About Barcelona…

Founded as a Roman city, Barcelona became the capital of the Counts of Barcelona. After merging with the Kingdom of Aragon, it became one of the most important cities of the Crown of Aragon. Besieged several times during its history, Barcelona is today an important cultural centre and a major tourist destination and has a rich cultural heritage.

Nowadays Barcelona´s metropolitan Area is divided in 6 major zones:
1. Centre: El Raval – Barri Gótic – La Ribera
2. North West: Sarrià – Pedralbes – Sants
3. North East: Eixample Esquerra – Gracia
4. South West: Montjuic – Poble Sec – Sant Antoni
5. South East: Port Olímpic – Poble Nou – Eixample Dreta
6. South: Port Vell – Born – Barceloneta

You just can´t miss it!

El Raval – Barri Gòtic – La Ribera

Old town Barcelona: narrow streets, old gothic Catalan jewelry and the old palaces at the Ribera. Historical centre full of bars, clubs and popular restaurants. During the day, traditional stores and markets open to everyone will make you fall in love for this charming and colorful area.

Check it out:

RAVAL
• La Boqueria Market: the most amazing and huge indoor food market!
• Gran Teatre del Liceu: want to enjoy some opera, theatre or orchestra?

Any Museums around? Yes: CCCB (Centre de Cultura Contemporànea de Barcelona) and MACBA (Museu d´Art Contemporani de Barcelona).
Subway? Yes: Universitat, Urgell, Catalunya, Liceu, Drassanes.

BARRI GÒTIC
• Catedral Gòtica: the famous gothic Cathedral of Barcelona!
• Plaça de Sant Jaume: where the government of Barcelona (Ajuntament) and Cataluña (Generalitat) meet!
• Plaça Reial: night life, restaurants and where you will find Gaudi´s first art pieces: can you find them?
• Plaça Catalunya: the very centre of Barcelona´s universe!
• Rambla: flower shops, souvenirs, human statues…what else?

Any Museums around? Yes: Museu d´Historia de la ciutat and the Wax Museum.
Subway? Yes: Catalunya, Urquinaona, Jaume I.

LA RIBERA
• Palau de la Música Catalana:
• Santa Maria del Mar:
• Antic Mercat del Born:
• Parc de la Ciutadella:

Any Museums around? Yes: Museu Picasso, Museu Tèxtil i de la Indumentària, Museu de Geologia, Museo de Zoologia and the Zoo of Barcelona!
Subways: Urquinaona, Jaume I, Arc de Triomf.

You just can´t miss it!

Sarrià – Pedralbes – Sants

Now neighborhoods of the city, these were once upon a time, towns that surrounded Barcelona and with time, became part of it. They are residential areas where Sarrià is still a town which is becoming more and more stylish, Pedralbes is the most monumental part with its palaces and gardens at the border of the city, and finally Sants is the “down town” part where its modern train, metro and bus station stands out. Surrounded by Diagonal Avenue and its uncountable number of shopping centers, stores, restaurants, cafés, bars, sky scrapers and offices.

Check it out:

SARRIÀ
• Teresianes School and Finca Miralles: other Gaudi´s architectural pieces!

Subways: Tres Torres, Bonanova, Reina Elisenda.

PEDRALBES
• Palau de Pedralbes: feel like part of the royalty walking through the gardens of this palace!
• Finca Güell: huge house inside the gardens of Palau de Pedralbes!

Any Museums around? Yes: Museu Etnogràfic Andino Amazonia, Museu de les Carrosses, Monestir de Pedralbes.
Subways: Palau Reial, Maria Cristina.

SANTS
• Camp Nou: Barça´s Football Stadium!
• Parc de l´Espanya Industrial: music festivals and other parties take place here!

Any Museums around? Yes: Barça Football Club´s Museum.
Subways: Les Corts, Pl. del Centre, Pl. de Sants, Mercat Nou, Sants Estació, Hostafrancs.

You just can´t miss it!

Eixample Esquerra – Gràcia

The old walls that once surrounded the city of Barcelona were demolished and out of architect Cerdà´s designs, this new part of Barcelona was called Eixample (ensanche in Spanish and “the widen” in English) reorganized to be the most important urban restructure at the time. Architects were set to do everything “exactly the same” (same building hight, same number of stores, same amount of building for block…) and that´s exactly why the rich and wealthy of Barcelona decided: “no, we want to be different” and hired visionary architects like Gaudi, Puig I Cadafalch, Domènech I Muntaner, etc. to create the most spectacular buildings of all during the Modernism. Gràcia, up north, is a more popular neighborhood where bars, cafés, restaurants, old houses and fashion shops mix in very narrow bohemian and alternative streets.

Check it out:

EIXAMPLE ESQUERRA
• Buildings which stand out: La Pedrera, Casa Batlló, Casa Amatller, Casa Lleó Morera, Palau Baró de Quadres, Casa de les Punxes.

