You don’t have to travel far from Plaza Catalunya to find one of Barcelona´s hippest districts. The Born area is sandwiched between the Gothic Quarter, the seafront and the Ciutadella Park. Mainly pedestrianised, the narrow streets are a pleasure to walk around and see Barcelona´s street life at its best. With museums, outdoor cafes and a number of fantastic cheap hotels in the Born area, you should seriously consider making this your base.
Sights
The beautiful Picasso Museum is one of the most visited in Barcelona – and deservedly so. The intimate musuem is staged inside a miniature medieval palace with a leafy courtyard providing respite from the constant crowds. The museum charts Picasso´s active life with early and late works on show. Temporary exhibitions are also staged.
At the end of Carrer Montcada, the street of the Picasso museum, you reach the magnificent church of Santa Maria del Mar, a remarkable piece of Catalan Gothic architecture. Open to the public, the inside of the church is hauntingly empty but worth a visit.
Just behind the church is a curious attraction. In a small square burns a flame comemorating the unknown Catalan soldier who died fighting Spanish troops. On patriotic Catalan holidays, the square fills with nationalists wielding red and yellow stripy Catalan flags marking their wish to create an independent Catalan state.
On the district´s eastern extreme lies Ciutadella Park, a green oasis in highly-urbanised Barcelona. The park, formally laid out, has a number of attractions including a grandiose Baroque fountain and a small lake where you can hire a paddle boat for an hour. Fancy something different? There are four free ping-ping tables but you have to bring your own bats (which can be bought cheaply in one of Born´s Chinese discount stores). Ciutadella is also home to the city´s zoo if you fancy spying on some exotic animals.
Bars and restaurants
People come from all over Barcelona to eat in Born district´s hip bars and restuarants. Every taste is catered for, be it traditional Catalan sausages, Basque tapas, French crepes or just a plain old American hamburger. The epicentre of the action is Passeig Born, just south of Santa Maria del Mar. This pedestrianised street has dozens of cafes, bars and restaurants open day and night which are constantly buzzing with activity. If you´re lucky you might catch the traditional Catalan dancing which takes place here occasionally.
Born / Ribera hotels
The streets may be narrow and the buildings old, but some of the hotels in the Born area are hidden gems. Less sought after than their counterparts in the Gothic Quarter, you can often find bargains in this area.
Getting there
Metro line 4 (yellow line) to Jaume 1 or Barceloneta.
Top 3 reasons for staying in Borna and Ribera hotel
1. Puzzling over one of the provocative paintings in the Picasso Museum
2. Tucking into lunch on one of the many outdoor cafes
3. Playing ping pong in the majestic surroundings of Ciutadella Park
Posted by katy from sweeden on the 19-11-07
I did my erasmus in Barcelona. I lived in this area and spend most of my time here eating in the fantastic bars and cafes. Don't miss a night out at Fianna Bar. You'll meet there all the international crowd living in Barcelona city. As for things to see - one of the highlights of Born is the Picasso museum, one of the most popular museums in Barcelona. It is situated on a narrow street called Montcada St, just off Passeig del Born. The other ´must see´ is the Santa maria del mar cathedral. This cathedral was the first cathedral built in Barcelona in the fourteen century. It's situated near the
Posted by contributor from Barcelona on the 24-01-08
One of the highlights of Born is the Picasso museum, one of the most popular museums of Barcelona. It is situated on a narrow street called Montcada St. just off Passeig del Born
Posted by contributor from Barcelona on the 24-01-08
This cathedral was the first cathedral built in Barcelona in the fourteen century. It's situated at the heart of the born and ribera district.
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