Accommodation Picking the right setting!

ISR Barcelona We help you to find the best accommodation for you and your needs.

Firstly, it’s important to know that Barcelona is a very safe, relatively small, city with all of its neighbourhoods well connected by public transport. Wherever you choose to stay, you will never be too far away!

Below, we offer a brief description of Barcelona’s most popular areas, so that you can get a general idea of which neighbourhood you might like to live in. You will also find some practical advise and some tips from ISR.

Barcelona Districts and neighbourhoods map

This is an administrative map of Barcelona’s districts and neighbourhoods. Below, we provide a description of the most popular areas in the city, where we recommend you rent an apartment, along with the type of accommodation you will find there. As we mentioned before, nothing is too far away!

ISR Barcelona - City map

Ciutat Vella District The Historic Centre

The Ciutat Vella District is the most characteristically touristic area of the city as it is home to the focal point of Barcelona’s tourism: the Ramblas. It is extremely well connected, with almost all metro lines stopping in Plaza Cataluña.

The Gothic Quarter (Barri Gòtic)

The city of Barcelona was founded in the Roman era in the area where the Gothic Quarter now lies. The neighbourhood is crammed full of architectural traces that show Barcelona’s age, among them the cathedral, the Roman wall, and a number of gothic churches. The area is home to many small boutiques, shops, cafes, bars and pretty squares. It is the most tourist crowded area in Barcelona!

El Born

El Born, with its narrow, bustling streets is a hive of activity both at night and during the day. It is home to one of the city’s green lungs, the Ciutadella Park; as well as the Barcelona Zoo, the Picasso Museum and many other attractions. It is a trendy borough, with refurbished apartments available for flat-shares, although rents tend to be somewhat higher than in other parts of the city. The area is well connected and is served by the metro and a number of bus routes.

Barceloneta

Something that sets Barcelona apart from other big European cities is its beach: La Barceloneta. This neighbourhood is perfect for lovers of sea and surf, those that enjoy doing outdoor sports or those that simply want to unwind from the stress of the big city, watching the waves roll in. This is another area of the Ciutat Vella district with narrow streets, but here they are more orderly, forming more standardised blocks. You can still feel how the fishermen and the working classes lived here in years gone by. Bus lines link the area to the city centre, although it is within easy walking and cycling distance too.

El Raval On the other side of the Barri Gòtic is El Raval, the city’s cultural hub with a host of different galleries and museums. It is an extremely busy area. In the last 20 years, housing conditions have improved – although apartments remain on the small side. It has now become a fashionable area, although a number of flats have yet to be redeveloped. It is also extremely multicultural, home to residents from the Arab region as well as the Indian subcontinent and tourists from a range of nationalities.

ISR Barcelona - Ciutat Vella Insight

As a rule, the Ciutat Vella district is where the majority of tourist apartments are located. For this reason, prices tend to be higher and the apartments smaller. It combines the advantages of being right in the city centre with the downsides of crowds and noise. Although all areas of Barcelona are considered safe, it is important to be wary of pickpockets in the centre!

Ciutat Vella street view

The Eixample District Right side & Left side

The Eixample district is a very homogenous area with a high population density, mainly home to the middle and upper classes. Although there are a range of different inhabitants, a large number of Barcelonian families have lived here for generations. You can find everything in the Eixample including businesses, health and public services, leisure activities and education facilities. A characteristic feature of the Eixample is the length of its streets and avenues.

As a rule, each street starts at one end of the district and runs until the opposite end. This is true both of the horizontal and vertical streets in the grid system.

Right side

The Derecho De L’Eixample (Right side of the Eixample) neighbourhood is the district’s central area, also known as the Quadrat d’Or (Golden Square) due to the amount of modernist buildings to be found here. Here you can also find attractive boulevards home to boutiques, luxury brand shops, bars and restaurants for the most discerning customers. Some of the main streets are Passeig de Gràcia, Passeig de Sant Joan and Rambla de Catalunya. Both the Rambla de Catalunya and Passeig de Gràcia terminate in Plaza de Cataluña, the focal point of the city where there are hundreds of shops and a significant number of metro and rail lines. It is also where Barcelonians congregate for public celebrations and protests.

