Eixample, Barcelona

The Eixample area

Everyday life in Eixample

Living in Eixample is synonymous with enjoying one of the most iconic and stately areas of Barcelona on a daily basis, with wide avenues dotted with some of the city’s gems of modernism, such as Casa Batlló, La Pedrera, Casa Amatller and Casa Alesan. Due to its central location, the inhabitants of Eixample have everything close by: shops, restaurants, schools, institutes, theatres, parks, beaches, museums and first-class medical centres.

The Eixample district

The Eixample district is one of the most populated in Europe with more than 36,000 inhabitants. It is the result of the ingenuity of architect Idefonso Cerdà, who designed the plan in his name, allowing its inhabitants to enjoy all the comforts and services without having to give up walking along wide avenues.

The streets of Eixample

The streets of Eixample are characterised by being wide, straight and well-lit, forming a grid that makes it easy to find your way around at all times. Thanks to this condition, Eixample currently holds the title of the safest neighbourhood in Barcelona.

Nature in Eixample

Joan Miró Park

The Eixample is a densely populated district and does not have large green areas, the Joan Miró Park is located there. This park occupies the space of the old slaughterhouse of the city, which is equivalent to a total of 4 blocks of the Eixample. Inside the park there is an important sculpture called Dona i Ocell, work of the ceramist and sculptor Joan Miró. The park contains different entrances in which, the visitor is surprised with each one of them since each entrance gives access to very different areas within the park, including the pine forest area, in which the neighbors of the area meet every day or the children’s areas enabled for children to play and have fun.

Other attractions in the Eixample

Despite not being so well known by the general public, the gardens of the University of Barcelona are another of the most unique places in the city. Surrounding the cloister of the renowned educational center, they have a botanical wealth that leaves no one indifferent: almost 250 species distributed in just over 10,000 square meters.

Another well-known park in the Eixample is the North Station Park. It is a large park that is organized around a blue ceramic sculpture next to a small mountain of grass. This park reflects a unique example of art known as art land, which emerged in the late 1960s in the United States and Europe and which sought to transfer the artistic work to natural spaces.

Activities and sports to do in the Eixample district

Sports facilities

One of the best known sports facilities in the Eixample is the Club Metropolitan Las Arenas which has a swimming pool with panoramic views of the city of Barcelona, especially Montjuic. In addition, this club has two running lanes surrounding the Las Arenas shopping center.

Another well-known place in the Eixample to practice sports is the Sant Jordi swimming pool. It is an Olympic pool that contains a total of 10 lanes.

Finally, for those who love paddle tennis, the Centro Deportivo Municipal Joan Miró, has indoor paddle tennis courts. In addition, the sports center offers more than 200 directed activities to do in its facilities.

Areas for strolling

Along the same lines, boulevards such as Rambla Catalunya, Passeig Sant Joan or Avinguda Gaudí are the meeting point for many locals and foreigners who come here to stroll in peace and quiet, without the crowds of other highly touristic avenues such as Las Ramblas.

Cuisine in Eixample

Delicious restaurants in Eixample

Scattered around the streets of Eixample are some of the best and most awarded restaurants in Barcelona, with culinary delights to suit all tastes. This is the case of Lasarte restaurant, which has three Michelin stars, or Oria (both run by chef Martín Berasategui). The Roca Moo restaurant by the Roca brothers, located in the Sir Victor Hotel, or the surprising Moments, located in the Hotel Mandarin. You can also find more affordable but equally sophisticated options from all kinds of world cuisines, such as the gourmet restaurant Casa Alfonso, the restaurant Can Pineda, Cierzo or the elegant Principal de l’Eixample, among others.

Bars in Eixample

There is also no shortage of bars and cocktail bars in the area, such as Hall 0 or Les Gens Que J’Aime, which has some of the best cocktails in the city.

Culture in Eixample

Architectural gems in Eixample

Living in Eixample is synonymous with experiencing, day after day, a whole museum right in the streets. The area is home to some of the world’s most prized architectural gems, such as La Pedrera and La Sagrada Família, both by Antoni Gaudí. On a smaller scale, but equally admirable, are the fantastic Casa Batlló (also by Gaudí), the Casa Amatller, the Palau Macaya and the lesser-known but magnificent Casa Alesan, located on Barcelona’s Passeig de Sant Joan.

