Gràcia

Gràcia is the neighbourhood that many Barcelona residents would choose if they could live anywhere, and spending an afternoon here shows why. Until the end of the nineteenth century it was a separate town on the plain above the old city, and when Barcelona's Eixample grid grew out to meet it, Gràcia was absorbed into the city but kept its own character: narrow streets of two- and three-storey houses, a strong neighbourhood identity, a tradition of political and cultural independence, and above all its squares. These small plazas, each with its own mood, are the heart of local life. Plaça del Sol is the liveliest, ringed with bars and busy with young people late into the evening; Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia, with its tall clock tower, is the civic centre; Plaça de la Virreina, in front of a parish church, is calmer and good for families; Plaça de la Revolució and Plaça del Diamant, made famous by Mercè Rodoreda's novel about the Civil War, complete the circuit. Between them run streets lined with independent fashion, ceramics, bookshops, vintage stores and small designers, with no big chains in the inner streets. Gràcia also has a fine food scene: neighbourhood bars serving vermouth and tapas, Catalan restaurants, international places that reflect its mixed population, and the Mercat de l'Abaceria, a covered market where locals shop. The neighbourhood's main street, Gran de Gràcia, runs down to Passeig de Gràcia and the Casa Fuster hotel, and Gaudí's Casa Vicens stands on a side street in the west of the district, a short walk from the squares.

How to spend time here: Gràcia does not have a single headline sight, and that is its charm. Come in the late afternoon, browse the shops on and around Carrer de Verdi and Carrer de Astúries, stop for a vermouth on a square as the light softens, then stay for dinner, which here, as elsewhere in Barcelona, starts late. The Cinemes Verdi screen films in their original language, which is useful for visitors who want an evening at the cinema. Weekday evenings feel more local; weekends are busier and noisier, especially around Plaça del Sol. If you prefer a guide, food and vermouth tours of Gràcia are popular and give an easy introduction to the neighbourhood's bars.

The big event is the Festa Major de Gràcia, held every August, when residents spend months decorating whole streets with elaborate homemade themes and compete for prizes, and the neighbourhood hosts concerts, human towers and street parties for about a week. It is one of the best festivals in Barcelona and draws huge crowds, so if you visit at that time, expect packed streets late into the night, and book accommodation early.

Getting there and fitting it in: metro line 3 to Fontana or line 4 to Joanic, or the FGC trains to Gràcia station, put you on the edge of the district, and it is a pleasant walk up Passeig de Gràcia from La Pedrera. Gràcia combines perfectly with Casa Vicens in the morning and Park Güell, which lies just above the neighbourhood, in the afternoon. It is also a good base: travellers who want a quieter, more residential feel than the Gothic Quarter, while staying close to the Gaudí sights and the metro, often choose to stay in or near Gràcia. Honest caveats: the neighbourhood's charm is in its atmosphere rather than its monuments, so travellers on a tight three-day schedule may only manage a quick evening here, and the busiest squares can be loud late at night if your room overlooks one. Give it an unhurried evening, though, and many visitors leave saying it was their favourite part of Barcelona.