Best areas to stay in Barcelona Spain | ForeverBarcelona
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What is a good area to stay in Barcelona?

BEST NEIGHBORHOODS FOR FIRST TIMERS, REPEAT VISITORS & MORE

Are you planning a stay in Barcelona and finding it overwhelming to choose the perfect neighborhood? Look no further! In this ultimate guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know to find your ideal neighborhood in the vibrant city of Barcelona. From trendy and bohemian areas like Gracia and El Raval to the luxurious and upscale districts of Eixample and Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, Barcelona offers a diverse range of neighborhoods, each with its own unique charm and character. Whether you prefer a bustling city center or a quieter residential area, we’ve got you covered.

Discover the best neighborhoods for sightseeing, shopping, dining, nightlife, and even family-friendly activities. Learn about the local amenities, transportation options, and safety factors to consider when making your decision. We tell you what you won’t find in the forums on Tripadvisor, Quora, Reddit and Rick Steves!

Quick guide to choose what is the best area to stay in Barcelona for you

Barcelona has many districts, each one with its own distinct personality and offer. If you don’t know anything about them and want a quick tool to choose which ones to research the following tables will help you out:

DISTRICT FIrst-timers Repeat Visitors Families Couples Seniors
EIXAMPLE - P. de Gracia ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
EIXAMPLE - E. Esquerra X ✔ X ✔ ✔
EIXAMPLE - Sagrada Familia X X ✔ X X
CIUTAT VELLA - Gothic Quarter ✔ ✔ X ✔ X
CIUTAT VELLA - El Born ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ X
CIUTAT VELLA - La Rambla X X ✔ ✔ X
CIUTAT VELLA - El Raval X ✔ X X X
WATERFRONT - Port Vell ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
WATERFRONT - Barceloneta X ✔ X ✔ X
WATERFRONT - Olympic Vil. & beyond X ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
MONTJUIC - Plaça Espanya X ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
MONTJUIC - Poblesec X ✔ X X X
OTHER - Gracia X ✔ X ✔ X
OTHER - Uptown X ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
OTHER - Poblenou X ✔ X ✔ ✔
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    Eixample, the best neighborhood to stay

    The Eixample district is the section of Barcelona that looks like a chess game when you look at a map. It was the area designed by Ildefons Cerda when the medieval walls were knocked down in 1854. It is the area where most Gaudi sites and modernist buildings are located, and it should definitely be a place to consider when deciding where to stay in Barcelona. To me, it’s it’s probably the best neighborhood to stay in Barcelona. 

    But the Eixample is also the largest district in town, and while most guide books and hotel booking platforms will consider the entire district “city center” by default… the truth is that not all the section of it are equally central. Let’s learn about them:

    1

    Passeig de Gracia

    The old road connecting Old Town Barcelona with the village of Gracia eventually became the city Champs Elysées. Fancy buildings, high end shops, exclusive hotels, great restaurants... You’ll be walking distance from the Gaudí apartment buildings, right in the heart of the best shopping area, and you’ll have lots of food options nearby. In my opinion, if you are staying more than 4-5 blocks from Passeig de Gracia… it’s already too far to be considered the city center!
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    But you don’t need to stay right on this avenue: anything within 2-3 blocks away will give you access to the same offer (and probably at a better rate, and with the bonus of less crowds). Do consider:

    • Rambla Catalunya (not to be confused with La Rambla, which we’ll discuss later). The smaller sister of Passeig de Gracia, equally architecturally attractive, with plenty of restaurants and cool shops (not so high end, but fun anyways). The streets connecting both avenues are great, too.
    • Plaça de Catalunya. Locals consider it the actual city center of Barcelona. We could also add two adjacent squares, Plaça Universitat and Plaça Urquinaona, and the streets connecting them. It’s the perfect choice if your priority is to be as centrally located as possible. It’s however quite busy with people and traffic, and it has less charm compared with the other two avenues.

    NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Casa Batllo and Casa Mila.
    WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM: Gothic Quarter, La Rambla, Palau de la Musica
    IS IT SAFE? Yes
    ARE THERE GOOD FOOD OPTIONS? Yes (check out this post)
    IS THERE SHOPPING? Yes (mostly fashion and complements, with some Gourmet stores)
    IS THERE NIGHTLIFE? Mostly hotel rooftop bars.
    CONS: Further away from the beach and the cruise piers.
    RECOMMENDED HOTELS:

