Ciutat Vella
Ciutat Vella means "old city" in Catalan. The term refers to the oldest neighborhoods in the city of Barcelona, Spain. These neighborhoods include the Raval and el Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter.) Ciutat Vella is nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and the neighborhood called l'Eixample (the Extension.)
While Ciutat Vella holds a lot of the history from the original city, it is often considered a dangerous part of city. The Raval, especially, has a reputation for being dangerous after dark. This portion of the city is often referred to as el Barri Xinès (Chinese District) named so for having a higher percentage of foreign residents (in Catalan, xinès is often used to refer to anyone foreign or from "another land", not just Chinese.) Due to the longstanding reputation, the local government has put a lot of time and work into the neighborhood including the creation of a walkway to the sea and a new park in the center of the neighborhood. Many smaller ethnic restaurants may be found in the Raval and several newer restaurants and cafés have been opening up along some of the more prominent streets in recent years. The Pablo Picasso.
