La Barceloneta
la barceloneta
La Barceloneta breathes beach culture and sun 24 hours a day. Skaters, cyclists, and beach goers walk along the seafront promenade that runs along the golden beaches. In the evening, the restaurants serve Mediterranean seafood and the local bars keep the neighborhood fresh and lively. Its narrow streets and familiar charm make Barceloneta a favorite area for locals and tourists alike.
Main Metro Stops:
Barceloneta (L4 - Yellow)
Estació de França (Train Station)
about the barrio
Barceloneta is the smallest yet also one of the most popular Barcelona barrios and gives you the feeling that you’re in a lively fishing village with a modern twist.
The area was historically very important for fishermen, but it later experienced economic decline and a slow degeneration of the neighborhood. It wasn’t until the preparation for the 1992 Olympic Games that the beaches started to draw in more people. Today Barceloneta has beautiful plazas, a gorgeous beach, a wonderful market, and an eclectic and international mix of residents. There’s also great nightlife and some of the best seafood in all of Barcelona.
They had very little space to plan the Barceloneta neighborhood, so the buildings tend to be old, narrow, and about 4-5 floors max. The flats tend to be very small (on average, about 30-40 square meters).
the barceloneta to-do list
Spend a day on the beach of La Barceloneta and try some tapas in the chiringuitos (beach side bars).
Try the best seafood in Barcelona. There are lots of restaurants right on the beach or in the harbor that serve up a great paella!
Visit the Barcelona Aquarium, which is the biggest in Europe! It's the perfect indoor plan when you want to stay away from the rain or the heat.
Go on the Montjuïc Cable Car for stunning views over the whole city.
There are street vendors that line the road down to Barceloneta. You can find cheap bags, shoes, sunglasses, scarves, and more.
If you need a history lesson, head to the Catalunya History Museum to learn more about Barcelona and its roots!
La Plaça del Mercat has a fantastic local market with two upscale seafood restaurants. On any day, you can see that this area is popular amongst locals, with no table, bench, playground, or ping-pong table left available.
Finished in 1755, the Sant Miquel del Port church was the first building completed in the newly constructed Barceloneta. It was specifically built low enough so that the cannons from the Ciutadella fort could fire over it to protect the port if necessary.
Aeri del Port is a cable car which was built for the World Fair in 1929. The cabins float between the Torre de Sant Sebastià (in La Barceloneta) and Miramar, with a midway stop at the Torre de Jaume I in front of the World Trade Center. The trip across lasts about 7 minutes and is not for those who are afraid of heights!
The W Hotel was built in 2007. Many of the elderly people in the neighborhood were against its construction, as the skyline of Barcelona changed completely with the addition of the new building.
The sculpture L’Estel Ferit (The Wounded Shooting Star) by German artist Rebecca Horn consists of four twisted cubes, stacked seemingly at random. Most people refer to this popular landmark as “the cubes."
A new Olympic Marina was constructed lined by 2 towers, the Mapfre Tower and the Hotel Arts, with Frank Gehry's fish sculpture at the foot of the hotel.
Don't forget to check out the #BarcelonaBucketList items in La Barceloneta - items #24-30!
restaurants
Panadería Baluard - Carrer Baluard 38. Typical traditional bakery. They still make their bread with a woodstove, and you can watch them from the windows. Restaurants all over Catalunya come to this bakery to buy their bread.
Bar Ke - Carrer Baluard 54. Informal café with mismatched furniture. It has wifi, so you can sit down to get some work done with a coffee.
Bar Electricitat - Carrer de Sant Carles 15. A very authentic Spanish bar, famous for its vermut and tapas.
Maians - Carrer de Sant Carles 40. One of the best places to get Fideuá. The restaurant is named after the island!
Jai-Ca - Carrer Ginebra 13 or 9. Typical tiny Spanish bar. It’s always full so we recommend that you go at unusual times (for example, not during lunch hour). They are huge fans of FC Barça, which you can see in the decor. Our recommendations: Anchoas con su raspa, Pescaito frito, y Vermut.
Can Maño - Carrer Baluard 12. The specialty of this typical Spanish bar is fish, with the menu varying on what kind of fish they have that day. Really fresh, inexpensive, and a favorite for locals.
Bitácora - Carrer Balboa. One of the best places for tapas in Barcelona. They have a tiny interior patio that is very popular in the summer. Our recommendations: Mediterranean Style chicken wings & Patatas Bravas.
Forn Balboa - Carrer Balboa 12. Typical traditional bakery. It reminds you of a small town. This is a popular shopping spot for neighborhood residents to buy fresh pastries & bread.
You can find more recommendations on where to eat in La Barceloneta here!