The Gotic

So let's continue the series of posts on Barcelona barrios with probably the most popular and touristic one: the Gotic.

The Gotic reaches up to Plaza Catalunya and it's bordered by the Rambla, so includes some crowded shopping streets and very commercial places which I won't talk about. I prefer the labyrinth-like tiny hidden streets with small cozy bars and interesting shops. Of course, nothing here is ever tourist-free, but at least this part is tolerable.

Barceloneta

Starting off with a post on my barrio – or at least the barrio in which I’ve stayed the longest so far – beachy Barceloneta! 

 

















There is so much to love about this place, at least for me. It has such a relaxed atmosphere, even when it’s brimming with tourists in the summer. Walking around here for the first time about a year ago, the first thing that caught my eye was that people would leave the doors to their houses open, and stand outside having a coffee or a cigarette, or just enjoying the sun. And since for most houses in Barceloneta the front door leads straight into the living room, I could actually see the families inside having lunch or relaxing on the couch. And not just that – they would also leave their laundry to dry out in front of the house, on the street, even if they were not around, without being afraid someone would steal it. That’s just how chill and friendly the atmosphere is in this neighborhood.