Area of Barcelona

[Carly James]

Three friends and I will be in Barcelona in February and plan to rent an apartment for ten days. Can anyone recommend what area of town we should stay in?

[Pepino]

Hi,

Your profile doesn't say how old you are, which would be my main gauge to work off, but the main areas would be...

Anywhere along, or just off, La Rambla - Very popular but way TOO popular and far too touristy for me, but well.... it's touristy for a reason, so it's a good option if that's what you like.

Raval - Very cool bars, bit of a bohemian feel, and a pretty high concentraton of immigrants. It's the only part of the city, that I "sometimes" feel un-nerved walking in at night (relatively speaking, it's still safe)

Barri Gotico - Old town, beautiful narrow streets, funky shops, cool bars. Very nice. Easy to get lost in, but you won't mind.

El Borne - Near the Gothic area, and a little similar in feel. Great for a walk around from bar to bar.

Eixample - Sprawling grid system, wide streets and avenues, high-street style shops (but all the Alta moda shops here too). Plenty of Gaudi stuff.

Have fun!

[gary]

Yup, Raval can be scary particularly if you are not used to big cities, many immigrants, and you can round a corner to find you are surrounded by hookers or drug addicts - Plaza de Marques de Barbera for instance. Paral-lel is okay and only a 15 min walk from las Ramblas. Maybe Barceloneta if you like it lively, All the areas that Pepino said too though. Eixample is further out than I might want to stay for 10 days but I sure would like to live there - its quite posh...

I believe there are apartments in Plaza Real which is just off La Rambla and full of bars and restaurants....

Get as near to las Ramblas as your pocket will allow....

[Pepino]

Maybe Barceloneta if you like it lively, All the areas that Pepino said too though. Eixample is further out than I might want to stay for 10 days but I sure would like to live there - its quite posh...


Yep, forgot about Barceloneta. There's a strip of very lively (not traditional Spanish) bars/clubs just down by the Twin Towers. It's full of stags and hens most weekends.

As far Exiample being posh, thanks Gary! ;D That's my neighbourhood, and yep, I love it. I'm a little bit set back from the classiest streets though, although it's all just a short hop away! :p

[Carly James]

thanks for the replies guys....please let me clarify a bit. Our party is in our late forties. We love food etc and plan to sample as much as we have time for. We would like to stay in a place where we can come and go at will, and where when we step out of our door we feel like we are in the middle of the culture. We are looking at several apartments. our search has narrowed to several in the born area and one northeast of Placa de Catalunya. there are also a couple in the jaume area near city hall I believe. Would I be beter off staying near the harbour in born?....or further away from the harbour. Or does it even matter. I still cant get a grasp on how big this area is. I hope all this makes sense....thanks

[Carly James]

One more thing.......My husband is a tennis player and is planning on bringing his raquet. Are there any tennis players here with any advice for a tennis player with limited spanish???? He has been looking up websites with regards to tennis. thanks again

[gary]

thanks for the replies guys....please let me clarify a bit. Our party is in our late forties. We love food etc and plan to sample as much as we have time for. We would like to stay in a place where we can come and go at will, and where when we step out of our door we feel like we are in the middle of the culture. We are looking at several apartments. our search has narrowed to several in the born area and one northeast of Placa de Catalunya. there are also a couple in the jaume area near city hall I believe. Would I be beter off staying near the harbour in born?....or further away from the harbour. Or does it even matter. I still cant get a grasp on how big this area is. I hope all this makes sense....thanks

Which Harbour? There are two. Port Vell is at the bottom of The Rambla and is worth a 20 minute look. There are some expensive restaurants at the east end near the Museum. Walk past them and across the road there are lots of great places to eat overlooking the harbour from Barceloneta. The Olympic Harbour further East is where there are lots of reasonably priced Restaurants & Clubs -but the clubs dont really get going tol after midnight. The metro in Barcelona is Fantastic and dirt cheap. Any ride anywhere is just over a euro - get a 1/2/3/ day pass its easier. The Old Town aso known as Ciutat Vella or Barrio Gotico is where you are probable best to be - Born is at one end of it and Plaza Cataluna is at the other, its all walkable between.

I am going to Barcelona myself in Feb we stay near Paral-lel Metro station. To walk from there to Lecieu takes 10-15 minutes, Cataluna in 20 - 25. To walk to Port Vell takes 20 - 25 minutes to walk to Barceloneta takes 35-40 minutes. I just hop the metro - trains every 5 minutes.

[Pepino]

I agree with all Gary's comments, for a major city, it's incredibly easy to get around. If you're not in a major hurry and are into reasonable amounts of easy walking, you really can do the whole city on foot (certainly all the main interesting parts). Despite the mountains looming close by, the city itself is pretty flat for the most part with just a gentle slope towards the sea.

