Luxury and cheap short-stay apartments to rent in Barcelona, Spain

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Plaza Real is a popular square just off the Ramblas. It was built between 1850 and 1860. The square is surrounded by beautiful buildings and palm trees which gives it an Arab like feeling. In the middle of the square there is a charming fountain where many people come together. The elegant lanterns, which can be found all over the Plaza Real square, are designed by Antonio Gaudi. Furthermore there are lots of cafés with a terrace and several night clubs. One of them is Club 13, a splendid little club in a cellar of one of the buildings.

On the other side of the Casc Antic you will find Plaza d'Antoni, a square located next to the Barcelona yachting port. On this square you can find the stately Barcelona general post office building. When you are there, be sure to take a look inside the building.

Mirador de Colom is a square that lies beside the Paseo de Colom. This Paseo ends up at the Statue of Columbus. Halfway through the Paseo de Colom you can find a small square, Plaza Duc de Mediconeli, filled with palm trees and a nice fountain. At the Mirador de Colom starts the historical avenue Las Ramblas.

The entrance to Maremagnum is also situated on the Mirador de Colom, it is a large complex that lies in Port Vell, with restaurants, terraces, shops, movie theatres, the Imax-cinema and one of Europe’s largest aquariums.

Las Ramblas is, besides the Sagrada Familia, the best known landmark in Barcelona. This world renowned strolling avenue goes down from Plaza de Catalunya all the way to the Columbus statue and is filled with newspaper kiosks, little shops, street performers, etc. Close to La Ramblas lies the Palau Guell, a definite masterwork from Gaudi with many special details inside, and you can find the not to miss La Boqueria fresh market where Barcelona’s best chefs buy their products on a daily basis.

At the beginning, or the end, of Las Ramblas, lies Plaza de Catalunya. This large square is Barcelona’s central square. In the middle lies a large hardened circle, which is surrounded by trees, plants and beautiful fountains. Around the square there are some large department stores, like El Corte Ingles.

Just below Plaza de Catalunya and turning left on the Ramblas you will find Plaza Vila de Madrid, a good place to rest in the grass and to enjoy the sun while looking at the surrounding buildings. At this square they created a wave effect in the grass by placing rusted metal plates, an interesting example of creative landscaping. For people who love art there is the Museum of Salvador Dalí, which is located in the street next to the old cathedral. The entrance fee costs around €8,00. The street, which leads tot the museum of Salvador Dali, is filled with shops.

In the heart of Casc Antic lies the Cathedral de la Santa Creu. This is one of the most beautiful churches in Barcelona. When you are at the cathedral you must take a look inside. It is free to enter but it is not permitted to wear little clothing. On both sides of the church there are 28 decorated side chapels and on one side hangs a splendid organ. In the middle, the chancel banks are situated. On the right side of the church there is an entrance to the interior courtyard, where swans swim around in a pond. The museum of Frederic Mares is situated in a beautiful building next to the cathedral.

In the surroundings of the cathedral lie numerous of other old buildings. As well as in front of the cathedral as behind the cathedral lies a square. The one behind the cathedral is called Plaza Sant Jaume which borders to the Palau de la Generalitat. A little further away, behind some buildings, lies Plaza Sant Just. The 13th century basilica called Sant Just i Pastor, is situated on this square. It is a very old little church that is open for public. It is nice to see basilica from the inside.

El Raval, which includes barrio Xino, is a district were many different nationalities live together. The bottom part of El Raval, near the port, has changed tremendously over the past decade, coming from a dangerous area where street prostitution was a daily practice, both the local government and the neighborhood residents have worked hard to make El Raval a safer neighborhood.

One of the key changes was the creation of Rambla del Raval, which is a stretched strolling avenue similar to its larger bother Las Ramblas. The Rambla del Raval is surrounded by lots of bars and terraces. In one of the lanes near Ramblas Raval an old school and a library are situated with a beautiful interior courtyard.

In the centre of Raval stands the beautiful modern building of the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona or MACBA in short. This building is designed by an American architect, Richard Meier, and opened up for public in 1995. The museum shows many different Catalan and foreign art works, paintings and constructions from several eras.

