The Gothic Quarter is the centre of the old city of Barcelona. It stretches from La Rambla to Via Laietana, and from the Mediterranean seafront to Ronda de Sant Pere.

Despite several changes undergone in the 19th and early 20th century, many of the buildings date from Medieval times, some from as far back as the Roman settlement of Barcelona. Remains of the squared Roman Wall can be seen around Tapineria and Sots -Tinent Navarro to the north, Avinguda de la Catedral and Plaça Nova to the west and Carrer de la Palla to the south. El Call, the medieval Jewish quarter, is located within this area too.

The Barri Gòtic retains a labyrinthine street plan, with many small streets opening out into squares. Most of the quarter is closed to regular traffic although open to service vehicles and taxis. Lots of visitors prefer to go to the Old Town right after their flight to Barcelona and have a nice walk.

The Barri Gòtic is the centre of Barcelona where the city originated and where the main public buildings are located: the Palau de la Generalitat, the Town Hall, the Cathedral, the Palau Reial. Barcelona originated in Roman times and, despite its transformation in the Middle Ages, there are still traces of its origins.

The Cardus, an ancient Roman road which went from east to west of the city, coincided with the route of Calle Del Bisbe and the north-south axis, the Decumanus, is now covered by Carrer de la Llibreteria and Carrer del Call.

The Roman walls, a short stretch of which can still be seen today, formed an irregular square, and can be reconstructed thanks to the remains of its outer walks:
- Tapineria and Sots-Tinent Navarro to the north;
- Avinguda de la Catedral and Plaça Nova to the west;
- and Carrer de la Palla to the south.

In the higher area of Mons Táber, a hill where the ancient Roman city originated, behind the current Plaça de Sant Jaume, was the forum, with the administrative buildings of the city.

Subsequently Counts, Kings of Aragón and ecclesiastical bodies adorned the neighborhood over the following centuries with numerous monuments, some of which we will now discover.

The narrow, winding streets create quite a labyrinth and means that it may take a while to get your bearings. I recommend that you should always look up and around you or you may miss some of the best bits.

The Gothic quarter has many peaceful squares (placas) where you can relax and enjoy your surroundings. However one of the main attractions, right in the heart of the district is the huge Cathedral which has a stunning courtyard full of plants and oddly, geese.

You will be spoilt for choice of restaurants and bars, especially around Placa Reial which is always full day and night. The night-life in the Gothic Quarter is lively to say the least and you will always find somewhere to have a drink or a dance. Calle Ferran, which is just to one side of Placa Reial and leads up to Placa Sant Jaume with its imposing government buildings is also good for bars and cafes. The area is some 30 minutes from the El Prat airport, so everyone can taste the nightlife right after the flight.

Shopping is also amazing in the Gothic Quarter, from the more commercial area of Calle Portal de L´Angel to all the little boutiques on Calle Avinyo. Make sure you walk around to experience all you can, the Gothic Quarter is perfect for that afternoon stroll.

There are metro stops on both sides of the Gothic Quarter, there are 3 on Las Ramblas which runs up one side of the area, and on the other is Jaume 1. However you are in the centre of the city and many of the city’s attractions are a walk away.

At the top of Las Ramblas is Placa Catalunya from where you can go onto Passeig de Gracia if your shopping tastes are slightly more designer orientated, or if you want to see Gaudi´s buildings. El Raval is another interesting area worth a visit, you can get there by crossing Las Ramblas. The Barri Gotic area is the first choice for many visitors to Barcelona. It is the cultural hub of the city and great for any type of traveler. The extraordinary atmosphere of the Gothic Quarter is complemented by the interesting hotels in the area among which stands out the renovated Gothic Hotel. The Barri Gotic area is the tourist’s paradise, so there are lots of hotels and apartments for rent. You can get there via direct flight to Barcelona or to Girona, Reus or Lleida –Alguaire.