Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
greater Barcelona), buttravelers need onlyfocusonfourareas: the OldCity,the harbor/Bar-
celoneta, the Eixample, and Montjuïc.
A large square,
Plaça de Catalunya,
sits at the center of Barcelona, dividing the older
and newer parts oftown. Sloping downhill from the Plaça de Catalunya is the Old City,with
the boulevard called the Ramblas running down to the harbor. Above Plaça de Catalunya
is the modern residential area called the Eixample. The Montjuïc hill overlooks the harbor.
Outside the Old City, Barcelona's sights are widely scattered, but with a map and a willing-
ness to figure out the sleek Metro system (or a few euros for taxis), all is manageable.
Here are more details per neighborhood:
OldCity
(CiutatVella):ThisisthecompactcoreofBarcelona—idealforstrolling,shop-
ping, and people-watching—where you'll probably spend most of your time. It's a labyrinth
of narrow streets that once were confined by the medieval walls. The lively pedestrian drag
called the
Ramblas
—one of Europe's most entertaining streets—runs through the heart of
theOldCityfromPlaçadeCatalunyadowntotheharbor.TheOldCityisdividedintothirds
bytheRamblasandanothermajorthoroughfare,ViaLaietana.BetweentheRamblasandVia
Laietana is the characteristic
Barri Gòtic
(BAH-ree GOH-teek, Gothic Quarter), with the
cathedral as its navel. Locals call it simply “El Gòtic” for short. To the east of Via Laietana
is the trendy
El Born
district (a.k.a. “La Ribera”), a shopping, dining, and nightlife mecca
centered on the Picasso Museum and the Church of Santa Maria del Mar. To the west of the
Ramblas isthe
Raval
(rah-VAHL),enlivened byitsuniversity andmodern-art museum. The
Raval is of least interest to tourists (and, in fact, some parts of it are quite seedy and should
be avoided).
Harborfront:
This area has been energized since the 1992 Olympics. A pedestrian
bridge links the Ramblas with the modern Maremagnum shopping/aquarium/entertainment
complex. On the peninsula across the quaint sailboat harbor is
Barceloneta,
a traditional
fishing neighborhood with gritty charm and some good seafood restaurants. Beyond Bar-
celoneta, a gorgeous man-made
beach
several miles long leads east to the commercial and
convention district called the
Fòrum.
Eixample:
North of the Old City, beyond the bustling hub of Plaça de Catalunya, is the
elegant Eixample (eye-SHAM-plah) district, its grid plan softened by cut-off corners. Much
of Barcelona's Modernista architecture is found here—especially along the swanky artery
Passeig de Gràcia, an area called the
Quadrat d'Or
(“Golden Quarter”). To the north is the
Gràcia
district and beyond that, Antoni Gaudí's
Park Güell.
Montjuïc:
The large hill overlooking the city to the southwest is Montjuïc (mohn-jew-
EEK), home to a variety of attractions, including some excellent museums (Catalan Art,
Joan Miró) and the Olympic Stadium. At the base of Montjuïc, stretching toward Plaça
d'Espanya, are the former
1929 World Expo Fairgrounds
, with additional fine attractions
(including the CaixaForum art gallery and the bullring-turned-mall, Las Arenas).
