Barcelona in 12 neighborhood squares

They are meeting places, of those few corners that persist throughout time, essential and citizens, from those agoras of debate and understanding of the ancient Greek cities, market enclaves, of exchange, so necessary.

And today they are still there, wooded, secret, discreet, busy with the morning purchases, the old men in the sun, the children with their games in the afternoon and when the night falls on them they are taken by the young people - although today with the prohibition of meeting more than 10 people and the obligation to wear a mask.

There are many types of squares and Barcelona is rich in all of them.

There are those that we all go through but never stop, the most commercial ones that become depersonalized over the years, the forgotten and the secret ones, and those that are part of the daily life of the neighbors.

The latter must be pampered because, although they are the smallest spaces, they are the ones that make the metropolis more comfortable, lively and appealing.

MORE INFORMATION

• Gothic Quarter, the origins of Barcelona

• The route of 'The Cathedral of the Sea'

The Catalan capital has a good handful of these squares thanks to the fact that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th the neighboring towns were integrated into it without losing much of their character.

Gràcia, Sants, Les Corts, Horta, Sant Andreu, Sarrià, Poblenou, Poble Sec or Barceloneta are today, as then, welcoming places that slow down the urban rhythm and give Barcelona an air, if not rural, yes like a small city .

The center also holds pleasant surprises.

You have to take a walk through Born and Ciutat Vella to find some of the few

, and a large number of spaces of medieval origin, among which the

, and which are part of the most visited Barcelona.

Literature is another way of visiting emblematic places:

in Gràcia, where Mercè Rodoreda's Colometa danced with his Quimet in the light of a lantern;

or cinema, with the

chosen by Pedro Almodóvar as a

setting for

(1999).

Seven sculptures that make up the word Barcino is one of the legacies that the multidisciplinary artist Joan Brossa gave to the city and that can be seen in

, next to the cathedral;

and the work of Joan Miró

occupies one end of the park that bears the artist's name, a sculpture that has spontaneously named the square where it is located.

enlarge photo cova fdez.

To get to know Barcelona well, you have to get lost in its neighborhoods discovering its best kept secrets, and the squares are undoubtedly one of them.

These oases in the urban tangle are offered to the visitor as little treasures, which is why we have chosen 12 spaces in which life in the city is more pleasant.

It is the Barcelona of its inhabitants, perfect places to enjoy sunny mornings and have an aperitif - currently with the limitation of 50% of the capacity of bars and restaurants, also on its terraces -, corners where the soundtrack is the screams of the children, and its decoration, the traditional shops and the new bars, restaurants and shops that add content and charm, the trees, the benches and the fountains.

Plaza d'Osca (Sants)

The view of the square from the Barra / Llibre bookstore, a beautiful establishment dedicated to literature that is a rarity in this bar environment, is a beautiful sight with its busy terraces, plenty of shade and a good atmosphere.

Animation comes from ancient times, since this space was the headquarters of the Sants market until 1913 and today it continues to be a great social pole of this historic Barcelona neighborhood.

Around it there are alleys with low houses, which contrasts with its proximity to the Sants station, one of the city's large railway terminals.

Ideal for a vermouth at noon, a drink in the afternoon and for a super-spirited evening.

The different bars and restaurants that line its surroundings are in charge of that, such as

(at number 4 of the square),

(2),

.Y (5) and

(7).

It will be for bars.

View of the Plaza del Sortidor from inside the bar-restaurant of the same name.

An emblematic establishment and one of the oldest in the city of Barcelona, ​​open since 1908. alfredo arias

Sortidor Square (Poble Sec)

From the Paral·lel you go up towards the foothills of Montjuïc and on the way you will see this emblematic area of ​​Poble Sec that attracts a very diverse public according to the time of day.

Despite the fact that the

(fountain with a jet of water) that gives it its name disappeared from the place in 1929, it still maintains that name.

Perhaps it will be due to the overwhelming presence of the bar-restaurant located on one of its flanks and which bears the name of

(+34 690 76 57 21).

It is one of the seven oldest restaurants in the city and is part of the list of 200 emblematic establishments in Barcelona.

Opened uninterruptedly since 1908, both its facade and interior retain their original decoration and character.

Quimet d'Horta awaits in Plaça d'Eivissa, a winery with an undaunted presence since 1927

Concòrdia Square (Les Corts)

Presided over by the 40-meter-high bell tower that crowns the

, La Concòrdia is one of the most stately squares.

Closed to traffic, it is surrounded by nineteenth-century buildings and preserves some old shops, such as a pharmacy dating from 1860 and the

, which today houses the civic center of the neighborhood - reopened this week - and features a beautiful wrought iron platform. .

It is highly recommended to visit the interior patio to have a coffee there and contemplate from the top the replica of the Canaletas de la Rambla fountain that shines at one end.

Restaurants like El Maravillas and Fragments are its gastronomic claims.

enlarge photo The church of Sant Miquel del Port, in the Plaza de la Barceloneta.

alfredo arias

Barceloneta Square (Barceloneta)

With sea and secluded airs, it is presided over by the baroque church of

(1755), crowned by an imposing archangel.

It is one of the oldest squares in the neighborhood and the diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps lived here for a time, as confirmed by a plaque located in the building next to the Sant Miquel temple.

Quiet during the day, despite being a few meters from the busy

, at night it attracts with its three recommended gastronomic offers: the renovated

, an old centenary winery (at number 6; +34 932 52 84 49);

L'Òstia and the

(Plaça de la Barceloneta, 2).

In Prim the low, white and humble houses that were the fishermen's houses remain

Plaza de Sant Agustí Vell (Born)

Entering this wooded space in the heart of the hectic Born district is entering a calm dimension of the city.

