Oh, hello! I'm Patrick, a Tour Guide and YOUR Guide to Barcelona!
This guide is really a 3-in-1! The full area we are covering is called: Sant Pere, Santa Caterina, and La Ribera.
Add in the park of La Ciutadella and this guide is PACKED full of things to do. Barcelona's trendiest neighborhood is a charming, quaint enighborhood filled with boutique shopping, tapas bars, and beutiful streets to stoll. But at night it turns into a sprawling and hip scene full of cocktail bars. You won't want to miss out on this part of the city.
Here’s what you’ll find in this neighborhood city guide:
🏛️Top Sites
🥘 My picks for Restaurants and Bars
🍷 Top Drink Spots
🍻 Craft Beer Bars
🏨Where to Stay
🗺️Interactive Map to help you get around
📝My Top Tips & Recommendations
🕵🏻♂️Neighborhood Secrets
**This guide will be continuously updated with more of the best about Barcelona. Onece you purchase it you will automatically get those updates!
THANK YOU for purchasing this Guide and supporting my content!
What is El Born?
The Born is really the area that between the Via Laietana and the Ciutadella Park, below the Calle Princesa heading toward the Old Port. The real name for the area is La Ribera, or 'the shore'. When La Ribera was created, in the 13th century, it was just that, the area right of the coast of the Mediterranean.
Merchants and groups of guilds fled to the area and many of the streets still carry the names of these groups of workers! But what has also remained from the Middle Ages, are the artisan shops and artist workshops that you will find along these historic streets.
About half of El Born was lost following the War of Spanish Succession (1714) in what is now the Ciutadella Park.
What has become the trendiest neighborhood in the city has gained a lot of attention and overshadows its neighbors Sant Pere and Santa Caterina. You will notice a change in scenery as you move throughout. but this guide will cover all three neighborhoods and La Ciutadella park.
📩 This is my guide to Barcelona’s El Born and La Ciutadella. For some of the top things to do all around the city, Download my FREE Top 5 Guide to Barcelona!
The Born was the space opened up after the need to expand outside of the original Roman walls. It became the center of economic life and is the perfect place to visit in combination with the Gothic Quarter. In fact many tours include the two neighborhoods together. It’s a part of the city you definitely don’t want to miss on your trip.
1. El Born is really La Ribera
The Born area gets its name from El Passeig del Born, the long strip connecting Santa Maria del Mar to the Born Cultural Center. The name Born comes from the old Catalan, bornear, which meant to participate in tournaments. This where, during the Middle Ages, jausting competitions were held, as well as the neighborhood's market.
2. El Born sometimes covers 3 neighborhoods
While it might not be the most technically correct, El Born might soemtimes refer to the entire area between Via Laietana and Park Ciutadella, just to the north of the Gothic Quarter. In reality this area's called, Sant Pere, Santa Caterina, and La Ribera. You can see why sticking to El Born is easier (it's also the most popular of the three)!
3. The difference is Night and Day
Walking around during the day, you might think that many places are closed or out of business, but a lot of places open later. The Passeig del Born, for example, is pretty tame during the day, but really starts popping off later in the evening when all the cocktail bars open. Go during the day to shop the local boutiques and come back after sunset for the night life!
Respect the locals
Just like most of the Old City the large amounts of tourism have caused problems for some locals. Remember to respect their homes, especially at night in this area when the cocktail bars open up.
4. Is it safe?
The Gothic Quarter, like all of Barcelona, is safe but you need to be aware of your surroundings and belongings. Don’t leave phones or wallets on tables, or bags out of site.
5. Do a tour!
The Gothic Quarter is awesome and there is a lot to see, but the Gothic Quarter is also not all that meets the eye. Without a guide you’ll miss out on all the details that make the Gothic Quarter so special.
Private walking tours of El Born and Old City Tours start at 200€ for 2 hours!
Getting There
The Born and its surrounding neighborhoods are at the heart of the old city. Depending on where you are coming from it is extremely accessible walking. There are also many bus lines that will bring you nearby, but you'll have to walk once there. If you're going to take public transportation, I would recommend taking the metro.
🚇With the metro, you can get to the Gothic Quarter with three different lines: Red, Green, and Yellow.
They have guided visits for 20€ that run every day between 9am and 3pm or you can visit by yourself for 16€. If you buy online you get a 20% discount! But remember the what really makes it worth it is catching a concert in this magnificent concert hall.
