Hotels in Poblenou & Diagonal Mar, Barcelona

Poblenou & Diagonal Mar, Barcelona

Poblenou & Diagonal Mar covers the east of Barcelona: the Sant Martí district on the sea and, inland, the districts of Sant Andreu and Nou Barris. Sant Martí, the second most populous district of the city, only became part of Barcelona in 1897 and borders the town of Sant Adrià de Besòs. In the 19th century Poblenou was the centre of Catalan industry, nicknamed the "Catalan Manchester", and after decades of decline the neighbourhood has been transformed. The leafy Rambla del Poblenou runs from Avinguda Diagonal down to the beach and is the neighbourhood's main shopping street. The Vila Olímpica was built for the 1992 Olympics, and the Port Olímpic marina, opened in 1991, hosted the Olympic sailing events and in 2024 the America's Cup. Further north-east, Diagonal Mar and its seafront were renewed for the 2004 Forum of Cultures, held at the Barcelona International Convention Centre (CCIB). A string of city beaches runs along the district's coast from the Port Olímpic towards the Fòrum. Sant Andreu grew out of the former town of Sant Andreu de Palomar, and Nou Barris, named after its original nine neighbourhoods, lies in the north of the city. Hotels here are mostly large modern beach and conference hotels around the Vila Olímpica and Diagonal Mar, plus newer design hotels and apartments in Poblenou. The area suits travellers who want the beach on the doorstep, conference visitors at the CCIB and anyone looking for a more local, modern side of Barcelona.