As of today, we officially have a place of our own in Barcelona! We just signed a 9-month contract to rent a furnished apartment in the hip neighborhood of Vila de Gràcia!
Vila de Gràcia
Gràcia is a very distinct neighborhood within Barcelona. It actually started out as its own village outside of Barcelona and was absorbed into Barcelona as it grew. However, it’s maintained its own character and small-town feel. The streets are even more narrow than other parts of the city, so there isn’t as much car traffic. Barcelonanians joke that once you move to Gràcia, they never you again, because you have everything you need there.
We have been staying in the Old City and El Born areas, which are very fun areas! They are just a little crowded/noisy/touristy/busy for us on a daily basis. Sipping sangria in a sunny plaza in Gràcia is more our speed. Plus, we wanted to actually have a chance to get to know more local people here.
Gràcia does have its fair share of expats as well. It is known as a more “hipster” part of town and there is lot going on in terms of art, craft, fashion, DIY, and co-working. If I had to compare it to a neighborhood in San Francisco, I would say it is closest to the Mission – but more family friendly.
We fell in love with the neighborhood just walking around. Here are a few shots from a stroll around the barrio:
The apartment
The apartment is what they call an “interior” apartment, meaning it is not directly on the street. This is awesome because it cuts down on a lot of noise. Hands down my favorite thing about the place is that the back wall of the apartment out to the small balcony is a huge sliding window that can slide fully open. The weather is great right now here, so we can just leave that open and enjoy nature’s air conditioning.
Visit us!
Come see us in Barcelona! This baby folds out into a sofa bed, so you have a free place to stay. I’m just sayin’.
Kelly
Congratulations on finding your new digs! It looks like Grant has already found a favorite spot in front of that balcony.
bonviatgemarvins
Yes 🙂 Picture yourself there!
Mohit
Similar to the Mission but more family friendly, say like Noe Valley? 🙂
bonviatgemarvins
Haha, yes, but more hipster/designy than Noe! I’d like to believe that we’re not re-creating EXACTLY the same life in BCN as SF 🙂 Unfortunately there’s no East Bay equivalent here…just Marseille on the other side of the Mediterranean. More of a commute, though.