A stroll along Spain’s most famous street Las Ramblas: a ‘must do’ when visiting Barcelona. This promenade – stretching for more than a kilometer – connects Plaça de Catalunya in the city’s centre with the Columbus Monument near the sea. Rambla means “broad central avenue” and refers to an intermittent watercouse. On the Ramblas you will find human statues and street performers. Messi playing soccer, Columbus pointing to the New World, and Michael Jackson showing his dancing moves, they all earn their bread on the Ramblas. If you come here before ten o’clock in the morning, you will see how the first artists prepare themselves for the day. Make-up, outfits and installations emerge. And of course a hat for a few coins out of generous tourists’ pockets. To be able to stand on the Ramblas, the human statues need to have a municipal permit. And the city council proposed new requirements earlier this year. For example, the maximum number of statues is limited to 15 and they are not allowed to stand for a long period of time. Now there are two shifts, one from ten o’clock to four o’clock in the afternoon and a second one til ten o’clock in the evening. Moreover, the statues along the promenade are no longer allowed to wear masks covering their faces. Also music is forbidden. Michael Jackson has to dance a silent disco if he would like to show his moves. Finally, all human statues have moved towards the sea, the Rambla de Santa Mònica. One advantage though is that this part of the Ramblas is really near the city’s harbor, where each year millions of cruise passengers arrive and start their stroll.

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