A bit of history...

The Barri Gòtic is the centre of the old city of Barcelona. It stretches from La Rambla to Via Laietana, and from the Mediterranean seafront to Ronda de Sant Pere.

Despite several changes undergone in the 19th and early 20th century, many of the buildings date from Medieval times, some from as far back as the Roman settlement of Barcelona. Remains of the squared Roman Wall can be seen around Tapineria and Sots-Tinent Navarro to the north, Avinguda de la Catedral and Plaça Nova to the west and Carrer de la Palla to the south. El Call, the medieval Jewish quarter, is located within this area too.

The narrow, winding streets create quite a labyrinth and means that it may take a while to get your bearings.  I recommend that you should always look up and around you or you may miss some of the best bits.The Gothic quarter has many peaceful squares (placas) where you can relax and enjoy your surroundings.  However one of the main attractions, right in the heart of the district is the huge Cathedral which has a stunning courtyard full of plants and oddly, geese.

You will be spoilt for choice of restaurants and bars, especially around Placa Reial which is always full day and night.  The night-life in the Gothic Quarter is lively to say the least and you will always find somewhere to have a drink or a dance.  Calle Ferran, which is just to one side of Placa Reial and leads up to Placa Sant Jaume with its imposing government buildings is also good for bars and cafes.

Shopping is also amazing in the Gothic Quarter, from the more commercial area of Calle Portal de L´Angel to all the little boutiques on Calle Avinyo.  Make sure you walk around to experience all you can, the Gothic Quarter is perfect for that afternoon stroll.  There are metro stops on both sides of the Gothic Quarter, there are 3 on Las Ramblas which runs up one side of the area, and on the other is
Jaume 1.  However you are in the centre of the city and many of the city’s attractions are a walk away. 

At the top of Las Ramblas is Placa Catalunya from where you can go onto Psg de Gracia if your shopping tastes are slightly more designer orientated, or if you want to see Gaudi´s buildings. 

El Raval is another interesting area worth a visit, you can get there by crossing Las Ramblas.

The Barri Gotic area is the first choice for many visitors to Barcelona.  It is the cultural hub of the city and great for any type of traveller.

AleluyaBarcelona offers great acomodation right in the heart of this amazing district.

La Ribera

This quarter, also called El Born, has become one of the best loved areas of Barcelona in recent years, and is very trendy due to the fact that it has maintained its traditional and bohemian ambiance. The quarter is teeming with boutiques, shops, trendy cafes and fashionable restaurants for passing a pleasant evening. It is possible to visit the church of Santa Maria del Mar, Born market, Santa Catarina market, Picasso Museum and Calle Montcada here.

Many of the buildings date from late Medieval times. It was a well-to-do quarter during 13th-15th centuries, when it really was by the sea shore, and the area that today is named Barceloneta was still an island. Notable buildings are the Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar and the palaces along Carrer de Montcada.

Part of the quarter of La Ribera was demolished after the War of the Spanish Succession to build a military citadel to punish the defeated city. The lower section of the La Ribera district, just below Carrer de la Princesa and leading to Barceloneta is referred to as "El Born". This is one of the trendier and safer districts in the old city. It is a popular place for expats and contains many so called art boutiques, bars and cafés.

El Raval is a barrio in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona The neighborhood is also known as Barri Xino, meaning "Chinatown." El Raval is one of the two historical neighborhoods that border the Rambla (the other being the Barri Gòtic). The neighborhood is home to 200,000 people.

El Raval has changed significantly in recent years and, due its central location, has become a minor attraction of Barcelona. It is also becoming one of the hippest up-and-coming neighborhoods of Barcelona where many artists live and work. It is home to many bars, restaurants, and night spots.

They people of Barcelona even made up a special word for living in Raval: Ravalejar = to take a walk by the Raval, to live in the Raval, to buy, to eat, to drink, to amuse themselves, to love in the Raval. Or perhaps everything simultaneously.

It has a wonderful Rambla that is not as crowded as the famous rambla catalunya and all the restaurants offer tables on a terrace, just great for those summer nights!

So what is the appeal to El Raval?  The area is vibrant, historic, authentic and full of personality.  It is a lively, multi-cultural neighbourhood with a huge variety of tempting cafes, restaurants and bars.  The area has also become fashionable being host to a wide variety of art studios, galleries and trendy bookshops, not to mention the imposing MACBA (museum of modern art) and CCCB which is the neighboring exhibition centre. 

Clothes shopping is also a pleasure in El Raval thanks to all the little one-off boutiques that line some of the streets giving you a truly unique shopping experience. Unlike the Eixample with its large branded name designer labels, Raval is where you find the small privatly owned shops selling clothes you can’t find anywhere else.

El Raval is alive all through the day and night so you will never be without an eaterie to entice you in the early hours of the morning! 

El Raval offers a central location within walking distance of many of the other popular areas such as the Gothic Quarter and Eixample.  The nearest metro stops are on Las Ramblas, Barcelona’s most famous street which runs up one side of El Raval.

Staying in El Raval also means that you are situated between two of Barcelona’s famous food markets, La Boqueria on Las Ramblas and Mercat Sant Antoni.  Both places are worth a visit to stock up on fresh fruit to get you through the day or to sample Spain’s delicious chorizo or Jamon Serrano.

In terms of location El Raval gives you good access to many of the city’s main attractions which are within walking distance. However the area can be noisy so be careful if you are easily disturbed when sleeping.

History

Landmarks