3 historic neighborhoods (think cobblestone streets and old houses) are worth a visit in Barcelona: Las Ramblas, Gothic Quarter, El Born.
We were pleasantly surprised by El Born which is a really quaint area filled with narrow alleyways, chic shops, and artsy cafes. It also felt a bit less touristy than the other two. The famous Picasso Museum is also located in this neighborhood but we made the mistake of not booking tickets online in advance (you can’t buy same-day tickets online). After seeing the huge line waiting outside the museum (see in one of the photos), we decided we would save this museum for our next Barcelona visit.
We strolled around, had some afternoon drinks at a cute cafe called "Story", and also caught a local Flamenco performance at Palau Dalmases.