The Raval neighbourhood has been evolving and growing since its beginnings, but art has always had its place. From theatre to art exhibitions from all over the world.

In this blog we will review 5 different locations in the neighbourhood where all kinds of arts have their corner to thrive. Keeping it as one of the epicentres of culture in Barcelona.

Gran Teatre del Liceu

The Gran Teatre del Liceu, built in 1847, is a unique cultural facility in Barcelona and one of the most outstanding opera houses in Europe. It was built on the Rambla by the bourgeoisie of Barcelona on the site of a former convent. Its purpose was to house the Conservatory of Music and, above all, to create a space where high society could see opera, the cultural product of the moment.

In 1994, the Liceu was mostly destroyed by a fire caused by sparks from a kerosene torch of two workers who were making repairs to the iron curtain. Despite being the second time it had burned down, the first being in 1861, it had a profound effect on the city’s inhabitants and the world of opera.

After a great effort, it reopened on October 7, 1999 with the celebration of the inaugural function of the new theatre with Turandot, having maintained an appearance faithful to the previous one, but equipped with an advanced technical infrastructure. Public funds were used to carry out the reconstruction, eliminating in the process any limited space for members or patrons.

With a capacity of 2,292 seats and five amphitheatres, the Gran Teatre del Liceu de la Rambla in Barcelona is today one of the largest opera houses in the world. Offering all kinds of concerts, recitals, and operas. As well as hosting events such as the celebration of the 125th anniversary of Football Club Barcelona and the Ondas Awards.

It’s located 9 minutes walk from Ravalora’t and the nearest metro stop is Liceu, as its name suggests, on the L3.

Filmoteca de Catalunya

The Filmoteca de Catalunya ensures the preservation and dissemination of audiovisual heritage and film culture, with a special emphasis on Catalan. Its activities include the programming of screenings and exhibitions, in addition to the conservation and restoration of films, photographs, music, books, magazines, posters and film documents, as well as museum pieces belonging to the history of cinema.

It was founded in 1981, but did not arrive in the Raval until 2012, in a building designed by Josep Lluís Mateo.

Currently, the Filmoteca de Catalunya has a public collection of more than 45,000 books, 20,000 graphic archives, 8,000 films, 5,000 soundtracks and 1,200 original cinematographic equipment. It’s the result of the conservation, restoration, cataloguing, documentation and study of the film heritage of Catalonia carried out by this institution.

If you are passionate about old films, the Filmoteca offers you the opportunity to revisit them in the original version with subtitles on the big screen. With a wide variety on offer, from American directors such as Alfred Hitchcock or Sam Peckinpah, to the iconic Swedish director Mai Zetterling.

Just 3 minutes from Ravalora’t, and with the Liceu metro stop on the L3 being the closest.

MACBA & CCCB

The MACBA was inaugurated in 1995 and was designed by the American Richard Meier. Inside there are works by contemporary artists such as Antoni Tàpies, Paul Klee, Francesc Torres, Mario Merz and Zush. The collection focuses on the legacy of the second half of the 20th century and seeks to establish a critical memory of the art of this period. Seen from a point of view that recognizes the cultural and political panorama of a specific city such as Barcelona.

Today it offers a wide variety of exhibitions, workshops, film sessions and much more. Having become one of the true centres of culture and art, not only of the Raval, but of Barcelona.

Right next door we find the CCCB (Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona), a multidisciplinary institution, which can be defined as a centre of urban culture and which organizes, among other activities, exhibitions, musical programs, dance, courses, conferences, urban itineraries… The site is dedicated to the city and the phenomena that arise from it. It also promotes artistic creation based on new technologies and languages, research in the exhibition field and debate.

Opened in 1994 in the Casa de la Caritat, a former hospice built in 1802 in what was once a medieval monastery. Conserving the facade and part of the courtyard of the original building, the rest was rebuilt with glass and steel by the architects Piñon and Viaplana, also known for designing the Maremagnum shopping centre.

The two centres are about 10 minutes from Ravalora’t, and the closest metro stop is Plaça Universitat, on the L1 and L3.

La Paloma (Ballroom)

Considered the oldest ballroom in Europe, La Paloma is a true icon of the neighbourhood. Opened in 1903, it survived for over 100 years, but unfortunately was forced to close in 2007. After being closed for over 15 years, it reopened in 2024. It has a capacity for 1,000 people, with a perfectly symmetrical interior that has been carefully maintained since 1919, in a rich red and gold baroque style.

La Paloma is frequently used for filming commercials and film scenes, and hosts all kinds of activities: concerts, parties and banquets, presentations, cultural events, fashion shows, plays, etc., but above all, it’s its famous dance sessions with an orchestra in the afternoons and evenings, which continues to attract people from all over the world, as well as locals.

It is located about 10 minutes from Ravalora’t, with the Universitat and Sant Antoni stops on the L2 and L1.

Teatre Goya

The theatrical activity of the Teatre Goya began in 1916, although it was founded in 1914. Since then, it has been a representative space of the city of Barcelona. In addition to serving as the headquarters of the Aragonese Centre of Barcelona, as a theatre it has hosted leading figures of the scene, in the category of Margarita Xirgu.

It offers a wide variety of offers of plays and monologues, with a mix of content in Spanish and Catalan.

The theatre occupies a large part of a building located on Carrer de Joaquim Costa on the corner of Carrer Torres i Amat. The building is a monumental construction, in the Aragonese Mudéjar style, which is listed in the Architectural Heritage of Barcelona.

It is located about 12 minutes from Ravalora’t, with the Universitat metro stop on the L2 and L1.

Stimulate creativity

The Raval neighbourhood in Barcelona is a vibrant hub where art and culture thrive, from world-class museums to intimate theatres that bring creativity to life.

If you’re looking for a space to channel that creativity, why not work from a dynamic coworking space right in the heart of the neighbourhood? Join a community of like-minded professionals and let Raval’s artistic energy inspire your next big project!