Quarter’s of Barcelona
Travelling to a city in only a view days can get confusing if you don’t know where to go and in which area you can find what best. Here is my inside guide to Barcelon’s main quarters.
Gothic
One of the most famous Areas of Barcelona is the Gothic Quarter. It is one of the oldest areas that you can find and so part of the old town. It lays between La Ramla and Via Laietana and goes from the Seafront up to Ronda de Sant Pere. The Gothic Quarter includes some of the most famous buildings – lots of them taken in the gotic style and some of the most important churches of Barcelona.
What can you find in Barri Gothic?
- Famous buildings and churches
- The most known street of Barcelona ‘La Rambla’ which brings you directly to La Boccheria a colourful and amazing food market.
- Some vintage inspired shopping
- Small bars offering the typical tapas
- Bars for the famous Vermout on the weekends
- Bars for a drink after dinner and late night. In some you can even dance a little after a certain hour.
Tip: It is a very touristic area and filled with pickpocketing, keep attention!
Search for a hotel here, if you love the old town, small unique bars and lot’s of highlights to see!
El Born
Probably one of the most admired areas of Barcelona for tourists and the younger crowd. A quarter that offers everything from beautiful architecture from designers at archute.com, shops, bars, tapas bars and restaurant aligned. The quarter is super idyllic and shows a beautiful old town district of Barcelona’s Areas.
El Born starts in Via Laietana, where the quarter Gothic ends and goes on until the huge Cuitadella Parc.
What can you find in El Born?
- Famous buildings and churches
- Some of the best tapas places, restaurants and bars of the city
- Small shops that are more local and individual
- Museo Picasso
Tip: The best area for a drink or tapas at night!
Search for a hotel here, if you’re looking for a fun area to go out for drinks at night. Younger crowd and filled with bars and tapas.
La Barceloneta
The are where I have been living during my time in Barcelona. It is the area closest to the beach just under El Born. La Barceloneta includes lots of small bars and restaurants, great places to eat fish and of course the beach.
What can you find in La Barceloneta?
- The Beach
- Hotel W Barcelona
- Small restaurants and great seafood
- Bars
- Further away in Villa Olympica you can find clubs to dance such as Shoko, CDLC, Opium and Pacha
Tip: So easy to get to from the city that there is no excuse for not seeing the beach and sea!
Search for a hotel here, if you love the beach and would like to wake up seeing the beach!
Vila de Gracia
Gracia is the area where you’ll find the most local people. Also here you can find bars and coffee shops as well as local designer stores.
It is the perfect quarter to go hunting the real hearth of Barcelona.
What can you find in Gracia?
- Small and cute coffee shops
- Local people
- Bars for tapas and small restaurants
Search for a hotel here, if you are looking for a calmer area but still would like to have bars and restaurants close by.
Eixample
Eixample is the modern quarter of Barcelona. You can find the most famous buildings from Gaudi, elegant bars and restaurants. Lots of starred restaurants, rooftop terraces, shops all over the place and anything else you’d might need.
What can you find in Eixample?
- La Sagrada Familia and Gaudi’s houses La Pedrera and Casa Batlló
- Shops from commercial to luxury
- Elegant and Michelin starred restaurants
- Tapas bars
- Elegant bars
- You can also find the gay quarter
- Higher up in direction of ‘Sant Gervasi’ you can find some of the most famous clubs in Barcelona such as Bling Bling, Gatsby and Sutton.
Search for a hotel here, if you love elegant restaurants, bars and clubs. If you’re looking to go shopping and want to have everything just view steps away!
El Raval
Last but not least el Raval is a more alternative area. Filled with vintage shops, Chinese and Indian supermarkets and people from all over the world.
The area is growing and starting to get cool just now. You’ll find lots of played-back bars and crazy small tapas restaurants.
What can you find in El Raval?
- Vintage shops
- International supermarkets
- Crazy or layed-back bars
- Small restaurants
Tip: Pickpocketing and at night some dark streets. Try to avoid them!
Search for a hotel here, if you love alternative areas of a town, small pubs and cheap drinks.
