I live in Barcelona – here are my favourite neighbourhoods to ...

Mass tourism is in the spotlight. Airlines expect to carry 4.7 billion passengers in 2024, exceeding pre-Covid figures. Barcelona is among the places where tourist crowds cause local frustration. This summer, the much-loved Catalan capital has seen protestors spray water guns at tourists and the city’s mayor Jaume Collboni pledge a total ban on short-term holiday rentals by 2028.

Collboni has suggested further measures to combat overcrowding, including raising the tourist tax for cruise visitors who spend less than 12 hours in the city (for now, the fee is €7/£6). Barcelona is Europe’s busiest cruise port, welcoming around 3.1 million passengers per year. Many cruise tourists only visit briefly and go to Ciutat Vella, the oldest district. But there’s much to see beyond this tourist trap.

The city is made up of barrios (neighbourhoods) with their own distinct charms. Visitors who venture to these districts are rewarded with fewer crowds and a more authentic version of life in this vibrant city. Here are five to try.

Poblenou

Perfect for some beach time, this neighbourhood in the north east runs along some of the city’s best stretches of sand. All year round, the clean and relatively uncrowded Platja Bogatell and Platja Mar Bella are a hub of activity with paddle boarders, swimmers and sailing boats in the sea and volleyball, yoga and sunbathing on the sand. Formerly an industrial area, Poblenou has been transformed in recent years and today is a creative hub for small galleries, art schools and co-working spaces alongside some of the city’s best new eating and drinking spots.

What to do: Check out the city’s foremost design museum, Disseny Hub and the huge historic flea market at Encants.

Where to eat and drink: Head to Little Fern for brunch (order the kimchi pancakes), Masa Vins for natural wine and modern tapas, and Can Fisher for Sunday lunch paella.

Where to stay: Featuring a butter yellow facade and roof-shaded terrace, Hostal Poblenou is a charming spot just five minutes’ walk from the beach. Doubles from £121 a night.

Gracia

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With its largely pedestrianised streets and abundance of shaded squares, Gracia has the feel of a city within a city. Located in the north of Barcelona, at the start of the hill that leads up to Park Güell, and behind the natural park of Collserola, green areas are also right on the doorstep here.

What to do: Gaudí’s first major masterpiece, and the least visited of his main works, Casa Vincens should be high on the list. La Boqueria market, just off the main Rambla, is hugely popular with tourists, but each barrio has an indoor market. After a look around Mercat de Llibertat, Gracia’s food market dating back to 1883, pull up a stool at Hermós’ bar for a glass of wine and a bite to eat.

Where to eat and drink: Get your breakfast pastries at Coush Armo, sip vermouth at La Vermu and enjoy creative tapas at Fonda Pepa.

Where to stay: A hostel that doesn’t feel like a hostel, Casa Gracia is housed in a modernista townhouse with sophisticated decor and offers free extras like yoga and walking tours. Doubles from £63 a night.

Sarria-Sant Gervasi

On the doorstep of the Collserola natural park, the city’s 8,000 hectares of protected parkland, this residential neighbourhood is Barcelona at its calmest. The elegant and upscale barrio lined with Modernista houses (the Catalan take on Art Nouveau) has a great selection of restaurants and lots of lovely boutiques, bakeries and delis to peruse.

What to do: Gaudi’s neo-Gothic manor house Torre Bellesguard is far off the tourist trail but well worth a visit while the Muñoz Ramonet Gardens make for a lovely afternoon stroll.

Where to eat and drink: Get breakfast and excellent coffee at Flying Monkey, stop by the simple Bar Tomás for its legendary patatas bravas or feast on refined tapas at Colmado Wilmot.

Where to stay: Featuring a bougainvillaea-filled garden and kidney-shaped pool, Primero Primera is a 30-bed boutique hotel that feels like a truly peaceful escape. Doubles from £187 a night.

Poble Sec

This hillside neighbourhood at the bottom of the Montjuic park has a village feel, despite its relatively central location. It’s all about the eating and drinking here with a steady stream of trendy new openings. Plus, Carrer de Blai, a long street that cuts through the neighbourhood, is always a fun spot to tapas-and-pintxos hop.

What to do: The sites of Montjuic are nearby. There’s Fundació Joan Miró (the Miro museum) and the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya as well as the lovely botanical garden (note: it is closed to the public until 31 August), the Greek theatre and the hilltop castle.

Where to eat and drink: Quimet and Quimet is a classic tapas bar, while relative newcomer Denassus offers a fresh twist. For pasta on a quiet streetside terrace, try Venetian spot Xemei.

Where to stay: On a quiet street, Hotel Brummell is a boutique bolthole with a tropical aesthetic and a little rooftop pool. Doubles from £157 a night.

Sants

Sants is known to many as the location of Barcelona’s main railway station, but many tourists don’t stop to explore the neighbourhood that surrounds it. However, this barrio has lively squares and excellent restaurants that deserve a longer visit.

What to do: The food market El Mercado de Sants and the gardens Los Jardines de la Rambla de Sants are interesting to explore.

Where to eat and drink: For traditional tapas, try Bodega Bartoli (don’t miss the traditional tortilla) and Vermut i a la Gàbia (get the fried aubergine with honey and cheese, and pear croquettes). For something more contemporary, NEØ is a great spot for coffee and brunch.

Where to stay: Nobu’s Barcelona hotel offers chic, minimal-feeling rooms and has the tallest roof terrace in town with epic views of the city. Doubles from £172 a night.

See Turisme de Barcelona and Visit Barcelona for more.