ISR Barcelona - Right side Insight

The rents are quite expensive in this area, although it is possible to find accommodation in large, shared apartments in some of the stately, modernist style buildings.

Left side

The Izquierdo de l’Eixample (Left side of the Eixample) is perhaps not quite as exclusive as the right side. Built later, it was originally a strongly working class neighbourhood. Here there are a large number of community services such as the Hospital Clínic, the engineering school Escola Industrial, the Modelo prison, the main building of the Universidad de Barcelona and a range of other community spaces.

As with the rest of the district, the left side of the Eixample is a pleasant residential neighbourhood with many businesses, shops, bars and restaurants. The Plan Cerdà urban plan is also notable here in the blocked layout of the streets. However, in difference to the uniformity of the neighbouring areas, the Left side of the Eixample is occasionally broken up by the large buildings and grounds of the institutions and organizations that are based here.

ISR Barcelona - Left side Insight

It is a very popular area in Barcelona, located centrally with all local services close at hand. It is also very well served by public transport. You can find more affordable apartments here than in the Right side of the Eixample.

Eixample aerial view

Sants-Montjuich District Largest district in Barcelona

The Sants-Montjuïch district is the largest in the city, with a total surface area of 2,090 hectares, or a fifth of the city’s total area. Having said that, the liveable space is much smaller if uninhabited areas such as the Port of Barcelona, the Zona Franca industrial estate and the Montjuïch mountain are excluded. Montjuïch forms a natural park in the heart of the city and contains a range of cultural and sporting facilities such as the Sant Jordi Stadium, the Montjuïch Stadium, the Miró Museum and the Catalan National Museum of Art. It is definitely worth going for a walk or run here at the weekend, the views are stunning!

Sants neighbourhood

Sants is the biggest and oldest inhabited area in the district. Calle Sants is one of the city’s main shopping hubs and is the focal point of the neighbourhood. It is a working class area but with a thriving business and leisure scene.

The city’s main railway station, Barcelona-Sants, is located here, as well as Plaza España – which lies at the foot of Montjuïch and is home to one of the city’s biggest exhibition centres.

ISR Barcelona - Sants Insight

Sants is a densely populated area with few tourists and is home to Barcelonian families who have lived there for generations. It has all the services you will need, a good public transport network and is a great area if you want to distance yourself a bit from the bustle of the city centre. The buildings here and generally modest, although it is possible to find shared apartments that have been refurbished.

Badal and Poble Sec neighbourhoods

Sants-Badal and Poble Sec are characterized by old, not very well preserved buildings, but both are interesting, dynamic areas that feel like villages within the city. The main arterial route through the area is the Avenida Paralelo, formerly home to the city’s main theatres. In Poble Sec there are some elevated parts with fantastic views of the city.

ISR Barcelona - Badal and Poble Sec Insight

Prices are generally affordable in this district, particularly due to the fact that here the neighbourhoods are not especially touristic and are a little bit set apart from the city centre, although you can be in the heart of the city in less than 20 minutes by public transport. If you don’t have a very large budget then this area is a good option to find a flat-share. It is important to take into account that the buildings may be old, although many have terraces and excellent views. Perfect if you want to live in a “village” within the city.

Terrace in Poble Sec district

Gràcia District A city within the city

The Gràcia neighbourhood is located just one stop away from the start of the Passeig de Gràcia, although it seems as if it is a world away. It was an independent town until the end of the 19th century and even now is home to a small, close-knit community. Locals are very proud of their heritage, to the point where they don’t say “I’m from Barcelona”, but “I’m from Gràcia”. With narrow, busy streets, the area has a number of emblematic squares (such as the Plaza del Sol) with plentiful open air cafes and bars open until the early hours.

