This former independent municipality was annexed by the city of Barcelona in 1897, and is currently one of its most popular neighbourhoods, and the one with the strongest personal identity. It began to take shape in the 17th century and retains its original urban pattern of narrow streets and a rich network of squares that help to promote a tradition of excellent human relationships. These squares are the cornerstone of the neighbourhood’s social life, especially Plaça del Sol, Plaça de Diamant, Plaça Rius i Taulet (site of the local council building), Plaça de la Virreina and Plaça Rovira. The area’s markets, such as the Llibertat and the Abaceria, are also important social institutions. Gràcia’s wide variety of restaurants, bars, theatres, cinemas and street cafés make it one of the city’s hottest areas for nightlife, and many of its festive traditions have become deeply rooted in the city as a whole. It also contains a number of boutiques belonging to young designers.
This is the neighbourhood’s main thoroughfare and shopping street. It starts as the continuation of Passeig de Gràcia at Pla de Salmerón, a part of the street that is dedicated to the memory of a former President of the 1st Spanish republic. The street ends at Plaça Lesseps. Full of shops, it contains an number of buildings with a high level of architectural beauty.
The neighbourhood’s administrative and political centre, it is famous for the clock tower with four faces, also known as Grácia’s bell tower, which was built to be visible from any point of the old village.
Together with the surrounding streets, this square contains a large concentration of bars and street cafés for daytime and nighttime leisure. It has a long history and was especially famous in the 19th century for a Lebanese cedar tree planted there that was known as the “Freedom Tree”: just one of the examples of the revolutionary spirit that has always characterised the inhabitants of Gràcia.
The neighbourhod’s and Barcelona’s most internationally famous square. This is due to the homonymous novel written by Catalan author Mercè Rodoreda –later translated into many other languages—which is set in Gràcia and describes the drama and emotions of living through the 2nd Republic, the Civil War and the first years of Franco’s dictatorship. Speaking of the civil war, underneath the square is an air-raid shelter built by popular initiative and preserved by the council as a “Peace Museum”. A statue in the square commemorates Colometa, the main character in the novel.
Dating from 1878 and presided over by the parish church of Sant Joan. Due to its central location it is usually crowded and second hand markets are held here on some Sundays.
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Dirección (Les corts): Bordeus, 35 Teléfono (les Corts: 93 322 65 31 Dirección (Gràcia): Torrent d’en vidalet, 26 Teléfono (Gràcia): 93 284 85 02 Reservas Les Corts: reserves@arrosseriaxativa.com Reservas Gràcia: reservesambgracia@arrosseriaxativa.com |
The best Valencia-style paellas in Barcelona. The only place in town where you can try 30 different types of rice dishes. Also available, fixed price menus for all budgets. A la carte menu with top quality salads, starters, meat, fish and seafood dishes. Possibility of eating individual paellas and with a wooden spoon. Open daily from 1pm to 4.15pm and from 8.30pm to midnight (closed Sunday evenings and tuesday). more info |