Despite being a first-rate tourist attraction, Sant Agustí Vell preserves some old shops and new ones have been opened that give it authenticity.

Some say it has a Parisian, nostalgic air.

It will be because of the medieval porches that are preserved and the buildings of the 18th and 19th centuries, a reminder of when the area was occupied by mills and facilities of the booming Catalan textile manufacture.

Here you can still eat a good

, at number 6 (+34 933 19 90 37), or be seduced by the tapas of the historic

(+34 933 19 90 56), which looks out on one of the ends of the square since 1925.

enlarge photo The monastery of Benedictine nuns of Sant Pere, in Barcelona.

alfredo arias

Sant Pere Square (Sant Pere)

Just a five-minute walk from Sant Agustí Vell, walking towards Urquinaona square, appears the Benedictine monastery of Sant Pere de les Puel·les, with a beautiful Gothic portal that is the only thing that remains of the original building.

Opposite there is a small charming space full of trees, a few benches and some terraces to sit quietly to read a book, admire the architectural surroundings or appreciate the modernist wrought iron fountain that has occupied one side of the square since 1896. On the At night the calm mutates to become one of the liveliest places in the Sant Pere neighborhood, which borders El Born.

(Plaza de Sant Pere, 12; +34 933 10 62 42) offers menus at lunchtime and dinners and drinks at night.

Prim Square (Poblenou)

In the original nucleus of Poblenou, the Plaza de Prim stands out, surrounded by low, white and humble houses that were the homes of fishermen when this neighborhood lived off the sea.

Here one is surprised by the three fantastic ombúes that literally occupy it;

these magnificent trees impose their naturalness on this space that seems to live oblivious to the nearby tumult of greater Barcelona.

Small and cute, he doesn't need much to seduce.

A central fountain, several benches that residents enjoy on summer nights and Els Pescadors, a famous seafood restaurant, give life to the square.

enlarge photo The Plaza de Masadas, in the Barcelona neighborhood of Sant Andreu.

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Masadas Square (Sant Andreu)

It is one of the few arcaded squares in Barcelona, ​​with the curiosity that the perfect square of arches breaks on one side and creates an architectural rarity.

Located in the Sant Andreu district, in the

, it is usually the scene throughout the year for various social and cultural events, from jazz music to a busy collectors market and old toys every first Sunday of the month (although it does two years this moved to the Plaza de l'Assemblea de Catalunya, just 90 meters away).

Pleasant and with several terraces and places to choose from, such as

(+34 936 39 94 29), a beach bar with a good selection of rice dishes, and

(+34 934 08 48 36), which with its

burgers

attract customers from all over Barcelona.

Nearby is the

, a large replica of Masadas.

Virreina Square (Gràcia)

Although all the neighborhoods of Barcelona are rich in squares, it is Gràcia that takes the cake for quantity and popularity.

Next to that of the Sun and that of Diamant is the Virreina (near the Verdi cinemas and the Teatre Lliure de Gràcia), which with the

and a handful of workers' houses preserves the atmosphere of the small town that was .

This mixed with the modern bars and shops that flank it make it a highly recommended place, which until the arrival of the pandemic often vibrated and danced to the rhythm of

.

For years, the Virreina has a stable gastronomic offer with the

, at number 1 (+34 932 37 98 80);

, at 2 (+34 936 67 79 38), and the

, at 5 (+34 932 18 20 31).

One of the most characteristic details of the square is the Ruth fountain, inaugurated in 1949 with a beautiful bronze sculpture.

Sant Vicenç Square (Sarrià)

Sarrià was the last of the towns annexed to the city, in 1921;

perhaps that is why many of its neighbors still talk about going to Barcelona when they move to the center.

Sant Vicenç is an authentic town square with a group of colored houses on one side, next to which, on the corner, is the

(+34 932 03 10 52), open from 1965 and an ideal place to have some tapas in peace.

And in the center, a stone fountain with the sculpture of San Vicente, patron saint of Sarrià.

In another corner, the Gouthier oyster bar stands out (+34 932 05 99 69), perfect for lovers of this mollusk and good wine.

enlarge photo The facade of the modernist market of El Clot (Barcelona).

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Mercat Square (El Clot)

It is presided over by the modernist market of Clot, one of the towns annexed to Barcelona at the end of the 19th century.

Vibrant and commercial, it is worth stopping by when the market is fully operational to admire the brick building by Pere Flaqué, with its wrought iron structure, inaugurated in 1889 and remodeled in 1995, and enjoy a wide range of products fresh proximity.

Opposite is the square full of shops, bars, restaurants and terraces to sit and admire the incessant traffic.

The Mercat del Clot square is almost unknown to outsiders, but it is undoubtedly a place that, if known, repeats itself.

Plaza d'Eivissa (Horta)

It occupies the heart of the old town of Horta, a vital center that once hosted the market and today is a place of celebration and meeting.

Its irregular shape is surprising, which is lengthened creating a nook where one of the most famous wineries in Barcelona is located, the Quimet d'Horta, with an undaunted presence since 1927 with its bravas, the “Russian” and well-drawn canes.

The Plaza d'Eivissa is always lively, its benches full, a constant wandering of people who come and go and perhaps stop at the

(+34 931 56 36 98), rock inspired and a whole institution in the neighborhood, or at the

(+34 934 07 01 09), located near the statue

(La Ibicenca), by the sculptor Joan Centelles (1887-1964).

The gastronomic offer is completed with a churrería;

the

, famous for its gin and lemon slushies (inspired by the

a very popular alcoholic preparation in Menorca), and the

, at number 8 (+34 930 24 58 37) .

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