This neighborhood is the heart of Barcelona and is a vibrant mix of the roman medieval town “Barcino” and the palaces, churches and mansions of the Gothic era. A quarter where in one street you can see the splendor of a palace coexist with old medieval houses.

The Gothic Quarter (Ciutat Vella in Catalan) was born in the actual Sant Jaume Square, the place were today you can find the City Hall (“La Casa de la Ciutat“) and the Catalan Government (Palau de la Generalitat). This was the point were the 2 most important streets of medieval Barcino converged.

You still can see the remains of the Roman Temple of Augustus that was located in the heart of the Barcino city or the Roman walls or the old Roman Necrópolis, because the Roman and Medieval Barcino is still the heart of the actual city of Barcelona.

And exactly this is the charm of this neighborhood: you can see many centuries of history and architecture in just a few square kilometers. For instance the Cathedral and other Gothic churches like Santa Maria del Pi and Sant Just i Pastor. Or the old Jewish Quarter with its ancient synagogue. Or the Plaça Reial which used to be the royal residences of the Catalan-Aragonese monarchs. This big square is surrounded by narrow streets in a Barcelona neighborhood that is rich with history and which comes to life when you go there.