Ciutat Vella
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Ciutat Vella means "old city" in Catalan. The term refers to the oldest neighborhoods in the city of Barcelona, Spain. These neighborhoods include Raval and 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. 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 Raval and several newer restaurants and cafés have been opening up along some of the more prominent streets in recent years. The Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (Contemporary Art Museum of Barcelona) can also be found in this neighborhood.
Running down the center of the Ciutat Vella (dividing the Raval and Barri Gòtic) is the boulevarde Las Ramblas. Las Ramblas stretches from Plaça Catalunya to the Mediterranean Sea and, since the 1990s, now extends out over the sea into one of Barcelona's newest centers of entertainment, Maremagnum. Las Ramblas is broken up into sections, each with its own specialty. One section is devoted to flower stands, another section to animal vendors (selling mainly birds), and the lowest section hosts temporary art fairs. El Mercat de Sant Miquel (Barcelona's largest open market) and Gran Teatre del Liceu (the Opera House) are both located along the walkway. Las Ramblas is one of the most frequently traveled streets by pedestrians in Barcelona.
On the other side of Las Ramblas, is el Barri Gòtic. This neighborhood houses the Cathedral of Barcelona, el Generalitat (the regional government hall), and l'Ajuntament (city hall.) Tourists commonly visit this neighborhood to see Plaça Reial (a Spanish-style plaza) and to shop in one of the many tourist shops along Carrer Ferran (Ferdando Street.) El Museum Picasso (the Picasso Museum) can also be found in this neighborhood in addition to the historic restaurant Els Quatre Gats (http://www.4gats.com/) (the Four Cats), which was a popular hang out for artists, including Pablo Picasso.