Port Vell

Pronounced "Port Bell" meaning old port, this port is right in the middle of the busy tourist region. Walking down the main strip towards the sea, Las Ramblas, this is the port, and then the beaches you'd come to. There's lots to see in the area, but not much in the way of history. It's a very active place; the locals tend to venture to other beaches during the busy season. Walking along the main road close to the water, there is a wide walk way with some structures.

This is a lobster, sitting on an archway over the walk way. This is taken from the North-East side of the port, so facing west in the background, you can see the hill in Parc Montjuic (where I saw the sea when I got lost).
Right behind me, facing North-West, is this guy. Cap de Barcelona.

After walking over some more pavement, on the North-East is this boat lot.

Right behind this lot, en route to the beach, is the Museum of the History of Catalunya.

In front, there are hundreds of umbrellas for their patio tables for their restaurant. To the left, you can see a boat with some people and umbrellas on it. It's a stationary boat you can enjoy a meal on. It looked kind of noisy to me, but maybe once you're on the boat, you can have an elegant meal.
Turing about ninety degrees from where I'm standing, you see the boat lot on the South-West side.

If you look at the top right corner, you can see a cable car. There's lots of those further South-West, and more inland.
After a walk to the other side of this boat lot, you can walk across a bridge, the Rambla de Mar, to some of the attractions the port has to offer. You can make out the mall at the end of the bridge. Nothing exceptional.

This bridge closes at night, but you can walk back to main land via the other side I started on, over the pavement (I think!).
This is the aquarium. I haven't gone in, but it is quite a popular attraction.
Right beside that is the IMAX theatre, with, uh, a merry-go-round.

This is a well known structure on the beaches of Port Vell called Wounded Star.

It commemorates the beach huts and restaurants that were there until the 1980's. I don't know what happened in the 1980's.
I think the layout of the beach is odd. Land curves out almost like a hook, and you have to walk around the hook to get to the beach.
Short cuts only take longer, and there is no bridge connecting the end of the hook to the mainland. As a result, beyond the boat lots, there is another busy street with shops and restaurants.

Beyond that is a residential area. Then you get to the beach. It's safer, and quicker, just to walk along the busy street, to the end of the hook, then walk in the reverse direction along the beach. From the most densely populated area of the city, you would end up walking about two lengths of the beaches, plus just walking to the water, before you get anywhere. After all that, the beach is well worth it. But there's a nicer one just a couple subway stops away.