Hotels in Gràcia & Park Güell, Barcelona

Gràcia & Park Güell, Barcelona

Gràcia & Park Güell covers two districts on the slopes north of the Eixample: Gràcia and, east of it, Horta-Guinardó, which reaches up to the Collserola ridge. Gràcia was founded in 1626 around a Carmelite convent and remained an independent town until Barcelona annexed it in 1897. Its village core, the Vila de Gràcia, is a lively enclave of Catalan life, with small squares, artisans' workshops and bars. Casa Vicens, designed by Antoni Gaudí, is one of the neighbourhood's main attractions. Above Gràcia lies Park Güell, built between 1900 and 1914, opened to the public in 1926 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. In Horta-Guinardó, the 262-metre Turó de la Rovira keeps the remains of a Civil War anti-aircraft battery and overlooks the whole city. The Parc del Laberint d'Horta, on a former estate next to the Collserola ridge, is the oldest historical garden in Barcelona, with an 18th-century neoclassical garden and its maze. The Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in El Guinardó, built between 1901 and 1930, is one of the main works of Lluís Domènech i Montaner. Lodging is mostly small hotels, guesthouses and apartments, with a quieter, more local feel than the centre. The area suits travellers who prefer neighbourhood squares and local restaurants, with the Eixample and Passeig de Gràcia close by.