Beside the museum stands the 18th century old poor house, Casa de la Caritat. Today the Centre de la Cultura is situated in this building. The interior courtyard is a mixture of modern and old architecture, which is very special to see. Near the Centre de la Cultura lies Plaza de Castella, a nice little square that exists of two parts covered with grass. In El Raval you can also find a secular little church, named Sant Pau del Camp, which is surrounded by a wall but is accessible for everyone.

From El Raval you can easily return to La Ramblas. The Mercat de la Boqueria is also located is this area. In this old market there is a large variety of fruit, meat, fish, vegetables, nuts and in the morning there is fresh fish.

The popular area of El Born lies besides the Parc de la Ciutadella. On Plaza Commerc an old fresh market is situated, where old remains of a Roman settlement were found during the restoration process.

Well-known in El Born is the Picasso Museum. The museum contains more than one thousand works of this incredible artist. The museum lies in of the narrow lanes, but it is good to find. Across the street, the textile museum is situated. This museum is also worth a visit.

Plaza Sant Pere is a small old square on which The Iglesia de Sant Pere is situated. There are also a few bars with a terrace.

One of the most beautiful buildings in El Born is the Palau de la Musica Catalunya. This music palate was built in 1908 by the catalan architect Domenèch i Montaner. The main concert hall seats more than 2000 people. Palau de la Musica Catalunya is the only concert hall in Europe that uses natural light. The beautiful stained glass ceiling is certainly worth a visit.

In la Ribera the following things are worth visiting; The Arc de Triomf which served as a main entrance during the world’s fair in 1888 in park de la Cuitadella. It has been designed by Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas. At the foot of the Arc the Triomf lies Paseo Lluis Companys, an alley with beautiful palm trees and elegant lanterns. On the side of this alley lies the courtroom which stately building rises between the palm trees.

The alley ends in on the real entrance of Parc de la Ciutadella. This is one of the most beautiful parks in Barcelona. The park contains a fountain, a boating lake and the Zoo of Barcelona. Plaza de Santa Maria is a authentic square in La Ribera and it has some very nice little restaurants with a terrace. The Iglesia de Santa Maria del Mar is situated on this square, a beautiful old church. From the inside you can see the building constructions, but furthermore the church is very empty. During the civil war all the chancel - and church furniture was burned.

Barceloneta is a small neighborhood one its own located directly on the sea side. It consists of a long sandy beach, a part of the port and lots of narrow streets with old houses. Barceloneta is recommended for having the best fish restaurants in town. On the border of this district, on the side of the port, lies a long street with lots of restaurants and bars named Paseo Juan de Borbo.

What is certainly worth visiting in Barceloneta, are the following things:
Playa de Barceloneta, the beautiful beach below Barceloneta. Here you can enjoy the sun, the water and a magnificent view over the sea. When it is nice weather, Playa Barceloneta is crowded with people, but generally there are sun places enough, as the beach is rather extensive. There are many beach bars with a terrace where you can enjoy a refreshing drink, and for the people who like surfing there is a surf shop called wind 220. Halfway the Playa de Barceloneta it goes over into Playa de Sant Sebastia.

The Mercat de Barceloneta is an old market in the middle of Barceloneta. They sell fresh fish in the morning and during the whole day there is a large variety of vegetables and meat.

Close to it you will find Plaza de Barceloneta which is a nice picturesque square, surrounded by old houses and a 18th century church. Two little bars with a terrace are situated on the square.

Palau de Mar is a beautiful building next to the port, where many fancy restaurants are situated. The Museu d'histoire de Catalunya is also located in this building. The port itself, with its luxury yachts and other fishing vessels, is also worth a visit.

Finally, Park de la Barceloneta is a small park that ends on the beach; many old Spanish people are sitting here, taking a rest in the shadow.

Read more about the Beaches of Barcelona HERE!

L'Eixample Derecha is a very particular district filled with classical buildings. The district is filled with little shops and bars, and in the area near the Arc d'Triomf there are lots of Chinese clothing shops.

