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Placa Reial in the Cuitat VellaOLD CITY (Ciutat Vella) of Barcelona is a jumble of narrow pedestrian streets and squares dating back to Roman times.  The city of Barcelona was founded by the Romans, who named it Barcino.  Today, the Ciutat Vella is the area which lies between these old city walls. 

Here in the Old City, the streets are so narrow that the sun hardly has a chance to reach the bottoms of the streets.  This makes the Ciutat Vella one of the city's best places to stroll.

The Old City is located just off of La Rambla and features the Barri Gotic, or Gothic Quarter, which is the oldest part of the Ciutat Vella.  At the heart of the Gothic Quarter lies Barcelona's famed Gothic Cathedral.

Another featured destination in the Old City is the Pla
ça Reial, which is one of the most famous squares in Barcelona.  Today it is home to numerous discos, bars, restaurants, and pubs.  In medieval times, the square hosted the city's market, and is said to be the place where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella welcomed home Christopher Columbus from the New World in 1493.

Placa Reial  Market in the Placa Sant Jaume  Narrow Streets of the Gothic Quarter
Remnants of the Roman days  Statues in the Old City  Carrer del Bisbe in the Old City

 

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