La Barceloneta

The neighborhood is shaped like a triangle and is connected to the Olympic Port, the Ronda Litoral freeway and the seafront, including Barceloneta beach, Somorrostro beach, Sant Sebastià beach and Sant Miquel beach.

History of La Barceloneta

La Barceloneta was practically uninhabited until the mid-eighteenth century. In 1754, fishermen living in neighboring areas slowly but surely began to populate this part of town due to its closeness to the sea.

Although La Barceloneta has been renovated and is now rather modern, it has somehow maintained its unique charm. Its narrow streets and its darkened façades due to the air spiked with sea salt have made it one of the city’s most popular zones. Travelers that explore this area will breath in a peaceful atmosphere that smells of the Mediterranean Sea and will notice that it is unique compared to the rest of the city.

Things to do in La Barceloneta

One of the main attractions in La Barceloneta are its beaches, which are the longest, most renowned and most visited in the city. They are extremely lively and have excellent services.

The streets in La Barceloneta are singular, but pleasant. The neighborhood is packed with narrow alleyways that are flanked on both sides by old buildings, churches, stores and restaurants that look just as they did 200 years ago.

The part of La Barceloneta which is closest to the seaside is rather more contemporary, although the citizens maintain the old traditions and at sunset you can still observe how the fishing boats unload their catch and then auction the fish.

We recommend walking around the neighborhood and exploring its narrow streets to discover La Barceloneta’s unique charm. If you feel a little peckish, you can stop at one of its seafood restaurants and try its delicious fresh fish.

Apart from its natural enchantment, the area has numerous attractions that are well worth visiting like the Museu d’Història de Catalunya or Barcelona’s clock tower, which was formerly built as a lighthouse in 1772 and is nowadays the oldest structure in La Barceloneta.

You can take the cable car from Barceloneta Beach to get to the Miramar gardens viewpoint and enjoy stunning views of the port.

A few feet from La Barceloneta is Port Vell, where you can do a bit of shopping in the Maremagnum shopping center, see a movie in the IMAX Theatre or visit Barcelona’s remarkable Aquarium.