Secrets of El Born neighborhood in Barcelona

Considered one of the trendiest areas of the city, El Born neighborhood in Barcelona is a place to enjoy a walk and see the beautiful streets with impressive buildings, buy in lovely shops and taste the different culinary offers in its bars and restaurants.

Culture, architecture, art and gastronomy come together in this part of the city where you have so many things to do and visit. We encourage you to walk and experience all of it. And to start, we will see several exciting proposals. You will like them all!

What to do and see in El Born Neighborhood in Barcelona

A walk through its magical streets

The first recommendation is consists of just walking through the streets in El Born neighborhood in Barcelona. These beautiful streets move you to the past and surround you with the magical charm that permeates the stone of their facades and the flowers of their balconies.

In this walk, you can go, for example, through the Rambleta del Born, between the old Market and Santa María del Mar. You can get lost in the streets and squares that surround it and admire the buildings from the 14th century. A long time ago, it was the scene of medieval tournaments, and nowadays it is an area with a unique atmosphere, especially at night.

Visit the museums

In addition to these fantastic walks, it is also possible to visit the Picasso Museum and the Textile Museum. And what do you about the Chocolate Museum? It is located in a former convent and it’s a paradise for the sweetest palates.

Enjoy the Palau de la Música

One of the most emblematic buildings in this area is the Palau de la Música Catalana, a jewel of modernism that was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. On the outside, it impresses but what is inside will surprise you even more.

If you have occasion, the best thing will be that you also enjoy a concert in the Palau de la Música. It’s truly magical.

Contemplate the Santa María del Mar Church

Another gem of El Born neighborhood is the church of Santa María del Mar, an example of Catalan Gothic. On the outside, it looks like a simple construction but inside you will find magnificent beauty.

The visit to the interior of the temple, its towers, the neoclassical chapel, the terraces, the crypt and the galleries is an incredible experience. You immerse yourself in the history of this church. Also, from the covers, it is possible to contemplate lovely views of the Catalan capital.

Visit the Estació de França

The Estació de França is another beautiful construction that you can not miss. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century and has a tremendous cultural and artistic value. It was inaugurated in 1929 as a result of the International Exhibition of Barcelona and it became one of the first connections of Barcelona with Paris.

The station was a work of the engineer Andreu Muntaner and the architect Pedro Muguruza. The building is one of the greatest icons of modernist iron architecture in Barcelona. The double metal canopy with stained glass windows and its Noucentisme hall with large domes stand out. An essential visit even if you do not have to travel by train during your stay in Barcelona.

Go to the Santa Caterina Market

An old remodeled convent became the Santa Caterina Market in Barcelona.
You will like its roof, wavy and full of color, which returns a beautiful aerial postcard.
In this market, you will buy all kinds of products. There are also bars and restaurants, and cultural spaces to enjoy.

Besides, its interior houses the Santa Caterina Space, an Archaeological Interpretation Center where it is possible to understand the history of Barcelona from the Bronze Age to contemporary architecture.

Visit El Born Center of Culture

This building was the first construction of the iron architecture of Barcelona and is located where the old El Born market used to be.

Inside you will see the ruins of the battle of 1714 that were discovered when the market was renovated to create this dynamic and entrepreneurial space, where different activities related to music, theater, literature and culture, in general, are organized.

Go shopping in El Born neighborhood

As we told you at the beginning of this great walk, El Born neighborhood in Barcelona is a place where you will find a variety of shops. The neighborhood Merchants Association is in charge of moving all commercial offers of the area, where stores with vintage and modern style coexist, all of them with a lot of style.

Artisans and young designers share their talent and present their new creative proposals so that tourists and locals find a wide variety of offer.

Featured image: Typical streets in the neighborhood