Where NOT to stay in Barcelona?

I ran across that question on a travel forum recently. It wasn't clear whether the question was about districts or if the OP was looking for the names of hotels or other lodging to blacklist. I figured he/she was asking about parts of the city to avoid.

Before you can  answer this question for yourself, or we can made a recommendation, you must know what kind of experience you're looking for. Do you want nightlife close at hand, and don't mind the noise that may come along with it? Or would you prefer to be in a less-touristic, quieter area? Are you comfortable out in the streets of a big, vibrant city populated by a diverse population? Or would you rather be in a more upscale neighborhood that's more like where you live? The choice becomes more complicated if you have children along.

So, in general terms, here's how I'd answer.

First, Barcelona is overall a very safe city, with well-lighted streets and enough activity that you seldom feel alone or isolated during the hours most people are out and about.

Passeig del Born in the early evening. It's lined with bars, so gets very busy later at night.

Even in the "gritty" El Raval neighborhood, streets and alleys have good lighting, often triggered by motion sensors, so what looks dark and foreboding quickly changes character as you stroll along.

That said, unless your into bar crawls you want to avoid the Barceloneta district. Charming as it is during the day, and close to the beach, it can become a big party at night, and there can be nowhere to hide from it in the grid of narrow streets.

El Raval, on the other side of Las Ramblas, can feel the same, although there are larger buildings here, so an apartment facing a courtyard can be an oasis of calm. This is considered the city's most concentrated immigrant area, which may put off some visitors. One client, who works in Newark, said she felt perfectly comfortable here. On the plus side, there are great fruit stands, some excellent and affordable restaurants and lots of trendy bars.

Merchants arrange bananas at a fruit stand in the El Raval district.

A craft market set up on Rambla del Raval. The city is pushing to improve the district with a lot of success.

The other caution would be for the area between Carrer de Ferran and the marina, which while it is a charming Gothic district of small streets also is a popular tapas and bar crawl area, with the commotion that comes along with it. Parts of El Born have the same characteristics, but more breathing space and a more upscale feel.

And we wouldn't recommend staying right on Las Ramblas if you can help it, unless again, you want to be in the middle of a tourist area, with its attendant noise, commotion and potential for petty crime.

Put together, this is a very small slice of Barcelona, and leaves a choice of varied neighborhoods. And the good news is, no matter where you end up, there will be plenty of places to eat, drink and be merry all around, as well as legendary markets where you can buy fresh food.

Santa Caterina market, beautiful on the outside, is filled with great, fresh food.

Our most popular apartments are in the Ciutat Vella (Old City), on a well-lighted, pedestrianized street, a few blocks from the pretty Santa Caterina market, shown above. There's a good deal of foot traffic, as there's a Metro station at the corner, but the modern, acoustic windows block it well. The standard apartments here are good for a couple or small family, and all have been refurbished in recent years, while the whole building was renovated in the early 2000s. Perhaps best of all, the conscientious family owner keeps an office on-site that is staffed from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, while arrivals are accommodated at any times.

You can see the spires of the Santa Maria del Mar church from the small balconies.

The apartments were redecorated within the past few years, and are kept spotless.

Another good option is this very nice apartment with a terrace in l'Eixample, an area of wider streets and uniform building heights built around 1900. This two-bedroom  flat was redone by a well-established local decorator who also manages our bookings.

The terrace is a generous 60 meters.

The living / dining area is light and bright.

Much of l'Eixample is upscale, and there is a wide variety of eating and shopping places, and significant buildings by Gaudi and other Modernista architects. So, this is a good area if you want a little less of the tourist bustle, enjoy good food and shopping, and want to be surrounded by notable architecture.

Gaudi's Casa Batllo is one of many significant Modernista buildings on Passeig de Gracia in l'Eixample.

It's important to note that Barcelona is a great city for walking. It's pretty level until you head out toward the mountains, sidewalks are mostly in good condition (and much wider in l'Eixample) and there are many pedestrianized areas.

This building in another section of l'Eixample offers an intriguing blend of old and new, with apartments boasting many restored original features, such as tile floors that are different in every room, but with all modern amenities.

Like l'Eixample itself, the building was built in the late 19th century.

This kitchen displays the blending of old and new in these apartments.

This area is a typical residential / commercial zone, with businesses on the ground floor and apartments above. There aren't as many restaurants and shops, but still plenty to keep you occupied. It's also near the lively Gracia district, which is filled with small bars, eating places and clubs. While a bit away from the Old City, it's easy to reach as the nearby Metro station has line L4 that goes directly there.

If you want to really get away from other tourists, this beautiful two bedroom, also renovated by a decorator / manager, could be for you.

The spacious kitchen is fully equipped.

The building is set in this small plaza.

While in a truly authentic area, there are good transportation facilities not far away, including the large Sants station where high-speed trains depart for Madrid. It's also convenient to the Fira convention center and Montjuic, with its museums and the fascinating Magic Fountain.

There are lots of other great places to "live" in Barcelona for a short while, including near the beaches in the middle-class Poble Nou district, La Ribera, which is between El Born and l'Eixample, or near Gaudi's magnificent Sagrada Familia and the Hospital Sant Pau.

So, other than a few cautions, I don't steer clients away from anything so much as guide them to a spot that's appropriate. That is, if they give me the chance; most already seem to know where they want to be.

See examples of other vacation rental apartments we offer in Barcelona and Paris at likelivingthere.com or drop us an email at info@likelivingthere.com. We can show a lot more than what is on the website; just tell us what you're looking for and we'll respond promptly with what's available, the cost and more photos and descriptions. And we'll answer any questions you may have, provide tips for getting the most out of your visit, and make suggestions if you like.