A sunbathed seaside culture infuses La Barceloneta from beginning to end. By day, bikes and skateboards glide down the boardwalk that lines the neighborhood's world-class beaches. By night, fresh seafood restaurants and casual bars keep the noise level at a constant hum. What La Barceloneta lacks in contemplative serenity, it makes up for with its old-world charm and the affability of families who have lived along its winding sidestreets for generations.
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On the Map
La Barceloneta is within Ciutat Vella and bordered by El Born, La Vila Olímpica, Sants-Montjuïc, El Poble-sec, El Raval, Sant Martí, Sant Pere/Santa Caterina, and El Gòtic
La Barceloneta: The City's Seaside Escape
Before Barcelona hosted the Olympic Games in 1992, La Barceloneta was a modest, everyday fishing village.
Since the Games, visitors and Barcelonans have fallen further in love with this picturesque seaside escape.
Its citizenry is still modest in attitude, but the buildings that surround its urban beaches have grown into tall glass towers.
Now, the weekend brings walkers, skaters, surfers, and sun goddesses to bask along La Barceloneta's boardwalks and beaches.
Behind the modern soaring complexes, the neighborhood still adheres to its rustic, elegantly weathered ambiance.
It's true that La Barceloneta's skyline has drastically changed in the past twenty years.
The stark contrast between sleek and simple make La Barceloneta that much more alluring.
In this neighborhood, it's easy to contemplate the past while looking toward the future.
You just have to dive under the surface.
Platja de Sant Sebastià: A Beach In the City
Once a flamenco outpost and beach-shack village, the arrival of the Olympic Games spurred the transformation of Sant Sebastià into a polished, urban beach environment.
Warm sand and refreshing saltwater beckon urban beach-goers to the shores of La Barceloneta.
In this neighborhood, it's easy to escape worry. All you need is a deck chair and an eye to the sea.
The boardwalk traces the curvature of the shore so it's effortless to explore the coast without getting sand in your shoes.
Sant Sebastià attracts active bodies and boardwalk performers to partake in countless oceanside activities.
The Taste of the Mediterranean
La Barceloneta's restaurants boast some of the city's freshest seafood.
With ingredients straight from the sea, it's common to find the neighborhood's culinary establishments vying for the honor of serving Barcelona's best paella.
It's not hard to source the right ingredients for paella when the local markets offer food as fresh as those in La Barceloneta.
Vestiges of the neighborhood's seafaring origins still hint at its fishing-village past.
This non-profit building was once Santa Maria de Cervelló, a temple that served as the gathering place for prayer when a sailor was in danger.
Beyond La Barceloneta's Beaches
Balconies crowded with clotheslines punctuate the facades of La Barceloneta's endearingly slanted apartments.
Locals celebrate their charm and simplicity.
Life on the streets of La Barceloneta carries a certain charm all its own.
The beach is surely beautiful, but if you take the time to look around you'll notice something nice about La Barceloneta.
Beauty is everywhere.
Photography
Airbnb works with local photographers to capture the spirit of neighborhoods all around the world. The photography on this page includes work by:
Lorenzo Vecchia
Lorenzo Vecchia is a Barcelona-based photographer specialising in architecture, interiors and still life. He is fascinated by digital photography as the creative process continues beyond the moment when the image is captured. Working out of his studio in Barcelona's old town, his graphic aesthetic has led him to work for a variety of clients from advertising through to editorial and design.
The Weaver House
Hannah and Kelty are twin sisters from Portland, Oregon. After studying foreign languages together at Stanford University they parted ways, moving to Barcelona & San Francisco. Re-uniting in 2010, they launched The Weaver House: a collaboration in photography, design, and fashion. They shoot with polaroid, 35mm and digital, gravitating toward organic and unique personalities, spaces, and unions.