Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys

The Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys is not in the city so much as above it. Montjuïc is the hill to the south-west of Barcelona, and from the upper tier, looking back, you see the harbour, the rooftops of the old town and, on a clear evening, the sea. Only a handful of stadiums in Europe come with that view.

A stadium with two build dates

Its history starts long before the Olympics. Construction began in 1927 to designs by Pere Domènech i Roura, and the ground opened on 20 May 1929 for the International Exposition. A long decline followed: after the 1955 Mediterranean Games the site fell into disrepair for decades.

When Barcelona was awarded the 1992 Games, the stadium was rebuilt from the ground up between 1985 and 1989. Only the historic outer façade was kept; entirely new stands went up behind it. So when you stand outside you are looking at 1929, and when you walk in you are standing in 1989. That double character is much of the appeal.

In 1992 it staged the opening and closing ceremonies and the athletics programme. More than 67,000 people fitted in back then; capacity today is around 55,000. The stadium has carried its current name since 2001, after Lluís Companys, president of the Catalan government, who was executed by the Franco regime at nearby Montjuïc Castle in 1940.

Who has played here — and who is coming back

From 1997 to 2009 the Olympic Stadium was home to RCD Espanyol. After that it served mainly as a concert and events venue, until FC Barcelona moved in: while the Camp Nou was being rebuilt, the club played its home matches here from 2023 to 2025 — Champions League nights on a hillside, and for many fans one of the strangest and finest spells in the club's history.

A return looks likely. The club is reported to have asked LaLiga to play the entire first half of the 2027/28 season away from the Camp Nou so that the roof installation can proceed without working around the fixture list. That is not confirmed, but Montjuïc would be the obvious address.

Concerts at the Olympic Stadium

For major tours this is the city's first choice. The acoustics of an open bowl are not those of a concert hall, but you get something no concert hall can offer: the evening sky over Barcelona behind the stage. For summer shows it is worth arriving early and taking the sunset in from your seat.

Getting there, and what to allow for

Montjuïc is a genuine hill, not a forecourt. From the nearest metro stop at the foot of the slope, expect a solid climb via steps and escalators; a funicular and bus routes also run up. If walking is difficult for you, do not underestimate the ascent — and for the way back, bear in mind that after a sold-out night everyone wants to go downhill at once. A little patience, or walking down towards Poble Sec, is usually quicker than the queue.

There is essentially no hotel near the stadium, because what sits on the hill is a park rather than a city centre. Sants, Poble Sec and the area around Plaça d'Espanya are the sensible choices — all a few minutes from the foot of the climb.