At the bottom of Eixample Derecha lies Parc Estació del Nord, a park which is situated next to a large bus station. This is a nice park, perfect for reading a book or just relaxing. Centrally in the park stand two blue paved sculptures by artist Beverley Pepper, and it is nice to see how the statues are intertwined with the park. The park also contains a small arena filled with a large diversity of trees.

Plaza Tetuan is a large roundabout on one of the largest streets in Barcelona, the Gran Vía de les Corts Catalanes, in the middle of a park. It is nice to see how this beautiful small green landscape functions as a roundabout.

Teatre National the Catalunya is the latest theatre of Barcelona. This beautiful, Roman building has been designed by native Barcelona architect Ricard Bofill. Next to the theatre lies L'auditori de Barcelona. This is a concert building, with two large concert rooms. This building was designed by world-renowned architect Rafael Moneo.

Plaza de Torres is the only remaining bullring in Barcelona in which bullfights still take place each year. It is an impressive building, which looks a bit like a mosque, and makes for a nice stop on a visit to this area.

The Sagrada Familia is the most famous building in Barcelona. This impressive cathedral is the work of Antonio Gaudi, it is full of symbols which have been inspired by nature. In 1883, a year after they started building it as a neo-gothic church, Gaudi was asked to finish the construction, and ended up changing the design drastically. Gaudi lived on-site for 16 years and is buried in the crypt below the cathedral. At the time of his death only 4 of the 12 towers were finished. This master work of Gaudi is not expected to be completed until 2026, the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death.

The Iglesia de les Saleses is an extremely beautiful little church, designed by Antonio Gaudi's teacher, Joan Mortorell Montells. He lived from 1833 to 1906. The church is still used for wedding ceremonies today.

Casa Terrades, also known as Casa de les Punxes looks a bit like a castle. Designed by Puig I Cadafalch between 1903 and 1905, it is said to be his most elaborate work, featuring a mixture of medieval and renaissance styles.

Another fascinating site in this area is the Puríssima Concepción, a 13th century church situated next to the 14-15th century convent with a beautiful interior courtyard. In the close surroundings of this church lies the Passatge de Permanyer. This is a splendid small street featuring a chain of beautiful old houses and buildings. At night it is closed by an old iron gate, but by day is it open to the public.

On the outskirts of the Eixample Derecha lies plaza Urquinaona, a small square near plaza de Catalunya. On this square stands the Torre de Urquinaona, covered with large earth-toned tiles.

For people who are missing the Netherlands in Barcelona, there is a bar called Bar Amsterdam. This is small bar, on the road d'Arago. You can order you drinks in Dutch, and you can enjoy real Dutch music and snacks. It makes for a pleasant evening.

Eixample Izquierda consists of the other half of the neighborhood Eixample, and is equally filled with chique buildings and exclusive shops. The well-known shopping street Paseo de Gracia is very glamorous, with its old buildings and expensive shops. Almost every well-known brand can be found here, such as Prada, Louis Vuiton, Burberry, Bulgari, Hugo Boss, etc... Beside these shopping paradises there are also some jewelers like Rabat and Suarez.

Further in this street there are a number of noteworthy works from the Modernista period, such as Casa Milà , Casa Batlló, both designed by Gaudi, Casa Amatller, and Casa Lleo Morera. These masterpieces are all worth visiting. In the summer there are lounge evenings on top of the roof of Casa Mila (La Pedrera), with champagne and music, but you will have to make an appointment to enter.

The Passeig de Gracia and l'Eixample Izquierda both stop at the junction with the Diagonal. At the junction there is an old church, called the Iglesia de I’Convent de Pompeia.

In l’Eixample Izquierda there also is a very beautiful large hospital, named Hospital Clinic Provincial. Besides the hospital lies a very large market, El Mercat del Ninot. In this covered market there is a large variety of meats, fish, vegetables, breads, nuts, as well as a few small stands selling different types of clothing. There are also a few bars serving a wide variety of beverages.

Plaza Dr. Letamendi is a large square which is split in half by a busy street. A small park is situated on one side of the street and features various types of playground equipment. It is ideal to go there with children, as long as they are careful of the busy street nearby.

