Choosing A Barcelona Neighbourhood To Live In – Pedralbes, Sarria And The Zona Alta.
First things first. If you’re moving into a high powered job, earning a whole load of money for a multi-national company, then the neighbourhoods of Pedralbes of Sarria and the Zona Alta (high zone/uptown) of Barcelona is definitely for you. This is Barcelona’s most expensive neighbourhood to live in – rentals or property acquisitions are few and far between and many executives and private residences lay in the quiet streets of the neighbourhood which overlooks downtown Barcelona.
Pedralbes and the surrounding area have always been the place for high society, and indeed, some of Eixample (the area which connects the old town and the older villages such as Pedralbes) house many of the wealthier Barcelona families’ downtown dwellings. In a time where there seemed to be a penchant for outdoing each other in terms of architecture and grand structures, you’re likely to find Palau Gúell, Casa Mila, Casa Battlò and countless other edifices of interest.
As for the area itself, it’s a fairly quiet area, set in parallel streets on a slight gradient, and most properties are well protected with either high walls and fencing or a combination of these with shrubbery and trees. Many residents now commissioned to be built their properties with other families, and had a say in the design of the gardens, buildings and car parking lots below. Expect to pay a massive 6500 Euros per square metre for an apartment here, and there are hardly any smaller properties – the vast majority starting at around 100 square metres. Add to that costs associated with building Porters, and other communal costs such as security cameras and the like, and it’s not for the smaller budget.
The area is also not the best for convenience, with very few supermarkets, and none of the typical mini-supermarkets you find on every corner in the old town for example, but I’m sure the advantages of having your own private gardens and swimming pool make up for things like that! There is also a historical Monastery which is part of the tourist bus route located nearby, and was built in the 1300’s - a reminder of the sleepy town that this area used to be before it joined into the metropolis that is Barcelona now.
