rivermama

I had no idea there were "illegal" airbnb's so definitely thanks for that! Our favorite neighborhood in Italy was Trastevere, so I'm thinking the El Born is similar??? but no clue. We like the small narrow alleys and FOOD!! Eixample looks good! Now we just have to pin the exact dates per city down and start looking!

clemson91

We've been to Barcelona twice in the past 3 years, last time being November 2016. Both times we have stayed in the Eixample neighborhood. We have rented apartments from Habitat Apartments both times.

In November 2016, the apartment was on the Passeig de Garcia on the 6th floor of an apartment building looking directly out on Casa Batllo. View was amazing. Apartment was good size (2 bedrooms) and quite modern. Wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.

rialtogrl

If you like narrow alleyways El Born is probably the better choice for you.

ribeirasacra

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...mment-10058079
AirBnB is know for that. Amsterdam has had a battle with them, Paris to name a few other cities.

kimhe

Dozens of excellent tapas bars in El Born, here are three of the best.

Tapeo del Born was our great food find a couple of years ago, the Coca de Sardina tapas is to die for, but everything top quality. http://www.tapeoborn.cat/tapeo-del-born-en.html
Coca de Sardina: http://www.tapeoborn.cat/tapeo-del-b...ardina-en.html
Veal burger with foie and porcini mayonnaise: http://www.tapeoborn.cat/tapeo-del-b...n-foie-en.html
Lettuce, fruit and parmesan salad. http://www.tapeoborn.cat/tapeo-del-b...fresas-en.html

Just across the narrow street, you find emblematic El Xampanyet, one of the most famous tapas bars in town: https://www.worldsbestbars.com/bar/b...r/el-xampanyet

Both Tapeo and Xampanyet are in narrow Carrer Montcada, the most important street in town from the 12th century: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...-montcada.html

And Cal Pep are 150 meters away, sensational seafood tapas, ranked among the best restaurants in the world some ten years ago, and still fantastic. Great meat, sausage and vegetable tapas as well, and you'll have to get in line 15 mins before opening to get a seat at the counter where all the fun goes on. Expensive and worth every penny. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/b.../374875/360761
https://calpep.com/

And just outside El Born you find 7 Portes from 1836, an institution in town, excellent traditional Catalan food and the one place in Barcelona we always come back to: https://7portes.com/en/

And much Barcelona history in El Born.
http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...a-del-mar.html
http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...s-moreres.html
http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...-del-born.html
http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...i-memoria.html

yestravel

On the legality, all the agencies I looked at had a # which I assumed was some sort of registration with the city. The AirBnB's did not.

ribeirasacra

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...mment-10058314
Maybe that is the fiscal number of the agency or company.
Look up the license number on this page
https://empresa.extranet.gencat.cat/...Java/index.jsp
Choose the castigatory you are looking for first.
It is all in English if you need it.