    2

    Esquerra de l'Eixample

    The section of the district extending to the left of Passeig de Gracia can appeal to travelrs staying several days in Barcelona, or looking for more affordable options, or wanting to get a feel of the "real" (upper-middle class) Barcelona. There's smaller neighborhoods within this section of Eixample. In the hipster Sant Antoni you'll find cool restaurants, the "Gayxample" is LGTBI friendly, the area around Mercat del Ninot feels very local...
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    NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Not really, you’ll need transportation to get to the top sites.
    WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM: Passeig de Gracia and El Raval OR Montjuic Hill, depending on where you decide to stay.
    IS IT SAFE? Yes
    ARE THERE GOOD FOOD OPTIONS? Yes
    IS THERE SHOPPING? Yes (mostly local stores)
    IS THERE NIGHTLIFE? Some cocktail and beer bars.
    CONS: You’ll need transportation to get anywhere.
    RECOMMENDED HOTELS:

    3

    Sagrada Familia

    One would think that staying by the top site in Barcelona is the way to go, wouldn't it? However... it might not be so great. The famous Gaudi church is some 20 minutes walk from Passeig de Gracia and it can take you an hour to walk to the Gothic Quarter, the Beach or Park Guell. Plus the area is crowded with tourists most of the day. And most restaurants are fast-food chains or tourist traps.
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    So you’ll only want to stay there if visiting Sagrada Familia is your main reason to come to Barcelona, a dream come true, and you want to see it again and again at different times of day and night. Or if you score a good deal at one of the hotels in the area (not as many as you’d think, though!).

    NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Sagrada Familia church and Hospital de Sant Pau.
    WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM: Nothing else: you’ll need transportation to get to the other city sites.
    IS IT SAFE? Quite (occasional pickpockets around the church)
    ARE THERE GOOD FOOD OPTIONS? Not many, but you’ll find some ideas in this post.
    IS THERE SHOPPING? Mostly souvenirs, with some local clothing shops.
    IS THERE NIGHTLIFE? No.
    CONS: You’ll need transportation to get anywhere. Crowds and mediocre food options.
    RECOMMENDED HOTELS:

    Ciutat Vella, the best area for walking

    The Old Town (Ciutat Vella) is the best area to stay in Barcelona if you’d like to be surrounded by a medieval setting and if you don’t mind walking. The district is great to get lost meandering around its historical alleys, and to discover unique shops and quirky cafes. You are closer to the sea, but close enough to Passeig de Gracia to get there on foot. There’s also lots of great restaurants and both traditional and creative tapas bars. And there’s an attractive nightlife as well.

    But again, the Old Town is huge and there’s different areas where you’ll want to consider staying depending on your needs and interests. Let’s see which they are:

    4

    Gothic Quarter

    The Barri Gotic or Gothic Quarter is the monumental area around the Cathedral and the Jewish Section. To make it easier, consider the section in a map between Las Ramblas and Via Laietana - the center of the medieval area. This is a wonderful area to stay if you love history and narrow alleys. You'll feel like being in Italy, have lots of historical sites nearby, cool small little shops and cafes.
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    Plus it’s pretty safe if you learn how to spot and avoid pickpockets during daytime and can find your way around backstreets at night. The only downside is that some hotels in narrow side alleys are pedestrian only and you might have to carry your luggage a couple of blocks to the hotel from where your taxi drops you off. If you are considering to stay there, check out our post about our favorite hotels in Gothic Quarter of Barcelona.

    NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Cathedral of Barcelona, Picasso Museum, la Rambla plus many other churches and plazas.
    WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM: Palau de la Musica, Port Vell, Passeig de Gracia, Ciutadella Park.
    IS IT SAFE? Yes, with occasional pickpockets specially around the Cathedral.
    ARE THERE GOOD FOOD OPTIONS? Yes, but maybe not as many as you’d expect (check out this post)
    IS THERE SHOPPING? Yes (souvenirs and small fashion shops by local designers, as well as some gourmet shops)
    IS THERE NIGHTLIFE? Drink bars (not fancy ones, though).
    CONS: Some hotels are in narrow alleys that taxis can’t access.
    RECOMMENDED HOTELS:

    5

    Born District (La Ribera)

    El Born, sometimes called La Ribera, is a hype district with plenty of shops and tapas bars but in a medieval setting. On a map, you'll find it East of the Barri Gotic, between Via Laietana and the Ciutadella Park. There aren't a lot of hotels in the area, and again, the problem can be having to carry your luggage to get to your hotel if it's located in a pedestrian street. If you are considering this area to stay, check out our post about El Born Hotels (Barcelona).
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    NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Picasso Museum, Ciutadella Park, Santa Maria del Mar.
    WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM: Gothic Quarter, Port Vell, Barceloneta, La Rambla.
    IS IT SAFE? Yes
    ARE THERE GOOD FOOD OPTIONS? Yes (see our recommendations here)
    IS THERE SHOPPING? Yes (mostly local stores)
    IS THERE NIGHTLIFE? Some cocktail  and drink bars.
    CONS: Small offer, some hotels in alleys that aren’t accessible to taxis.
    RECOMMENDED HOTELS:

