What to do in barceloneta: Barceloneta Beach Spain: The Best Guide to La Barceloneta – Offbeat Escapades – Conoce las especies de Puerto Rico

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May 8, 2023
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What to do in barceloneta: Barceloneta Beach Spain: The Best Guide to La Barceloneta – Offbeat Escapades

Barceloneta Beach Spain: The Best Guide to La Barceloneta – Offbeat Escapades

Barceloneta Beach Spain or La Barceloneta is one of our favorite neighborhoods in the city of Barcelona. This adorable seaside district is home to Barcelona’s best beaches, beautiful architecture, and delicious tapas.

Chances are if you’re headed to the city, you have most likely included Barceloneta Beach Spain or the area of La Barceloneta into your planned itinerary.

However, if you’re looking for specific things to do in Barceloneta Beach, how to get there, the history, and the best hotels to stay at nearby – then this travel guide on Barceloneta Beach Spain has got you covered.

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Barceloneta Beach Facts

How to Get to Barceloneta Beach

Things to Do in Barceloneta Beach

Budget Hotels on Barceloneta Beach

Final Thoughts on Barceloneta Beach Spain

Barceloneta Beach Facts

Overview of Barceloneta Beach Spain

Barcelona Beach or La Barceloneta is located in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain.

A former fishing village, here are some Barcelona Beach Facts that you should know before going:

Being bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, Barcelona Beach Spain used to be a fishermen’s village.
La Barceloneta, as it is today, was constructed by local residents during the 18th century. Prior to this time, it was unvisited except by fishermen.
Barcelona Beach Spain is one of the oldest beaches in the city. Legend says it was the place that inspired Miguel de Cervantes for the battle between the Knight of the White Moon and Don Quixote.
It is known for its sandy beaches and plethora of restaurants and bars that line its boardwalk.
La Barceloneta comprises of four main beaches: Sant Sebastià near the iconic W Barcelona Hotel. The main beach of Barceloneta with its fine sands. Sant Miquel, the setting for the L’Estel Ferit sculpture. And Somorrostro, which is the right beside the Port Olímpic.
The W Barcelona was first opened in 2009 and has become quite the controversial icon within Barceloneta Beach. Going to the seaside, you won’t miss its eclectic style, similar to the shape of a boat sail. It has been named one of the best hotels in Europe but also one that has been scandalized by various environmental issues.

How to Get to Barceloneta Beach

How to Get to Barceloneta Beach by Metro

To get to Barceloneta Beach Spain by metro:

Take the Yellow Line (Metro Line 4) to Metro Stop: Barceloneta.
If you specifically want to get to the marina area of La Barceloneta, walk straight along the street of Passeig de Joan de Borbo for 10 minutes until you see the beach.

How to Get to Barceloneta Beach by Walking

It is also possible to walk to Barceloneta Beach Spain as it’s not very far from the city center:

From the end of La Rambla (around the area of Rambla de Santa Monica or Rambla del Mar), it takes about 20 to 25 minutes. Below is a map of the walking trail you can follow to Barceloneta Beach Spain.

How to Get to Barceloneta Beach by Bus

Although not as fast as the metro method, to get to Barceloneta Beach Spain by bus:

Take the Bus D20, 45, 59 to Bus Stop: Almirral Cervera or Passeig Maritim.
Alternatively, you can join the Big Ben Hop On Hop Off Bus and get off the Bus Stop: Barceloneta.

Things to Do in Barceloneta Beach

Stroll around Port Olímpic and the connected Promenade

The Port’s history dates back to the 1992 Summer Olympics, in which the structure was originally formed to accommodate. Today, it acts as a beautiful harbor to relax and enjoy the views of the sea and the sand. There is even a fish sculpture that was designed by Frank Gehry called the Piex Olímpic.

It is also connected to the rest of the promenade that lines the beach where you can walk from the port to as far as W Barcelona.

Ride the Cable Car to Montjuïc

Parc de Montjuïc is a great and unique sight in Barcelona but one of the harder places to reach. Fortunately, one can take the cable car to Montjuïc Hill.

The ride itself provides beautiful aerial views of the ocean and the entire Barcelona city. It’s a different bird’s eye as what you would normally see in places like Parc Guell.

Relax and Soak Up the Sun in Barceloneta Beach Spain

Barcelona maintains dominantly warm weather all throughout the year. Simply basking in the sun and enjoying the vibes is the best thing to do in Barcelona Beach Spain.

There are also water sports available should you choose to do so. Barceloneta Beach offers kitesurfing and windsurfing as a fun activity to engage in. Otherwise, you can do sports on your own by playing beach volleyball or football.

Admire the lines of yachts by Port Vell

The path along Port Vell offers stunning views of the lines of yachts that line the port. If you’re into the boats or photography, this spot is a winner.

