Why a visit to Sant Antoni should be on every Barcelona travel itinerary – The National

Why a visit to Sant Antoni should be on every Barcelona travel itinerary – The National

La Sagrada Familia, La Rambla and the Picasso Museum might be among the first attractions that come to mind when planning a trip to Barcelona, but there’s a little-known area away from the old-world vibes of the Gothic Quarter and the upmarket stylings of Ciutat Vella that should also be on your Catalonia bucket list. It’s called Sant Antoni.

This traditionally working-class neighbourhood is located in the central district of L’Eixample. It’s within walking distance of many of Barcelona’s major tourist attractions, and very close to lively Poble Sec and the multicultural melting pot that is El Raval.

Despite its recent gentrification and local fears that tourists may begin to overrun the area, Sant Antoni still harks back to a bygone era, when neighbours would gather in the sunshine in central courtyards and squares. The area’s streets feature a friendliness that’s perhaps lacking in the city's major tourist hot spots, and the surrounding architecture, much of which dates back to the early 1900s if not decades before, keeps it grounded.