Gothic Quarter is the most old part of Barcelona. Gothic Quarter begins from plaza Catalunya extended to La Rambla St. till Via Laietana. The Quarter’s name was given in regards to buildings from medieval centuries when Aragon was one of the strongest powers in the Mediterranean sea. The chaotic layout typical of medieval cities has been preserved in the Gothic Quarter. The Quarter consists of tiny and crooked streets, many of which are only used for walking. Most of the buildings are from XIV—XV centuries, however some Roman buildings survived too. The quarter was inhabited during the reign of Octavian Augustus. On the St. Jacob square former was the roman forum. Parts of roman walls were saved between streets Carrer de la Tapineria and del Sots-Tinent Navarro. The Cathedral of Saint Eulalia was the center of the Gothic Quarter. In the 1920s, the quarter was restored, and now it includes many museums and shops.
How do you get to the Gothic quarter?
Best way to get to the Gothic quarter is by metro stations Jaume I (L4) or Liceu(L1). The other option is to use a travel bus like Hop on. Also it depends which location in Gothic quarter you want to reach.
Places near Gothic quarter you should visit or sketch
Plaza Catalunya
One of the biggest squares in Spain. Connecting the old and modern parts of the city. Catalunya square is considered the most important place in Barcelona and the center of the city. The plaza hosts events like festivals and concerts, fairs, sport events and others.
La Rambla
One of the main streets in Barcelona. Here you can find shops, malls, restaurants, entertainment, metro stations and probably everything. You may sit in some restaurant and sketch busy city life, people or your food.
Flamenco at Plaza Reial
General concept of Flamenco is southern Spanish music. Which gave rise to song, dance and instrumental performance style. Flamenco will not leave you indifferent, highly recommend to visit one of the performances in Barcelona. I was at Los Tarantos at Placa Reial in the Gothic Quarter and saw flamenco. I was impressed by the songs and dances that tell you a story about love and pain. The rhythm of Flamenco and the vibe is crazy. Visit official site for times and tickets.
Beaches
One of the big advantages of Barcelona is that you enjoy not only urban vibes and Gaudi Architecture. You may choose to spend your day or morning on the beach swimming, relaxing and enjoying. There are several beaches in Barcelona, you only need to choose!
Aquarium of Barcelona
Barcelona Aquarium is located at Port Vell. It includes 35 aquariums which are home for 11,000 animals representing 451 species. Highly recommend visiting there, especially with kids. For the sketching lovers it will be challenging to sketch the fishes and other inhabitants. But it is worth trying. Also you can get inspiration for your sketching or abstract works, because of vibrant colors, shapes, dots and lines of different species. Plan your visit here.
These were just a highlights of Gothic Quarter area. In general, Barcelona is a big city with a lot of things to do. My next post will be about Monjuic mountain and nearest area. See you there.
