Noisy nights

You may have chosen Barcelona for your holidays, internship, studies or new job thinking that you'll be able to party hard at night all year long. That's true: one of the first thing I was told by my flatmate was that the city counts more than 5.000 bars and pubs. It has also more than 30 discos.

But the thing that you probably didn't think about was that there's actually laws against the noise, even in a city like Barcelona.

We, interns in 1GlobalTranslators, are all used to partying together, and the 3 last home parties we participated actually ended with the police's arrival. The fact is that, you won't have any trouble til more or less 2 in the morning, but after that, you should really pay attention to the noise.

The fine for too much noise is 75 euros (the police doesn't come first to warn you guys, they charge immediately), and the price gets higher depending on the number of people. Thus, we all were once in a massive home party. The police came and asked everybody to go out, counting each person leaving the flat: we were more than 80. And the really bad surprise was that when there is actually more than 50 people in a "piso", the "multa" price is 200 euros! Don't trust that they won't come to the poorest neighbourhood because one of the 3 parties was in Raval, the most legendary "barri".

Other piece of advice: be really careful when you drink alcohol in the street because if the police sees you, you may be charged 13 euros.

Now that you're aware of the sentenced you risk, have good night in Barcelona city!

El Raval, the true essence of Barcelona

Barcelona is a multicultural city, having absorbed elements of a lot of cultures from all over the world. It is characterized by a wide range of different locations, you can have a good time at the sea, have a walk through the mountains, appreciate modern areas, or visit the old city centre. 

However, if you really want to enjoy the true atmosphere of this incredible city, the only thing you have to do is to get lost in the Ciutat Vella, a magic neighborhood full of small streets, hidden bars and shops, and secret places to discover. Ciutat Vella is divided in four main areas: the most famous Barri Gotic, Barceloneta, Sant Pere and last but not least, the Raval.

El Raval in particular is one of the most attractive and fascinating neighborhood in Barcelona, one of the most authentic and genuine. It was born as an expansion of the medieval defensive walls of the city, surrounded by Poble Sec district, Sant Antoni district and Barri Gotic. It hosts 50000 inhabitants from all the world in just 1,1 square kilometres. 
Originally it was home to giant vegetable patches grown to meet the needs of the city, then with the Industrial Revolution they were transformed into factories, but it is only in the 20th century that the Raval became more and more populated. The south area of the neighborhood became the real "red light district" of Barcelona, characterized by overcrowding, prostitution and drug trafficking, and the situation didn't change until the government decided to start designing an urban renewal plan in preparation for the 1992 Summer Olympics Games. New houses and streets were built, as well as new parks and squares. In addition, they built the famous Rambla del Raval in the hearth of the district, characterized by the enormous cat sculpture designed by Fernando Botero.

Today Raval is a neighborhood full of life, where art and night life meet in colourful streets. It is home of many theatres, cultural centres, galleries, academies and museums like the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA) or the Barcelona Centre of Contemporary Culture (CCCB), that allow new artists and intellectuals to emerge. Moreover, its lounges, nightclubs, bars and lots of live music will entertain you all night long for sure!

There are even some classics gems such as the Bar Marsella or the London pub, where the likes of Hemingway, Picasso or Dalì often went to drink a cup of absynth or beer. Finally, the Boqueria indoor market, the vintage shops in Ribera Baixa and the Filmoteca de Catalunya are some of the many treasures that reside in this fascinating neighborhood.

El Born and its antique charm

El Born is a part of La Ribera neighbourhood, but sometimes – because of its relevance – the entire barrio is called El Born. Its antique name was La Ribera del Riego Condal – because of the irrigation channel that passed through it, whose remains are conserved in Mercado del Born.    

El Born is delimited by Paseo de Picasso, calle de la Princesa, calle del Riego, el Paseo del Borne, Sant María de Mar, el Pla de Palau and avenida del Marqués de la Argentera. More easily, it covers the area between Via Laietana and La Barceloneta, so it has a strategic position, being close to the city-centre (La Rambla) and to the sea at the same time. 

Paseo del Born

El Mercado del Born – that, as the name suggests, was traditionally a market – has been transformed into El Born Centre Cultural, since it bears the signs of the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714). During this conflict, the neighbourhood had been almost completely demolished in order to build la Ciutadela, whose purpose was to allow Felipe V to dominate the city after conquering it on September 11th 1714. La Ciudadela was a really huge fortress, between the biggest ones in Europe, and it was built together with Montjuic castle to allow Felipe V to rule over the city. 1,200 houses and convents of St. Augustine and Santa Clara were demolished in order to build the fortress, and the Riego Condal deviated. In total, about 4,500 people were evicted, they did not receive any compensation and were abandoned to their fate.

La Ciutadella was eventually demolished during the Revolution, in 1868, and El Parque de la Ciudadela was built in its place for the EXPO, in 1888. 

El Mercado del Born is important for its Modernist structure, too. It is a striking example of the Cast-iron architecture, typical of Modernist movement and very popular in Catalunya. 

Mercado del Born

El Mercado is not the only thing that makes El Born an attractive and interesting neighbourhood: El Born is one of the most sophisticated and modern area of Barcelona, without losing its antique charm. It is full of cafes and bars in which you can taste tapas and drink cerveza, sangria and mojito. Moreover, if you like exclusive shopping, there are very nice, vintage shops – even if quite expensive.  

El Born hosts art and culture, too: you can visit Museo Picasso, Museo Textil - which is located in this district because of its long-time tradition of textile guilds, and the beautiful cathedral Santa María del Mar.

El Born: Santa María del Mar

I love this barrio: it’s antique, but up to date; it’s lively, but quiet; it’s sophisticated, but not snobbish. And, if you are a hearty eater, there is another place in Born where you should absolutely go: it is a self-service chain called La Paradeta – the others are located in Sants, Sagrada Família, Meridiana and Sitges. It is close to El Mercado del Born and you can eat fresh fish at cheap prices: you can choose the type of fish you prefer (mussels, shrimps, prawns, tuna etc.) and they will cook it as you like. It really deserves a visit, because of its high quality and the cheap price! I advise you to go to the Born’s one because, after a huge dinner, you can walk around the barrio and drink something there ;)