Barcelona's Barri Gothic - Safe?
 

Trying to narrow our hotel choices (too many!) for Barcelona (early June 2012), and keep coming back to the Barri Gotic area (near to the Catedral). It's a few blocks off Las Ramblas (a little more peaceful), in one of the most historic parts of the city, and close to many of our "must sees." But the tiny cobbled streets also look a lot like alley ways. Is this area generally considered safe when returning to your hotel at midnight? I know crimes can happen anywhere, and pickpockets are everywhere, but is this a good area for our Barcelona base? Thanks for any inside info you can share.

The area around the Cathedral is fairly well lit. But staying in Eixample in the box formed by the Diagonal, Verdaguer, Passeig de Gracia and Placa Catalunya Metro stations would allay your concerns and certainly keep you near major sites. And the distance from Placa Catalunya to Port Vell is not great.

If you have the exact location, it would be easier to respond.

Big Russ makes a good point thought.

This might help you.


For the record, I would prefer to stay in the Eixample:


http://www.letsgo.com/20500-spain_an..._las_ramblas-c

We staying at Hotel Neri (5 days) and Hotel Colon (five days)in/near Bari Gothic on two separate trips and had absolutely NO problems and loved the location.

My wife and I stayed in an apartment off Princessa (through Barcelona Habitat) and never had a problem or felt unsafe. The apartment was ~ 50 meters from the Picasso Museum.

I wouldn't stay there if you intend to be walking around at midnight, not near the cathedral. More peaceful means darker and not as many people around. I've been in that area, I wouldn't do it and don't think most would recommend it who now the area, but if you were more explicit, as someone said, people could respond better. You obviously have a specific hotel in mind, what is it.

There are definitely more dangerous areas than others in Barcelona, of course a crime "can" happen anywhere but that is ignoring the facts.

I've stayed in the BG area twice, most recently this past October. First time was a few years ago with 2 teenage daughters so we weren't out that late, maybe 10-11pm, and this past month with a 20yo daughter and fellow Fodorite Barb. Some nights we were walking around in the midnight hour LOL!

Both times were in rented apartments so probably a little more off-the-beaten track than any hotel.

I have to say I have felt perfectly safe in those little alleys both times, though I was always with other people and never alone.

What hotels are you considering? Tell us that and perhaps we can come back with more constructive comments about the locations...

Yes, we do have a specific location in mind: Hotel Barcelona Catedral (address: c/ dels Capellans 4· 08002 Barcelona), which is very close to the cathedral (no surprise there!) That district puts us in the best location for walking to many museums, Las Ramblas, even the waterfront. It seems like a better base for sightseeing, as long as it's relatively safe. L'Eixample looks live a lovely area, and very appealing with the proximity to all-Gaudi, but seemed a little removed from the older/historic part of city where we'll likely spend the most time.

Thanks for any additional info you can provide based upon the specific address.

We stayed at Hotel Regencia Colon - right by the cathedral - I think this area is very safe. Spaniards are night owls - there will be people out and about at midnight and there are alot of restaraunts in the area. IMO the biggest crime possibility is being pickpocketed in the metro and in the middle of the day the tricky little folks are very busy.

Thanks suec1 - that's what I am hoping will be the consensus. Us (which may be 1 or 2 couples) returning at midnight is a stretch for us, but am hoping we won't be roaming totally deserted streets. However, I do have some concerns which I hope can be resolved before I commit to a hotel.

The streets and alleys all are well-lighted. We stay in apartments and have never felt threatened. That said, we avoid the smaller, deserted alleys when returning at night; on larger streets there always are people around. That's no different from New York or Boston, which both have sections that are truly frightening.

your location is fine... I am not fond of the area bellow
Ferran

Thanks, Alan-CT & danon. Will try to be vigilant & will not be coming back drunk late at night! Hopefully it's reasonably safe.

As danon says, I would be careful in some of the area below Carrer de Ferran at night. The rest of the old town is fine and full of restaurants, cafés, bars and people. I recommend El Born: http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...s/el-born.html

As suec said, midnight is not "late" in Barcelona (or Spain in general). Dinner starts maybe a bit less late than in the "rest" of Spain, but it's not uncommon to finish it by 11pm to midnight. So you won't be alone on the streets where your hotel is. Especially in summer, you will be amazed how full the streets are with "ordinary people" at the wee hours.

