The best and worst neighborhoods in Barcelona to live in

Are you thinking about moving to Barcelona? This beautiful city is famous for its cosmopolitan traits: international, cultural, lots of possibilities and fun. But being a big city does not usually sound that amazing. Like New York, London or Paris, there are some dangerous districts in Barcelona that you might want to avoid.

In this article, we will explain the best and worst districts in Barcelona to live in.

1. The best districts in Barcelona:

• Gràcia:

You might know Passieg de Gràcia, a boulevard filled with luxury shops, masterpieces of Gaudí and offices. It is a long Street connecting Plaza de Cataluña and the district Gràcia.

Although it's closely connected to the city center, it has narrow streets filled with indie boutiques, cinemas, and art galleries, which guarantees a tranquil but lively life. Another perk for expats is that in this region, there are many international working professionals dedicated to their own business. You can easily find an English-speaking meeting point.

If you choose to live in Gràcia, you will have easy access to all the to-dos in the city center while living in a peaceful and artistic area.

• Exiample:

Exiample is a huge district, starting from Plaza España and expanding to the symbolic Agbar Tower in Glòries. Exiample houses a lot of great dining destinations, offices and major monuments like La Sagrada Família. The huge geographic extension also makes it easier to find ideal housing.

It's a nice choice for people that loves to hang out with friends and need to commute for work situated in the city center.

Although it's important to mention that there are usually robbery cases near the main tourist spots.

• Sarrià-Sant Gervasi

A district that represents authentic luxury. It’s quiet, and usually with mountainous and great views. The housing options are well constructed and decorated, although more expensive than the other regions mentioned above. And it could be hard to access if you don’t own a car.

• Les Corts

This is another great area famous for its tranquility with parks. Besides, it’s near to campuses of universities like UB, ESADE. It is also house to camp nou, the home ground of Barcelona football team. You can encounter a lot of bars, restaurants and sports spots there.

2. The worst districts in Barcelona:

This list is not meant to belittle certain districts, but to remind the expats of the potential threats of the districts and help them make wiser housing choices.

• El Raval
• La Barceloneta
• La Marina de Port

And the list goes on… These districts are notorious for high crime rates (home robbery, drug-related business, prostitution, squatters and even murders). You might want to avoid these districts when renting, buying or investing in a house in Barcelona.

As a tourist city, pickpockets could happen even outside these districts. You must always keep an eye on your belongings. Sometimes, you might even encounter violent robbery. In Adeslas, we want to protect you entirely by offering medical insurance and home insurance to make your stay in Barcelona protected and risk minimized.

Our contents will be updated according to the most recent legislation. Last update: 24/01/2022