Close to Paseo de Gracia lies the Fundació Antoni Tapies, another beautiful l’Eixample museum. An immense conglomeration of steel wires and pipes sits atop the building, Antoni Tapies, born in 1923, is the most famous artist of Barcelona who is still alive. Not all of his work is exhibited, but the foundation contains one of the most complete collections of his work. The materials he uses most are metal and concrete.

In l’Eixample Izquierda also lies the complex of the Universitat Industrial, with a chain of small parks dispersed between the buildings. A little further away lies the prison of Barcelona.

Right besides the Plaza Espanya, on the border with the district Sants-Montjuic, you can find the Parc Joan Miro, lined with a series of large palm trees. In the middle of the park there is a beautiful passage overgrown with ivy and lined with benches that allow you to sit and enjoy the surroundings. In the park there is also a large reflecting pool surrounding a large art work of Joan Miró from 1983, Woman & Bird.

The Universitat de Barcelona with its stately building is situated on the main street of Barcelona, called the Gran Via Corts Catalanes. Behind this university lies a magnificent garden with a large diversity of plants and trees. During the weekend the backdoor of this green oasis is open, so don’t hesitate to take a look around.

In the district Gracia lies a very famous park, Park Guell. The park is the work of Antonio Gaudí. Furthermore Gracia has some lovely little squares. The bottom half of Gracia is the oldest part of the district. The most beautiful buildings of Gracia can be found here.

Park Guell is the most famous park in Barcelona. The park is Gaudi his most colorful art work. Around 1890 Gaudi got the task, from Eusebi Guell, of designing a city garden. The park was built between 1910 and 1914 and was opened in 1922.

The park contains amazing stone structures, stunning tiling and fascinating buildings. At the top of Park Guell is a terraced area were you can enjoy a wonderful view of the park and Barcelona city. Here you will find multicolored mosaic tiled seats. Park Guell also has a small house in the park, Gaudi lived here from 1906 to 1926. The house is not designed by Gaudi himself but by Fransesc Berenguer.

Not far away in Gracia and from Park Guell lies Parc de la Cruetta del Coll. This park is also worth a visit.

In the south of Gracia, in the old part of the district, lie several little squares. Plaza Virreina is the most beautiful one. On one side of the square stands an old little church, Sant Joan. There are also some cafés, with a terrace, situated on the square. The street across the church leads to Plaza del Sol. A nice restaurant called La Salambo is located in this street. Beside the restaurant stands a little movie theatre, Verdi Park. Plaza del Sol is a nice place to sit down and have a drink. Next to Plaza del Sol lies another square, Plaza Revolucion Septiembre. These little squares look a lot like each other.

Paseo Sant Juan is also situated in Gracia. This beautiful alley starts at the statue of Glove and ends in on the Arc de Triomf.

The Montjuic area is well-known because of the 1992 Olympics, but there is much more to visit. The district is located at sea but does not have any beaches, it consists of a hillside from which you can enjoy a splendid view over the city and the sea.

Above Sants Montjuic lies the Parc de l’Espanya Industrial. This park is named after a large textile factory which used to stand there. In the park you can find canals, a boat lake with in the middle a sculpture of Neptunes. The lake is surrounded by an amphitheatre.

Noticeable in the park are the ten towers which serve as watchtowers and streetlamps.

Plaza Espanya is a wonderful large square which lies at the foot of the Palau Nacional. The square is the most beautiful at night because of the lightning. The beautiful fountain on this large roundabout is the work of Josep Maria Jujol, a student of Gaudi. The fountains stand on the place where a long time ago, till 1715, they use to hang people. The statues in the park are made by Miquel Blay.

The Palau Nacional is standing at the end of a beautiful alley, which starts at Plaza Espanya. This palace was built in 1929 for the world exhibit. From the stairs, which leads to the entrance of the palace, you have a splendid view over the city.

Close to Palau Nacional lies Poble Español, a little village on the Montjuic mountain. This visit worthy village was built for the world exhibit of 1929 and shows all kinds of Spanish construction styles. The village contains 116 houses. It is a very special building complex, many tourist are visiting this place. In the village, craftsmen are still making glass, ceramic and sculptures.

