Two neighbourhoods opposite in history and soul yet equally fascinating: El Born with its medieval palaces and designer wine bars, El Raval with the MACBA and visceral multiculturalism.
El Born and El Raval: authentic Barcelona
Barcelona is not just Gaudi and Las Ramblas. The districts of El Born and El Raval offer two different and authentic versions of the city.
El Born: medieval and trendy
El Born, the medieval district east of the Gothic Quarter, has become over the last twenty years one of the most vital creative hubs in Barcelona. The Gothic palaces of the 13th-15th centuries now house independent fashion boutiques, wine bars with barrels on show and contemporary art galleries.
Not to miss:
- Palau de la Musica Catalana (Domenech i Montaner, 1908): the most beautiful Art Nouveau theatre in the world, a UNESCO site. Guided tours cost 20 euro, but a night concert inside is worth double.
- Mercat de Santa Caterina: the covered market of El Born with the famous wavy roof of colourful tiles (Miralles, 2005).
- El Born Centre de Cultura i Memoria: the former iron market (1876) that preserves under its glass floor the ruins of the medieval district destroyed in 1714.
El Raval: multicultural and artsy
The Raval district, west of the Ramblas, was traditionally the red-light and sailors' quarter. Today it is a mosaic of cultures (Moroccan, Pakistani, Filipino, Latin American) with a very strong cultural drive given by the MACBA.
The MACBA (Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, Richard Meier, 1995) is the symbol of the transformation of El Raval. The square in front, with its skaters, is one of the liveliest public spaces in the city.