Bourne

El Born is the quarter of Cuitat Vella to the right of Via Laietana, stretching from Paseo Colon up to Plaza Urquinaona. This part of the city is home to the Picasso museum, the renovated market of Santa Caterina, the gothic Santa Maria del Mar cathedral, and a wealth of bars and boutiques along Paseo del Born in Barcelona. El Born has become one of the most popular downtown places. The beaches of Barceloneta and Vila Olímpica are nearby.

El Born is served by the metro stops Barceloneta and Jaume 1. La Rambla and the centre of the city are in a 10 minutes walk away. Plus you are quite close to the Parc Ciutadella, where the Barcelona zoo is also located.

El Born currently seems to strike a happy medium between being tourist-friendly and retaining a strong air of local authenticity. Centrally located between Eixample and Ciutat Vella, excellent shops and restaurants nearby, history, park, gyms and transport.