The Bustling Area In Barcelona Rick Steves Suggests Visiting Instead Of Tourist-Heavy La Rambla

Every great city has seen neighborhoods wax and wane over different eras. In Barcelona, it's El Born's turn to shine as the city's coolest hang. According to European travel guru Rick Steves, this hip, boho neighborhood has everything going for it over crowded Las Ramblas just 10 minutes away. As part of the Old City, El Born has museums, parks, and historical sites, unique shopping, and alleys lined with cafes and vermouth bars, and yet it's still only minutes from the beach. And Steves is not alone in singing its praises. The expats and digital nomads who flock here fondly call it "The Born."

One of Steves' favorite attractions is the El Born Market, a former wholesale fruit and vegetable market in a grand and ornate cast-iron building that was spared demolition and instead turned into a museum. Then there is the newer market, representing the reborn El Born: Mercat Santa Caterina (pictured), a bustling open air food market that blends old and new architectural styles, its classical structure topped by a wavy, candy-colored modernist rooftop that is a zesty visual exclamation of delight — a fitting symbol for this buoyant quarter.

El Born is rich in culture. It's home to the Picasso Museum, with 4,000 of the Catalan master's works spanning his career; the 14th century church, Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar, the last example of Catalan Gothic architecture still standing; and the outlandishly ornate Art Nouveau Palau de la Musica Catalana concert hall, where you can catch a spectacular Flamenco show steeped in traditional pageantry.

But there's contemporary cultural history being made in El Born, too. Here you'll also find the edgy Moco Museum Barcelona, with works by Andy Warhol, Banksy, and Damien Hirst, as well as Irma De Vriers' immersive Diamond Matrix (pictured). That young, hip vibe flows through narrow streets and alleys full of boutiques and galleries. Why not skip the souvenir tee shirt and return home with a unique piece of cultural history from one of El Born's many vaunted vintage clothing shops? Or pick up a pair of fun espadrilles from La Manual Alpargatera, a 190 year-old shoe shop.

When visiting a cultural hub like El Born, Rick Steves suggests rethinking Airbnb, which has had a negative impact on the housing stock in this kind of place, threatening the very culture you're coming to celebrate. Instead, try the neighborhood's boutique hotels, like the Park, with industrial modern influences and a luxurious, away-from-it-all rooftop pool. Or book a private abode through an alternative platform like the up-and-coming fairbnb for an ethical homestay.

According to Rick Steves, you should skip dining on the crowded, touristy Las Ramblas, and head for El Born, where the spirit of Catalan culture and culinary traditions thrives. Steves is a big fan of the of-the-minute trend of vermouth bars, or vermuterias, which usually serve tapas, too. Eater declared the revival of the age-old Barcelona tradition of quaffing low-alcohol vermouth "day drinking perfected." Served straight up in a chilled glass, or on the rocks with an olive, a twist, or even both, it's a perfect accompaniment to salty snacks like chips, olives, croquettes, and conservas (locally preserved meats), as well as fish and vegetables — think artichokes, partridge meat, or seaweed.

At Bormuth (pictured), a rustic, multi-room vermouth bar hung with wine skins, the drink is served with with citrus wedges and an olive, a perfect accompaniment to a mouthwatering, creative tapas menu that runs from gazpacho to cod fritters to a dish with a foodie cult following: breaded aubergine (eggplant) with honey. For a traditional Spanish omelet, or tortilla, there is none better than the one at Cal Pep, which is worth waiting in line for. This trad tapas bar is legendary for a reason.