Should you want to do something more than admire the yachts, Port Vell also houses the Museum of Catalan History – a museum that tells the history of the Catalan region and what makes it unique from other parts of Spain.

Check out the whimsical L’Estel Ferit

L’Estel Ferit (or the Wounded Shooting Star) is an interesting sculpture by the beach that will surely catch your eye. Barcelona is no stranger to eclectic architecture and this one lives up to its name.

It is located at the area of the Sant Miquel, where four cubes are seemingly stacked on top of each other in random order. It’s worth checking out and taking photographs of its cool structure.

Enjoy the Tapas and Drinks in Seaside Restaurants and Bars

Barceloneta Beach is home to some of the best restaurants and bars, promising a beautiful and relaxing atmosphere of the Mediterranean Sea.

Some of the noteworthy ones to look into are La Deliciosa, Santa Marta, Lal Guingueta, Escriba, Jefferson and Cal Pinxo.

Either way, whichever restaurant or bar you choose to dine within the area of Barcelona Beach Spain, we honestly think you can’t wrong with Spanish cuisine and their delicious tapas and paellas.

Walk to the W Barcelona

As mentioned, W Barcelona is one of the most iconic yet controversial buildings that can be found in Barcelona Beach Spain. With its noteworthy shape, you can’t miss it as you walk through the beach and marina area.

It’s worth checking out and coming closer to the hotel, or even dining at its beautiful seaside restaurant and partying at its rooftop club.

Discover the Old Town of La Barceloneta

Now the beachside area is not only the beautiful part of La Barceloneta, it’s also a great experience to walk around the historical town center of the district.

The streets leading up to the beach are surrounded by beautifully colored buildings with small balconies, narrow streets, and palm trees all around.

We recommend checking out Placa de la Barceloneta and Carrer de la Maquinista. These areas are full of interesting alleyways and locals flooding out of bars and restaurants especially during the early evening.

There is a sort of buzzing energy to La Barceloneta where you can see how rich and lively the culture is in this part of Barcelona.

Budget Hotels on Barceloneta Beach

If you are still looking for where to stay in Barcelona, La Barceloneta is a great neighbourhood to look into. Imagine waking up and being walking distance to the beach already. It’s one of the biggest draws to staying at this area, aside from the many great restaurants and bars that you can enjoy – whether breakfast, lunch or dinner.

There are many options on where to stay near Barceloneta Beach Spain and it doesn’t have to be expensive. Below we’ve compiled a list of great hotels to check out with a rate of no more than 55 euros per night for two people.

Hostal Nuevo Colon
– Room rates for two people start at 37 euros per night.
Hostal Nitzs Bcn
– Room rates for two people with shared bathroom start at 45 euros per night.
Unite Hostel Barcelona
– Room rates for two people start at 55 euros per night.
Hotel Oasis
– Room rates for two people start at 50 euros per night.
Hostal Drassanes
– Room rates for two people start at 55 euros per night.

Final Thoughts on Barceloneta Beach Spain

So there you have it! This is the ultimate guide to visiting Barceloneta Beach Spain. From learning about Barceloneta Beach Facts, how to get to Barceloneta Beach, the best things to do in Barceloneta Beach and finally, a list of great budget hotels on Barceloneta Beach – we hope this answers any questions and doubts you had about visiting the neighbourhood.

Being so close to the city center and La Rambla, La Barceloneta is definitely a must-see for your trip to Barcelona. With its fine sands, architectural sights, great food, relaxed ambiance, and cultural historic sights – there is a an unparalleled beauty to this seaside district.

What about you? Have you been to Barcelona? Did you get to see the area of Barceloneta Beach? Let us know of your travel experiences or questions in the comments below!

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WHAT TO DO IN BARCELONETA DISTRICT

The word “Barceloneta” means little Barcelona in Catalan, and it’s the name of the city’s fisherman district, located at the bottom of the Old Town, between the Port Vell marina and the local beaches.

The origin of la Barceloneta started after in 1714 the city was defeated by the Bourbon forces and we were punished in many different ways for having opposed the new King Phillip the Fifth. The inhabitants of a large portion of the Born district were kicked out of their homes and their neighborhood flattened to leave room for a new citadel that would be pointing their cannons towards the city and remind people they were being watched.

The people evicted from that area were offered plots in a new district that would be built on a small cape in the Barcelona coast, that had appeared when the sediments carried by the sea eventually connected the small island of Mayans with the beach. However, the area wouldn’t be developed until 40 years later, when the urban plan was executed following military architecture designs and populated by people that worked mostly in jobs related to the sea.

Nowadays the Barceloneta district is still home to some active fishermen, and attracts both locals and tourists to its beaches, tapas bars and seafood restaurants. Get to know its secrets with us!

