Fortunately I had just recently seen a movie that enlightened me about urban art and artists. I was introduced to the likes of Banksy and Invader. So a few weeks later when I ran across Invader’s tile calling card while meandering the Gothic quarter in Barcelona, I was extremely excited. As I was chittering and snapping a photo, a girl walking by asked me if I knew who Invader was. “Of course!” I said, feeling smug as other tourists passed around us unfazed by the space invader. Even though I’d just spent an entire Sunday afternoon cataloging tons of street art in the quarter, I was most excited to see the Barri Gotic had been Invaded.

More Recommendations

The Barri Gotic has been invaded

Fortunately I had just recently seen a movie that enlightened me about urban art and artists. I was introduced to the likes of Banksy and Invader. So a few weeks later when I ran across Invader’s tile calling card while meandering the Gothic quarter in Barcelona, I was extremely excited. As I was chittering and snapping a photo, a girl walking by asked me if I knew who Invader was. “Of course!” I said, feeling smug as other tourists passed around us unfazed by the space invader. Even though I’d just spent an entire Sunday afternoon cataloging tons of street art in the quarter, I was most excited to see the Barri Gotic had been Invaded.

Roman wall in Barcelona

In several previous trips we’d never made an effort to find the remnants of Roman walls, even though they are near places we frequent. In May 2013, after a visit to El Born we wandered a couple of blocks off our usual route and found this section. There’s a lot more and much of it serves as foundations for more recent, but still old buildings.

Gothic Quarter

Have you been here? Tell us about it below!

Gothic Quarter

Have you been here? Tell us about it below!

The Gothic Quarter

Have you been here? Tell us about it below!

Gothic Quarter

Have you been here? Tell us about it below!

Fish Feet

Wander through the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona and you never know what you’ll see, from street performers to salons offering fish pedicures. The woman whose feet were being “treated” looked blissful, enjoying a nice cup of tea while waiting for the fish to do their thing. On any trip to Barcelona make sure to take the time to stroll leisurely through the Gothic Quarter, where you never know what’s around the next corner.

Old vs. New

One of the best things about wandering through Barcelona‘s famous Gothic Quarter is that you never know what you’ll find around the next corner. I also love the contrast between the very old and the very new that you find throughout the Gothic Quarter, with apartment complexes from the 1990s built next to centuries-old gothic buildings. This modern “TEK 13" poster taped to a medieval gothic wall reminded me of that same old vs. new contrast. Next time you find yourself in Barcelona, make sure to take time for a leisurely stroll through the city’s charming Gothic Quarter to check out everything it has to offer.

Pinocchio In the Window

Barcelona’s charming Gothic Quarter is a must-see on any trip to the city, with unexpected finds around every corner. The Gothic Quarter offers everything from delicious food and entertaining street performers to historic buildings and fun shops like this one - you can’t buy a 3-foot tall Pinocchio puppet just anywhere! On any trip to Barcelona, make sure to take time for a leisurely stroll through the Gothic Quarter to take in everything this wonderful area has to offer.

Shopping in the Gothic Quarter

Barcelona is a town with something for everyone, and if you like to shop, visiting the quaint little shops in the town’s Gothic Quarter just off La Rambla is your best bet!

Breakfast in Barcelona

Barcelona’s world-famous food is just one of the many wonderful things about this beautiful city, and the Gothic Quarter is a great place to head for a full breakfast or just a steamy cup of coffee and buttery pastry. The Gothic Quarter has tons of charming little cafes, so pick the one that looks best to you and duck in for some delicious food and fun people watching. A great way to start the day!

Gothic

The Gothic Quarter, or Barri Gotic in Barcelona is absolutely worth walking through. The architecture is absolutely stunning! This lovely moment was captured at a small church where I bought a head scarf from some gypsies.

Colegio de Arquitectura de Cataluña

This is a design of Picasso made for the Architect’s College of Cataluña. It’s carved over wet concrete.

Information on this page, including website, location, and opening hours, is subject to have changed since this page was last published. If you would like to report anything that’s inaccurate, let us know at notification@afar.com.

Nearby highlights
Sign up for our newsletter
Join more than a million of the world’s best travelers. Subscribe to the Daily Wander newsletter.
More From AFAR