El Raval is one of Barcelona's narrowest districts, just west of La Rambla. A tangle of narrow streets invites you to wander purposefully through a very peculiar bohemian neighbourhood, where you will see many different cultures living together in a very small area.
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The "Melting Pot" of Barcelona
El Raval contrasts sharply with the neighbouring historic and well-groomed Barri Gotic district.
Locals refer to this place as Barri Xinés, or Chinatown, but there are numerous communities from other countries living here as well, creating an interesting mix of cultures.
It should be noted that El Raval is not a dangerous neighbourhood, you can walk around here at any hour without fear.
After all, El Raval is famous for its nightlife. Small bars, restaurants and cabarets are alive until the early hours of the morning, as well as various Asian shops.
El Raval is also famous for street prostitution, which is legal and quite common in Spain, and so there are some rather unusual scenes of prostitutes, street vendors and locals playing cards on the street late into the night.
Hotels in El Raval
The neighbourhood is popular for relatively cheap accommodation right in the centre of Barcelona.
Here you can find cheap hostels or 1* or 2* hotels at very affordable prices. For example, we would recommend the following hotels:
What to see around
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