That area between the Cathedral and Pl. Catalunya is also a major shopping area. The Av Portal de l'Angel, for example, which leads from Pl Catalunya to the Cathedral and passes nearby your hotel is a wide pedestrianized avenue, lined with stores. Also in front of the Cathedral you have a wide and long square. So it ain't all narrow alleys in the old town.

Thanks folks, especially the specific reference to staying above Carrer de Ferran at night. You KNOW I went straight to google maps to see where that is & where our intended hotel is! We're ok by a few blocks. I guess the consensus is that Barri Gotic is not everyone's favorite district, but should be ok. It seems like a good location for us, so I guess we go for it.

Thanks again to all who shared advice, experience, suggestions.

The cathedral area of Gotic is great. We loved it's location and the ancient streets. Eixample is much more modern. I wouldn't linger around the end of Las Ramblas after 1 or 2 am by myself. (Maybe i would but I wouldn't recommend anyone else to do it).

Thanks, Egbert. I'll be very happy if I can adapt to dining @ 10. NO danger of me lingering anywhere @ 2 am, except flat on my back in bed! (most likely @ Hotel Barcelona Catedral) Do appreciate your positive comment about Barri Gotic, and I'll follow the previous advice to stay above Carrer de Ferran at night.

Ferran itself is o.k..., many restaurants In Placa Reial ( very touristy)
Rambla and number of other streets further sout h are well lit, but tend to attract
a strange cowed late at night.

crowed....( drunk kids, people "selling", street people..etc)

Taking your own advice to not stumble back drunk late at night would be good. Many of the crimes you read about occur under just such circumstances. Best to end the night at a place near to your rooms.

Thanks, Alan_CT... once I finally get hotel booked, then I'll have to start looking for restaurants withing stumbling distance! Just kidding. Thanks for the advice.

a restaurant near the Picasso Museum that we stumbled on and liked was CheeseMe, Plaza Jacint Reventos. I just noticed on the card I saved that they charged 10% extra for sitting on the terrace. Do they do this everywhere? We always ate outside. It was probably worth the extra because now I am looking out the window at the snow and ice. It will probably be many months till I will be sitting outside and then it will be mosquito season.

Just one word of warning -- we stayed at the Hotel Colon several years back. Upon checking in, the hotel staff warned us of pickpockets especially in the Cathedral. We dropped off our bags and headed off to tour the Cathedral and sure enough -- there was a woman coming out who had just had her wallet stolen out of her purse. We also encountered the woman with the rose scam in the square. While sitting at a table outside, I also had restaurant staff warn me about leaving my purse on an empty chair beside me. So hold on to your purse/wallet -- which is always good advice no matter where you are travelling.

Thanks - we will take the pickpocket & theft warnings to heart, but we're pretty careful, pretty aware & purposeful when traveling, and never travel with any jewelry, flashy designer bags, etc that may attract attention. The pickpocket issue will require vigilance throughout the day, @ most tourist sites, using the metro. Probably an issue for any American tourist in Barcelona, regardless of the hotel they return to @ end of day.

Ita - thanks for the restaurant suggestion & the interesting comment about the 10% outside surcharge. Will inquire before trip if that's customary or just an opportunist ripoff. Sorry the view from home base is dismal right now - hope it either improves soon, or at least you have a beautiful white Christmas!

Thanks again for advice & tips.

the different ( higher) price for eating outside is rather common in Madrid and Barcelona. It is stated on the menu.

ditto what danon said. Some do, some don't. Have been at "touristy" restaurants or cafe/bars which didn't have the surcharge, and "local" places which did. And vice versa.
As all places have to post the menu outside, you can check before you sit down.

Something (else) I didn't know. You can learn something new every day @ Fodors. Thanks guys!

burnhamski,

Sorry I didn't see this post sooner but I had someone try to snatch my purse in broad daylight in the Barri Gotic. I was staying at the Colon and thought I would enjoy poking around the small alleyways. It was noon. I screamed so loud that I scared off the young guy who had grabbed my bag from behind me (I was holding it by its straps). The purse was a satchel I had picked up in an Everything-For-$10 store in NYC, so it wasn't flashy.

Needless to say, I wouldn't stay in the Barri Gotic again, and when I revisited the area recently, I didn't carry a purse. I think other neighborhoods offer less opportunity for thieves. My husband was pickpocketed in the Placa d'Espanya train station, the only time in his decades of world travel and living in NYC, so the transportation system also merits extra precaution.

Since your trip isn't until June of next year, you have time to investigate other choices for location.

