Going underground – exploring the hidden world of subterranean Barcelona

Guifré Jordan and Cillian Shields join Lorcan Doherty to discover what lies beneath the streets of the Catalan capital. We go to a Civil War air raid shelter with local historian Josep Contel, learn about ghost metro stations and abandoned underground shopping centers from CultRuta tour guide Manuel Marina, and visit Barcelona's water control center and a giant water depository beneath Parc de Joan Miró. Architect Rosina Vinyes, director of urban planning in Santa Coloma de Gramenet, explains how the urban subsoil is essential for daily life. This week's Catalan phrase is 'pou sense fons', literally 'bottomless well', it's used when things continue going wrong with no end in sight. Get in touch: fillingthesink@acn.cat