Why go
Notice the two languages in station names, cultural venues and everyday signs. Catalan place names such as Plaça de Catalunya and Passeig de Gràcia are useful to recognize on maps, while Spanish is also widely spoken. Language gives everyday context to walks through the city.
The full story
Barcelona’s population has changed through industrial growth, migration from other parts of Spain and more recent arrivals from abroad. Those long shifts help explain the variety of languages and communities visible across the city. Catalan has a particular public role: it is the language of many street names, cultural institutions and performances. Spanish is also part of daily life. The two languages are not simply interchangeable spellings, so keep the local name of a station or street when navigating. The dense Eixample and the older city also feel different from the residential hills and outer districts. Walking between them reveals how different the city can feel from one district to the next. Barcelona’s communities continue to change, so notice the present character of a street or square as well as its architectural past.