Entrance will cost you 5€ during the day and 10€ if you want to tour the roof, but after 6pm it opens for free. You don't want to miss this church in the Born, Saint Mary's of the Sea is really special and even has its own book and Netflix series made about it!
I always feel like people planning to visit the Picasso museums in Spain are a bit dissapointed. most of his great works are all around the world. That being said, Barcelona offers over 4,000 pieces of Picasso (many donated by Picasso himself). Tickets are 13€ for the collection and 15€ if you include the extra exhibits. They are 1€ cheaper if you buy online. Entrance is free Thursdays after 4pm and the first Sunday of the month.
I always think this musuem is worth your time, for one it’s free, but it also gives you an idea of what the area looked like before 1714 and walks you through the events of the Battle of Spanish Succession.
You’ve probably heard of the Boqueria Market before coming. And while you should go, the place gets packed! For more of a local experience you can check out the Santa Caterina market. Make sure to eat at Bar Joan in the back.
I normally wouldn’t put a bar as on if the top attractions in a neighborhood, but when it’s ranked #1 in the world, you kind have to, right? Get there early if you want to go, the line is crazy long now.
This is an awesome alternative to hanging out on the beach and a nice spot in the center of the city. After the fortress that game the park it’s name was torn down this is where Barcelona hosted the 1888 World’s Fair. Make sure to check out the fountain as you walk around. The Catalan Parliment also meets here.
Modeled after Paris’ version this was the entrance and exit to the Worlds Fair. It’s only open a few days a year to visit, but makes for a great picture spot while you’re in town.
On September 11th this becomes the spot to commemorate the surrender of the people of Barcelona to the troops of Phillip V. Today it is a memorial for those who lost their lives during the battle. Visit this plaza along with the Bitn Cultural Center to get and idea of the Catalan Independence movement.
One of my favorite spots in the city. Amazing food and great atmosphere. They don’t take reservations so keep that in mind when planning your visit. Order the tortilla with chorizo and you have to have their house cava.
I like this place for a little bit of a local feel. The staff is extremely friendly and you’ve got lots of options for charcuterie boards. Apart from meats and cheeses, get the Patatas Bravas. And try out the spicy Buyurdi too.
Some of the best Patatas Bravas around and a menu full of different tapas. You can make reservations here if you want to plan ahead. It’s become more popular recently.
The specialty is octopus 🐙. Grab a plate and some other tapas. Simple, but really good Galician-style restaurant. There is also one in the Gothic Quarter.
Cal Pep has been featured on a couple different food shows so it’s extremely popular. There also isn’t much space, a bar and some standing room behind it. You’ll often find a line waiting to get it. Once you do sit down and let the cooks do their work.
I normally wouldn’t put a bar as on if the top attractions in a neighborhood, but when it’s ranked #1 in the world, you kind have to, right? Get there early if you want to go, the line is crazy long now.
Very famous bakery that recently underwent a remodel and won Best Crossiant in Spain in 2020. They have that crossiant with all sorts of different fillings and flavors to try.
I was pleasantly surprised when I first visited here. Not at all what I was expecting. Good coffee and different sandwich or breakfast options and a really well decorated interior.
If you’re looking for something special to take home for friends and family try this shop for some locally made pottery and more. My mom ends up getting soemthing for someone on every trip.
Framed 3D pictures of some of your favorite locations in and around Barcelona. There are a couple shops around the Old City. They also make for great gifts.
Another option for shadow boxes with Barcelona locations to remember your trip here. Some of the boxes come with easels to prop them up
Instead of putting them on your walls.
A fun museum for the whole family with the option of a chocolate workshop at the end!
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Weather
Barcelona is a beautiful city, pretty much all year round. Outside of summer you might want to think about about having an extra layer on hand when walking around the Born, the narrow streets don’t let a lot of sunlight through most of the neighborhood and you will definitely notice a difference.
Thank you again for purchasing this guide! I hope it uncovers all that makes the Gothic Quarter such an incredible part of the city. For more information about other neighborhoods and Barcelona as a whole, check out some of my other guides!
A Tour Guide and Content Creator living in Barcelona, Spain since 2010. I create videos about Barcelona to help get you better prepared for your next trip.
A post-graduate degree in Intellectual History of Barcelona and thousands of plates of Patatas Bravas have made me an expert on this amazing city. I’ll as easily geek-out about a Gothic arch as the latest craft brew or Barça signing.
Get in touch with me for:
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