I would just add that taxis are cheap and plentiful (sometimes slightly more difficult to find very late at night) and are an easy option at any time, but especially when the Metro's shut after midnight (although it stays running until 2am on Friday/Saturday nights).

As far as feeling culture goes.... it's Barcelona! You could walk out of any door and feel that you're somewhere pretty special! Nah, I know what you mean, and for a short stay, anywhere in the collection of barrios that make up Ciutat Vella is a good option. If you get an apartment near Jaume Metro station, you'll be very well placed indeed.

[gary]

I think a taxi for 4 of us from the Olympic Harbour to Paral-lel was 5 Euros - only a bit more than the metro - This is VERY cheap if uoi are from the UK I dont know about the US

[Baz]

All good advice re: the areas. We always stayed in El Borne when we rented short let apartments - we liked the feel of the place and the cafes on Passeig del Borne are a nice way to spend your morning planning the day and drinking cafe solo. But as Pepino and Gary say, Borne and Jaume I are only 5 minutes max walk away from each other and both really central.

As a tip, if you are coming in Feb it might be worth asking for a better rate on the apartments than advertised on the web - we found that they were sometimes willing to come down a few euros a day if booking at the last minute. Better for them to rent out at a lower rate than not at all I guess :).

[MikeF]

I live in the Eixample to the North East of Plaza de Cataluña and I'd recommend it as a base, but you really need to find somewhere in the area close to the Rambla de Cataluña (i.e. the part of the Ramblas above Plaza de Cataluña). Then you are in the heart of the great architecture and great shops, and to be honest the whole city centre is very walkable from anywhere (as long as you avoid the summer heat!). My partner and I frequently walk down to the beach. The public transport is good and cheap, as are the taxis.

I would avoid the Raval (safety at night), San Pere (same), Barceloneta (noise) and the Barrio Gotico (noise and safety in some parts). So that leaves the Borne and the Eixample districts.

I don't know your dates in February, but be aware that there is a major global mobile phone expo (3GSM) on during the week comencing 12 Feb, so hotel prices (and probably apartments too) get put up. Also it can be difficult to get tables in some of the really good restaurants that week because of corporate bookings.

It's a wonderful city both to visit and to live in and I'm sure that you'll have a great time. Ten days is about right to soak up the atmosphere, relax and see most of the major touristy things. :)

[NIeves]

Yep, forgot about Barceloneta. There's a strip of very lively (not traditional Spanish) bars/clubs just down by the Twin Towers. It's full of stags and hens most weekends.

As far Exiample being posh, thanks Gary! ;D That's my neighbourhood, and yep, I love it. I'm a little bit set back from the classiest streets though, although it's all just a short hop away! :p


Eixample dreta o esquerra?

[Pepino]

Eixample dreta o esquerra?

I live in L'Esquerra de L'Eixample, so that's the area I know best. The "poshest" part I would say is right down the middle of the two (more or less where Paseo de Gracia is). I haven't really explored the La Dreta much at all, so I've no clear idea how different it is in detail. I only really head over there for specific things such as visiting friends who live there etc. It looks on the face of it, very similar (in style of buildings etc), but I still think my side has the edge slightly! ;) Although, those over on the right, have places like Sagrada Familia and Monumental within their zone. Also, you're not far from the Parc Guell area too which is quite classy in places.

Oh blimey, I might have to reassess my original opinion! jejeje

[NIeves]

I think esquerra is more posh (as you say) than dreta because of the Meridiana and Diagonal. It can be very noisy there, well in fact it is anywhere in Barcelona.

[MikeF]

I think that the really posh bit of the Eixample is right in the middle. It's called the "Quadrat d’Or" or Golden Square, and it's the area bounded by the streets C/Aribau (Esquerra), Paseig de Sant Joan (Dret), Avinguida Diagonal (Up) and Ronda Sant Pere (Down). This includes the Rambla de Catalunya and Paseig de Gracia and contains the major works of Gaudí, Domenech i Montaner and Puig i Cadafalch.

[Pepino]

it's the area bounded by the streets C/Aribau (Esquerra).

Damn it! I live ONE measly street further back from C/Aribau! Typical! ;)

I'll have to move, there's no other option! jeje

PS. My favorite street in the zone you've described, is C/Enric Granados (one street past Aribau, heading INTO the posh bit, as Mike will know). It's partly pedestrianised (a rare blessing in Eixample) and has some very cool bars/cafés/restaurants.

[ValenciaSon]

Damn it! I live ONE measly street further back from C/Aribau! Typical! ;)

I'll have to move, there's no other option! jeje

PS. My favorite street in the zone you've described, is C/Enric Granados (one street past Aribau, heading INTO the posh bit, as Mike will know). It's partly pedestrianised (a rare blessing in Eixample) and has some very cool bars/cafés/restaurants.

Anything like this back home?

[Pepino]

Anything like this back home?

You mean back home for me? The UK?