Cultural leisure

The area around the Eixample district is also home to a number of museums of great interest, such as the Picasso Museum, the Antoni Tàpies Foundation and the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA), among others. This neighbourhood also stands out for its wide range of cultural leisure activities, thanks to the numerous concert halls, cinemas and theatres. Not forgetting one of the city’s major facilities for families: the emblematic Barcelona Zoo.

Transport and connections in Eixample.

Public transport in Eixample.

Living in Eixample is always convenient: the neighbourhood has excellent public transport links with metro, city and intercity bus services, trains and Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat, making it easy and quick to get to any part of Barcelona and the surrounding area. One of the major mobility projects that will mark the future of the neighbourhood is the construction of the new tram line that will connect Passeig de Gràcia with Plaça de les Glòries along Avinguda Diagonal, turning this area into a new boulevard for the citizens.

Sustainable mobility

In recent years, this neighbourhood has become one of the areas with the most kilometres of bicycle lanes in Barcelona, promoting environmentally friendly travel. In addition, the central position of Eixample with respect to Barcelona means that even on foot, most of the city’s points of interest can be reached in a short time. Likewise, the neighbourhood is perfectly connected, both by private and public transport, to Barcelona Airport (just 30 minutes away by car) or to the high-speed train station.

Family life

Who lives in Eixample?

In recent years, Eixample has become the preferred choice for many entrepreneurs and professionals in the tech industry. Both nationals and foreigners are looking for a central location in the city that is also very well connected to Barcelona’s technology district of Poblenou. Due to its proximity to Gracia and El Born, two of Barcelona’s most multicultural areas, the neighbourhood also generates interest among university students and young couples interested in recreation.

Family-friendly places to visit in Eixample

Some of the places to visit with the family in the Eixample are the Sagrada Familia, Paseo de Gracia, Casa Batlló, La Pedrera, Joan Miró park and the Estación del Norte park.

Real estate market in Eixample

Price per m2 in Eixample

Eixample is one of the neighbourhoods, along with Sarrià and Les Corts, with the highest per capita income in the city. At present, the price per square metre is 5,108 €/m2, and can exceed 7,000 €/m2 in the most premium areas of the neighbourhood.

Real estate market

Among the real estate on offer in the area, there are spacious homes that open onto the outside, as well as large, open-plan flats in buildings with a distinctive modernist architecture. This is an area with great potential that concentrates most of the current and future renovation projects. Spectacular royal estates are being recovered and refurbished to become luxury homes. The Casa Bures, the outstanding Casa Alesan (a modernist masterpiece dating from 1904) or those located in the streets Ausiás March 41, c. Girona 2 and Av. Diagonal 331, are some examples of these refurbishments.

In this sense, Eixample is a neighbourhood that arouses interest among investors who see how the properties in the area are an attractive opportunity, offering good profitability and little risk. The fact is that the properties in Eixample stand out for their high rental demand from middle-class families and international students.

Work opportunities

Poblenou, the perfect place to find a job in Eixample.

Eixample is a residential neighbourhood. However, its proximity to the city’s technology district, Poblenou (where there are currently more than 10,000 companies, employing 90,000 people), has made this area the preferred place to live for many professionals, both nationals and foreigners. Thus, there are many job opportunities in the area, especially in sectors such as ICT, biotech, pharmaceuticals, insurance and the tourism industry, among others.

Security

Eixample is one of the safest areas of Barcelona. It is a residential neighbourhood where you can walk both day and night without any problem. The light throughout the streets makes it a safer place for pedestrians.

Frqeuently Asked Questions

Eixample is made up of six different neighbourhoods, making it a great district in Barcelona. Here, you can find iconic monuments of the city such as Casa Batlló, La Pedrera or Casa Amatller and the most popular streets such as Paseo de Gràcia, Rambla de Catalunya or Plaza Cataluña. It also has one of the best tourist attractions in the city.

