BARCELONA for 8 Days WHICH NEIGHBORHOOD for apartment??

We stayed in the Eixample and it sounds just the area you are looking for.

Other than the pedestrian only part, the Eixample would fit your other requirments.

l'eixample sounds like up your alley. we stayed at Hotel Actual and was less than one block from Metro. 10 minute walking distance to Gaudi's Casa Batlló, and it might have been a 10-15 minute walk to Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, if we hadnt gotten lost. On Metro, 3 quick stops to Las Ramblas.


if we were to do again, we would book a place closer to Las Ramblas in the Bari Gotic area, as most of the nightlife was located there. the trains are not 24 hours. I think it stops after 12 am. Beyond that time, you are stuck with a taxi, which can get pricey. And at that hour, and everyone trying to make their way home after a night of partying, competition for a taxi is fierce!

Barcelona is a very clean city. In Bari Gothic, i think they wash down the streets every night.

For our May trip we picked this apartment:

http://www.habitatapartments.com/pedrera.htm

We learned about it in Nikki's wonderful trip report which you can find here:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2&tid=34955177

(There are good recs on here for the agency and, so far, they've been terrific to work with.)

Best of luck!

Thanks, mvor saved me the trouble of looking up the link to the apartment I stayed in last February.

One of the nice things about that neighborhood in the Eixample is that the Rambla de Catalunya is semi-pedestrianized. Lots of people walking and bicycling down the center strip, which is lined with benches and cafes.

The areas I saw which were pedestrian only struck me as more touristy. These would be in the Bari Gotic and the Born.

another vote for Eixample

bookmarking

Ok, so I researched a bit and I like the sound of the Eixample area. Now which part of the Eixample area is the nicest, or is it small enough to where it doesn't matter? Is there one particular street that would be fun to have an apartment on?

I happily noticed that apartments in Barcelona are WAY cheaper than Paris- wooohooo!

I like the spot Nikki mentioned.
Eixmple is not a small area.

When you say the place that Nikki mentioned do you mean the Rambla de Catalunya ?

yes , a number of streets around that area.

Ok given that area that Nikki mentioned, Rambla de Catalunya, is this the same area? It says it's The Rambla "Plaza" Cataluna in Barcelona?

What does anyone think of this apartment and the area???


http://www.friendlyrentals.com/en/barcelona/apartment-1654-1.htm

Also as far as the semi-pedestrian Rambla de Catalunya are we talking about closer to metro diagonal or metro catalunya? Or does it matter?

the ares I like ,and Nikki is talking about, is NORTH of Plaza Catalunya.
The apt you are looking at is in a very touristy and crowded part of Barcelona south of the Plaza.
It is an area people like to visit; I would not stay there.

Oh thanks! I will look for some others north of there. I can't stand being around tourists! Isn't that insane considering I'm a tourist???

I m with you!
this map may help

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/sp/mapas/barcelona-mapa.html

Ok, how about this apartment on Paseig de Gracia? http://www.habitatapartments.com/graciadeluxe.htm

Is this a fun area? Does this apartment look ok by Barcelona standards? It looks pretty to me!

Is this the semipedestrian area or is it near here? I see the Rambla de Catalunya is one street over.

Thanks for the second set of eyes.

>>pedestrian only areas, not too touristy but with good proximity to shopping, restuarants, grocery, etc. safe enough area where I can go running by myself in the early morning when there are few people>>

You want an apartment in El Borne, not North of Plaza catalunya.
I run, (and live) in barcelona, and you will be stopping to cross busy roads and traffic lights (and pedestrians, in the early hours) in that area. Also the car fumes.
It will be like going for a run in times square or round covent garden (think terrace cafes, whether pedestrianised or not).

However the far side of El Borne has several pedestrian areas (like el gotico but not as touristy, noisy or busy).
Its also near the park (Parc de la Cuitadella) and Arc de Triomfo, which are lovely for a run.

I'll suggest 2 apartments (assuming there are a group of you) in this area:

http://www.way2stay.com/Barcelona-apartments-en-52-672.htm
*Near park, santa caterina market, shops, city centre but quiet*

http://www.way2stay.com/Barcelona-apartments-en-52-686.htm
*Near park, also run by beach, passeig del borne shops and supermarkets, etc.*

oh and these areas are better fun*

We just got back from Spain and stayed in this apartment in the El Born/La Ribera area. http://www.habitatapartments.com/born3.htm We loved it. The area has lots of pedestrianized streets, funky shops, bars, restaurants.

If running is that important to you,
being near the park may be your choice.
El Borne is full of narrow streets, very charming, no traffic, many bars
and jammed with people at night.

Paseo Gracia is the most elegant
street in Barcelona; the area is full of beautiful buildings , expensive shops, grand hotels and tree lined streets . It is true, though,there is a lot of traffic on the large boulevards in Eixample.

As a matter of fact, getting from one part of Barcelona to the other may take 15 minutes on foot.
It is just a meter of taste.
Soho or the UES ( to continue with NY analogy)

BDW

travel buzzing,
it seems you have been promoting way2stay for long time.
Just wondering........

travelbuzzing, I was looking at Way2Stay, is that a good company? I was looking at Habitat too.

How is the area around Placa Tetuan? I really love this apartment http://www.habitatapartments.com/attic.htm?ini_dd=3&ini_yyyymm=2008-11&fin_dd=12&fin_yyyymm=2008-11&n_adultos=2&n_ninyos=0&n_bebes=0&accion=informacion&id_apartamento=25 but if it's a bad area, I'll pass.

I like the park idea, but I definitely don't want to be in an area that's known for being loud at night. That's most of Barcelona right?

danon,
Your NYC comparison is an excellent one. The Eixample versus El Borne questions is indeed a matter of tastes, of lifestyle, of pocketbook, and I think, of one's age. El Borne appeals to a younger crowd as it has the funky, trendy, hip, edgy appeal of a Soho or Tribeca. Or at least that's how I see it as a fifty year old.
Barcelona's Eixample to me is like Madrid's Salamanca district, or as you say, Manhattan's Upper East Side.

Is it me or are there mainly 2-3+ bedroom apartments available in Eixample? The 1 bedrooms I'm finding are about 110 euros and look like a closet. Additionally, most of the apartments look kind of, how can I say it, not very nice at all Is this indicative of the area? I thought Eixample west was a nice area? So I'm frustrated, I've never seen this large a selection of bad apartments. I found one nice one on Passeig de Gracia, but it's 198 euros a night and it's 3 bedrooms! Grrrrrrr.

This is the one on Passeig de Gracia http://www.habitatapartments.com/attic.htm?ini_dd=3&ini_yyyymm=2008-11&fin_dd=12&fin_yyyymm=2008-11&n_adultos=2&n_ninyos=0&n_bebes=0&accion=informacion&id_apartamento=25
and the second one is Placa Teutan, which I don't know about the area. These are the two apartments I like. The attic apartment near Teutan is pretty cheap, it's 110 euros, but what is this area like???

http://www.friendlyrentals.com/en/barcelona/apartment-1654-1.htm

the apt om the 10 floor looks very hip ( also, high floor - less street noise)
It is very central but I am not familiar with the exact location;
Maribel might be.

i agree that passeig de gracia is a stunner, but i think el borne is your best bet giulia.

danon- ive mentioned this before: i write txt and guides for way2stay.
it's not promotion i can just personally recommend the company, their ethics, as well as giving recommendations for activities/ areas in Barcelona.

sofee: You say that you stayed in Born 3 apartment in Barcelona. We are looking at that one and another Princesa 3 on the habitat apartments website. Could you tell me more about the Born 3 apartment?
Thanks