Ciutat Vella (Old Town) Tours and Activities

The historic heart of Barcelona is the Ciutat Vella, or Old Town, home to most of the city’s tourist attractions and encompassing the districts of El Raval, Barri Gòtic, La Ribera, and Barceloneta. With its iconic architecture, world-class museums, and historic sights, the Ciutat Vella is where most visitors spend the majority of their time.

The Basics
Las Ramblas, Ciutat Vella’s main thoroughfare, separates El Raval from the Gothic Quarter (Barri Gòtic), a popular starting point for a walking tour of the city. Often covered in walking, biking, and Segway tours, attractions in this part of town include historic Plaça del Rei, the 14th-century Royal Palace (Palau Reial Major), Barcelona Cathedral, the glitzy shopping street of Portal de l’Àngel, lively La Boqueria food market, and several Gaudí masterpieces, including Güell Palace (Palau Güell).

East of the Barri Gòtic are the fashionable district of La Ribera and the small neighborhood of El Born, also home to a number of popular attractions. Key sights include the Palace of Catalan Music (Palau de la Música Catalana), a UNESCO World Heritage Site designed by modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner; the Gothic Santa Maria del Mar Cathedral; the Picasso Museum; and the vast Ciutadella Park (Parc de la Ciutadella), the city’s largest green space.

Things to Know Before You Go

• The Old Town, home to many of Barcelona’s top attractions, is a must for all visitors.
• Wear comfortable walking shoes; the neighborhood is large, and many streets are cobbled or uneven.
• Pickpockets can be a problem in the Old Town, so leave your valuables in your hotel and stay aware of your surroundings.

How to Get There

When to Get There
You haven’t really experienced the Old Town until you’ve seen it by day and at night. Come during daylight hours to see the street performers along Las Ramblas. In the evenings, head to the narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter or El Born for tapas and wine bars.

L’Eixample, the Other Half of Barcelona’s City Center
If there’s another neighborhood that can rival the Old Town in terms of importance to the Barcelona psyche, it’s L’Eixample. Added in the late 19th century, this modernista enlargement of the city was and is home to several prominent attractions, including the Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, La Pedrera (Casa Milà), and Passeig de Gràcia.