Any Museums around? Yes: Fundació Antoni Tàpies, La Pedrera, Casa Batlló, Casa Amatller.
Subways: Diagonal, Provença, Passeig de Gràcia.

GRÀCIA
• Parc Güell: the biggest and most amazing of Gaudi´s work!

Any Museums around? Yes: Museu de l´Automòvil, Museu de Ceràmica.
Subways: Lesseps, Pl. Molina, Fontana, Gràcia.

You just can´t miss it!

Montjuic – Poble Sec – Sant Antoni

The Olimpics 92´ took place in Montjuïc for what many architects showed their most ambitious projects and where today makes this place just perfect for walks and parties. Poble Sec, at Montjuïcs feet was once upon a time, Barcelona´s bohemian Montmartre: the theatre´s neighborhood. Sant Antoni, popular and calm, next to Raval, is famous for its high quality shops and restaurants.

Check it out:

MONTJUÏC
• Palau Sant Jordi: the most important international concerts are held here!
• Torre Calatrava: Tower built for the Olimpics which represents the olimpic torch!
• Anella Olímpica: incredible venue where you can visit the Olimpic Stadium!
• Castell de Montjuïc: amazing castle to where you can get with the cable car (Funicular and Telefèric de Montjuïc)!
• Poble Espanyol: amazing venue where you can make the most out of New Years Eve!

Any Museums around? Yes: Fundació Joan Miró, Museu Nacional d´Art de Catalunya (MNAC), Museu Etnològic, Mudeu Arqueològic, Castell de Montjuïc.
Subway? No. How to get there?: many bus lines and the cable car.

POBLE SEC
• Fira de Barcelona and Palau de Congressos: almost every international exhibition and congress is held right here!
• Font Màgica: colors and music while water flows make the magic fountain show just one to remember!

Any Museums around? Yes: CaixaFòrum, Pavelló Mies Van der Roche.
Subway? Yes: Paral.lel, Poble Sec, Espanya.

SANT ANTONI
• Pl. Braus Les Arenes: the bullfighting Arena!
• Mercat de Sant Antoni: indoor fashion, food and collections market. If you are curious, this is your place!

Subway? Yes: Paral.lel, Poble Sec, Sant Antoni, Rocafort, Urgell.

You just can´t miss it!

Port Olímpic – Poble Nou – Eixample Dreta

After 1992 this part of Barcelona transformed into what we can enjoy today: beaches, parks, shopping centres and modern buildings. This was the old working class neighborhood that today has turned into studios of new generation artists and an important edge for nightlife. Eixample Dreta is a more residential area but still worth to walk through, specially into the Encants.

Check it out:

PORT OLÍMPIC
• Vila Olímpica and Port Olímpic: want to sail?
• Parks and gardens all over!

Any Museums around? Museu de Geologia, Museu de Zoologia, Zoo.
Subway? Yes: Barceloneta, Ciutadella/Vila Olímpica.

POBLE NOU
• Teatre Nacional de Catalunya i l´Auditori: the most important theatre!

Any Museums around? Yes: Auditori.
Subway? Yes: Glòries, Marina, Bogatell, Llacuna.

EIXAMPLE DRETA
• Sagrada Familia: the most popular image of Barcelona, one of Gaudi´s still constructing works!

Any Museums around? Yes: Sagrada Familia.
Subway? Yes: Sagrada Familia, Encants, Clot.

You just can´t miss it!

Port Vell – Born – Barceloneta

Right in front of the sea, this part of Barcelona dives into the Mediterranean with the reconstruction of the neighborhood after the Olympics. Clothes drying out during sunny days and narrow streets are part of Barcelona´s old town. The Born area is very “in” with their independent fashion design stores, hidden palaces, museums and galleries and at Barceloneta you will totally feel the past harbor life.

Check it out:

PORT VELL
• Aquàrium: the sea world right in front of your eyes!
• Mirador: amazing views of the sea from here!
• Maremagnum: one of Barcelona´s most stylish shopping centres right on the sea!
• Telefèric: cable car that goes over the sea across the harbor, it is spectacular!

Any Museums around? Yes: Museu d´Historia de Catalunya.
Subway? Yes: Drassanes, Barceloneta.

BORN
• Mercat del Born: old Born Market in reconstruction where you can sit around and have a drink!
• Santa Maria del Mar: this basilica is just stunning!

Any Museums around? Yes: Museu Picasso, Museu Textil, Museu d´Art Precolombí Metrònom, Museu de Zoologia, Museu de Geologia, Zoo.
Subway? Yes: Jaume I, Barceloneta.

BARCELONETA
• Barceloneta Beach: enjoy the sun and the Mediterranean Sea!

Any Museums around? Yes: Museu d´Historia de Catalunya, Zoo.
Subway Yes: Barceloneta.