The different districts of Barcelona's old town

The districts of Barcelona's old town are the most visited by tourists.

Ciutat Vella is an architectural showcase with an impressive historical and cultural heritage.

Today, I'd like to describe the different quarters of the old town in detail.

Barcelona's old town: article summary

Barcelona's old town is made up of four districts

The area covered by the old town is divided into four districts. On one side El Ravala neighborhood with a rich multicultural environment.

You also have the Gothic district with its distinctive architecture and its wonderful shopping streets.

Next is the La Ribera district, where you'll find El Bornthe most popular and bohemian part of town.

Finally, we have the BarcelonetaThis is the seaside and maritime district of Ciutat Vella, where you'll find restaurants and luxury hotels. You'll find people surfing or stroll along the promenade.

El Raval: one of the city's newest districts

Enter Las Ramblas and Parallel Street is El Raval, Barcelona's former Chinatown, the typical port-city district, now completely renovated and betting, among other things, on the offer of cultural spaces.

In this part of Ciutat Vella, you will find :

• the la Boqueria
• Visit Grand Théâtre du Liceu
• Visit Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA)
• Visit Barcelona Centre for Contemporary Culture (CCCB), among other places of interest.

There are plenty of places to discover local art and culture. Last but not least, the El Raval district is a must for any visit to Barcelona.

The Gothic Quarter: a journey through time

The Gothic Quarter is bounded by Las Ramblas and Via Laietana. You can enter via the place de Catalunya and follow one of Barcelona's most important shopping streets: Portal de l'Àngel. Here you'll find a wide range of clothing and shoe stores, as well as fashion and accessories stores and the El Corte Ingles head office, Spain's largest department store.

A profusion of monuments in the Barri Gotic

Barcelona Cathedral is also located in the Gothic Quarter, where you will also find :

• Visit Barcelona City Hall
• Sainte-Anne church
• l'Iglesias del Pi (Church of the Pine).

I suggest you take a stroll down Calle Bisbe (Bishop's street) or Calle Ferran, both of which open onto Plaça Sant Jaume, and discover this fabulous old town district.

In the Gothic Quarter, you'll also find Plaça Reial, home to the Barcelona City History Museum (MUHBA), with a spectacular archaeological site in the basement.

La Ribera: the bohemian part of the old town

In La Ribera, you'll find a wide range of entertainment-oriented establishments such as restaurants and bars, from its bohemian atmosphere to the number and type of commercial establishments.

A true cultural center in Barcelona

Visit Picasso Museum and the Chocolate Museum are just a sample of the many museums you can visit. in this part of Ciutat Vella.

Depending on where you're coming from, you can take Princesa or Montcada streets to continue discovering this beautiful part of Barcelona.

The rest of the district is also well worth a visit, where you'll find some of Barcelona's real heritage gems, such as the Palau de la Música Catalanadesigned by architect Lluís Domenech i Montaner.

La Barceloneta: the maritime district

The fourth quarter of Ciutat Vella is known as the La Barceloneta. It's a place full of tapas and paella that delight locals and tourists alike.

Although Barcelona's range of beaches has increased considerably since the urban redevelopment of the 1992 Olympic GamesBarceloneta beach remains one of the most visited in summer. As well as bathers, it's common to see surfers and street artists on the beach.

A trip to Las Ramblas

One of the city's most famous streets. Barcelona's Las Ramblas links Plaça de Catalunya to the Port Vell (old port), separating two of the four districts of Ciutat Vella. To the west lies the Raval, while to the east is the Gothic Quarter.

In Las Ramblas, you can visit the Canaletes fountain and the Boqueria market, one of the most important in the world.

At the southern end of this tourist street is the Port Vell, which you'll easily recognize when you arrive at the Belvedere de Colomb. From here, you can join the Rambla del Mar, which takes you to the Maremagnum and theBarcelona Aquarium.

How to get to Ciutat Vella

Barcelona's old town is easy to get to. To take advantage of a central location and visit all the districts I've described above, I recommend you start at the Plaça de Catalunya. It's a much-used meeting point for people in the city.

The easiest way to get there is to exit at Catalunya metro station (lines L1 and L3). It offers direct access to the square.

Discovering Barcelona's Old Town is a unique experience that you're sure to enjoy. It's full of art, culture and history. A special place in the heart of the Catalan capital.