The elegantly restored Estació de França, Barcelona's main railroad station until about 1980 and still the stopping point for some trains to and from France and points along the Mediterranean, is outside the west gate of the Ciutadella. No longer very active, this mid-19th-century building is a pleasant place to get a sense of the romance of Europe's traditional railroads. The station has a café that is a good place for an espresso and a croissant or a beer (though not much else), along with the sounds and aromas of an authentic European train station.
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