Renting an Apartment in Barrio Gotico Barcelona puts you right into the old quarter of the city, and not far from the wonderful Barcelona Cathedral and the Museum of History. In fact, the area is rich in history, dating at least back to Roman times with a labyrinth of old streets containing a mixture of shops from antique dealers to umbrella stores.
Living in this part of the city enables you to enjoy its historical background, while taking advantage of some excellent accommodation. Nevertheless, there are negatives, and no review connected with staying here would be a fair one without commenting on these. Here are seven pros and cons of renting an apartment in Barrio Gotico, Barcelona.
PROS
1. You will not be so disturbed by traffic noise as in other areas of Barcelona. Barrio Gotico is largely a pedestrian area, and automobile traffic is controlled by means of a restricted timetable. Its often very narrow streets and lanes would be a problem in other cities, but not here due to the restrictions on traffic.
2. Most apartments in Barcelona, but specifically in Barrio Gotico, place you very close to most of the main tourist areas of the city. Not only are you only a short walk away from most of Barcelona s attractions, but Barrio Gotico is situated in the Ciutat Vella, meaning Old City in Catalan which says it all. This is Barcelona s core, split in half by the set of boulevards known as Las Ramblas, one continuous street with Barrio Gotico on one side and Raval on the other.
This is a very popular area for apartments and tourists, largely because of its age but also for the wonderfully eclectic selection of attraction and sights, such as the Gaudí lampposts in the Plaça Reial to the Picasso Museum. You will also find the legendary Els Quatre Gats here, the Four Cats bar and restaurant frequented by Picasso and other artists, and certainly worth a visit.
After lunch you can start right in the center and visit the attractions, and also visit La Boqueria Market, one of the most famous Catalan markets in Las Ramblas. The old port, Port Vell, is also near by. If the children are getting bored then you can take them to beach which is only 15 minutes walk from here, or practically no time by bus or metro. That will keep them happy.
3. The Barrio Gotico area literally overlflows with restaurants and bars serving a range of dishes from typical Catalan food to delicious and exotic Arab and Tai dishes. If you check out the prices first, bearing in mind that Las Ramblas can be pretty expensive, you can find some wonderful and inexpensive small restaurants in the warren of streets around this area.
At night you can visit a marvelous range of bars, from Irish pubs to Catalan Bars and Spanish disco bars at Plaça Reial.
4. Because you are staying in an apartment in Barcelona, you have the choice of eating out or cooking your own food. The fourth benefit is living like the locals live: cooking as they do, and shopping from the same stores and markets as the locals shop. This is an important part of a vacation for many people and the reason why they prefer to rent an apartment than a hotel room, and it gives them the real flavour of a city, particularly one as old as Barcelona.
It is the age of Barrio Gotico that is the attraction for most that choose to spend their entire vacation here, and while there are more modern apartments in modern buildings in Barcelona, none have the character of those in Barrio Gotico, and none give the same true spirit of the city, with its narrow cobbled streets, small cute squares, and paella being cooked in the street outside the restaurant in a huge paella pan. This is the real atmosphere of Barcelona as it one was and still is in this part of the Ciutat Vella.
CONS
Renting an apartment in Barrio Gotico Barcelona also has its disadvantages, and in order to strike a fair balance between the pros and cons, the last three are cons .
5. Because of the fame of the area, Barrio Gotico tends to be overcrowded with tourists, and pickpockets are common. You have to take care when mingling outside with others, particular when your attention is distracted by the street performers in Las Ramblas, or your vacation could turn out more expensive than you budgeted for.
6. Because this is the old gothic quarter of Barcelona, there aren t many modern buildings here, and many have no elevator or lift. This could be a problem for some of the older visitors since the old staircases can be narrow and very steep. Even young children will find these difficult and you might perhaps want to think twice, or at least visit the area first, before booking an apartment in this area of Barcelona. There are many others more suitable, if not as historical though it should be kept in mind that most of the residents here are old people, living the traditional Catalan life.
7. This part of Barcelona can be very noisy during festivals such as La Merce, Barca games, Sant Joan and so on, and you might find it difficult to sleep if you are not taking part. Barrio Gotico is frequently the venue for shows and concerts, and many of these go on into the early hours of the morning.
Finally, renting an apartment in Barrio Gotico Barcelona is an excellent choice so long as you are aware of the cons as well as the pros . Barrio Gotico has a great deal to offer, from its artisan shops to its traditional bars, and everything here is within easy walking distance, unlike some areas of Barcelona such as Les Corts and the Sants area. Most people believe that the advantages of the convenience of Barrio Gotico more that outweigh any problems related to its popularity, and go on to enjoy a fabulous vacation in the wonderful Catalan city of Barcelona.
Author Resource:-
Renting an apartment in Barrio Gotico is a good choice for your vacation, but there are also some minor disadvantages. Check out http://www.way2barcelona.com before deciding on which apartments in Barcelona you choose because we can offer an excellent choice, both in the Gothic quarter and elsewhere
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