Barcelona Ciutat Vella

Brimming with cathedrals, palaces, and unabashed tourist traps, Barcelona’s oldest neighborhood masks its age with round-the-clock energy. The heart of the Barri Gòtic took shape during Roman times and continued to develop during the medieval period as new ruling powers built over old structures and roads. Today it is the political and historical center of the city, with a split personality that is by turns quaint and overwhelming. Catalan commercialism persists in all its glory with store-lined streets and fine restaurants, but the soul of the neighborhood lies deeper than these attractions, down its tiny, twisting alleyways.

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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.