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What is the Gothic Quarter?
The Gothic Quarter is the oldest part of Barcelona. What originally housed the Roman foundations of the city runs from Plaça Catalunya to the Old Port and between Las Ramblas and the Via Laietana. It was also the center of power where the Counts of Barcelona, and later Kings of Aragón sat during the Middle Ages and where both the City Hall and Catalan Government, (La Generalitat) are located today.
But what makes the Gothic Quarter so interesting are the changes made to the neighborhood from the late 19th century through much of the 20th, when, in an attempt to make the area more attractive, many buildings were remodeled, redesigned, or moved all together. This shift towards a more Gothic-style of architecture gave the neighborhood, formerlly known as The Area of the Cathedral, the name the Gothic Quarter.
📩 This is my guide to Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter. For some of the top things to do all around the city, Download my FREE Top 5 Guide to Barcelona!
Top Tips and Recommednations
I think the Gothic Quarter is the place to start your visit to Barcelona. Going back to the origins of the city and seeing the growth evolution let you understand everything else you will see in the city!
1. The Gothic Quarter is busy!
The Gothic Quarter is the most visited area of the city so you will often find a lot of people walking the tiny, winding streets, but there are ways to avoid that.
Go REALLY early, or REALLY late
Peak your hours are going to be mid morning until the afternoon, but evening tours have become more popular. So if you want to see the streets without all the tourists your best bet is early morning or later at night, ie before 10am and after 9pm. That’s if you want to see the streets empty.
Visit during winter
Obviusly coming during low season will give you a bit more space, but keep in mind with the Christmas markets in December, even the locals come visit this neighborhood. Evenings in a December are almost unwalkable in the Gothic Quarter!
Respect the locals
With all the tourism that comes to Barcelona this has become one of the most crowded areas of the city. Remember that people still live here and respect their privacy and hours. People have been known to dump water over their balconies if it gets too loud!
2. Is it safe?
The Gothic Quarter, like all of Barcelona, is safe but you need to be aware of your surroundings and belongings. Don’t leave phones or wallets on tables, or bags out of your site.
3. Do a tour!
The Gothic Quarter is awesome and there is a lot to see, but the Gothic Quarter is also not all that meets the eye. Without a guide you’ll miss out on all the details that make the Gothic Quarter so special.
Book a tour with me
Email me: patrickguidetours@gmail.com
Private walking tours of the Gothic Quarter and Old City Tours start at 200€ for 2 hours!
Getting There
The Gothic Quarter is at the heart of the city. Depending on where you are coming from it is extremely accessible walking. There are also many bus lines that will bring you to Plaça Catalunya or the surrounding areas. I would recommend taking the metro.
🚇With the metro, you can get to the Gothic Quarter with three different lines: Red, Green, and Yellow.
🔴L1 Red Line: Catalunya
🟢L3 Green Line: Catalunya, Liceu, Drassanes
🟡L4 Yellow Line: Urquinaona, Jaume I
Where to Stay in the Gothic Quarter
⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Can’t Miss Gothic Quarter
Cathedral: where it all began 🕊️
See the city under the city 🏺
Find the Roman Columns
Get some Good Luck 🍀
See the scars left from the Civil War 💣
Discover Barcelona's Jewish History in El Call (Jewish Quarter) 🕍
Visit the Government buildings in Plaça de Sant Juame 🏫
People watch in the Plaça Reial 🚶🏻
Climb the bell tower of Santa Maria del Pi 🔔
See the Royal Palace 👑
Extras
Other Churches in the Gothic Quarter
Eat 🍽️
Drink🥃
Craft Beer 🍻
Coffee ☕️ and Tea 🫖
Nightlife 🍸
Where to Shop in the Gothic Quarter🛍️
Activities in the Gothic Quarter
Gothic Quarter Secrets 🤫
Weather🌡️
Barcelona is a beautiful city, pretty much all year round. Outside of summer you might want to think about about having an extra layer on hand when walking around the Gothic Quarter, the narrow streets don’t let a lot of sunlight through most of the neighborhood and you will definitely notice a difference.
🗺️Like this guide and want more to Barcelona?
🔑Get the entire Old City Bundle and find out what to do in the Born, Raval, and Barceloneta neighborhoods!
Thank you again for purchasing this guide! I hope it uncovers all that makes the Gothic Quarter such an incredible part of the city. For more information about other neighborhoods and Barcelona as a whole, check out some of my other guides!
