Exploring Barcelona: Walking Sants

Sants is a quiet, formerly industrial neighborhood with Camp Nou and Les Corts bordering it towards the mountains, Mont Juic towards the Mediterranean, and L’Hospitalet de Llobregat and Left Eixample on either side. The neighborhood is an interesting look into more residential, middle class Barcelona which is unfortunately not on the radar for most tourists or students visiting the city. The neighborhood has many quiet pedestrianized streets, a lively main street, beautiful old architecture, and a gorgeous park – Parc de l'Espanya Industrial. It is also home to the Sants Train Station which many may be familiar with if they have gotten any regional trains around Spain. Plaza España, the first stop on the Areobus Airport Bus is also right next to the neighborhood. Additionally, it has multiple local subway stops along the red L1 and the green L3 lines, and is very accessible from the rest of the city.

Although Barcelona technically ends if you go any further south than Sants, the neighborhood blends into the neighboring municipality of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat. Sants Train Station is not the most attractive building, but it sits next to the beautiful Parc de l'Espanya Industrial. The park is a tribute to the region's industrial heritage, tying into this aspect Catalan nationalism. As Catalonia was one of the only parts of Spain to industrialize early on, along with the Basque Country, it sees old industrial sites not as eyesores but something to preserve. This park combines modern uses such as a gym, basketball courts, pingpong tables, and playgrounds with the shell of an old factory that has been turned into a lake. I definitely recommend checking out the neighborhood for a look into a different side of Barcelona that is just as beautiful, if not more, than more touristy neighborhoods in the center. It is a great spot for an afternoon walk or to find a coffee shop and chill in.