Barri de Gràcia

An Ancient Town Within Barcelona

Description

This neighborhood was a town in its own right until swallowed up by Barcelona in 1897. The streets are narrow and winding, with little squares dotted here and there. The buildings are low-rise, which shows how old they are (compare them to those anywhere else in Barcelona). One of Gaudí's first works can be found here -- Casa Vicens (1883-88), on Carrer Carolines. It's a very lively area with lots of bars and street life. There are numerous theaters, cinemas, and cultural centers, as well as good vegetarian restaurants and health-food stores. The August festival is a major event in the city.