Barcelona's Gothic Quarter (Barrio Gótico) is a maze of narrow streets east from Plaça Reial. Important sights include its historic centre Plaça del Rei, the Chatedral and the Romanesque church of Santa Lúcia.
We had a rewarding walk around the Gothic Quarter during which we stumbled upon a pretty square on which orange trees grow (the fruits were still on the trees!) and upon a violin player at one of the quiet side streets, the sound of his violin echoing from the 500 years old walls of the historic buildings. We soon realised however that peace can only be found at Gothic Quarter's hidden corners. Once we emerged to Plaça de Sant Jaume, main square in the centre of the quarter, we were overflown by hordes of tourists. So if you would like to experience the Gothic Quarter in peace, turn into the narrow side alleys and don’t forget to check antique dealers and the array of unusual shops on the way or to pop into one of the historic cafés.