    6

    La Rambla

    I have mixed feelings about this vibrant street: in one hand, there are some nice hotels and it’s a lively area (and I love being close to the Boqueria Market!), but in the other hand it can get too busy specially at night, it’s a quite touristy area and pickpockets might be around. The lowest part of la Rambla (closest to the Port) at night gets an unpleasant atmosphere.
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    NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Boqueria Market, Liceu Opera House, Columbus sculpture.
    WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM: Raval, Gothic Quarter, Port Vell, Passeig de Gracia.
    IS IT SAFE? Beware of pickpockets. At night expect to spot drunk people, sketchy marijuana dealers and the occasional prostitute – not dangerous, but not pleasant.
    ARE THERE GOOD FOOD OPTIONS? Most are tourist traps and fast food. Here are some decent choices, though.
    IS THERE SHOPPING? Mostly cheap souvenirs.
    IS THERE NIGHTLIFE? One flamenco show, then tourist bars.
    CONS: Noisy and crowded, and not as safe as other areas.
    RECOMMENDED HOTELS:

    7

    El Raval

    The district West of La Rambla is the dark side of the Old Town… Although some areas have improved a lot these last years, there are still many streets that are not at all recommendable. Check my Raval Googlemap for more info. I’d rather avoid to stay around here. The accommodation prices are lower than in other areas of the Old Town, but the reason is that it isn't as safe. I only recommend it for young well traveled people, but never for families.
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    NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Palau Guell, MACBA, Sant Pau del Camp Monastery
    WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM: La Rambla, Poblesec, Eixample, Gothic Quarter, Port Vell
    IS IT SAFE? To be honest, it’s the least safe of all the neighborhoods listed in this post.
    ARE THERE GOOD FOOD OPTIONS? Actually, more than you’d think! Check them out in this post.
    IS THERE SHOPPING? Some quirky niche shops.
    IS THERE NIGHTLIFE? Drink bars.
    CONS: Safety, basically.
    RECOMMENDED HOTELS:

    The Waterfront, in love with the Mediterranean

    With almost 10km (6mi) of coastline, the location of Barcelona by the Mediterranean sea is privileged. From this, about half of them are beach, and the rest are marinas and the industrial and cruises and ferries port. And while some areas are perfect any time of the year because they are central enough, some other are best in the Summer so you can fully enjoy the beaches, but are not so great in the winter. Let’s get to know them!

    9

    Port Vell

    Port Vell (Old Port) is the oldest marina of Barcelona, located between the end of La Rambla and Via Laietana. That is, it’s the waterfront of the Gothic Quarter. It's a good location any time of the year, as it's the most central part of the Barcelona coastline. It's also well connected by subway and bus with the rest of the city, so it won't be too hard to get from there to the top sites that aren't within walking distance. It's also close to the cruise piers (but you'll still need a taxi to get there).
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    NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Aquarium, Columbus Sculpture.
    WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM: Gothic Quarter, La Rambla, Barceloneta beaches, Born district.
    IS IT SAFE? Yes.
    ARE THERE GOOD FOOD OPTIONS? Yes, mostly seafood and paella restaurants, as well as tapas bars. But you’ll have to sort them out from the also abundant tourist traps.
    IS THERE SHOPPING? Not much, but the Maremagnum shopping mall is open every day, even on Sundays.
    IS THERE NIGHTLIFE? Not much, you’ll have to head to the Gothic Quarter or El Born for some drink bars.
    CONS: Not as central as the other districts we’ve discussed before.
    RECOMMENDED HOTELS:

    10

    La Barceloneta

    La Barceloneta is the other bank of the Port Vell Marina, limiting with the Born District and the Olympic Village. It used to be the old fishermen area. It’s lively, there are lots of seafood restaurants and the beach starts here. However, it’s not so well communicated (specially the W hotel, at the very end of everything…) and you’ll end up using taxis all the time or walking a lot.
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    NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Beaches.
    WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM: El Born, Olympic Village.
    IS IT SAFE? Occasional pickpockets in the streets. Read my safety tips for the beach.
    ARE THERE GOOD FOOD OPTIONS? Yes
    IS THERE SHOPPING? Not really.
    IS THERE NIGHTLIFE? A handful of beach clubs.
    CONS: Not so well connected with public transportation with the top sites.
    RECOMMENDED HOTELS:

