The Gothic Quarter
A charming historical neighbourhood... With a surprise
Barcelona is a wonderful city, and the list of places worth visiting is fairly long. If you want to take a good look of all of Barcelona's tourist attractions, you would surely need over a week! The Gothic Quarter is one of the most important points of interest of this charming Mediterranean city, and with good reason: Its twisted, ochre streets are punctuated by lots of monuments and historical buildings, museums, cathedrals and plazas; and, of course, pubs, restaurants, terraces and street musicians, an inherent part of the lively Barcelona, as full of experiences as it is of surreal places.
The Gothic Quarter is one of the most beautiful parts of Barcelona's old town, and it is full of interesting historical details well worth knowing. However, the Gothic Quarter isn't as 'gothic' as its name suggests... Keep reading if you want to learn more about it, because you're in for a surprise! Besides, we'll give you some useful information and tips, and we'll tell you all you need to know about Gothic Quarter online tickets.
The Gothic Quarter: history with a twist
If we had to set a date for the moment when Barcelona jumped to the list of the most visited cities in the world, we would have to mention the Olympic Games of 1992. Undoubtedly, Barcelona can tell one of the main success stories of what the Olympics can do for a city. Whereas for many other cities in the world, such an event has meant an enormous investment, a quick rise of the touristic income and a downfall of abandoned facilities; the Olympic Games of 1992 shifted Barcelona from an industrial city to a touristic one. Two of the main highways were built for the event, entire neighbourhoods were built (The Olympic Village, for instance), and the whole city was 'cleaned up nice' for the event. And since then, the locals have had to deal with millions of tourists and constructions that work towards what has been called the 'Barcelona brand'.
However, there is a lot to discuss about the real origin of the so-called Barcelona brand, because the Gothic district proves that the will of turning Barcelona into the touristic and cosmopolitan city it is today was born much, much before the Olympics.
Let's get on topic: The Gothic Quarter is in fact a very old neighbourhood. It is actually the oldest of the four neighbourhoods that form the district of Ciutat Vella (Old Town), which is, as its name explains, the oldest part of Barcelona. The old Roman city of Barcino was right there, and there are ruins there to testify for it. Of course, the Gothic Quarter would suffer tons of modifications along time - Did you know that the first remains found in the city are around 4.000 years old, dating back from the Neolithic Age? Some of the constructions were of course built during the Middle Ages, and were in fact of Gothic style (for instance, the Atarazanas Reales, even if they aren't technically in the Gothic Quarter), many of the buildings and monuments that we nowadays consider 'gothic' are in fact neo gothic, and were built in the 20th century! Let's explain it with an example - and quite an important one! The Barcelona Cathedral, called the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, was built between 1298 and 1420. It's undeniable that it is an old, historical building. But its façade was actually quite different than it is today. It was of Gothic style, yes, but it wasn't as impressive as it is now. The current façade was built in neo gothic style between 1882 and 1913.
The Barcelona Cathedral communicates with Plaça Sant Jaume (where you will find the Ajuntament de Barcelona, the city hall, and the palace of the Generalitat Government) through carrer del Bisbe (Bishop Street), where you will find a beautiful gothic bridge. It was actually built brand new in 1928! Same happens with Plaça del Rei, one of the most beautiful and impressive plazas of the Gothic Quarter, which was subject of several remodels to 'gothic it up', even if its basic structure wasn't changed.
And those are not the only examples. The Gothic Quarter was turned more gothic before 1929, right on time for Barcelona's Expo. So, of course, there's been a lot of controversy over its authenticity. However, it is indeed interesting to see how far back the Barcelona brand goes, since that is essential to understand the idiosyncrasies of the city as we know it today.
So, is the Gothic Quarter a historical place? Undoubtedly yes: The Gothic Quarter is the cradle of old Barcino, the oldest part of the city, and there you will find buildings from all ages and styles, reminiscences from the tragedy that was the Spanish Civil War (On the walls of the church in Plaça Sant Felip Neri, for instance, you can still see the shrapnel holes left by a bomb thrown in 1938), beautiful spots and interesting museums, and yes: You will find many 'gothic' details that are in fact neo-gothic, but that are a testimony of what the city of Barcelona has been growing into for the past century.
