El Born is without doubt, the neighborhood with more charm of Barcelona. All its corners are filled with pleasant surprises and captivating corners. From its small streets, passing through its majestic promenade, the Park of the Ciutadella, the lovely Santa Caterina market or the solemn Cathedral of Santa Maria of the sea, nothing in the Born leave you indifferent. Born was formerly known as the District of la Ribera, since it was going through a ditch which brought water from the River Besos. Merchants and sailors lived there, but with the passage of time will settle you important palaces in the area that today are home to numerous museums: Museu Textil and clothing, the Barbier-Muller Museum of pre-Columbian art, or the famous Picasso Museum.
Today, el Born is the most fashionable in the city neighborhood. One of her greatest charms is that it still retains its medieval structure almost intact. Its wide range of cultural and leisure offers the best bars and restaurants in design, unique boutiques, museums, galleries, theaters El Born is located between the neighborhood la Barceloneta and the street Via Laietana. Its main artery is the famous Passeig del Born, a lovely Avenue flanked by restaurants, bars and stores and headed by the jewel of the neighborhood, the Gothic church of Santa Maria of the sea. One cross streets to the Passeig del Born, Carrer de Montcada, is home to one of the best-known museums in Barcelona: the Picasso Museum.
The rest of nearby streets have an intense air of medieval and are full of shops and amazing restaurants. The Palau de la Musica Catalana, work of the architect domenech i Montaner, is another obligatory stop inside the District of el Born. It’s an incredible modernist building that is one of the jewels of the Catalan architecture. Santa Caterina market, located a few minutes from the Palau is the last market built in the city, but an indispensable stop. Work of Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue, its wavy ceiling of colorful ceramic has made it famous and special. Finally, the Parc de la Ciutadella is the lung of the neighborhood, as well as one of the green zones more magnificent Barcelona. It formerly housed a military Citadel, of which some facilities are still preserved as arsenal, today seat of the catalan Parliament; the Palace of the Governor, who today is a school and Chapel. There are the Museum of geology, zoology, the Barcelona Zoo, the Hivernacle (today a cafe) and Umbracle (a beautiful greenhouse of brick and wood). In the park there is also a large lake where sailing boats. From 1 April the Ciutadella welcomes the so-called Festival of spring, a celebration where organized shows, workshops, concerts and games for the whole family. Rent the best apartments in Barcelona and soak up the neighborhood with more charm of the city. You won’t regret it!
