When you are packing to leave for Barcelona, you’re probably undecided on what to do when you arrive here or wonder where to stay in Barcelona and about what neighborhood to stay in. You can simply come to visit it or just stroll around. What we offer to the travelers that trust in us here at Vesping is to Live Barcelona, even if it’s only for two days!
Over the course of our lives, both professionally and personally, we have developed a different concept of tourism which is understood as hit and run. We like to live the places we visit and we love to feel part of them. A trip means to us a life experience that enriches our souls. This is why our motto is: Live Barcelona.
How to live Barcelona fully during your visit.
To live Barcelona means to us getting to know it in depth and to capture its essence. Naturally, the more available time you have the easier it’ll be for us to understand what you need, your dynamics and habits, but it is also possible to do this through an entire week or a weekend. Nevertheless, in this case, you will need the right advice from Vesping which will save you money and time but it will especially project you towards active tourism in which you will be the protagonist without having to follow common touristy places tips found on the pages of commercial tour guides.
Following, we will talk about where to stay in Barcelona to live it fully and originally, away from large masses of tourists concentrated in the most popular places of the city.
Choices in accommodations, apartments, and B&B are extraordinary which is why staying in Barcelona offers you a great array of options depending on your needs, likes and budget.
Gracia neighbourhood.
The neighborhood that we believe is the most beautiful and characteristic is undoubtedly Gracia.
Gracia, until the early 90s was a town where the inhabitants of Barcelona used to spend their vacations. In fact, just look at a map of the city to understand how the district of Gracia is located in the famous Eixample (famous for its urban design of a modern city).
The district is full of old shops that are still standing today. There are carpenters, blacksmiths, and shoemakers, as well as artists of all kinds. Without any doubt, it is one of the most autochthonous neighborhoods, formed by small pedestrian streets and many small squares where we spend the nights, especially those of summer.
By the way, if you are thinking about coming in August, you should know that the third week of the month is the most beautiful of the year. Yes, you have understood well. Every year the festival of Gracia is repeated for a week, 24 hours a day. A true popular carnival, where the inhabitants of the neighborhood, recycle material of all kinds and for eleven months prepare this festival which is one of the most beautiful and colorful in the world. Free concerts, Castellers, fireworks, dragons and many other surprises that you won’t miss.
So, if you plan to Live Barcelona, consider this district, in the heart of the city, where the relationship between quality and price is excellent. With lots of restaurants, taperÃas (tapas restaurants) and taverns, all local, it is impossible to feel like a “tourist” out of the water.
Poble Sec neighborhood.
Another beautiful neighborhood in one of the best areas in Barcelona, authentic, colorful and full of life is Poble Sec.
Located between Avenida Paralelo and Montjuic, adjacent to the Plaza de España, Poble Sec has several facets. Walking through its pedestrian streets makes you remember Old Havana sometimes. It is no coincidence that a large Caribbean community is settled in Poble Sec and its accent is easy to grasp. The district has several shops, taperÃas, and old vermouth. The “street” Blai is the street of the pinchos (skewers) and tapas.
For music and concert lovers, in Poble Sec you will find the Apolo Theater, where there are extraordinary concerts 7 days a week (reggae, flamenco, etc.) and then, later in the night, when concerts are finished, this old theater turns into a night club.
Staying in Poble Sec can be a good option, both for its central position and its multicultural environment. If you are interested in knowing the aspect of integration, music, and tapas then find and book a place to stay in this neighborhood. We are sure that you will like it.
Poble Nou neighborhood.
If, on the contrary, you are the type of people who love the beach, like sports and the sun’s rays and also want to know Barcelona in the hot season (April-October), then you should stay in Poble Nou.
Unlike the neighborhood of Barceloneta, where there are very few local people (those who stayed are now justifiably tourism phobic) and where on the beach there is no space even standing, the Poble Nou has large and bright streets. With old and modern buildings, the promenade is wonderful.
You will find outdoor gyms, miles of bike trails, skate tracks, surf schools, and many other services. The beaches (except in August) are not full of people but of “chiringuitos” that open from morning until 2 a.m.
Speaking of beaches, if you come to Poble Nou and forget your bathing suit, there is no problem. You can go to the nudist beach of Marbella, where you can be totally in touch with nature. The only advice we can give is to use the phone as little as possible and avoid taking photos or videos at all costs because it could incur a collective lynching. As in all nude beaches, even Barcelona has unwritten rules. One of them is precise, discretion. Follow it and you will be welcome.
Staying in Poble Nou, where, among other things, there is a beautiful Rambla, is ideal for those who cannot live without the sea and for those who choose to live in Barcelona their holidays in absolute relaxation. In other words, it is for those who come to get rid of the stress of the city.
So your days could start with a race on the beach and end with a Caipiroska and good music at sunset. In the middle, you have plenty of time to explore the center of the city.
In our opinion (we have been here for 20 years!), if you also believe that “I travel, ergo sum” and “Sum, ergo I travel”, then these three neighborhoods are for you. We have no perception of urban traffic, buses, horns and noise, and atmospheric pollution. Mix with local people until you feel part of them. We are sure you will come back!
If you need more advice or tips, contact us or come rent one of our Vespas with our GPS loaded with unique routes and many suggestions.
We are here to help you whenever you need us … as long as you are a traveler and not a tourist. 🙂