El Born: historic streets, culture and Santa Maria del Mar

• September 27, 2022
• 3:57 pm

Born is a famous neighbourhood in Barcelona. Its name has nothing to do with the English word but instead sends us back to the medieval times. The main sight of this neighbourhood is Saint Mary of the Sea church («la Catedral del mar») which is situated in the very heart of Born. You can reach the church by walking down Carrer de l’Argenteria from the metro station Jaume I. It will take you just 2 mins to discover one of the most outstanding creations of Gothic architecture – Basilica Santa María del Mar.

Around Santa Maria del Mar, El Born has a character of its own. Its narrow streets, shops and squares invite you to walk and enjoy the neighbourhood’s atmosphere.

Born is well known for its bars, cafés, restaurants and shops. For example, Princesa Street has amazing clothes and jewellery boutiques of local designers. There is also a delicious tiny pizzeria with a «churrería» nearby – a place where you can treat yourself with «churros» (delicious fried dough) and hot chocolate.

Princesa separates Born from another small neighbourhood called San Pere, Santa Caterina y La Ribera. Wandering around Born is pure pleasure: the streets are dispersed and tangled – it’s really easy to get lost among them. Even if you don’t happen to carry a map to find Princesa Street, you will stumble upon other jewels hidden around this fascinating quarter. Born will offer you dozens of squares where you can enjoy yourself in a cosy café!

Here is the list of the most important spots you must see and visit in Born:

– Saint Mary of the Sea Church Santa Maria del Mar was built between 1329 and 1383 and is a symbol of pure Gothic style. It isn’t a cathedral but people started calling it «Catedral del mar» a long time ago and those who are fond of reading will immediately recall a novel of the same name by Ildefonso Falcones.

– Passeig del Born
A little avenue with an ambivalent nature. It has this unique mediaeval spirit combined with modern trends which are observed in designer shops and inside fashionable bars which sprawl along the avenue. By no means do we want to scare you but remember to keep an eye on your personal things while walking around enjoying your day. It doesn’t apply to only Barcelona – gorgeous places attract people with different intentions. And every coin has two faces. There were a couple of tricky but hilarious stories that happened to our friends near Passeig.

– Picasso Museum
The Museum is situated in Montcada street and it houses the most extensive collection of artworks of Pablo Picasso, a Spanish painter, sculptor, ceramicist and theatre designer.

– Culture and Memory Centre CCM is a museum at the end of the aforementioned charming Passeig del Born, occupying the building of the former Market Hall. The exhibition center opened in 2013 and became one of the most significant archaeological sites of Barcelona. Oftentimes there are expositions held outside CCM – just on the street next to the building of the Centre.

– The Ciutadella Park
This park officially belongs to the Born neighbourhood, and it surely deserves a longer mention in one of our future blogs. The Ciutadella has a small lake, an impressive fountain and a couple of museums inside. It is definitely worth seeing and taking pictures of.

We hope you enjoyed reading these recommendations and are looking forward to meeting you in one of the multiple streets of our wonderful city!