You would have certainly heard of Passeig the Gràcia, the wide luxurious avenue in the center of Barcelona, with two of the most famous Gaudi buildings and the most exclusive shops in Barcelona. But if you keep walking up until you cross the Diagonal avenue, you’ll get to a much more livable street: Gran de Gràcia.

It is certainly one of my favorite streets in the city, despite of the traffic. At the street level, there are dozens of shops in every block: clothes and shoes, hardware or food, books and suitcases… But the most interesting part is just above. All along this long street there are several outstanding modernist buildings that trap my eyes. They might not be as radical looking as the Pedrera or Casa Batlló, but they give you the feeling of the tastes of the Barcelona bourgeois society from a century ago.

Gran de Gràcia crosses all the Gràcia neighborhood. All the narrow crossing streets have a lot to offer. I love wandering around to discover some new spots every time I can. One great option is going up Gran de Gràcia from Diagonal until you reach the Fontana metro station, then turn right into carrer Astúries.

You’ll find several lovely little squares in the area, all of them with bars and terraces. Go there any sunny Sunday morning to read the newspaper and you’ll wish you could get back every week!