I’d like to focus on one of my favorite districts of the city of Barcelona - El Born. Many people think that the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona is one large area that encompasses the oldest parts of the city. While this may be true, the Gothic Quarter is divided into various districts each with its own flavor, history, architectural style and even neighborhood council. The districts vary in size and include EL Raval, La Catedral, El Barri Xines, El Born, among others.
El Born sits on the northern edge of the Gothic Quarter bounded roughly by Carrer Princesa, the Via Laietana, the large Citadel Park and the Barceloneta District. At its heart sits the Church of Santa Maria del Mar, which to many locals, is the most beautiful cathedral in the entire city. Inside the cathedral you can still see burn marks at the top of the butresses, created during the anti-monarchist/anti-church torchings that arose during the early part of the last century. The main drag of the district is the Passeig del Born with its large trees and old market, that is currently being turned into a library highlighting its magnificent steel art nouveau style.
At one time El Born was a very poor district where all the fishermen of the city lived. The fishing fleet would be parked in the current Old Port section, just meters from El Born, and the fishing families would spend their days drying the cod, attending church or mingling in the narrow streets. Pedestrians in El Born will at once notice that the streets in this district are narrower than in any other part of the Gothic Quarter. One can get lost in the extremely narrow and dark passages that criss-cross the district.
During the last ten years El Born has seen a resurgence. Gone are the fishermen, and in have come the hipster 20 or 30 somethings with Diesel jeans and Adidas sneakers. Apartments in the area, which are miniscule, now run anywhere from 600,000 to over a million euros, especially for an upper floor where you can actually get some light. Given the antiquity of the district, the buildings are old and the streets are generally pedestrian only. This means that locals do not have underground parking and must park at the outskirts of the district, hoofing their groceries several blocks. The downside to the district is that it is VERY hot in the summertime and can often smell. The narrowness of the streets does not allow wind to flow through and the atmosphere can be stifling.
Smells aside, El Born is alive with bars and restaurants that are absolutely amazing. You can walk to your hearts content and take in some tapas at any bar. Shopping is also fantastic at such local haunts like Xocoa chocolatiers or Custo Barcelona. Across the street you can venture into the old Estacio de Franca train station with its arching steel arcades, a perfectly intact emblem of the art nouveau era. In the other direction is the large Citadel Park, named after the fortess that sits at the entrance to the park. The fortress was built by a Spanish king wanting to keep Catalan extremists from exiting the city, or causing trouble. Citadel Park contains a large lake in the middle of its tree strewn expanse, with plenty of grassy corners where you can take a picnic, lie on your back and watch the fluffy clouds go by.
Metro Yellow Line 5: Jaume I or Barceloneta stops.
Red Line 1: Arc de Triumf stop
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