WALK AROUND THE OLD BARCELONA WITH OUR PRIVATE GUIDES

This is what you shouldn’t miss in the Barceloneta district:

Marques de la Quadra street

The view of this street from one of its ends gives you an accurate idea of what a “military street plan” means: long, straight and not too wide streets that might remind you of a military camp site where the tents have become buildings. This is a good street to see a very typical scene of the district: cloths hanging to dry on the balconies – lots of them. While it is supposedly forbidden to do that (the city council founds it gives a decadent image), it is tolerated because the neighbors have no choice: their apartments are so small.

And I mean REALLY small: so much locals call them “quarters of apartment” (quarts de casa) and that’s what they actually are. It seems that during the 1900’s due to the immigration waves, homes consisting of street level and one floor were “halved” into separate apartments, that eventually were divided again in quarters.

So no room to dry your laundry inside: the balconies (or even some lines attached to the façade by the entrance door in the street level where anyone could take the cloths away – except that you’ll often see a neighbor seating close by and watching) have become the place to hang up the clothes.

Fishermen Guild

The Confraria de Pescadors is the local association that protects the rights of the local fishermen and represents their interests in front of the institutions. Locals have been fishing since the Roman times, and fishermen were already organized in a guild in the Medieval Times. They contributed with money to the construction of Santa Maria del Mar in the 1300’s, and eventually moved their headquarters to the newly built Sant Miquel del Port in 1753.

Later on in 1772 the first lighthouse of Barcelona and one of the first in the Mediterranean Sea was built: the Torre del Rellotge (Clock Tower), that can still be seen in one angle of the pier, reinforcing the fishing and sailing character of the district. The Fishermen Guild is open for visits but it must be booked in advance.

El Negre de la Riba

“The Black Man of the Seaside” is a ship figurehead that watches you from a wall in Andrea Doria street. It was first purchased by a nautical store when the ship that decorated it was dismantled after a fire. It was used by several local restaurants as decoration, until it was bought by a gentleman that took it with him to the North of the city where he lived (it is said the Barceloneta people missed the figurehead so much they’d cross the city to pay it visits!), until it was offered to Maritime museum where the original is preserved – Sorry! The one in Andrea Doria street is only a very good copy!

Although funnily enough, the one in the museum isn’t black anymore: it was restored and they discovered that the sculpture was originally… not a black man but an Iroquois! So it was given back its original bright American-Indian colors, while the copy in La Barceloneta remains black and loyal to the tradition.

Parc de la Barceloneta

In the Eastern side of the Barceloneta District, where the neighborhood limits with the modern Olympic Village, expands a park of recent creation that reminds you of the Industrial past of the area. Because fishing and navigation haven’t been the only economical engines of the district: during the Industrial Revolution La Barceloneta also housed important factories that employed many locals.

In the park you’ll find a pergola made out of the structure of an old gas tank, and a water tower also belonging to the Gas Company of Barcelona (that by the way has returned to the neighborhood with a spectacular glass building by Miralles & Tagliabue nearby), as well as the entrance gate of the Maquinista Terrestre i Marítima, once one of the most important metallurgical companies in Spain.

Estel Ferit

The Wounded Star, or more commonly called “The Cubes” due to its shape, is a contemporary sculpture by Rebecca Horn from 1992 that pays tribute to the Barceloneta district. What it really represents is unclear: some say it might be a crumbling abandoned lighthouse, while other see a representation of the buildings and the cheap food kiosks that were demolished when the area was refurbished in preparation for the 1992 Olympics.

Until then, the city had lost its connection with the sea, and the port and beaches had entered in decadence and were mostly avoided by the locals. This sculpture has become a symbol of the recovery of the Barcelona waterfront, and it’s a great point from where to watch la Barceloneta beach.

AND BONUS! Here is where to eat after exploring the Barceloneta district:

Eating in La Barceloneta

For a quick bite, don’t miss the fabulous breads of the Baluart Bakery. For very cheap fish, go to Los Maños. For an adventure, try to find La Cova Fumada (there’s no street number or sign at the door: just push it open and go in to try their bombas and tapas). To eat in the oldest building of the neighborhood, go to Can Ramonet. For a meal by the sea, head to Ca la Nuri Platja. And for the best rice, don’t miss Can Solé. More ideas on where to eat in La Barceloneta here.

What’s your favorite thing to do in La Barceloneta: eating, swimming or walking around?

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AUTHOR BIO

Marta is the founder of ForeverBarcelona. She is a passionate tour guide that loves Barcelona and loves writing too. She is the main author of our Blog, and is committed to sharing her knowledge about Barcelona and her best tips with our readers.

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Of course, there are many more interesting places in this city, but first, check out the top locations. If you want to get everywhere without a queue and at a discount, take the City Pass. Follow this link to find individual tickets for all the most famous attractions. And do not deny yourself the pleasure of ordering a tour in Russian, so as not only to admire, but also to learn a lot of new things. And to save money, you can download our audio guide.