The complex of the Olympics, Estadi Olimpic de Montjuic, is situated near Poble Español. The original front of the stadium from 1936 is still shown. In 1936 the Olympics were canceled because of the civil war. Today the stadium is open to visitors. Fascinating is the large tower of the telecom company Telefonica.

Going in the direction of the mountains, you will pass by Pavello Mies van de Rohe. This beautiful pavilion was originally built for the world exhibition; the one you see here is a replica. The original one was broken down after the exhibit. It is a lovely pavilion but back in the days it was a real shock for the visitors. The style was very modern at that time.

Beyond Pavello Mies van der Rohe lies Parc de Montjuic. A nice park, which is located at the foot of the mountain. If you follow a little road going up hill, you will eventually end up at Castell de Montjuic. This is an enormous large castle from the 18th century. From this point on, you can enjoy a beautiful view over the port and city.

The original castle was built in 1640 but was destroyed in 1705 by Filips V. Nowadays the castle serves as a military museum, which is certainly worth visiting.

At the foot of the mountain, on the other side of the port, lies a large cactus garden where you can find a large diversity of cactus plants. A wonderful place for nature admirers.

Sant Marti is one of the three districts in Barcelona that is situated at sea. It is the most beautiful on the border side, with its lovely beaches and small harbors.

On the inside of the district there are not many things to see, except for the recently finished Torre Agbar. The most beautiful parts of the district are Port Olimpic and Zona Forum.

This old industrial area is undergoing a huge urban transformation named @22. The intention is to enhance the infrastructure and to locate cutting edge companies in the information technology branch. Also you can find some beautiful lofts there converted from the old industrial buildings into residential spaces.

Port Olimpic is situated next to Barceloneta. Many beautiful buildings, beaches and the port can be found in this area. What is notable in Port Olimpic, are the two skyscrapers; the Arts hotel, and an office building named Torre Mapfre.

In Port Olimpic the following things are certainly worth a visit;

The old train station, which is still in use. The station has a huge old station hall, with a beautiful entrance. Beside the station, on the outskirts, lies an old Hospital.

Another fascinating site in this area is Port Olimpic itself. It is a fancy port where numerous of pleasure boats are stationed in the port. The port is surrounded by palm trees, restaurants and bars. Beside the port lie four beautiful beaches which go all the way to Zona Forum. Here you can enjoy swimming, surfing and diving.

At the port you can find some nice places to party, have dinner or relax. These places are the Baja Beach club, CDLC (Carpe Diem lounge club), Shoko, restaurant Agua and restaurant Posit.

Zona forum is an entire new district, which was initiated for the Barcelona World Forum 2004 celebration. The area is situated at the end of all the beaches in Barcelona. Zona Forum can be divided into different areas, which are all very impressive and where you can enjoy beautiful views. Concerts are taking place in the open air during the summer.

In Zona Forum the following things are worth visiting:

La Marbella, a beautiful sport complex, located at sea where many different sports can be practiced, such as tennis, football, handball and volleyball. There is also the possibility to surf or dive.

La Fotovoltaica is an enormous large concrete object that is covert with solar panels. A large staircase underneath the panels leads you to a higher level. From that level you can enjoy a splendid view over the ocean, the mountain coast besides the city and the complete coast of Barcelona. La Fotovoltaica also contains a park called Parc de Auditoris, a very nice park made of concrete, asphalt and green combinations. A small artificial bay is attached to this park. Every year, concerts are given in this park during the summer.

When you walk over the bridge at the end of Parc de Auditoris, there is a beautiful beach, Playa Nova. While you are crossing the bridge you can enjoy a great view over the sea, the mountains and the suburbs of Barcelona. On the outskirts of the area Zona Forum lie a few modern architectonic pawns. At the end of Zona Forum start the suburbs.

A little further away from the coast lies Parc Diagonal Mar. This park shows a beautiful combination of water and nature. In the middle of the park lies a large pond where ducks and swans swim around. Beside the park stands an enormous water tower.

Close to these suburbs, a large shopping centre is situated. Here you can find almost everything. First of all there is an interior court garden with various types of playground equipment. Furthermore there are clothing shops, jewelers, shoe shops, a large supermarket, a hairdresser, many bars, a computer section, a Mac Donalds, a Burger King and so on...

