A Guide to Neighborhoods in Barcelona | Things to Do, Places to Eat & more

Heading to Barcelona anytime soon? If you are, we are sure you may be feeling excited and have a desire to learn everything about this bustling city.

Being the second largest city of Spain, Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and is filled with several neighborhoods to venture through, each one carrying a vibe of its own and offering different things to see. There are also numerous hidden art galleries, designer boutiques, cocktail bars to check out in the city of Barcelona.

From its jaw-dropping architecture to a number of beaches to explore, you will never be satisfied with just one visit to Barcelona. With so much to do, let’s take an in-depth look into the various neighborhoods in Barcelona that you can explore on your visit.

The Neighborhoods of Barcelona

Barcelona is a city with great culture and has a variety of neighborhoods to explore, each one has a personality of its own. With some of the oldest areas to the coastal districts surrounding beautiful beaches, there is a wide range of neighborhoods in Barcelona that can be explored.

Each neighborhood in Barcelona has something different to offer. Barcelona is one big adventure filled with history and modern culture. If you are looking for a quiet retreat with ancient Roman columns or a modern-themed getaway, the guide here will show you which neighborhoods to stay at and enjoy in Barcelona for your next trip.

Gràcia

Gracia is one of the best neighborhoods to stay in during your visit to Barcelona. This is situated in the north of the city center and will give you the feel of a bohemian village for it being a separate town until 1897. This neighborhood sits in the heart of the city center but you can also discover a bit of local Barcelona.

Things to do:

The major attraction of Gracia is Gaudi’s surreal Park Guell.
You can check out the cinema space at the Cine Verdi.
Check out the live music bars and theaters.

Best Places to Eat:

Enjoy great lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants in Gracia:

Best Places to Stay:

El Born

If you want to stay in a neighborhood with a Bohemian feel, this is the ideal place to be at. The neighborhood is known for its artisan and crafts stores and is a little less touristy in comparison to its Gothic counterpart. Located in the historical heart of Barcelona, El Born blends into the old and new parts of the city, showing constant revolution. El Born also gives you an easy insight to the local life with great Spanish produce and aromatic coffee.

Things to do:

Want to do something during the day? Check out the Picasso Museum, and explore the work of the Spanish artists.
Visit the Santa Caterina market to purchase the best Spanish produce.
A coffee lover? Head to Spain’s best coffee at Café el Magnifico.

Best Places to Eat:

Enjoy great lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants in El Born:

Best Places to Stay:

Poblenou

Poblenou is one of the coolest neighborhoods in Barcelona and is a place filled with start-ups and hipsters. This neighborhood has two sides to it, the lower part, which lies close to the sea, is quite traditional whereas the upper part near Torre Glories has transformed enormously. Old warehouses have been revamped into creative workspaces, galleries, and concept stores.

Things to do:

You can visit the Bogatell beach if you are looking to explore a more familiar atmosphere than the usual city beaches.
Experience the live music scene
Visit the Palo Alto market for a perfect environment filled with cultural and upcoming designers who are seen exhibiting their work here alongside concerts and food trucks to check out.

Best Places to Eat:

Enjoy great lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants in Poblenou:

Best Places to Stay:

Raval

This neighborhood has been evolving a lot over the years into a cool area to hang. This is a multicultural neighborhood with a wide array of restaurants run by the locals with the best Indian and Middle Eastern eateries in Barcelona. Apart from this, the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art is situated at the center of the El Raval. With quirky bars and great brunch spots, this is a must-see neighborhood.

Things to do:

Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona.
If you are old school, explore El Raval’s vintage shops and eclectic bars.
Visit Ramba del Raval and check out the street art, quirky bars and great restaurants.

Best Places to Eat:

Enjoy great lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants in El Raval:

Best Places to Stay:

Sant Antoni

The Sant Antoni neighborhood is situated on the Sant Antoni market, an all food and book market that was inaugurated in 2018. This area is not home to a lot of historical monuments or museums but has a list of must-see spots in guide books of the city. Santo Antoni has a great atmosphere, its hidden gems, and an array of great bars to choose from. Top chefs like Albert Adria of El Bulli fame also have their eateries opened in this neighborhood.

Things to do:

The Sant Antoni Market of Antique Books: Whether you are a book lover or not, this space is so atmospheric that it definitely deserves a visit at least once.
Visit the Gallery of Escalera De Incendios. Here you can check out various temporary exhibitions by young photographers and artists. You can also meet them in person, participate in various workshops, buy their work and do so much more.
You can check out the shops and showrooms in the neighborhood consisting of clothing, souvenir shops, and lots of affordable stuff.

Best Places to Eat:

Enjoy great lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants in Sant Antoni:

Best Places to Stay:

Poble-Sec

Poble Sec, situated in the Sant-Montjuic district of Barcelona is the city’s most culturally diverse place to be at. Recently, the neighborhood has undergone a renewal keeping intact the bohemian feel. It was once known as a great hub to find cheap drinks. If you plan on staying here, you can expect a quirky, creative and relaxed vibe.

Things to do:

Visit the Archeological Museum of Catalonia to learn all about its history.
Visit the Poble Espanyol where you can have a glimpse into Spain’s history and architecture.
Head to the most famous theater in the area – El Molino.

