For those days in which you just want to take a walk and explore an area of the city, we got you a perfect plan: a walk through the squares of Gracia.
Plaça de la Vila
Among all the squares of Gracia, this one is probably one of the most famous. It has received diverse names throughout the years: Plaça d’Orient, de la Constitució or Rius i Taulet. Finally through a citizen consultation it was renamed as Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia, since one of the city hall headquarters is located here. But what is important here is how this square is full of life anytime you walk there: children playing, people having drinks with friends, people chatting on the benches…
Highlights:
- Delicious cakes and juices in Nabucco’s.
- A great place to get that local city vibe, but with less stress and enjoying life.
Plaça del Sol
It is one of the oldest squares in Gracia since it was built during the first half of the 19th century. It still has beautiful modern buildings with centuries of history, and among them, restaurants and cafes. This square has become in the past years one of the meeting points among the young people. Not only that, but they also have established this new way of hanging out consisting of bringing their own drinks and sitting with friends right in the middle of this square. This has brought some problems, specially for the neighbors who live in the buildings of Plaça del Sol.
Highlights:
- If you have this anthropological vein about discovering what locals really do in their hometown, Plaça del Sol is a really great field for any anthropologist.
Plaça de la Virreina
This is one of the squares that we usually end up in. After walking some streets (like Verdi, Astúries or Torrijos) without a clear destination, Plaça de la Virreina is always there waiting for us (you guys here again, huh?). In this square you will find a church Església de Sant Joan built in 1878, and also a couple of cafes and restaurants where many locals decide to stop by.
- It is probably one of the most peaceful squares in Gràcia for a “vermut” (at least less crowded than Plaça del Sol or Plaça de la Vila, which are right in the center of the neighborhood).
- This square usually helds local events.
Among all the squares of Gracia, this one is probably one of the most famous. It has received diverse names throughout the years: Plaça d’Orient, de la Constitució or Rius i Taulet. Finally through a citizen consultation it was renamed as Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia, since one of the city hall headquarters is located here. But what is important here is how this square is full of life anytime you walk there: children playing, people having drinks with friends, people chatting on the benches…
Highlights:
- Delicious cakes and juices in Nabucco’s.
- A great place to get that local city vibe, but with less stress and enjoying life.
Plaça del Diamant
We wrote an article about this special square, Plaça del Diamant. Not an ordinary square, since it still has the remains of one the most tragic periods in the country’s history, the Civil War (an air-raid shelter). Besides, one the most recognized female writers, Mercè Rodoreda, based one of her most famous novels on this square of Gràcia, which is also titled La Plaça del Diamant.
Highlights:
- Sculpture dedicated to the famous Catalan writer Mercè Rodoreda.
- Raid shelter that you can visit on a guided tour.
Plaça del Nord
One of the most authentic squares of Gracia. Why do we say that? For diverse reasons: it is mainly locals who sit on the tables to have drinks or “vermuts”, it is a really peaceful square and it still has some “sand” in the center of the square where there is now a little park for the children. As squares used to be in the past, covered with sand. Want to have a local experience in one of the squares of Gracia? This is definitely one of the best choices. The square is also surrounded by trees which makes it a beautiful local atmosphere.
Highlights:
- Definitely one of the most peaceful squares in Gràcia, where locals meet up for a “vermut”.
- Our recommendation to have lunch or dinner: Perdem el Nord restaurant.
Plaça de la Revolució
Located in the center of Gracia neighborhood, Plaça de la Revolució is always full of life. It is a transient square of the neighbors, which usually cross it on a daily basis to do the shopping or running errands. It has many bars and restaurants, and also a delicious ice cream shop. As the Plaça del Diamant, Plaça de la Revolució also has also an air-raid shelter built during the Civil War. The square was named “Isabel II” (queen of Spain) since the middle of the 19th century. When she was dethroned, the name was changed to Plaça de la Revolució.
Highlights
- Definitely one of the best squares to get that Gracia vibe (lots of people, all the time). Not the square to stop by if you are looking for a peaceful place :P).
- Many bars, restaurants, shops.
Plaça del Raspall
It was named “Plaça del Raspall” because of the big brush hanging from the façade of a factory which produced brushes, right in this square. It is a pretty hidden square, bigger and more open than the little squares in the center of Gràcia. Here lives a large gypsy community in Barcelona, the largest in the city.
Highlights
- An open and wide square, but pretty hidden.
- Where the largest gipsy community in Barcelona lives.
Plaça Rovira i Trias
This square is also known as “Plaça dels Tres Senyors”, because it was the three men that owned the lands of this square who commissioned the urbanization of the square (their names were Torrent, Massens and Rabassa). This square is also one of our favorites, where young people usually hang out at the many bars and restaurants located there. One of our favorite restaurants to have lunch or dinner: Bar La Rovira (they have delicious sandwiches!).
Highlights
- A square where young people usually hang out.
- It has nice bars and restaurants (our recommendation: La Rovira).
Beyond the squares of Gràcia, do you want to keep discovering more about this beautiful neighborhood? For instance, how is it to live in the Gràcia neighborhood.