Most people who go to La Barceloneta do it on their way to the beach. We have already talked about the beach in another post, but now we want to talk about the neighborhood. The neighborhood of La Barceloneta was built in the 18th century, and in fact until just before it was under the sea. It is built in a grid, just as it would be with the Eixample district in the 19th century (we have it here). But unlike the Eixample, La Barceloneta has always been a poor neighborhood. His neighbors were basically fishermen or workers.
The center of the neighborhood, as almost always in Barcelona, is the Mercado (Plaça Poeta Boscà). We can start our walk around here. In the same square is the bakery Baluard (Baluard 38), which is where we always buy bread. It is a nice walk from home, and then the children can play a while in the playground. The bread called Barceloneta is spectacular.
Originally the houses in the neighborhood were all much lower than you see now, and they were all similar to each other. There are very few left, but you can visit one in Carrer Sant Carles 6.
You see that in the photo you see a blue and yellow flag. It’s the flag of the neighborhood, and you’ll see it on many balconies. It is a way for neighbors to protest the turistification of the neighborhood. They complain that the rent is going up a lot because of tourist rentals, and many neighbors have to go to other neighborhoods.
When you have visited the house you can go back to the market square, and from there look for some of the streets that go down to the beach, such as Meer Street or its parallels. All have a certain Mediterranean air, with neighbors chatting in the afternoon on the street and clothes hanging on the balconies.
When you get to the seafront you can take a walk around there. It’s nice early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
Our favorite bar on the promenade is Santa Marta (Grau i Torras 59), where you can rest for a while. Another option is to go for the walk to the Parque de la Barceloneta, where there is a bar in the shade that is usually quite quiet right in front of a playground.
Here there was the first gas factory, of which a part is still preserved. During the nineteenth century large factories were installed in the neighborhood.
Many people from Barcelona go to Barceloneta to eat paella (we talk in this other post) or tapas (you have many bars throughout the neighborhood, for example on Balboa Street). But we prefer the small restaurant Nass (Judici 5), with a good lunch menu.