Gràcia is an artistic, multicultural, bohemian area where you can find restaurants serving food from all around the world. It is full of cafes with outdoor seating and at night it is the place of choice for young people to go out for a drink. However, despite being a thoroughly modern neighbourhood, Gràcia is also a highly traditional area with a large elderly population. This serves to create a unique, entertaining place to sit back and watch as the people walk by!

The area has all the services you will need, fantastic bars, cosy cafes and is the perfect neighbourhood to get a taste of the real Mediterranean lifestyle.

One of the main advantages of this district is that you will be able to mix with the locals, as there are not many tourists on the streets of Gràcia. It is an alternative, safe, young neighbourhood with excellent connections to the city centre.

ISR Barcelona - Gracia Insight

It is possible to find affordable shared or individual apartments here, and there are also a couple of student halls of residence. It is one of the most dynamic areas of the city for young people and has very good public transport links.

Summer festival in Gracia neighbourhood

Les Corts District Relaxing atmosphere

This district is unique in the city, with a range of different spaces and historic, cultural and architectural attractions.

The area on the north side of Avenida Diagonal is mainly residential, although the French Lycee, the Pedralbes Monastery and the Pedralbes Royal Palace are all to be found here. On the southern side of Avenida Diagonal however, there is the large L’Illa shopping centre, an el Corte Inglés department store and many other shops and business areas.

On the western fringes of the Diagonal, both on the north and south sides, are a large number of faculties and technical schools of the Universidad de Barcelona and the Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya, along with business schools such as ESADE. The Royal Polo and Tennis clubs are both located in this area, along with the Universidad de Barcelona’s large sports complex – which is open to the public. Just to the south of this sports complex is the world famous Camp Nou.

You will find a lot of student residences and shared apartments in this borough. Prices vary widely depending on whether the accommodation is above (which tends to be more expensive) or below the Diagonal.

It is a very well connected, quiet district with all the services you will need close at hand.

ISR Barcelona - Les Corts Insight

Prices here are expensive, although less so than in Eixample, for example. It is worth considering as it is very close to the city’s main business schools and universities.

Aerial view of Les Corts district

Sarrià-Sant Gervasi District Residential paradise

The Sarrià-Sant Gervasi district is a principally residential, wealthy neighbourhood which has a number of prestigious educational centres and health facilities. It is a very green area, surrounded by parks and is the main point of access to the Collserola hills, Barcelona’s green lungs with more than 8,000 hectares of unspoiled nature, mainly made up of Mediterranean woodland.

Currently, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi is one of Barcelona’s most exclusive neighbourhoods where modern, cosmopolitan urban spaces blend in perfect harmony with narrow alleyways that hark back to the area’s rural beginnings. This contrast between urban elements and the area’s exclusive nature is also represented in the buildings that form part of it. The area features detached houses, luxury apartment blocks, old family homes and summer houses, mansions, convents, religious schools and exclusive international schools, prestigious private clinics such as the Clínica Tres Torres, the Centro Médico Teknon and the Clínica Quirón, consulates, and first class sports facilities such as the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona (which organizes the annual Trofeo Conde de Godó championship). It is also home to cultural, entertainment and leisure facilities such as the Tibidabo theme park, the Science Musuem (Cosmocaixa) and the beautiful gardens of the Turó Park.

ISR Barcelona - Sarrià-Sant Gervasi Insight

The exclusivity of Barcelona’s so-called “high area”, the former summer retreat for the wealthy Barcelonian middle classes, obviously has an impact on housing prices. It is one of Barcelona’s most expensive areas to live in. However, there are a number of studios an apartments to rent with a similar prize to those in the Eixample and Sant Martí.

