre de les Aigües del Besòs and Plaça de Prim, a historic square once frequented by fishermen and workers. The itinerary continues north to Torre Baró, where El 47 sets some of its most intense scenes. The Castell de Torre Baró, perched on a hill, offers one of the most striking panoramic views of Barcelona. Barcelona as a setting for international series Before leaving the city, Barcelona shows its versatility through numerous international productions. The Crown transformed Plaça Francesc Macià into Paris, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon used the Tibidabo and the Three Chimneys of Sant Adrià de Besòs to create a post-apocalyptic atmosphere, while Cobra Kai featured iconic landmarks such as the Sagrada Família, La Rambla, the MNAC and the beaches. One final curiosity before saying goodbye to Barcelona: one of the most shocking scenes in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006) was filmed at the Poble Espanyol, recreating an 18th-century fish market using two and a half tonnes of fish and a tonne of meat.