This is a temple of incredible beauty in the Eixample district, on which the great architect Antonio Gaudí worked since 1884. Work on the Sagrada Familia became the main goal of his life. Unfortunately, he died in 1925, never having finished building his great brainchild. The Sagrada Familia has not been completed even now, but the municipality plans to complete its construction in 2025, on the centenary of the death of the great architect.

Buildings of the 14th-15th centuries, as well as some buildings from Antiquity, have survived to this day. Between Carrer de la Tapineria and del Sots-Tinent Navarro you can see the remains of the Roman wall, in the center is the beautiful Cathedral of Saint Eulalia and the chapel. Most of the streets in this area are very narrow and winding and closed to traffic, which gives it a special atmosphere.

more than a kilometer of a more beautiful pedestrian from Plaza Catalunya to the sea is almost always filled with walking tourists and locals, musicians, artists who will draw your portrait on paper in a matter of minutes, magicians and sellers of various pleasant trifles. This is the most famous avenue in Barcelona, consisting of five small boulevards that are elegantly connected to each other.

The opening of the monument to Christopher Columbus was timed to coincide with the 1888 World’s Fair. A seven-meter bronze statue of the navigator crowns a metal column, which is located directly opposite the old port, where this traveler moored after the discovery of America. If you want to view the center from a height of 60 meters, take the elevator, which is located inside the column, to the observation deck. From there you have a superb view of the Rambla, the mountains and the port of Barcelona.

Science has never been more exciting than in this amazing museum! According to thousands of travelers, this is the best science museum in existence. It has hundreds of interactive exhibits that visually talk about the laws of nature. It will be interesting not only for children, but also for adults to conduct physical experiments and discover for themselves the train of thought of great scientists.

Right inside the museum building, you will be surprised to find a piece of the real Amazonian jungle and see how their inhabitants live. The next building houses a digital planetarium. This is a real window into space, where astronomical theories, discoveries and secrets of the universe are told through digital performances. In the evening, in good weather, thanks to the technology of the planetarium, you can enjoy the view of the close stars and planets.

For many people, Barceloneta is beaches, but there are also many interesting things to do in the coastal area. Walking or cycling through the park, where the modernist Torre de les Aigües rises, or along the narrow southern streets, you will leave pleasant memories of the atmosphere of this area. There are no fancy buildings here, but there are many bars and restaurants for every taste. Some of them even overlook the Mediterranean Sea.

Museum dedicated to the work of the famous artist from Malaga, located in five Gothic buildings of the 13th-15th centuries. The collection of the museum, opened on the initiative of Pablo Picasso himself, has more than 4,200 unique works, so the queues at the box office can upset anyone. We recommend that you take care of tickets in advance (here you can get a pass to 6 of the most popular museums at once). In addition to other paintings, here you can get acquainted with the famous Las Meninas series, the prototype of which was the work of the same name by Diego Velázquez.

Once upon a time, 360-degree visibility was of strategic importance. Turo de la Rovira was built in 1937, from here the defense was carried out during the civil war. After the victory of the Phalanx, the fortifications were destroyed, even the real name of the place was lost, but a beautiful view of the city remained. Now the observation deck of the “bunker” has become a favorite place for selfies.

In one of the corners of the park there is the oldest garden in the city. It was broken in 1802 and until 1967 was intended exclusively for the private walks of its owners. The name of the park is not a joke, it really has a labyrinth of cypresses. Be careful – it’s really hard to get out of it. While you are looking for a way out, you will be accompanied by figures from classical mythology, such as Eros. Children will most of all like another section of the park, where real green sculptures are created from living shrubs.

Since 1990, the National Art Museum of Catalonia has mainly exhibited the work of local artists, sculptors and photographers, and all temporary exhibitions are directly related to Catalan art. Here you can see objects belonging to different eras from Romanesque times to the middle of the 20th century. The museum boasts an excellent collection of numismatics, numbering more than 135,000 items from the 6th century BC. BC. Until now. And from the observation deck of the museum you can enjoy the beautiful panorama of Barcelona.

In Madrid, there is a “zero kilometer” from where all countries start. And Barcelona has its own Plaza Catalunya, which symbolically fulfills the same role for Barcelona. From here, by the way, the Rambla and de Gracia avenues begin, along which any self-respecting tourist should definitely walk at least once. It would be good to keep this area in mind as a guideline when traveling around the Catalan capital.

In a city by the sea, there simply cannot be a Maritime Museum. The building represents the royal shipyards built between 1283 and 1390. In addition to this monument of Gothic architecture, at present you can see models of caravels, on which Columbus made his first trip to the American shores, documents, tools and objects that accompanied him during this historical event. Outside the museum, you can also visit the schooner Santa Eulalia, also owned by MMB, for a fee (€3).