Barcelona is a city of passages, a typology common in global urbanism yet often misunderstood. Spanish cultural tradition has long assumed that any narrow street or passage draws inspiration from Paris, following Walter Benjamin’s little-read The Arcades Project. In reality, each passage in Barcelona—over 400 in total—has its own history and character. Exploring ten districts offers a glimpse of their diversity without getting lost in the city’s 73 neighborhoods.
Eixample
Ildefons Cerdà’s grid plan reshaped Barcelona in the late 19th century, influencing the layout of its passages. Many, like the Passatge de Permanyer, served as shortcuts across city blocks. Built in 1864 by Jeroni Granell i Barrera, it reflects the early dreams of Eixample development, including the Torre de Aguas and the Casas Cerdà with their intricate sgraffito façades. The oldest passage in the district, Conradí, now a dead-end alley, dates back to the early 19th century near the Sagrada Familia.
Horta-Guinardó
This vast district houses perhaps the city’s most unusual passage: Sigüenza. Hidden from Google Maps, it zigzags along the course of the Torrent del Paradís. The surrounding homes are self-built, and steep, narrow staircases connect the passage to the main street, offering access to local delights like Bar Delicias’ renowned patatas bravas.
Gràcia
Gràcia, historically a summer retreat for wealthy Barcelonans, features passages with character and charm. The Passatge Napoleó honors two pioneering Catalan photographers who adopted the emperor’s name. Passatge d’Isabel, lined with Villa Esperanza (1893), showcases architecture bridging traditional styles and early modernism.
Nou Barris
As the city’s newest district, Nou Barris has fewer passages, yet they reflect a layered history. The Passatge del Nil, a sandy alley near Sant Iscle, illustrates the difficulty of urbanizing hilly terrain. Passatge de L’Esperança, part of 1920s cooperative housing plans, originally housed port workers. Its twin, Passatge de L’Arquitecte Millàs, served tram company employees, blending small homes with nearby taller structures.
Sant Andreu
Passages here reveal Barcelona’s expansion from independent villages. The Passatge de Joaquim Rita commemorates a 1920s landowner. Nearby, Passatge de Sócrates and Passatge de Dublín feature villas with gardens, while an unnamed alley off Carrer de Josepa Massanés divides a residential block from a vanished farmhouse, highlighting the district’s past fabric.
Sant Martí
The industrial Poblenou neighborhood hosts a network of passages. Passatge d’Iglesias, with a 19th-century plaque, intersects Carrer de Pujades, while Passatge de la Plana has been remodeled to align with the modern 22@ innovation district. Passatge D’Olivé is legendary, with a ground-floor house crowned by a mysterious reddish statue reminiscent of Rodin’s work.
Ciutat Vella
Two passages illustrate the evolution of power and commerce. Passatge de Bacardí, established in 1856 near Plaça Reial, combines functional commercial spaces with ornamental details honoring Ramón de Bacardí’s father. Passatge de la Pau, branching from Carrer Ample, epitomizes a Parisian-inspired arcade typology.
Les Corts, Sants-Montjuïc, and Sarrià-Sant Gervasi
Les Corts features Passatge de Tube lla with small worker homes, while Carrer de les Ànimes traces a Roman route. Sants-Montjuïc boasts Camí Antic de València, connecting Carrer Margarit to the garden city of La Satalia, including hidden gems like Passatge de Serrahima. In Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, Passatge de Mallofré preserves the charm of the 1870s, with wooden ceilings and lush private gardens, giving a sense of timelessness.
Barcelona’s passages are more than alleys; they are living fragments of history. They reveal the city’s transformation from independent villages to a modern metropolis, blending architecture, culture, and urban ingenuity. Each district tells its own story, offering hidden corners where past and present coexist. Whether zigzagging through self-built houses in Horta-Guinardó or admiring the ornamental façades in Ciutat Vella, exploring these passages is a journey into Barcelona’s soul—one alley at a time.