Neighborhoods of Barcelona and areas where to live
Barcelona neighborhoods offer a range of areas to live, each with its own personality!
L’Eixample, Ciutat Vella, Gràcia, Sarrià… are some examples of the variety of districts that make up the city of Barcelona.
Thousands of foreigners and tourists fall in love with the “Ciudad Condal” every year and many end up looking for a home in the environment that best fits their budget, family nucleus or lifestyle.
L’Eixample
or “Ensanche” occupies the central space of the city. Designed at the end of the 19th century, it is one of the most populated districts of Barcelona, and is home to some of its most famous streets and squares such as PASEO DE GRACIA, RAMBLA DE CATALUÑA, PLAZA CATALUÑA…
As well as some of the best-known points of interest such as the SAGRADA FAMILIA, CASA BATLLÓ, la PEDRERA, the MONUMENTAL bullring, etc.
Unlike many neighborhoods, l’Eixample offers wide avenues, and a gridded and very modern urban planning. A neighborhood full of shops and restaurants, l’Eixample properties are the most coveted and exquisite in the city. Not suitable for all budgets!
Ciutat Vella
or the “Old Town”, corresponds to the historic center of the city.
It is made up of 4 neighborhoods that make up the oldest area of Barcelona and offers you basically everything: culture, history, entertainment, gastronomy, etc.
Among the most notable: La BARCELONETA and BORN.
Barceloneta
To the south of the city, we find the Barceloneta neighborhood: the seaside neighborhood.
This coastal neighborhood, where you will go if you are beach lovers or if you want to eat in its seafood restaurants and traditional tapas bars, offers a long promenade lined with palm trees. It houses a luxurious marina full of yachts and its cable car will take you to Montjuïc hill.
Historically, this fishing neighborhood was the destination of humble migrants. To accommodate this working-class population, the decision was made to divide the homes into 4. This is how the “house quarters” emerged! The name that is still in use for the flats in Barceloneta.
And that explains that most of the apartments do not exceed 35m2, in buildings with narrow stairs and no elevator.
Over time (and the ’92 Olympics!) this area near the sea gained more prominence and ended up being a fashionable neighborhood highly sought after by expats, with a rental price per square meter among the most expensive in Spain.
El Born-La Ribera
In the center of the city, we find one of the best neighborhoods to live and invest in Barcelona: el Born-La Ribera.
This central area, one of the oldest in the city, has become one of the most sought after by foreigners eager to settle in Barcelona.
A privileged location not far from the sea, El Born offers an endless number of small, narrow and irregular streets whose names refer to the trades that occupied them from the 12th century to the 15th century: Flassaders, Esparteria, Agullers, Sombreres…
Its Gothic basilica Santa María del Mar, Paseo del Born, the old market converted into a cultural center, the Picasso Museum, make up some of the numerous jewels hidden in a neighborhood full of bars, restaurants and shops, with lots of nightlife and charm. exceptional.
Gràcia
The district of Gràcia.
Time Out magazine classified it as the best neighborhood to live in southern Europe, and also placed it in 24th position in the world ranking. But what makes Gràcia one of the most sought after residential neighborhoods.
Until the beginning of the 19th century, this area was not much more than a small agricultural center, made up of a few farmhouses.
Gràcia was located exactly 1,250 meters from the walls of the city of Barcelona.
A distance that corresponded to the distance of a cannonball, launched from the walls of Barcelona; and it was the minimum legal distance where building was allowed at that time.
A distance that turned Gràcia into the closest population center to the city.
Over time, its population grew and the development and expansion of Barcelona made its integration increasingly logical and necessary.
At the end of the 19th century, projects such as the Paseo de Gràcia were born, which ended up linking the “village of Gràcia” with the city, following the old path.
A network of pedestrian streets, low-rise buildings, boutiques, bistros and wine bars, cozy cafes, squares and a range of various services… today, Gràcia is an authentic town within the city.
Without a doubt, buying or renting an apartment in the Gràcia neighborhood is a very good option to live and enjoy Barcelona, with or without children.
Sarrià
Located in the upper area of Barcelona, it is a residential district considered one of the best areas to live in the city.
In the 15th century, the rural population center had little more than a church and some farmhouses.
It was gradually transformed into a more urban center, and from the 16th century onwards the first summer chalets appeared.
At the beginning of the 20th century, this neighborhood was already considered one of the richest in Barcelona. And his accession to Barcelona occurred despite the opposition of the neighbors.
Historic, quiet and safe, Sarrià offers a range of quality services and high-end homes.
It is also one of the districts with the least real estate supply!
In short, a stately neighborhood, with beautiful green areas and a family atmosphere, Sarrià is one of the most exclusive and elitist neighborhoods in Barcelona.
