Plaça de Sant Jaume

Plaça de Sant Jaume has served as Barcelona's civic and political center since Roman times, when it sat at the crossing of the city's two main roads, and today it's framed by the neoclassical facade of the Ajuntament, or City Hall, and the Gothic Palau de la Generalitat, home to Catalonia's regional government. It's a working square rather than a museum piece, official ceremonies, rallies, and holiday events regularly take place here, giving it a lived-in civic energy reviewers note even on quiet days. Its short recommended visit length reflects that it's best appreciated as a pause on a Gothic Quarter walk rather than a dedicated stop. Come on a Sunday around midday and you may catch a public sardana dance nearby, a short walk from the Cathedral.