Get ready to lose yourself in Barcelona's oldest quarter, where every corner reveals centuries of history. Wander from the Gothic quiet near the Barcelona Cathedral to the grand scale of the Arc de Triomf, and explore the bohemian haunts of El Born Centre Cultural and Els Quatre Gats. From the seaside views at Barceloneta Beach to the iconic Columbus Monument, your perfect walking itinerary starts right here.
Arc de Triomf
Passeig de Lluís Companys, Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
Unlike most triumphal arches, this one isn't celebrating a military victory.
Barcelona Cathedral
Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, Spain
Christians have been worshipping on this spot since the fourth century, and the building you see today is the third church to stand here.
Barceloneta Beach
Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
Thirty-five years ago, this beach didn't exist.
Columbus Monument
Plaza Portal de la Pau, Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, 08002, Spain
The idea to build this monument came from a man named Antonin Fages i Ferrer in 1856, and it took him sixteen years of failed attempts before Barcelona's mayor finally backed the project in 1872.
El Born Centre Cultural
12 Plaça Comercial, Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
In 2001, workers digging foundations for a new library accidentally uncovered an entire neighborhood that had been buried for three centuries.
Els Quatre Gats
3 Carrer de Montsio, Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, 08002, Spain
In 1899, a seventeen-year-old Pablo Picasso walked into this cafe on Carrer de Montsio and held his first solo exhibition in the main room.
Gothic Quarter
Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, Spain
Here's the thing about Barcelona's Gothic Quarter: a surprising amount of it isn't actually Gothic.
La Boqueria
91 La Rambla, Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, 08002, Spain
People have been selling meat at this spot since 1217 — that's over 800 years of commerce on the same patch of ground.
La Rambla
La Rambla, Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, 08002, Spain
Before this was Barcelona's most famous promenade, it was an open sewer.
Palau de la Musica Catalana
4 Carrer del Palau de la Música, Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
This concert hall is so extravagantly decorated that when it opened in 1908, some critics thought it was vulgar.
Explore Ciutat Vella with VoiceWalks
GPS-guided narration at every landmark. Tap a spot on the map, hear the story.