Park in the middle of Sant Gervasi district

Horta-Guinardó District The top part of Barcelona

This borough is divided into eleven neighbourhoods, all of which are relatively small – apart from the three which are in the highest part of the borough: Sant Genís dels Agudells, Montbau and Horta. The Ronda de Dalt ring road passes through here, providing easy access to the motorway to get in and out of the city. On the north side of the ring road is the Universidad de Barcelona’s Mundet Campus and the Labyrinth Park (Parc del Laberint), in the Montbau and Horta neighbourhoods respectively.

The Hospital de Sant Pau, a stunningly beautiful modernist building, is located in the Guinardó neighbourhood.

The El Carmel and Can Baró neighbourhoods have a somewhat complicated layout due to the hilly terrain, with lots of narrow, windy streets. Both areas experienced a population boom when workers came to settle here from other parts of Spain after the Spanish Civil War. There are currently urban redevelopment works being carried out to improve access.

The green area of the Guinardó Park is an excellent place to relax and breathe some fresh air.

ISR Barcelona - Horta-Guinardó Insight

This is not an area overly popular with tourists, although it is well connected to the city centre by public transport. The buildings are basic and in some areas (such as El Carmel) the streets are very steep, which makes getting around complicated. However, the rents are very affordable. There is a great Residence Student Hall in the area, surrounded by green spaces.

Typical steep street in Horta-Guinardó

Sant Andreu District The top part of Barcelona

Sant Andreu is a traditionally industrial, working class area. It is made up of seven different neighbourhoods and is in the Eastern part of the city, between Nou Barris and Sant Martí. The borough is a key point of access to the city as it lies between the Avenida Meridiana and the Ronda Litoral ring road.

ISR Barcelona - Sant Andreu Insight

It is an area with limited tourist attractions and quite far away from the city centre, although it has good public transport connections. The buildings are basic but with affordable rents. Tourist rents are not very common in this area.

Sant Andreu district

Sant Martí District Students paradise

Sant Martí is a borough that has it all: industry, shops, education, residential areas, businesses, parties, etc. Originally a working class, industrial zone, it has been transformed over time to accommodate new services and activities.

The borough’s most iconic symbol is the Torre Glòries skyscraper, although the two towers on the Mediterranean shore, the Hotel Arts and the Torre Mapfre, are both also emblems of the city. La Villa Olímpica was built in preparation for the 1992 Olympic Games in order to house athletes as the Olypmic Port is also located in this borough, in the El Poblenou neighbourhood. The Diagonal Mar and the Front Maritim del Poblenou neighbourhood is also on the seashore.

In the centre of the borough, around the Las Glorias square and in Poblenou, an urban planning revolution is underway and the 22@ district is where the biggest technological businesses and centres are setting up, along with the headquarters of some established universities. The range of services has expanded greatly (shopping centres, shops, restaurants etc.) and it is an area that is becoming more and more attractive and dynamic.

Redeveloped district

In recent years, the borough has been redeveloped and former factories and industrial buildings have been converted into centres housing educational and technological organizations. The area is known as 22@ and here you can find buildings belonging to the Universidad de Barcelona, the Universidad Pompeu Fabra and the UOC, along with the city’s main technological companies. Currently, it is a fashionable area, it is very popular among students and it is highly recommended. Rental prices have increased and now it is one of the most expensive neighbourhoods in the city.

It is a bit far away from the city centre, but on public transport the journey takes less than 20 minutes.

ISR Barcelona - Sant Martí Insight

In this area there are some large student halls of residence. In the Poblenou neighbourhood (a former industrial area) it is possible to find accommodation but prices are constantly on the rise.

Sant Martí District

Price break-down Prices per m2

Zone €/m2 Horta-Guinardó 14.44 Sant Andreu 14.95 Sants-Montjuïch 15.75 Gràcia 16.73 Les Corts 17.90 Sarrià Sant Gervasi 18.36 Sant Martí 18.72 Eixample 18.76 Ciutat Vella 19.50

Source: Habitaclia

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This information was updated in February 2020. ISR Barcelona will not be held responsible for any changes to the information obtained via external sources which may affect the contents of this document.