El Raval is a vibrant area, with cutting-edge exhibitions at the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art and adjacent Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona. Bohemian bars, hip design shops and street art fill the surrounding streets. La Boqueria market on La Rambla avenue sells seafood, wine and tapas, while laid-back cafes line Rambla del Raval. The Maritime Museum displays replica boats in medieval shipyards.
Ciutat Vella, Barcelona, Spain Get directions
"Not too long ago, locals would have cautioned tourists from visiting El Raval, unless you were looking for a debaucherous, shady party scene. But the once gritty neighborhood is now attracting young people looking for affordable rent and an edgy, up-and-coming scene. You’ll find hole-in-the-wall restaurants, skaters hanging out on the steps of the Contemporary Art Museum, a ton of graffiti and street art all around, and, best of all, hardly any tourists. If you decide to commemorate your trip to Barcelona with some ink, Siha Tattoo in El Raval is one of the best places to do it, and the artists are all too happy to talk design." - MATADOR_NETWORK
"Not too long ago, locals would have cautioned tourists from visiting El Raval, unless you were looking for a debaucherous, shady party scene. But the once gritty neighborhood is now attracting young people looking for affordable rent and an edgy, up-and-coming scene. You’ll find hole-in-the-wall restaurants, skaters hanging out on the steps of the Contemporary Art Museum, a ton of graffiti and street art all around, and, best of all, hardly any tourists. If you decide to commemorate your trip to Barcelona with some ink, Siha Tattoo in El Raval is one of the best places to do it, and the artists are all too happy to talk design." - MATADOR_NETWORK