My Favorite Hidden Gems in Barcelona, Spain
After living in Barcelona for nearly four months, I kept a very detailed list of my favorite places, finds, and hidden gems throughout the city. Here I will list my top five! An important thing to know about me is that I have a knack for finding cheap, artsy, and community-based places. This is why I love these hidden gems so much!
Community Garden in El Raval
A hidden gem that was shown to me by my architecture professor is tucked in a small corner in the neighborhood of El Raval. This community garden is named Àgora Juan Andrés Benítez and it is cared for by local Raval residents. It was established in remembrance of Juan Andrés of the Raval neighborhood who was killed on this street. Although I did not enter the garden because it was closed at the time, I sat with the garden and the mural for several moments. This was a display of art for the people, for the community of El Raval. I would pass by this garden throughout the week on my way to the bus stop and it was a reminder of how special the people in Barcelona are.
Community garden in El Raval: Àgora Juan Andrés Benítez
Bar la Central del Raval
Bar Central Raval is a unique coffee shop in a book shop in El Raval. Here you can browse books in all different languages, for kids, art history, fiction, history, basically anything! Once you wind through the endless books there is a small bar where you can pick up a coffee and enjoy it inside their green courtyard. I spent many hours working on homework here, enjoying my coffee, the sun, and sometimes a new good book! The coffee/book shop sits right next to two historical landmarks that you can see on the way. One is the Casa de Misericòrdia de Barcelona and then a famous Conse Andechaga mural.
Bunkers del Caramel
Bunkers de Caramel are a fan favorite, perhaps. But they’re also kind of hidden. They are located on a small mountain on the northwest side of Barcelona and it takes a long windy bus ride to get there. It was my favorite place to gather in Barcelona. These are old bunkers that are covered with beautiful graffiti. For me, a college student balling on a budget, this was a free adventure where my friends and I would bring snacks and a bottle of wine to share and watch the sun set. Be warned, you must be ready to hike a little, but the Bunkers comprise a public park (although they are only open for limited hours) where you can watch the sunset and have a 360-degree view of the city around you. You really become aware of how huge the Sagrada Família is from up at this viewpoint! My first time there, a couple got engaged and all the people watching the sunset clapped and cheered for them and their happy moment!
The Bunkers del Caramel
Plaça de la Vila de Graçia
Hands down, Graçia was my favorite neighborhood. My apartment I lived in while studying abroad sat right on the edge of the neighborhood and I spent buckets of time wandering this area by myself and on fun adventures with my friends. If you wander into Plaça de la Vila de Graçia you will find a large bell tower, a kids’ park, and great options for food all around. Here you can find all cuisines of food from Catalan, Greek, and Asian market favorites.
But tucked in a small historical exhibit in the neighborhood is a photography exhibit. This features photos of all the festivals and events that happen in Graçia or are put on by Graçia residents. This was one of my favorite places to view because not only is it an essence of pure Catalan and local pride, but you can also see how the neighborhood creates a community. Neighbors are close, families know each other, and during these festivals, all Graçia residents come together to celebrate with each other. There are photos of castellers, holiday decor, and elaborate street displays. Every year there are new photos displayed of what happened in the last year.
Graçia is truly a special place to find local shops and amazing food, and it’s family friendly!
Professor Ari brought our architecture class to Plaça de la Vila de Graçia for a field study!
Lady Dumpling
Lady Dumpling, oh my absolute favorite place to get lunch. It’s not even specific to any place in Barcelona, so it's not exactly a hidden gem, but I thought it deserved a mention. They serve the best pork dumplings I have ever eaten in my life. During our lunch break between classes, my friends and I would walk about five minutes to Lady Dumpling a few blocks over and enjoy a cheap and scrumptious meal. It’s great for a quick and easy meal. It was my go-to reward when I had an exam! I definitely recommend this as a lunch spot.
This post was written by Sophia Stender, a student at St. Olaf College who studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain.