Best Places to Eat:

Enjoy great lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants in Poble-Sec

Best Places to Stay:

Barri Gòtic

This is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Barcelona and is surrounded by old city walls and is filled with medieval buildings. The Barri Gotic is also home to the Barcelona Cathedral. On venturing around the neighborhood, you will spot century-old shops next to Irish pubs and souvenir outlets. You can also experience the great nightlife by heading to clubs and themed bars, close to the marina.

Things to do:

Admire a great view from the Cathedral of Barcelona.
Explore the Roman Streets at the Museum of History of Barcelona.
Dance a night away at Placa Reial. It is one of the most famous squares in Barcelona, the Royal Square.
Grab a cup of coffee in Picasso’s shadow at Els Quatre Gats

Best Places to Eat:

Enjoy great lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants in Barri Gotic:

Best Places to Stay:

Eixample

This neighborhood portrays the modern side of Barcelona. There has been a lot of development done in the city in recent times. The architecture of designer shops and cafes are stunning and is definitely worth a visit.

Things to do:

You can visit the magnificent unfinished Church of La Sagrada Familia.
You can shop various luxury brands from Passeig de Gracia.
You can explore various art galleries and restaurants offering Spanish cuisine at Rambla de Catalunya.

Best Places to Eat:

Enjoy great lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants in Eixample:

Best Places to Stay:

Barceloneta

Located close to Port Vell, this neighborhood is an old fishing district of Barcelona. Barceloneta is situated to the southeast of La Rambla where you can spot plenty of local tapas restaurants serving delicious seafood, where the fish is caught then and there from the Mediterranean.

Things to do:

You can visit the beach as it is the closest to the city center and is extremely lively.
You can indulge in playing volleyball at the beach.
If you want to dive into the marine life of the mediterranean, you can check out one of the biggest aquariums in Europe in Barceloneta.

Best Places to Eat:

Enjoy great lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants in Barceloneta:

Best Places to Stay:

El Clot

The El Clot neighborhood of Barcelona is considered to be one of the safest areas of the city. It is the home to the Polytechnic University, but it somehow manages to have apartments with lower rent than most of the central neighborhoods. On your visit, you are sure to find a lot of green space, great eateries and indulge in various night life choices in the neighborhood.

Things to do:

Visit the Art of the Brick Museum.
Head to the most popular brewery in the neighborhood and know what great beer tastes like – Birra 08.
Check out various forms of art by popular artists at Centro De Arte Shiva Monumental.

Best Places to Eat:

Enjoy great lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants in El Clot:

Best Places to Stay:

Sants

Back in the day, Sants was an independent city. Today, this neighborhood is very famous for the Festa Major, a grand gathering wrapped around food, music and lots of fun. This Olympic inspired district has a lot of attractions filled with museums, a castle, great views and a plethora of things to do. The neighborhood of Sants is slightly away from the city center and is calm and less expensive compared to the other ones.

Things to do:

Admire the beautiful views from the Montjuic Mountain.
You can enjoy an even exciting view of the city with a cable car ride.
If you aren’t done enjoying the view yet, you should visit the military fortress and stick around at the top of the mountain to explore the Montjuic castle.

Best Places to Eat:

Enjoy great lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants in Sants:

Best Places to Stay:

Les Corts

With students coming from all over the globe, this neighborhood has become very popular in recent times. This place is a blend of old and new worlds, where you can spot a lot of apartments and shopping districts to explore. This neighborhood is very famous for being a home to the world-famous football club – FC Barcelona.

Things to do:

If you would like to learn the history of a few places, you can discover the Monasterio de Pedralbes.
Football lovers can head to the football stadium and learn all about the history of Ronaldo, Messi and many more plays on the grounds where these players played.

Best Places to Eat:

Enjoy great lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants in Les Corts:

Best Places to Stay:

La Ribera

This particular neighborhood is culturally rich and a historic area of Barcelona’s Old Town. This space is less touristy in comparison to that of the Gothic Quarter and is extremely authentic.

Back in the day, this region was inhabited by aristocrats, sailore, Jewish money-lenders etc. But today this space is known as the Soho of Barcelona, which is a very popular place to hangout.

Things to do:

You can opt for a walking tour of La Ribera by taking a stroll through Parc de la Ciutadella, where entry is free.
If you wish to have a better look of the surroundings, you can hire a rowboat on the laker or climb over to the Cascada monumental fountain above the waterfall.
You can check out a large number of sculptural works at the Justice Palace.
Visit the local market of Santa Caterina and venture through the various restaurants, Picasso Museum and the chocolate museum.

Best Places to Eat:

Enjoy great lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants in La Ribera:

Best Places to Stay:

Port Vell

The Port Vell neighborhood is a part of the city’s pot and found near the Columbus monument. Here, you can stroll between 2 major districts, a hallmark of the greatest regeneration before the Olympic Games in 1992.

Things to do:

Learn all about the history at the Maritime Museum.
Get a great view of the neighborhood from the Museum of Catalan.
If you are adventurous, take a boat ride from beneath the Columbus Statue and get a never like before experience.

Best Places to Eat:

Enjoy great lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants in Port Vell:

Best Places to Stay:

Now since you are familiar with most of the neighborhoods in Barcelona, you can start planning and book a place for yourself right away. Barcelona Awaits!