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THANK YOU for saving this Guide and supporting my content!
What is the Gothic Quarter?
The Gothic Quarter is the oldest part of Barcelona. What originally housed the Roman foundations of the city runs from Plaça Catalunya to the Old Port and between Las Ramblas and the Via Laietana. It was also the center of power where the Counts of Barcelona, and later Kings of Aragón sat during the Middle Ages and where both the City Hall and Catalan Government, (La Generalitat) are located today.
But what makes the Gothic Quarter so interesting are the changes made to the neighborhood from the late 19th century through much of the 20th, when, in an attempt to make the area more attractive, many buildings were remodeled, redesigned, or moved all together. This shift towards a more Gothic-style of architecture gave the neighborhood, formerlly known as The Area of the Cathedral, the name the Gothic Quarter.
📩 This is my guide to Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter. For some of the top things to do all around the city, Download my FREE Top 5 Guide to Barcelona!
Top Tips and Recommednations
I think the Gothic Quarter is the place to start your visit to Barcelona. Going back to the origins of the city and seeing the growth evolution let you understand everything else you will see in the city!
1. The Gothic Quarter is busy!
The Gothic Quarter is the most visited area of the city so you will often find a lot of people walking the tiny, winding streets, but there are ways to avoid that.
Go REALLY early, or REALLY late
Peak your hours are going to be mid morning until the afternoon, but evening tours have become more popular. So if you want to see the streets without all the tourists your best bet is early morning or later at night, ie before 10am and after 9pm. That’s if you want to see the streets empty.
Visit during winter
Obviusly coming during low season will give you a bit more space, but keep in mind with the Christmas markets in December, even the locals come visit this neighborhood. Evenings in a December are almost unwalkable in the Gothic Quarter!
Respect the locals
With all the tourism that comes to Barcelona this has become one of the most crowded areas of the city. Remember that people still live here and respect their privacy and hours. People have been known to dump water over their balconies if it gets too loud!
2. Is it safe?
The Gothic Quarter, like all of Barcelona, is safe but you need to be aware of your surroundings and belongings. Don’t leave phones or wallets on tables, or bags out of your site.
3. Do a tour!
The Gothic Quarter is awesome and there is a lot to see, but the Gothic Quarter is also not all that meets the eye. Without a guide you’ll miss out on all the details that make the Gothic Quarter so special.
Book a tour with me
Email me: patrickguidetours@gmail.com
Private walking tours of the Gothic Quarter and Old City Tours start at 200€ for 2 hours!
Getting There
The Gothic Quarter is at the heart of the city. Depending on where you are coming from it is extremely accessible walking. There are also many bus lines that will bring you to Plaça Catalunya or the surrounding areas. I would recommend taking the metro.
🚇With the metro, you can get to the Gothic Quarter with three different lines: Red, Green, and Yellow.
🔴L1 Red Line: Catalunya
🟢L3 Green Line: Catalunya, Liceu, Drassanes
🟡L4 Yellow Line: Urquinaona, Jaume I
Where to Stay in the Gothic Quarter
⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Can’t Miss Gothic Quarter
Cathedral: where it all began 🕊️
See the city under the city 🏺
Find the Roman Columns
Get some Good Luck 🍀
See the scars left from the Civil War 💣
Discover Barcelona's Jewish History in El Call (Jewish Quarter) 🕍
Visit the Government buildings in Plaça de Sant Juame 🏫
People watch in the Plaça Reial 🚶🏻
Climb the bell tower of Santa Maria del Pi 🔔
See the Royal Palace 👑
Extras
Other Churches in the Gothic Quarter
Eat 🍽️
Drink🥃
Craft Beer 🍻
Coffee ☕️ and Tea 🫖
Nightlife 🍸
Where to Shop in the Gothic Quarter🛍️
Activities in the Gothic Quarter
Gothic Quarter Secrets 🤫
Weather🌡️
Barcelona is a beautiful city, pretty much all year round. Outside of summer you might want to think about about having an extra layer on hand when walking around the Gothic Quarter, the narrow streets don’t let a lot of sunlight through most of the neighborhood and you will definitely notice a difference.
🗺️Like this guide and want more to Barcelona?
🔑Get the entire Old City Bundle and find out what to do in the Born, Raval, and Barceloneta neighborhoods!
Thank you again for purchasing this guide! I hope it uncovers all that makes the Gothic Quarter such an incredible part of the city. For more information about other neighborhoods and Barcelona as a whole, check out some of my other guides!