Eixample is one of the safest areas in Barcelona. It is a residential neighbourhood where you can walk both day and night without any problem, thanks to the light in the streets, which provides better safety for pedestrians.

Eixample is one of the best areas of Barcelona thanks to its security and amenities for its residents. Eixample is a residential and quiet district but with a lot of life, definitely the best residential area in Barcelona.

Eixample is characterised by its excellent transport links, with several metro and city bus stops, as well as railway and Renfe stations. In the district you can find all kinds of specialised shops and supermarkets. In addition to more regular shops such as pharmacies, newsagents, shopping centres, sports facilities and an extensive culinary range. In terms of cultural activities, the district is also home to various music schools, libraries, civic centres, etc.

The Eixample district is perfect for family life. It is made up of 6 districts and each of them is made up of different schools and green areas such as playgrounds adapted for children. It is considered one of the best options for families with young children who want to live in a safe environment with all the comforts within reach. In addition, Barcelona City Council has plans to make Eixample an even more pedestrianised district, giving priority to walking and nature.

Eixample is made up of six different neighbourhoods, consisting of Nova Esquerra de l'Eixample, Sant Antoni, La Dreta de l'Eixample, Fort Pienc, Sagrada Familia and Antiga Esquerra de l'Eixample. The right side of Eixample is the oldest part and therefore has the most impressive architecture, although there is not really a big difference between the two parts. Passeig de Gràcia is located in the heart of Eixample and divides it into two: "the left Eixample" and "the right Eixample".

There are places worth visiting near Eixample, such as the Montjuic Park, which is a green space, equipped with sports and cultural facilities aimed at the neighbourhood but also at the rest of the city. Also, thanks to the central location of the Eixample, it has the Gothic Quarter, one of the oldest neighbourhoods of the city and where the Cathedral of Barcelona is located. As well as the Barceloneta area and the city's incredible seafront promenade.

In Eixample there are several properties worth looking at. Coldwell Banker offers small flats for individual use or large flats. Also available are duplex flats and flats with the best terraces and panoramic views of the city. Incredible luxury homes in the most emblematic streets of the city. Below is the list of properties.

The average time it takes to sell a flat in Eixample is around 6 to 7 months.

Eixample is one of the newest districts of the city of Barcelona and includes the area from the north of Plaça de Catalunya to the left and Passeig de Gràcia to the right. The Eixample contains the tourist attractions of the city and the most prestigious streets of Barcelona. Thanks to the distribution of its streets, all of them following the same shape, the movement and mobility in this neighbourhood is very easy.

The Eixample was created at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, just at the time of the industrialisation of Catalonia. Its construction was carried out thanks to the Cerdá Plan which signified the most important urban transformation of Barcelona. Idefonso Cerdá was the one who designed the Eixample and with this transformation he wanted to give equality in society without differentiating between the lower, middle and upper classes.

The Eixample is divided into 6 neighbourhoods. In total it covers an area of 7.35 square kilometres. The neighbourhoods consist of the following: La Nova Esquerra del Eixample, L'Antiga esquerra de L'Eixample, Sant Antoni, la Dreta de l'Eixample, Sagrada Família, El Fort Pienc

The Esquerra del Eixample is made up of two areas. The "antiga" and the "nova". Formerly it was a single district but since 2006, these two neighbourhoods have been created within the Esquerra del Eixample. The Antiga Esquerra del Eixample includes the whole area from Balmes street to Compte de Urgel street. Both are some of the main streets of the city of Barcelona. The Nova Esquerra del Eixample, on the other hand, covers the area from Avinguda Tarragona and Josep Tarradellas to Ronda de Sant Pau.

The Cerdá plan is an urban plan created by Idefonso Cerdá in 1859 in which he created what is known today as "Eixample". With the Cerdá plan, the aim was to create a more equal society and avoid creating differences between the social classes.

It takes 15 minutes to get to Eixample from Barcelona Airport, either by public transport such as the Aerobus or by private transport such as taxi.

Getting around Eixample by car is very easy thanks to the layout of its streets, but due to the large number of vehicles circulating in the Eixample, plans are being made to reduce all types of pollution.

Eixample is made up of a total of 420 blocks, which form the 6 districts that make up Eixample.