A special designed office building is located across the street which is also worth visiting. The building is almost entirely made of glass. At night the building is lighted which makes it very special. Because of its height you can see it from several places in the city.

Sarrià, Pedralbes, and Sant Gervasi are located in the highest part of the city. Certain corners of these districts remind you of an old village. The districts also have modern areas. Sarrià is together with Pedralbes the wealthiest district in Barcelona.

Sarrià is a place where acquiring a home was, and still is, a true luxury. It has kept most of its historic centre intact; most of the buildings are still looking as they did 50 years ago. In the main street of the old town, called Call Major de Sarrià, you can find traditional family-run businesses.

The district is well connected by public transport. Some other fascinating curiosities in this district are the palace of the royal family and an old convent.

In the north above the area Les Corts lies the old Monister de Sante Maria de Pedralbes. This is a beautiful convent with splendid buildings. The convent was set up in 1326 and is situated in one of the most expensive areas in Barcelona and is surrounded by villas. A museum is located inside the convent. It is magnificant to walk through this area and examine the residential houses.

Palau Reial Pedralbes is a palace with a wonderful garden. Back in the days this palace was the main building of the country property of Eusebi Guell. In 1919 he offered everything to the royal family. Since 1937 the Museu de Arts Decoratives is located in this palace. Inside, old furniture and other old objects are exhibited.

Museu de Ceramica is also located in the palace. In this museum you can see old and new ceramic art works made by Miro and Picasso. Behind the palace lies the old entrance that leads to the former country property of Guell. The entrance contains two beautiful gatehouses and a magnificent iron fence, designed by Gaudi. The palace is surrounded by several universities with beautiful buildings and parks.

Going northwards, the Sant-Gervasi district extends up to the foothill of the Collserola mountain, the largest nature park in Barcelona. Here runs, along both sides of the Calle Muntaner, the long avenue from downtown right up to the hills. This area is home to the wealthy upper-middle class. In Sant-Gervasi you can find many fashionable bars and discotheques, but also many important hospitals and clinics. A large number of primary and secondary schools are located here.

In the mountain range, which is surrounding the city, lies the area Collserola. Collserola holds the old towns Vallvidriera and Les Planes. It also contains the top of the Tibidabo Mountain. This mountain offers a panoramic view of the whole city. Tibidabo Mountain also contains the Tibidabo Amusement Park. This park was constructed in 1899. One of the unique items is an exact replica of the airplane that was used for the first flight between Barcelona to Madrid.

In this area the Vallvidriera tunnels, which are 12.5 kilometres long, cut through the Collserola Mountain. These tunnels are connecting the city with the Vallès area.

Les Corts is a famous district because of the universities and the football stadium Camp Nou.

Camp Nou is the largest football stadium of Europe and is located in Les Corts. The stadium is the home ground of FC Barcelona, one of the richest football clubs in the world. The impressive stadium was built in 1957. Nowadays it gives seat to more than 100.000 people.

Besides the stadium, you can find the Football Club de Barcelona Museum were the history of FC Barcelona is displayed.

Parc Turo is a lovely park that lies on the border with the district Sant Gervasi. The park shows a magnificent creation of trees, shrubs and ponds. Very noticeable is the enormously large pond full of waterlelies and large fishes. In the trees you can see some parrots living in the wild here.

For people who like to go shopping, there is an El Corte Ingles at the large street called Diagonal. In the surroundings of this street there are many office buildings such as Edificis Trade.

The large train station Estacio de Sants is located on the border with the district Sants - Montjuic.

This district does not have so many curiosities as the other districts in Barcelona, but there are still a couple hotspots. Horta Guinardo has two beautiful parks and a hospital complex.

Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau is one of the most beautiful hospital complexes ever. You enter this complex through a wonderful gate, than you are right in front of the main building. When you walk through this main building, you enter an area with several little clinics.

Because of the elegant buildings, this area does not look like a hospital but more like a fantasy park. Parc del Guinardo is a small park and is surrounded by a forest. The park lies at the foot of a mountain. The park itself it not very special but the view over the sea and the city is magnificent.

Another nice little park is Les Aigues. This park contains some ponds and nature.