BARCELONA is a fun city to visit, but have you heard about its cool neighbour?
El Poblenou sits just outside Barcelona in Spain but has far fewer crowds.
It was named one of the coolest neighbourhood by Time Out back in 2024.
And according to Meet Barcelona, the area is known as ‘Catalan Manchester‘ what with the industrial factories that remain.
The name emerged at the start of the 20th century, when textile factories and engineering plants filled the area and played a vital part in Barcelona‘s industrialisation.
During the 60s and 70s, the local government decided that having an industrial area so close to the city wasn’t the best and moved it further away.
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Many of the factories became empty until a revamp plan called ’22@’ revitalised the area to what it is today.
When it comes to visiting today, the trendy neighbourhood has fewer of the factories it once used to – though chimneys still litter the skyline – and instead lots of cosy cafes and vibrant tapas bars.
The neighbourhood even has its own Rambla, a pedestrian-friendly street modelled on the famous one in the Old City.
Much quieter than the one in central Barcelona, it stretches from Diagonal Mar shopping centre to Avinguda Diagonal to the seaside.
This is where you will then find Platja de la Nova Mar Bella – a popular Mediterranean beach.
The beach stretches for 420 metres and boasts golden sand.
In fact, it was revitalised for the 1992 Olympic Games and is today known for its calm, shallow waters.
If you happen to be in the neighbourhood during the first weekend of the month, then head to Palo Alto Market where you will find an array of street food as well as fashion and homeware stalls.
Spread across three galleries, the market also has outdoor stages with live music throughout the day.
There’s also Can Framis Museum, which is home to an array of Catalan artworks from the 1960s to present day.
Though it might seem morbid, you can also explore Cementiri de Poblenou, which is a sprawling cemetery with artistic tombs including a winged skeleton that is known as the ‘Kiss of Death’.
If you happen to be in the area during the first part of July, you will be able to visit La Fira del Poblenou – also known as Poblenou Craft Beer Festival – which is a three-day festival with 45 to 50 brewers, street food stalls and live music.
Ciutadella Park then sits just outside the neighbourhood, which is a park that opened back in the late 1800s and features a zoo, boating lake, museums and walking trails inside.
Flights to Barcelona cost as little as £13 each way in April.
To get from the airport to the neighbourhood, it’s a 20 minute drive or 50 minutes on public transport.
For more inspiration on trips to Spain, there’s a tiny Spanish island yet to have mass tourism that is still hot in January with 20C highs and quiet beaches.
Plus, there’s an all-inclusive Spanish island holiday resort that is 20C in winter with £30 easyJet flights.