Tourism

Work will soon begin on a green tourist route around the Rec Comtal and on an exhibition that will tell the story of water and the city, as well as the historical legacy of this green infrastructure, which dates back to the Middle Ages. The work will focus on the section between the neighbourhoods of Vallbona and La Trinitat Vella and will receive €2.9 million from the European Union’s Next Generation fund.

The route will skirt the Ponderosa plain to the Besòs water treatment plant and continue to the Casa de l’Aigua de la Trinitat Vella to link up with Avinguda Meridiana. It will be suitable for both pedestrians and cyclists and will increase the greenery in the area.

The exhibition will provide a comprehensive historical and social account of how water has been used over time. It will have a physical and virtual space that will also highlight the history of the pumping stations – locally known as cases de l’aigua – in the districts of La Trinitat Vella and La Trinitat Nova. The Rec Comtal is a key piece of the puzzle in understanding the economic and social development of the last 1,000 years of Barcelona’s history.

As well as assessing the ecological state of the canal, the project aims to improve and adapt this habitat through the ecological restoration of the banks, the reintroduction of native aquatic species and the reforestation of suitable areas along the Rec.

It is connected to the Rec Comtal Master Plan, presented last January, which includes 33 points of intervention to create quality spaces and recover the irrigation canal as a green infrastructure and urban route. The project is part of City Council’s aim to deconcentrate the city’s tourist offer by creating new attractions that are also of interest to residents.