    11

    Olympic Village and beyond

    The Olympic Village area is quieter than Barceloneta, but it’s even further from the city center. The good point are the restaurants along the beach and the marina, as well as the beach nightclubs if you are planning to go out at night. Then the beaches transition into the edges of the Poblenou and Diagonal Mar districts, the further you go from the beach. The public transportation connections are meagre, so only worth staying here in the Summer.
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    NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Beaches.
    WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM: Nothing, really.
    IS IT SAFE? The streets are safe. But read my safety tips for the beach.
    ARE THERE GOOD FOOD OPTIONS? Mostly beach restaurants.
    IS THERE SHOPPING? No.
    IS THERE NIGHTLIFE? Yes, beach clubs.
    CONS: Far away from the top sites.
    RECOMMENDED HOTELS:

    Other neighborhoods

    To be honest, there’s so much to see and do in Barcelona that I think it’s a shame to stay in areas that aren’t central enough. Even when a 20 minutes subway ride doesn’t seem much, it does make a difference when your time in Barcelona is short and precious… But if you are coming for more than 2 or three days, then staying in other areas that are more off the beaten path can be great to see a different side of Barcelona, and why not? maybe also get better accomodation deals. Let’s get familiar with the different Barcelona districts:

    12

    Vila de Gracia

    Not to be confused with "Passeig de Gracia", the Gracia district is the area that extends at the top of Passeig de Gracia, and rather than a well organized grid of wide avenues, it's made of smaller streets and many cute plazas. You'll find here lots of local designers, organic supermarkets and yoga studios. Sort of a San Francisco vibe, but the Barcelona way. Central enough, and well connected by subway with the top sites.
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    NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Park Guell and Casa Vicens.
    WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM: Passeig de Gracia.
    IS IT SAFE? Yes.
    ARE THERE GOOD FOOD OPTIONS? Yes! See my recommendations here.
    IS THERE SHOPPING? Yes, small shops fun to explore.
    IS THERE NIGHTLIFE? Drink bars and small clubs.
    CONS: Some streets and plazas can be noisy at night.
    RECOMMENDED HOTELS:

    13

    Zona Alta - the Uptown

    Locals call Zona Alta (Uptown) the upscale districts of Sarria, Sant Gervasi, Bonanova and Pedralbes. They are greener than other neighborhoods of Barcelona and (except Pedralbes, which is a longer subway ride) they are only 10 minutes away from the city center by the FGC underground. Great area for families planning a longer stay in Barcelona, or people looking to be away from the crowds.
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    NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Depending on your choosen area, Monastery of Pedralbes, Gaudi’s Casa Bellesguard, Cosmocaixa Science Museum, Tibidabo Amusement Park.
    WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM: Maybe the FC Barcelona Stadium, if you are staying in Pedralbes.
    IS IT SAFE? Yes.
    ARE THERE GOOD FOOD OPTIONS? Yes. These are my favorite restaurants in Sarria.
    IS THERE SHOPPING? Local shops (except in Pedralbes, which is highly residencial), and Corte Ingles department store and L’Illa shopping mall on Diagonal Avenue.
    IS THERE NIGHTLIFE? Scattered drink bars and cocktail bars, and the odd fancy night club.
    CONS: Not so well connected with public transportation with the top sites.
    RECOMMENDED HOTELS:

    14

    Glories, Poblenou and Diagonal Mar (Sant Marti)

    Although some of the top 10 hotels in Barcelona are located here… That’s really far from any site. I see it more of a business hotel destination: if you stay there be ready to take taxis all the time (or spend a lot of time in the subway). There are some fun restaurants, though. Besides that, the only other remarkable points are a huge shopping mall and the award-winning contemporary architecture of the area.
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    Glories is a complex crossroad, well connected by subway and tram with the rest of the city. Poblenou is an old industrial neighborhood that is a mix of contemporary architecture, restored factories transformed into art centers and media company offices, and local streets. Diagonal is the further edge of the city, completely renovated for the Forum of Cultures Expo in 2004.

    NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: AGBAR Tower (Torre Glories), Museu Blau, Encants Flea Market.
    WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM: Nothing, really.
    IS IT SAFE? The streets are safe. But read my safety tips for the beach.
    ARE THERE GOOD FOOD OPTIONS? More than you’d think! There are my favorite restaurants in Poblenou.
    IS THERE SHOPPING? Shopping malls in Glories and Diagonal Mar.
    IS THERE NIGHTLIFE? Some nightclubs and concert halls.
    CONS: Far away from everything.
    RECOMMENDED HOTELS:

    15

    Need more areas to stay in Barcelona?

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    Have you decided what neighborhood to stay in Barcelona yet?

    Marta

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    Author Marta Laurent Veciana

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    Marta is the founder of ForeverBarcelona. She is a passionate tour guide that loves Barcelona and loves writing too. She is the main author of our Blog, and is committed to sharing her knowledge about Barcelona and her best tips with our readers.

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