Barcelona’s city beach is a breath of fresh air compared to the overcrowded central vein of La Rambla. Visitors to the Catalan capital increasingly arrive with checklists of sights to see, leaving with near identical photos from the same viewpoints. And though you might be tempted to search for a checklist of things to do in Barceloneta, I’m telling you now: the number one thing to do in this beachside barrio is simply to have a wander and soak it all in.
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I love Barcelona. In fact, the first time I visited (in the pre-instagram era, can you imagine that kind of a world?), I decided that I simply must move there one day. Spoiler alert: almost fifteen years later, I have never lived in Barcelona. And although I still love this city, there’s no denying that it’s become completely oversaturated in the age of over-tourism. It’s part of the reason I’m an advocate for visiting in winter, avoiding the craziness of the long summer months. There are certain areas that I actively avoid like the plague.
I’m also fully aware, pals, that there’s a level of hypocrisy that comes with me complaining about the swathes of tourists who descend on these beautiful streets for their Mediterranean summers. I work on a cruise ship, and cruise ships are arguably the worst drivers of over-tourism in Barcelona; almost every time that I’ve returned here it’s been because whichever gargantuan vessel I’m working on has docked in the port. To put it bluntly, I’m part of the problem.
In a desperate attempt to escape the crowds, I try my best to seek out calmer pockets of the world, and one of my favourite neighbourhoods to visit in Barcelona is La Barceloneta.
Summer in Barcelona: My Photo Diary
A brief introduction to La Barceloneta
The streets and houses of La Barceloneta were first constructed in the mid 18th century, and the neighbourhood quickly filled up with fishermen and other port workers from Port Vell, the nearby harbour. Although these days this isn’t exclusively a fishing neighbourhood, Barceloneta’s grid of narrow streets have retained their villagey vibe. Washing dries on lines strung from balconies, old people sit outside watching the world go by, and children play in shady corners of plazas outside old churches. It’s a huge contrast to the big touristy draws of Barcelona: wide avenues lined with grand and fantastical architecture. Barceloneta is much simpler, but still uniquely beautiful.
These quiet streets are just footsteps away from the much busier, much more cosmopolitan city beach. The change in atmosphere is so dramatic that it feels almost like two parallel universes. Barceloneta beach is a wide strip of yellow sand which, despite its business, retains a laid back atmosphere. Groups of friends sunbathe, listen to music or play volleyball on the sand, and families splash in the calm water. Teenagers rollerblade along the promenade, passing beachfront restaurants where waiters expertly dodge sticky-fingered children and tiny yapping dogs, to place cold glasses of beer and plates of pimientos de padrón and croquetas on tables.
La Fiesta Mayor de la Barceloneta
And like most of Barcelona’s neighbourhoods, Barceloneta holds its own fiestas which you might be lucky enough to stumble across during your wanderings. One of my favourite days here was when my pal Rachel and I ended up in the midst of la Fiesta Mayor de la Barceloneta. Marching bands paraded through the streets, followed by a man dressed as a Napoleonic soldier pulling a cannon on wheels behind him. At intervals he would shoot colourful candy and confetti into the air from the cannon, with a deafening but triumphant boom, and children would flock onto the floor to pick as many of the candies up as they could, like birds on breadcrumbs.
In the square next to Barceloneta’s market, different community dance troupes danced the sardana in circles, skipping and hopping nimbly from one foot to the other while a live cobla band played on traditional instruments. I love a folk dance, pals, and the music that accompanies this Catalan dance seemed as if it had come straight out of a fairytale movie made in the 1950s. Barcelona may be a cosmopolitan city, but it’s still doing a great job of keeping its communities and traditions alive.
The best things to do in Barceloneta
As I said, pals: my favourite thing to do in Barceloneta is to wander up and down its magical streets and soak in the atmosphere. This is a very lived-in part of the city, and I genuinely think the best way to experience places like this is just to dedicate an afternoon to wandering. If you’d rather have a guide to explore, then I’d definitely suggest having a guided tapas tour of La Barceloneta. It’s a great way to try new local foods but also hear stories and history of the area; a far more immersive experience than a classic walking tour.
City beaches aren’t my favourite style of beach (I’m more of an off the beaten path kind of a gal), but Barceloneta beach is still very much worth a visit- whether it’s for people-watching or getting in a swim and a few deep breaths of salty sea air. The beach is very safe with lifeguards keeping watch over everything, there are plenty of facilities like changing rooms and bathrooms, as well as copious restaurants to choose from. Let’s face it, it would be pretty crazy to go all the way to Barcelona and not hit the beach, surely? The beach here reminds me of El Cabanyal in València– another fishing village turned city beach.
If you’d rather put your learning cap on, the Museum of Catalan History is a great starting point. The region of Catalunya is fiercely proud of its heritage, and has been fighting for independence from Spain for years, and a visit to this museum is a great way to learn about it. General entry starts at €8 per person.
Barceloneta is also one of the boarding points for the Teleférico del Puerto- the cable car which runs over the top of the port, between Barceloneta and Miramar in Montjüic. The iconic cable car is a great way to view the city, although admittedly it’s not for those who don’t love heights; on a windy day it can be a little shaky up there. Read more about it (and check out the views) here.
Barcelona is filled with neighbourhoods that have fiercely clung onto their local identity, and Barceloneta is one of my favourites of them all. The ideal antidote to the jam-packed lanes of el Barrio Gótico and La Rambla, this neighbourhood exists for the locals, not just the tourists, and that’s why I love it so much.
Spanish vibes:
Where to Eat and Drink in Barcelona
The Smallest Bullring in Spain
El Rincón de la Victoria, Málaga’s Beach Town
València Old Town • What Do in la Ciutat Vella