Pedralbes, Barcelona’s Most Elite Neighborhood

Situated in the high zone of the city known as upper Diagonal is Pedralbes, the neighborhood with the highest income per capita in Barcelona. The neighborhood originally belonged to the town-esque neighborhood of Sarrià, and now, these are two of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the Ciudad Condal. In Pedralbes you’ll find some of the most impressive buildings in Barcelona, where millionaires, celebrities and soccer stars retreat to their private homes in the city’s most exclusive zones. Various important consulates, among them the United States consulate, are located in this district as well. Today in this article from ShBarcelona, we want to help you get to know the neighborhood of Pedralbes, Barcelona’s most elite area.

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More than just a residential zone

Pedralbes owes its name to the monastery of Poor Clares, founded in the year 1326. The Pedralbes Monastery, a grand representation of the historic Gothic style, is one of the unknown architectural jewels of Barcelona. The monastery is located at calle Baixada del Monestir, 9 and is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:0o a.m. to 7 p.m. and on festival days from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.. The monastery always has interesting exhibitions to explore during your visit. Another lesser-known marvel of Pedralbes are the Jardines del Palau Reial de Pedralbes, located at Avenida Diagonal, 686. These gardens originally formed part of a property that belonged to the Güell family, designed by none other than the famous Antoni Gaudí. If you want to disconnect from the bustle and noise and enjoy the tranquility of the outdoors without having to leave the city, these gardens are the ideal location for an afternoon stroll. Each year, this idyllic space houses the famous music festival Jardins de Pedralbes. Although it is a mostly residential neighborhood, Pedralbes also encases the University Zone of the city, meaning you can find streams of students coming and going through the area. The neighborhood is also the site of some of the most well-known foreign schools in Barcelona.

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Would it really be Barcelona’s most elite neighborhood is sports weren’t involved in some way? Pedralbes is also home to two of the city’s most important sports facilities: the Real Club de Tenis de Barcelona (Bosch i Gimpera, 5) and the Real Club de Polo de Barcelona (Av. Dr. Marañón, 19-31). These two clubs are as exclusive as the high zone that they’re located in, with memberships only being within reach of those with the deepest pockets. Away from the excitement of these sports facilities, the streets of the Pedralbes neighborhood are calm and quiet, with beautiful homes surrounded by exquisite gardens and private pools. Although you can also find more classically-styled mansions in this neighborhood, the majority of the homes have a more modern and innovative style, where minimalism and simplicity are highly valued. However, as with all exclusive neighborhoods, the prices of homes in Pedralbes are exorbitant. With the exception of some restaurants and hotels, the neighborhood doesn’t offer much when it comes to entertainment and shopping, but thankfully residents of Pedralbes are conveniently close to nearby shopping centers in other neighborhoods, including El Corte Inglés de Diagonal (Av. Diagonal, 617), L’illa Diagonal (Av. Diagonal, 557) and the number of exclusive stores to be found on Avenida Diagonal. This neighborhood is a bit remote in relation to the rest of the city, giving extra meaning to its name of the “high zone” and also allowing visitors to enjoy peace and quiet away from the bustle of busier neighborhoods in the Ciudad Condal. It’s a life of luxury for those who live in Pedralbes, with residents wielding high purchasing power and the calm of the high zone setting the neighborhood apart from the rest of the city.

*Main photo borkur.net via VisualHunt 

What other interesting details do you know about this elite neighborhood?