If you’re wondering what to see in Barcelona’s Born, that well-known neighborhood of the city… you’ve come to the right place.
El Born, located between the Gothic Quarter (ENLACE) and the Ciutadella, is one of the most emblematic, essential and cosmopolitan neighborhoods in the center of Barcelona. Its streets are an authentic labyrinth of history, architecture, gastronomy, art, fashion, restaurants, leisure, culture…
As we do not want you to miss the most charming corners of this city, in Willy’s plan we have prepared a selection of the best places to visit in the Born district of Barcelona.
Palau de la Música
If among all the best things to do in Barcelona, we had to choose the most luxurious, it would be to start by visiting the Palau de la Música Catalana.
Built in the early twentieth century and considered one of the most emblematic works of Catalan Modernism, the Palau de la Música is a landmark of the cultural and social life of Barcelona that you can not miss in the Born. It is also the only modernist concert hall declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. José Carreras, Montserrat Caballé or Paco de Lucía are some of the personalities who have stepped on its stage.
L'Antic Teatre
A few steps from the Palau de la Música we find one of the most emblematic spaces in the neighborhood, not only for being one of the most interesting independent cultural and social centers of live arts in the city, with a risky and innovative programming, but also because it has one of the most special, bucolic and bohemian terraces in the center of Barcelona.
Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar (Cathedral of the Sea)
The muse of writer Ildefonso Falcones, the Cathedral of the Sea, immortalized in his book and the TV series based on it, is one of the most beautiful and impressive cathedrals in the Born and all of Barcelona.
This impressive building was completed in 1384 and is considered the highest expression of the recognized Catalan Gothic style. Built by the inhabitants of the Ribera neighborhood in 54 years, it is today the backbone of the neighborhood’s street life. Around it are some of the most interesting stores and restaurants in the city. Admission to the church is free, but there are also two paid tours. One of them is to climb the towers, tribunes, crypt and terraces and another to visit all this at dusk on Fridays and Saturdays behind closed doors, when the lighting offers a different perspective of the temple. You can’t miss it!
Convent of Sant Agustí
It is not an ordinary convent. Inside, activities as diverse as conferences, exhibitions, concerts, creative workshops… take place.
The Convent of San Agustí is part of a building of great architectural value, where the Gothic cloister stands out, which in recent years has become the driving force behind the social life of the neighborhood.
Thanks to its programming, with a wide range of activities and cultural proposals of great thematic variety, this space has become a benchmark in the city’s leisure programming.
El Born Culture Center
Located in the space occupied by the old Born Market, the first building of Barcelona’s iron architecture, the cultural center has not left aside its nature as a market, but in this case, as a cultural center. Inside, in addition to finding the ruins of the battle of 1714 discovered when excavating the space to renovate the old market, you will also find a program with various literary, theatrical and musical activities.
Las Tiendas del Born
One of the most outstanding attractions when going for a walk through the medieval streets of the neighborhood and its architectural, artistic and cultural jewels is the wide range of quality stores you find along the way. The Born never goes out of fashion, it is full of it. It is a place where coexist from young designers and artisans of all life to new creative proposals within the field of design, the perfect blend of modernity and tradition.
Picasso Museum
The Picasso Museum is one of the reference centers to understand the work of the artist Pablo Picasso. Here you can see many works from his youth and how he gradually acquired new techniques and influences from other places, such as Paris. Whether you are an art lover or not, inside you can enjoy more than 4 thousand works that are part of the training stage of one of the most recognized artists in our history around the world. If you want to save the entrance fee, you can visit it for free every first Sunday of the month or every Thursday afternoon. Both the space itself and the streets surrounding the museum are a meeting point for artists and bohemians of the city.
Chocolate Museum
Undoubtedly, one of the sweetest places to see in the Born and in Barcelona. In the Chocolate Museum you will find everything about the origin of cocoa, the manufacture of chocolate and the tradition of Easter cakes. In addition, there are several figures made entirely of chocolate representing different well-known and fictional characters. The entrance fee is a chocolate bar that you can eat after the visit. For this reason alone it is worth going, especially on a getaway with children in Catalonia!
Santa Caterina Market
Few people know that the Santa Caterina Market is a former convent remodeled by the architect Enric Miralles and inaugurated in 2005. Of course, its roof is one of the main attractions of the space, built in an undulating and colorful way to be seen from the air. Nowadays, the market is one of the essential places in the city to buy local and first quality food. If you want to feel like a neighbor of the neighborhood, don’t hesitate to walk around and look for the best products among its stalls.
La Senda - Art Gallery
This contemporary art space and artistic production company located on Trafalgar Street, is a former textile workshop renovated and converted into an art gallery. With a central hall of 200 square meters, you will find very different and interesting exhibitions by artists such as Mathieu Pernot, Jordi Bernardó or Ola Kolehmainen. This place stands out for supporting the creative risk and talent of emerging artists, consolidated both nationally and internationally.
Rambleta or Paseo del Born
The Paseo del Born, between the old Market and Santa Maria del Mar is one of the most popular in the neighborhood, especially at night.
This former venue for medieval tournaments and jousts has now become one of the most frequented leisure and nightlife areas. You can’t miss a stroll through its streets and squares and go out for a drink, enjoying the view of the ancient buildings of the fourteenth century.
Ciutadella Park
In the heart of the city we find the Ciutadella, the meeting point for the locals, especially popular on weekends, as it is one of the best parks for picnics in Barcelona.
The Ciutadella was a military fortress erected in 1715 to control the city during the Civil War. At the end of the 19th century, General Prim returned the space to Barcelona, so the citadel was demolished and the city’s first green space was opened to the public.
In 1888, it hosted the Universal Exposition of Barcelona. In addition to the Monumental Waterfall or the Castle of the three dragons, among its attractions you have the old Zoology Museum, the Hivernacle, a military church and the Parliament of Catalonia. It is also very close to the Arc de Triomphe, one of the icons of Barcelona.
Did you like our selection of the best places to see in the Born, in Barcelona? Have you missed any of them? Don’t hesitate to tell us about it in the comments!
