Barri Gòtic and Raval
Plaça Catalunya is the nerve centre of Barcelona, the border between the old quarter and the Eixample. The square is surrounded by imposing buildings. If you are looking for a panoramic view of the area, go to the top of the Corte Inglés building: the top floor opens onto a huge cafeteria restaurant with a covered terrace. The view is magnificent and extends over the two urban fabrics that meet in the square: the Ciutat Vella, an inextricable jumble of alleys, and the Eixample, with the Passeig de Gràcia, majestic, tree-lined and straight. From Plaça de Catalunya, the Ramblas crosses the old city to the old port where Christopher Columbus points to the sea. This long, tree-lined promenade is the city's main artery, so you can't escape it! Las Ramblas (in the plural, as there are seven of them) offer an astonishing spectacle where flower markets, newsstands, café terraces, mimes and human statues mingle..
Not far away is the Barri Gòtic, which coincides with the old Roman city, and the remains bear witness to its past. It houses, among other architectural treasures, the cathedral as well as the political and administrative representations of Barcelona and Catalonia, respectively the Casa de la Ciutat (City Hall) and the Palau de la Generalitat (Catalan Parliament). Today, the district remains very animated
The Raval district extends to the west of the Ramblas. Here, there is everything. The area's vibrancy attracts the cream of contemporary society, seduced by its culinary offerings, art galleries, artists' studios and fashion boutiques. But if you decide to wander down Calle Joaquin Costa or from Calle Hospital downwards, you'll discover the other side of the Raval, with its dark alleys and Moroccan, Pakistani, Filipino, South American and North African influences
Eixample
In the middle of the 19th century, Barcelona was suffocating within its medieval walls. In 1854, the walls were demolished and a call for tenders was launched to reorganise the area. The choice fell on the project of the engineer Ildefons Cerdà, who imposed his futuristic vision of the city by planning a rigorous grid of streets and avenues delimiting blocks of identical houses, intended to link Barcelona to the surrounding villages: Gràcia, Sarrià, Les Corts, Sant Andreu, etc
Thus was born the Eixample ("widening" in Catalan), a model of urban planning that allowed Barcelona to distribute its inhabitants more evenly, to make traffic flow more smoothly and to increase its surface area fivefold in just 50 years. The construction of the Eixample coincided with a brilliant period for the people of Barcelona. The local bourgeoisie, born of economic and industrial development, wanted Barcelona to become a great metropolis and therefore financed numerous architectural projects. Moreover, this social growth was accompanied by a new artistic approach, specific to Catalonia: modernism. There are many examples of this style in this district
Gràcia
From the Port Vell to the Olympic Village and the popular Barceloneta district, the waterfront has undergone significant urban development changes in recent years. The 1992 Olympic Games were a trigger for the rehabilitation of the coastline. Major changes have been made to the natural or created beaches: Barcelona can be proud of its four kilometres of sand!
La Barceloneta is more than ever a popular district with the people of Barcelona. Its market, its small fish and seafood restaurants and its taverns attract a clientele in search of authenticity. Built for the 1992 Games, the beaches and quays have been invaded by restaurants and bars of all kinds
PobleNou, or the "Catalan Manchester", a former working-class district, has become the home of start-ups, design agencies and production companies. Its Rambla, which has remained very popular, attracts families returning from the beach
Other neighbourhoods
The Montjuïc hill, combining the pleasures of nature and culture, is an invitation to take a walk in the surrounding greenery, but also to visit its museums and other buildings. Not to mention that it offers magnificent views of Barcelona. The origin of the name remains uncertain. Some say that the Romans named it after building a temple to Jupiter on the Mons Jovis. According to others, it is the installation, in the Middle Ages, of a Jewish community which would have earned the hill its nickname of "Jewish Mount". Despite the construction of a citadel in 1640, Montjuïc was not developed until 1929, when the International Exhibition was held. Most of its buildings date from that time. It was not until the 1990s and the Olympic Games that the district was modernized
The Poble Sec district, located at the foot of Montjuïc, is very popular with young Barcelonians. Mainly inhabited by Pakistani and South American communities, it has excellent tapas bars, concert halls, bodegas, etc. A good place to party off the beaten track. To the north of the city, several disparate neighbourhoods make up a residential area called Zona Alta. Les Corts is a popular neighbourhood where many buildings have been built, especially near the Diagonal. This area is home to the temple of Barcelona football, the Camp Nou, as well as the university campus. On the other side of the Diagonal are the chic and very residential districts of Pedralbes and Sarrià. Here you can visit several historical buildings and museums. On the hills, Sarrià is home to beautiful villas, former summer residences of rich industrial families in the 19th century. Today it is a peaceful area with elegant restaurants. Above Sarrià, the Collserola mountain and the Tibidabo mountain range can be seen
