Sant Marti District Apartments in Barcelona

You will find the beautiful Sant Marti district in the north east of the centre of Barcelona. This rather affluent neighbourhood has enjoyed something of a renaissance in recent years. The close proximity the city’s most beautiful beaches give it an almost celebrity status. The nearby incredibly modern Torre Agbar, a mammoth pine-cone like building, rises boldly towards the sky and lights up magically at night time. With some outstanding shopping opportunities, a dedicated entertainment complex and delightfully landscaped green open spaces, Sant Marti is hard to beat. Incorporating the nearby Poble Nou and today’s rather swanky and dynamic Digonal Mar barrios, the district was once dubbed 'the Manchester of Catalonia' because of its rich industrial heritage. Historically Sant Marti remained an independent municipality until 1714 when it was swallowed up by the Barcelona boundaries, ultimately playing an important role in the following industrial revolution. More recently the area fell into a sorry decline up until the end of the 20th century but was thankfully snapped up for regeneration to accommodate the 1992 Olympic Games. The entire beachfront was redeveloped during the construction of an Olympic Village to house the thousands of visiting athletes. Many of the original industrial buildings were converted rather than demolished respecting the historic importance of the area.

Highlights of Sant Marti
There are plenty of things to do and places to explore in the historic Sant Marti district. Why not visit the Parc Central del Poblenou and grab a moment’s peace from the hubbub of the city. With over 55 hectares of open green space there is plenty of room for you and your guests to enjoy a picnic in the warm sun or a good book under the shade of a tree. The beautiful golden coastline is close by as well as a surprisingly fascinating old cemetery which is also worth a look if you are interested.

The charming, though strangely named, nearby neighbourhood of Clot is home to one of the most majestic buildings in the city. Many residents and visitors consider San Pau Hospital to be more deserving of the UNESCO protected building status than Gaudi’s more famous La Sagrada Familia. Constructed in the early 20th century by Lluis Domenech i Montaner it functioned as a hospital until 2009. Its future purpose will be as a cultural centre and museum for the city.
 

In startling contrast to this ornate building, the rather underwhelming Diagonal Mar shopping centre nearby underlines Barcelona’s love of ‘the shock of the new’. It is however retail heaven for many millions of local people and visitors to the city since it is the largest of its kind in the Catalonia. You will find all the usual local and international brand names here as well as a huge subterranean supermarket, delicious restaurants to suit every palette and a mammoth 18-screen multiplex cinema.

Our San Marti apartments
Choose from our broad selection of excellent self catering apartments of varying sizes within and around the San Marti district of Barcelona. In order to see location and availability information simply input the desired dates of your visit and press the search button. Our helpful support team area always on hand to answer any questions you may have.

by James Fisher