Barri Gotics ia a good size area .
In Oct. I stayed in a friends apt. just off lower Rambla
on Escudellers ( the street has been mentioned as one to stay away from by Maribel)
It is not my favorite area , but I had no problem wandering around during the day.
Even at night, the street was well lit and crowded, coming home before midnight was not
a concern.
Of course, I avoided small, dark streets deep in BG.

Thanks for the additional info. I see the Colon is around the corner from the hotel we were looking at (Hotel Barcelona Catedral), so now I'm wondering if I'm back to square one. Is there a hotel that's close enough to the Barri Gotic to be walking distance museums/sights, but in an area that is really safe? Is there any area that is really safe? And if you had that experience in broad daylight, what will be gained by staying in a different neighborhood if we'll be spending a lot of time sightseeing in Barri Gotic, or taking the metro... help, I'm more confused.

Don't panic . Millions of tourists visit the city every year..
Yes, some r have had a bad experience ;
I and other posters have stayed in Barcelona many times without
any problems.
It does not mean one should not be reasonable careful like in any big, tourist city ? Ther is no reason to stay in BG, if you have doubts. Many attraction are NOT in BG, so pick a hotel in another area close to Placa Catalunya.( the very center of Barcelona)
Barcelona is walkable. and the metro , buses and taxis are cheap.

Thanks, danon. Not quite panicked but still concerned. Uncharacteristically, I'm still struggling with this hotel decision. Hubbby's from NYC & grew up being aware on city streets. We have not had problems in other Euro cities, but don't want to plant ourselves in "bad area" & assume we can handle anything. Kind of had my heart set on the BG area, and still unsure what to do. I think I'm leaning toward staying with that plan - my theory is that unless you don't leave your hotel, you're pretty much a target anywhere you walk or go by public transport. Thanks again for all the advice, anecdotes and suggestions.

The problem with the Barri Gotic is the lack of sightlines. It is mainly a labyrinth of short, blind alleys. Most of the rest of Barcelona is quite a modern grid. If you are familiar with NYC, about the closest would be imagining walking through the oldest parts of the Wall Street area at night, but much larger. Even Greenwich Village has more sightlines. I don't think you should panic. But I would suggest that another location will put you in a more open space.

I live in Europe, and I quite enjoy exploring medieval quarters. If I did anything foolish in Barcelona to make myself a target for a purse-snatcher, it was assuming that I could explore its oldest historic quarter like I do other European cities in the afternoon. Usually the draw of staying in an atmospheric antique part of a European city is the pleasure of simply wandering with an eye toward exploring, nosing about. I woudln't do that again in the Barri Gotic, not even in daylight, and absent that draw, I'd stay elsewhere in the city, where the stunning early 20th c. urban design also allows for greater sightlines and less chance of being surprised.

Hi Zeppole, Thanks for the additional info / sightlines perspective. Sightlines help to clarify things. Guess your vote would be for my 2nd choice hotel (Hotel Jazz, just west of Plaza Catalunya). If I do make that switch, however, are you also saying that navigating BG on foot during the day to visit some of the "sights" on my list is also not recommended? (the usual tourist stops: Museo Picasso, Museo d’Historia de la Ciutat,Catedral,Santa Maria del Mar...)

You should be fine walking there in the day. We wandered there two nights in a row, with a DSLR in tow. I thought somebody might have been behind us one of the nights and got inside a store. But that was just a precaution and I might have been imagining things.

There are many people in that area during the day and night, locals included. If it was such a dangerous place then tourists would not be visiting the place en masse. There were many older folks visiting the churches at night, kids playing. But this is the main streets in the old part, where there are many restaurants.

We stayed in hotel Constanza, about 3 blocks away from Plaza Catalyna. At night, we ate in the Born district then got out on one of the buss streets, called a taxi and for 5 euros we were in the hotel. During the day, the hotel was located well within walking distance to the old town, Sagrada, Casa Mila, Casa Battlo etc. At some point I thought that maybe I should have gotten a hotel in the Barri Gothic area, so that tells you that I did not think the area was unsafe.

Bur..
There sights you mention and the nearby area are so crowded
you would wish there were fewer people around.. Even at night.

Sorry, ..the sights

We will be visiting Spain in April for 3 weeks-- we are staying a bit north of the Barri Gotic in Barcelona, but, for a very reasonable cost I have purchased a slash-proof purse as well as an RFD-blocking wallet. Also my husband travels with his 22-inside-pockets-only Scottevest so no pockets can be picked. It gives us more peace of mind, but we are mindful Metropolitan NYers, so cities don't bother or worry us.