Gothic Quarter: the old town of Barcelona
The Barri Gòtic is the oldest part of Barcelona, built over the Roman town of Barcino. Its lanes are too narrow for cars, its squares open suddenly, and at its centre stands the Cathedral, Gothic inside and neo-Gothic on its front.
- What it is
- Walk
- Time to allow
- 1.5 to 3 hours
- Cost
- Free to walk, a ticket for the Cathedral's roof and choir
- Best time
- Early in the morning, before the shops open
Barcelona this week
Why the Gothic Quarter is worth it
The Romans founded Barcino on the low hill where the Cathedral now stands, and stretches of their walls still run through the quarter. In the Middle Ages it was the seat of the counts of Barcelona and the kings of Aragon, and of the city's bishops.
The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia was built from the end of the thirteenth century to the fifteenth. Its great front was added only at the turn of the twentieth, in the Gothic manner, paid for by a banker.
Much of what looks medieval in the quarter was restored or rebuilt in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the carved bridge over the Carrer del Bisbe among it, of 1928. It is still the most atmospheric part of the city to wander.
What to see
The Cathedral
A tall Gothic nave, chapels lit by candles, and the crypt of Saint Eulalia, the young martyr who is one of the city's patrons.
The cloister
A garden of palms and orange trees, with thirteen white geese, one for each year of Saint Eulalia's life.
The roof
A lift takes visitors up to the Cathedral's roof, with a view over the tiled roofs of the old town.
The Plaça del Rei
The square of the old royal palace, with the great hall of the Saló del Tinell and the City History Museum, which shows the Roman town beneath it.
The Pont del Bisbe
The carved neo-Gothic bridge over the Carrer del Bisbe, the quarter's most photographed corner.
The Call
The lanes of the medieval Jewish quarter, around the Carrer de Sant Domènec del Call.
How to do it well
- Go early in the morning, before the lanes fill with shoppers and groups.
- The Cathedral is a working church: dress to cover shoulders and knees.
- A walking tour with a guide is the quickest way to find the Roman walls and the hidden squares.
- Santa Maria del Mar and the Born are ten minutes' walk east, across the Via Laietana.
Where it is
Address
Between La Rambla and the Via Laietana, around the Pla de la Seu
Nearest station
Jaume I (line 4), three minutes from the Cathedral, or Liceu (line 3)
Museums and sights nearby
- Palau de la Música Catalana400 m
- Picasso Museum400 m
- Casa Batlló1.3 km
- La Pedrera (Casa Milà)1.7 km
Distances are in a straight line.
Tickets and tours: Gothic Quarter and the Cathedral
Gothic Quarter and the Cathedral: common questions
- Is the Gothic Quarter really medieval?
- Partly. The streets follow the Roman and medieval town, and there are Roman walls, Gothic churches and palaces, but much was restored or rebuilt in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including the Cathedral's front and the bridge over the Carrer del Bisbe.
- Why are there geese in Barcelona Cathedral?
- Thirteen white geese live in the cloister, one for each year of the life of Saint Eulalia, the young martyr to whom the Cathedral is dedicated.
- How long should you spend in the Gothic Quarter?
- Two to three hours on foot, with the Cathedral, the Plaça del Rei and a coffee in one of its squares.
- How much time do you need for the Gothic Quarter?
- Allow 1.5 to 3 hours. That is this site's estimate for an unhurried visit.
What visitors say about the Gothic Quarter
Rating from Google
Things to do near the Gothic Quarter
The nearest of this site's best things to do in the city. Distances are in a straight line.
- 17Eat your way through Barcelona on a tapas walk150 m awayWalk, 2.5 to 3.5 hours, a tour, or the bill
- 9Look up at the glass sun of the Palau de la Música400 m awayMonument, 50 to 120 minutes, ticket for a visit, or a concert
- 6See how Picasso became Picasso at his Barcelona museum400 m awayMuseum, 1.5 to 2.5 hours, ticket, free at set times with a booking
- 10Walk La Rambla and eat at La Boqueria450 m awayWalk, 1 to 2 hours, free to walk
Artists to see near the Gothic Quarter
The museums nearest to here, and the most famous artists on show in each.
Picasso Museum, 400 m away
Fundació Joan Miró, 2.2 km away
Where to eat near the Gothic Quarter
The nearest of the famous tables this site lists in Barcelona. Distances are in a straight line.
- Mesón del Café4.5Café, Gothic Quarter150 m away
- Granja Dulcinea4.2Granja, Carrer de Petritxol300 m away
- Els Quatre Gats4.1Café and restaurant, Casa Martí300 m away
- Can Culleretes4.3Restaurant, Gothic Quarter350 m away
Hotels near the Gothic Quarter
The five-star hotels closest to it, of those this site lists in Barcelona. Distances are in a straight line.
- Grand Hotel Central4.5Five-star hotel, Via Laietana150 m away
- Mercer Hotel Barcelona4.6Five-star hotel, Gothic Quarter300 m away
- El Palace Barcelona4.6Five-star hotel, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes900 m away
- Cotton House Hotel4.6Five-star hotel, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes950 m away