Not where I used to live. Typical British suburbs, and nothing more. Pubs and the occasional corner shop, but no interesting bars/cafes or outdoor social life etc. Maybe I've misread your question though.

[ValenciaSon]

You mean back home for me? The UK?

Not where I used to live. Typical British suburbs, and nothing more. Pubs and the occasional corner shop, but no interesting bars/cafes or outdoor social life etc. Maybe I've misread your question though.

No, you read it correctly. It sounds like you live in such a happening, cool place. I'm a bit envious. It sounds like you are having the time of your life there. Do you ever stop and think, wow what a great place I'm in, I am soo lucky!!

[eldeano]

No, you read it correctly. It sounds like you live in such a happening, cool place. I'm a bit envious. It sounds like you are having the time of your life there. Do you ever stop and think, wow what a great place I'm in, I am soo lucky!!

Do any of us stop and think? :cool:

[Pepino]

No, you read it correctly. It sounds like you live in such a happening, cool place. I'm a bit envious. It sounds like you are having the time of your life there. Do you ever stop and think, wow what a great place I'm in, I am soo lucky!!

I could babble on about it all day (and quite often do!). Although I definitely have a lot of guiri in me, and I occasionally feel like a square peg in a round hole, I still feel incredibly at home here. It's a strange thing to try to put into words, but in a nutshell, it's like the feeling of being "comfortably out of your depth and loving it all at the same time". (I think I've read that somewhere in another person's post?)

I can honestly say, I've never been bored since I arrived in Barcelona in September (and I haven't even set foot outside of the city yet!)

I arrived knowing nobody (apart from a handful of work colleagues who I'd met before) and now I have a mobile phone contact list as long as my arm, a fabulous flatmate, and interesting people to talk to every day. It's only a small thing, and we all do it every day without thinking when we're in our normal environments, but it's so cool when a Spanish friend calls me up just to see what I'm up to and whether I want to meet up. No one forces these people to be so nice, but they seem to manage it extremely well.

Everyone told me (and still do) that Catalans are notoriously closed by nature (compared to the rest of Spain) but I always say in reply that I just can't see it. I feel included in everything going on around me, and even when I'm in the mood to be on my own, or everyone is busy doing their own thing, I can always head out of my flat without a clear plan and know that I'll come home however many hours later having had an interesting day (in my opinion at least).

Anyone who gets the chance to live in Spain, whether it's for a month or a lifetime, should definitely do it. And if not Spain, then any other place where you get challenged to think outside of your usual set of rules, but still feel very at home.

:smug:

[NIeves]

Damn it! I live ONE measly street further back from C/Aribau! Typical! ;)

I'll have to move, there's no other option! jeje

PS. My favorite street in the zone you've described, is C/Enric Granados (one street past Aribau, heading INTO the posh bit, as Mike will know). It's partly pedestrianised (a rare blessing in Eixample) and has some very cool bars/cafés/restaurants.


Jajajajaj que bueno pues entonces dentro de nada seremos vecinos Pepino, jajajajaja.


Then you have to know Plaza Letamendi where Bon preu is and where people of the barrio usually take their dogs out?????

[Pepino]

Then you have to know Plaza Letamendi where Bon preu is and where people of the barrio usually take their dogs out?????

Indeed I do! I've dodged the dog poo (and kissing teenagers) on many an occasion (although, to be fair, the owners do tend to clean up very well after their pets). A friend works in a little Cuban bar just alongside the Plaza (but still on Enric Granados) so I was down there just the other night taking advantage of him for a couple of free mojitos while the boss wasn't around.

The little fenced-off areas for dogs to poo in always make me laugh. Especially the one just behind my flat (in front of Hospital Cliníc) as there's one fenced off area for the dogs, and then another one directly alongside for kids to play in!!! They both look pretty much the same if you ask me! Mix up the two and you've got a real mess on your hands! (well, on your kids hands, more accurately!) jejeje

[NIeves]

Oh I don't know what they wanted to do with that. My sister's dog won't get in in a thousand of years. Never ever!!!!

[MikeF]

Damn it! I live ONE measly street further back from C/Aribau! Typical! ;)

I'll have to move, there's no other option! jeje

PS. My favorite street in the zone you've described, is C/Enric Granados (one street past Aribau, heading INTO the posh bit, as Mike will know). It's partly pedestrianised (a rare blessing in Eixample) and has some very cool bars/cafés/restaurants.

Of course, some would say that the Quadrat d'Or starts at Muntaner rather than Aribau ;D .

I've just got back from a day of travel chaos in London caused by one inch of snow:mad: . Very happy to be back home in BCN where the public transport system is a lot more reliable...

[Pepino]

Of course, some would say that the Quadrat d'Or starts at Muntaner rather than Aribau ;D .


Clearly my letters to the Mayor's office have born some fruit! I can relax again, safe in the knowledge that I'm officially "posh" for the first time in my life! jejeje