What to see and do in the Gothic Quarter
One thing is clear: However tricky the history of the Gothic Quarter might be, it is still a strikingly beautiful place, with tons of wonderful places to visit. So buckle up and get your notepad ready!
Of course, the Barcelona Cathedral is a must-visit. There is an entry fee (you pay on the spot), but its interior is as beautiful as its façade, and in the summerly months, you can visit the patio and see the 13 gooses that live there. Your kids will love it! After that, you can walk along carrer del Bisbe, and then make a right in a little street that may make you think you will get lost, but that will take you to one of the most beautiful and magical spots in the entire city: Plaça Sant Felip Neri. There, you will find a simple fountain and a church, but you will enjoy a quiet atmosphere and the shadows provided by the canopy of trees. It is amazing how you can hear the birds sing, while the nearest streets are packed with crowds of tourists! Plaça Sant Felip Neri is the favourite spot in the city of many locals, and you will surely understand why!
And the end of carrer del Bisbe, you will find Plaça Sant Jaume, where you will find the city hall (Casa de la Ciutat) and the Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya. And our top tip: You will also find a little sandwich shop called Conesa, which offers the best entrepans in town!
You can't miss the incredibly beautiful Plaça del Rei either, where you will find the Barcelona City History Museum, and the Palau Reial Major, nor the Plaça Reial (yes, they have similar names but are two very different places), a wonderful arched plaza full of palm trees and life. It's the perfect place to go out, too, since there you will find several popular clubs.
And there are some other important landmarks worth mentioning, because the Gothic Quarter is packed with them: The Basilica of La Mercè, the Church of Santa Maria del Pi, the remains of the Temple of Augustus or Els Quatre Gats, a beautiful restaurant that used to be the meeting point of the intellectual class of Barcelona in the late 19th and early 20th century. Picasso was one of the regulars!
Of course, don't miss out on the opportunity of doing some shopping in the Gothic Quarter, because there you will find many unique designer's boutiques and unique articles. Carrer Avinyó and its surroundings are some of the best.
Gothic Quarter online tickets
For most of the monuments, you won't need to get any Gothic Quarter online tickets in advance, since many of the interesting attractions are outside. Instead of getting Gothic Quarter online tickets, we recommend booking a tour along the quarter, since then you will learn lots about each particular monument. For instance, you can visit the Barcelona Cathedral, one of the top attractions in the neighbourhood, without buying any Gothic Quarter online tickets in advance.
However, it may be worth getting information of Gothic Quarter online tickets if you intend to visit any of the following monuments:
- Gothic Quarter online tickets: Palau de la Generalitat: The visit is free and includes a guided visit, but it can only be carried out the second and fourth weekend of every month. If you want to visit it, it's imperative that you book it online. Guided visits are offered in Spanish, Catalan, English and French.
- Gothic Quarter online tickets: MUHBA: Barcelona's History Museum offers the possibility of buying tickets in advance, with and audio guide service included (except for Sunday afternoons and the first Sunday of every month). There, you'll be able to learn a lot about the city - and you have seen now that it has a very interesting history indeed!
Other useful information
The Gothic Quarter is mainly a pedestrian area, and cars are not allowed in many of its streets - and, if they are, people still have preference. That makes it into a perfect place to let your children run free and wild (with measure!). Of course, there are still some places where cars are allowed, so be always careful. And be careful with pickpocketing, too, because the Gothic Quarter is one of the hot spots for crime in Barcelona - however, keep in mind that the city is very safe. Nonetheless, try not to get lost in the twisted little street in the Gothic Quarter late at night, since there is always the possibility of having to endure a sketchy situation. It's different during the day, though, since getting lost in the Gothic Quarter can be a wonderful experience!
There are no metro stops in the Gothic Quarter, but it is surrounded by them. In Las Ramblas, which is right next to it, you will find L3 (green) Liceu or Drassanes; and it Via Laietana, which borders the Gothic Quarter on its other end, you will find L4 (yellow) Jaume I. Plaça Catalunya and Urquinaona are at the two ends of its northern border, and you will be able to access L1 (red) there. It is very well communicated, and it is a short walk towards the beach!
Are you ready to visit Barcelona and make the most out of your Gothic Quarter online tickets? From GowithOh, we'll try to help you make your experience in the city unforgettable!
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