Living in el Parc del Poblenou, Barcelona
The heart of the 22@ district, where old factories have become tech offices, and where you live among skyscrapers, still-industrial streets and new parks.
History and identity
The neighbourhood is the centre of gravity of 22@, the municipal plan launched in 2000 to turn the old industrial Poblenou into an innovation district. La Llacuna was originally a coastal lagoon where the Sant Martí streams reached the sea, drained in the 19th century to build textile mills. For a hundred years this was the "Catalan Manchester", with chimneys, warehouses and steam. The industrial decline from the 1970s left a fabric to reinvent. Today major tech and media companies (Cellnex, Indra, RBA), startups and universities (UPF Comunicació, BAU) coexist with preserved old chimneys and new parks.
What to expect
New buildings (offices and housing from the 2000s-2020s), Jean Nouvel skyscrapers like Torre Glòries on the edge, but also streets that still feel industrial and rough. The population skews young: engineers, designers, tech workers, European expats drawn by the companies, UPF students. Long-standing Poblenou families remain in some preserved blocks. Daytime is intense with work, evenings are moderate — there are restaurants and bars but no mass nightlife. Quiet on weekends (offices empty out).
Transport
Metro L1 (Glòries, Marina) and L4 (Llacuna, Bogatell). Tram T4 along Diagonal toward the Forum. Buses H14, H16, V21, V27. The centre is 10 minutes away. Estació de França and Sants for national trains. Excellent for cycling: wide bike lanes, flat streets, Bicing stations everywhere.
What to do in the neighbourhood
Parc del Centre del Poblenou (Jean Nouvel) — lush, with Mediterranean plants and pergolas. Torre Glòries and DHUB (Design Hub) with its public square. Encants Vells (flea market) for bargains. Mercat del Clot nearby. In the evening the Rambla del Poblenou toward the east concentrates the nightlife. Plaça de les Glòries is in constant transformation (long construction site). Bogatell beach is 15 minutes on foot. Palo Alto Market (monthly, in an old factory) — food, design, music.
Who it's ideal for
Tech workers, engineers, designers, expats working for 22@ companies, UPF Communication students. Young families looking for new buildings with modern amenities. Less suited to those wanting a historic atmosphere, traditional neighbourhood life, or authentic tapas places.