One of Spain’s most beautiful cities and famous for its rich culture and vibrant lifestyle, Barcelona has a lot to offer to those thinking of relocating or owning a second residence in the city.

The Eixample is undoubtedly one of the most comfortable and versatile areas to live in Barcelona, well known for its boutiques, Michelin-star restaurants and the Modernist Spanish architecture for which the city is famous. Here you can stroll around Passeig de Gràcia and Plaça Catalunya for exclusive shopping and see Gaudí's momuments before carrying on to one of the area's fantastic restaurants or cafés.

Gaudí, who led the movement for Catalan Modernism, has several monuments in the area, including Casa Milà-La Pedrera and Casa Batlló. Sagrada Familia, considered Gaudí’s masterpiece, recently made the news after receiving a planning permission after 137 years.

The Eixample is full of independent, family-run businesses and is a foodie paradise, with top recommendations being La Palmera for traditional Catalan dining, and Telefèric, for typical Basque menus which change daily. Other great places to check out in the area include Galeria 3 Punts, a local gallery for contemporary Barcelona art. 

The average prime values in Barcelona stand at €6,200 per sq m, according to Savills Spain Residential report, making it more affordable than Madrid and Berlin and representing value in a global context. Values can reach €15,000 per sq m for the highest quality new build apartments. In terms of yields, with 3.5 per cent Barcelona offers competitive returns and ranks higher than Paris, Berlin and London.

There is an increasing interest from international buyers, with the number nearly doubling in the last five years. The appeal of Spain to international high-net-worth individuals is reflected in a number of branded residential projects coming to the market.

Of particular interest in the context of this area guide is the Mandarin Oriental Residences, Barcelona at Passeig de Gràcia 111, with an estimated completion date of 2020. The project will see luxury residential apartments which will benefit from all the amenities within the building, as well as those at Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, Passeig de Gràcia 38.

Further information

Read more: Spain Residential – 2019

Learn more about the Mandarin Oriental Residences, Barcelona

Read more from Savills Spain residential research team