Casa AquaMarine in Barcelona

The Neighborhood

Meet your surroundings Poblenou is the ideal destination if you want to enjoy one of the city’s newest beaches, a former Olympic venue, while still being close to the center of the city, and to stay in Barcelona’s own Silicon Valley. The area is surprisingly quiet and residential, for how close to the beach AND the center it is (but still away from the hustle and bustle). Fast, easy and cheap transportation options enable you to get to different areas in town for a budget. Well connected through metro lines, buses or bike lanes to everything that you could possibly want to visit, Poblenou is the most vibrant, eclectic and creativity filled corner of Barcelona. A lot of stuff happens in Poblenou, food and fashion fairs; make sure to check social media / the internet for such pop-up events, they tend to be a lot of fun. It’s no surprise that most of the companies have rented their offices around this part of the city, and also some of the best hotels in town can be found here. The neck-turning skyline comes in fantastic contrast with the relaxed beach atmosphere of the streets and parks. Speaking of parks, if you are a fitness aficionado, you will find plenty of options to work out on the beach nearest to the flat (Platja de Llevant) and an awesome skate park very close. The closest neighborhoods Bogatell is one of Barcelona’s newest beaches. Renovated in the 90s when the city’s coastline was rehabilitated to host some of the Olympic festivities, it is now a local favorite, not just for sunbathing and water sports, but also for everyone enjoying ping-pong, beach volley, or football. Due to its recent urbanization, this 700m stretch of perfect sand is one of the best quality seafronts Barcelona has to offer. The Sunny & Serene flat is about 5 minutes away walking - access to Bogatell doesn’t get any better than this. Towards the center you will find Born, El Gotico and Raval - all part of the old medieval town. rich in history and full of museums, monuments and interesting cultural venues like The Picasso Museum, Museo de la Marina, MACBA (for Contemporary Art) or the Catalan Cultural Center. Some fun and interesting stuff for kids is available if you need to entertain them (The ZOO in Ciutadella park), Big Fun Museum, The Museum of Illusions or the Wax Museum). You can take the Yellow Line (L4) to Barceloneta and walk to the Barcelona Aquarium. Pro tip: the Chocolate Museum in Born is always a hit with the kids. Some central landmarks The city’s epicenter is Plaça de Catalunya, situated in the middle of the old town neighborhoods Barri Gotic and El Born. The city’s most luxurious street (Passeig de Gracia) and it’s most famous (La Rambla) both stem from this large square. The area is full of museums, monuments and interesting cultural venues like Museo de la Marina, MACBA (for Contemporary Art) or the Catalan Cultural Center, plus some fun and interesting stuff for kids of all ages (Big Fun Museum and Museum of Illusions or the Wax Museum). The Gran Teatre del Liceu (Opera) is also on La Rambla. Everything is easily accessible by metro, bus, taxi or walking. The center of Barcelona is a very lively place, with its contagious exuberance constantly spilling out onto small streets and cute Plaças packed with cafes, bars and local designer shops. The iconic La Rambla is an eclectic kilometer-long stretch of restaurants, bars, cultural venues, street vendors, convenience stores, fashion boutiques and just about anything else you can think of. Explore palaces, history rich sites like Plaça Reial, admire street performers and avoid flower sellers. There’s an El Corte Inglés department store right in the middle of Plaça de Catalunya. A notable stop on La Rambla is its famous Boqueria, a fresh-food market with over 300 stalls that sell produce, meats, cheeses, fish, seafood, nuts, fresh juices and many other incredibly delicious things to munch on. There’s also a local food school where local chefs and sommeliers share their wisdom. If you’re not afraid of a little hike, head uphill to find other iconic Barcelona landmarks, like the local’s favorite Villa de Gracia, or Gaudi’s other masterpiece: Park Guell. Either way you go, something awesome is waiting to be discovered. Contemplate the gothic architecture around Barcelona’s 800 years old Cathedral, all covered in gargoyles. See Columbus’s statue, admire the yachts in the marina and stroll through the Barceloneta streets onto the nearest beaches for the Mediterranean vibe. Elegant colonial buildings surround you. Shadowy arches. High windows. Fading wooden shutters. Travel back in time as you wander the narrow streets. The buildings lean overhead, almost touching. Montjuic Montjuic has its own wonders: the botanical gardens (Jardi Botanic Istoric, Jardins de Joan Brossa & Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera) some museums (the majestic Museo Nacional de Arte de Catalunya, the newer Caixa Forum, the Catalan Museum of Archeology, the stunning Fundacio Joan Miro, hosting the most famous Catalan artist’s works, Poble Espanyol where you can explore miniature versions of traditional spanish architecture), the funicular and the cable car you can hop on for jaw-dropping views of the entire marina & old city), the Teatre Grec if you’re into the dramatic art, Palau Sant Jordi where legendary bands play their live music, and the former Olympic village. Neither of these, however, rival the panoramic view of the city and Mediterranean sea you will get from up there. If you want to go to the beach You’ll be very close. Just smell the sea and follow the cries of the seagulls. Spread out right on the shoreline, a series of beach bars (called Chiringuitos) will feed your hunger while giving you the opportunity to look at the sea from up close. You can also rent a chaise-longue and an umbrella from people working on the beach. Pro tip: The Mar Bella beach is always full of young people working out, if you need a sight for sore eyes. In case you want to do some shopping Shop ‘til you drop! Or maybe not that much, but still, find local designers and cute boutique stores in Europe’s biggest Luxury Shopping Mall: Diagonal Mar. If you’re looking for more diversity, take the Yellow Metro Line (L4) directly to Passeig de Gracia. In Plaça Catalunya there is a big El Corte Ingles. The Rambla de Catalunya also has tons of great options. The zona alta features L’Illa Diagonal and El Corte Ingles, as the exclusive Diagonal Avenue is littered with shops, boutiques and stores for a very wide range of tastes and budget options. In Plaza d’España, the Arenas the Barcelona, a former bullring converted into a shopping mall, offers a variety of interesting stores, but let’s face it: the place is so cool that it’s worth a visit as a historic landmark, even if you don’t want to shop. Bonus, on the top floor there are a few nice restaurants where you can enjoy the local cuisine with a breath-taking view. Pro Tip: If you want to go to a traditional market, the Mercat de Santa Caterina sells great meats and produce for affordable prices - the same things you will admire in the city center’s Mercat de la Boqueria you can buy in this market for a better price.