10 Best Sites in The Raval, Barcelona

This blog post was originally shared summer of 2014:

After living in my neighborhood for two weeks it’s about time I shared the beauty I get to walk out to everyday. Even though it’s past history is a little sad to recall how Barcelona allowed this neighborhood to become seedy for so many years, filling it with immigrants when the city turned it’s back to the sea (aka why Barcelona’s beaches aren’t the nicest and no local would dare be seen at any, especially Barceloneta). Luckily since the 1992 Olympics, Barcelona has changed how they manage their cities geography. Meaning you can now wander through The Raval without getting mugged (though you can still find a prostitute as my roommates have pointed out multiple times), there are a lot more tourist making you feel safe, and you can still capture the essence of one of Barcelona’s oldest and most fascinating neighborhoods! 

These locations in the images above aren’t far from one another, if you start at the Universitat metro stop and then head south west. You can easily stumble upon each of these landmarks, but it’s best to allow yourself to get lost. As I believe Barcelona is best explored on foot, without a strict agenda, and plenty of time to get lost in the moment.There are many unique shops and restaurants to explore as well. So don’t make it a marathon, not even a sprint. Pretend you’re on a Sunday stroll taking in all that Barcelona’s Raval neighborhood has to offer.