Gràcia Barrio

Hello again!

What is this post going to be about? I'm going to write to you about something a little different. I'm going to tell you about a very charming neighbourhood in Barcelona. It's the Gràcia Barrio.

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This neighbourhood is situated just above the Diagonal, at the end of the Paseo de Gracia. It's a neighbourhood where you'll find a million things to do. Simply walking through its streets can occupy you for a whole afternoon. I'd recommend you lose yourself in the streets, walk around without a destination in mind... I think this neighbourhood has the most essence of Barcelona.

Thus, you'll find a lot of local people in this neighbourhood, but as it has so much charm, in the last few years it has become more available to the masses with the arrival of tourists and foreigners who rent flats in the area. Personally, I don't think that it makes the area any less special, but rather that it brings it more culture. But, as always, opinions vary.

Aside from its beautiful streets, this neighbourhood has incredible restaurants and pubs. In fact, in tomorrow's post I'd like to talk about two or three restaurants where you can spend a while enjoying good wine and tapas (I'll give you a sneak preview, the name of the restaurants are Can Codina and Bar Canigó.

The "caller Verdi" (or Verdi street) is a pretty long road where you can find bars, restaurants, creperies and more bars, restaurants, etc. You will find it hard to pick one... At any rate, with so much variety, you'll like one of the Italian, Mexican or Thai places, there are lots of safe options to choose from.

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Regarding terraces for having a drink, I recommend the Plaza del Sol. It's a square with different bars and terraces where drinks aren't too expensive. What's more, you're allowed to drink (even alcoholic drinks) and to have a picnic in the middle of the square. It's a cheaper, less glamorous option, but I assure you that it has its own charm. People take guitars and start singing, etc. If that sounds like your kind of thing, make sure you go for it, because it's allowed here (I think that it's the only area where it's allowed). Although, at 12 or 1 a. m. the police will come and move everyone on from the square.

People call it the bohemian neighbourhood for that and for all of the locals there who promote the Catalan culture of the town and its artistic places.

Although it's already gone by, this neighbourhood is well-know for its parties. During the week of the 15th of August, people decorate a lot of the streets in the neighbourhood with different themes and recycled materials. There are concerts, performances, contests, workshops, etc. taking place throughout the week. As well as a lot of people... It's something definitely not to be missed if you have the chance to be in Barcelona at that time of year.

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Moreover, there are shops on the calle Gran de Gracia, so this neighbourhood really has everything!

Go for a visit, and if you have a chance to rent a room in the area, go for it! It's a very well connected neighbourhood, it's near the centre, it has a lot of life and atmosphere every day of the week (not just at the weekend). This might have some effect on how much it costs to rent a room or a flat, but it's really worth the price.

And that's it for today's recommendations. Tomorrow I'll be back to tell you all about those two restaurants I mentioned before and maybe one more. Get ready if you want to get stuck into enjoying some great food!

And if you have any doubts about how you should organise your tour of Barcelona, don't forget to read this post.

See you tomorrow!