BARCELONA: OLD TOWN AND NEW TOWN

Barcelona was founded 2.200 years ago by Romans, and the political center of the city is still the same. From the Roman City they developped the Medieval City and after the destruction of the wall in the middle of the XIX century they built the Modern City following the grid plan by Ildefons Cerdà, we call the new neighbourhood  Eixample, enlargement.

Barcelona Old Town map

Ciutat Vella means in Catalan Old Town, the red line is the perimeter of the Medieval Wall torn down in  1859

The grid plan by Ildefons Cerdà , the black area of the map is the Barcelona Old Town

Two pictures from the two Barcelonas, the fisrt one medieval narrow street in Ciutat Vella, the second one Passeig de Gràcia wide and elegant avenue in the grid plan of the Eixample.

So visit Barcelona is a short stroll of 2.200 years, in less of 30 minuts walk you can visit Roman buildings, Gothic cathedral, Art Nouveau theater and modern skyscraper in 22@ neighbourhood.