Best, Be-Sparkling
P.s. Read more about Barcelona here. You can find out about the best restaurants or lunch places. Planning to escape the city? Then read here! Or looking for a day to relax in one of Barcelona’s best Spas?
24 comments
Barcelona is very beautiful.I had only 2 days and wish I had two more.We used the hop off hop on bus routes so that we got around to all the highlights and not waste any time.
I really enjoyed exploring all the neighbourhoods of Barcelona while I was there. I chose to stay in Exiample, as it was a quiet and modern area, and from there I could easily walk in 20 minutes to Plaza Catalunya and make my way down the the Gothic Quartier and Barcelonetta.
This is a nice, easy to follow guide which would prove useful as to not get lost in the quarters! You’ll me in one of the many tapas bars, any one in particular you would suggest?
Would love to hang out in La Barceloneta and visit the Museo Picasso in El Born. Barcelona seems to have so many exciting places to check out! thanks for sharing.
Great post, and thank you for reminding us about pickpockets you saves us from trouble.
Really love the way in which you summarised the most notable things you can find in each of these main places in Barcelona. It makes choosing a focus much easier when planning trips. Will have to sae this guide for reference!
El Raval seems nice with vintage shops! You mentioned pickpocketing – any good tips on how to prevent it? I’m always worried!
I’m hearing so much things about Barcelona. I definitely need to go someday! I like your article because it’s straight forward. I’m going to pin in for future references!
Great roundup! Eixample and the Gothic quarter have been at the top of my to-see list for a while. I am hoping to travel to Barcelona some time in 2017 and see it all for myself 😀
I love Barcelona! I thoroughly enjoyed my time, though short when I was there. I think the Gothic quarter looks beautiful and I hope to get there next time. My short time in Barcelona had me only seeing the usuals of Segrada Familia and the Olympic Park.
Never been to Barcelona but looks like there’re so many things to explore! I’d love to visit Gothic Quarter and El Born! Thanks for sharing the great roundup!
I loved visiting tourist spots with many old buildings are very unique and antique. Shape of the building is different from every place makes me want to capture the picture. But I do not like visiting a dangerous place and many pickpockets
This is a perfect intro guide to Barcelona for people like myself who have never been there. I think you made the wise choice for living in La Barceloneta because it gives you access to both the city and sea!
Interesting places there. Vila de Garcia and Gothic town are the ones that I find more attracted to for different reasons. Quite an useful guide to Barcelona
Great post! Barcelona is definitely my favourite city in Spain, such a unique and diverse place.
I love l’Eixample, it’s my favourite quarter in Barcelona by far. Not only because La Sagrada familia is there, but it’s also one of the best areas to go out and get some drinks! 🙂
From the looks of it, Gothic area is what i would be really keen on…possibly would take me a more than a day to leisurely explore it all. Thanks for breaking down the various areas…,makes it easier for a newbie to pick a good hotel location, based on his preferences.
I wish I could see more pictures of the place, and as the major highlights are bars and cafe house I want to explore couple of them once I visit Barcelona sometime in future.
Thanks for your feedback, I will try to add some more 🙂
I have been to BCN a couple of times and I must say the Gothic area is sooo thrilling.. but Barceloneta is my favfavorite forever.! Great post, great division and will surely be useful for those who go there for the first time !
These are all very special neighborhoods. I liked El Born for the Picasso Museum and the Eixample for the architecture and food. But I did not get to Barceloneta when I was there. Next time I definitely will.
Love the way you have analysed the areas. So easy to understand. Bookmarked the post for the future. The Gothic Quarter sounds really interesting but I think we would opt to stay in Vila de Gracia. We prefer less crowds.
The Gothic quarters is really interesting, but then the whole of Barcelona is!
I would actually find hard to choose one out of all these in my second visit.
Well done, this is an awesome overview. I’m heading back in a few weeks so I’ve bookmarked the page! Thanks!
This is a great round up of Barcelona and I love how you included what makes each area different. Personally Eixample is probably my favorite area, as cliche as that is!