Barcelona, a film location

Now you can retrace the footsteps of famous actors such as Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem and Scarlett Johansson, and see the city through the eyes of Woody Allen… these are just a couple of the proposals available from Movie Walks, which offers routes around Barcelona based on the films that have been shot there.

There are six films you can rediscover for yourself in this original way: "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" by Woody Allen, "All about My Mother" by Pedro Almodóvar, "Salvador" by Manuel Huerga, "Perfume" by Tom Tykwer, "L'Auberge Espagnole", by Cédric Klapisch and "Manuale d'Amore" by Giovanni Veronesi.

All the routes take in various emblematic places in the city which were used as sets for some of the key scenes in these films, and all the itineraries can be covered in about one day. As you follow the routes you will discover curious facts about the monuments (for example, that the façade of the Sagrada Familia cathedral which appears in the films is the only one started and completed by Gaudí himself) and about the shoot. For example you'll learn that for the film "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" it was necessary to reduce the amount of water emanating from the famous dragon in the Parque Güell so as not to affect the sound, or that the busy avenue of La Rambla had to be cordoned off because of the crowds of people who had gathered to see the actors.

Here are a couple more secrets you'll discover: the tomb in the Montjuic cemetery used for the Rosa's burial in "All about My Mother" was specially installed for the filming. The rest of the elements in the scene can be seen today exactly as they appear on the screen. More examples? The perfumery discovered by the main character in "Perfume" is an actual shop, and one of the oldest in Barcelona, which was founded in 1823.

Many of the points on these routes are fairly close to each other, and the itinerary can be done perfectly on foot. To reach the more distant spots, on the official Movie Walks website you'll find the nearest underground station or bus stop to the point you want to visit. You'll also find other interesting information such as for example which actors starred in each film, detailed maps, and descriptions of each monument so you can follow the route at your own pace in the most comfortable possible way.

Woody Allen said of Barcelona that it is "lively, cosmopolitan and very urban. Now it's your turn to discover it for yourself.