The Eixample district is the heart of Barcelona because of its geographic location and for being the most important business, economical and shopping district of the city.
The name Eixample (or Ensanche, in Catalan) means “extension” and this is the reason why the area was born, when the city needed to expand during the XIX Century and the Industrial Revolution.
The original project by the architect Ildefonso Cerda was that of a garden city, with wide open spaces, buildings of maximum three floors very distant from each other, and no social class difference as all streets were supposed to look the same.
This initial project was criticized by the bourgeoisie and was subjected to several changes.
The main character of the Eixample is its regular geometrical shape clearly visible on bird view pictures of the city.
The Eixample includes 6 quarters: Eixample Izquierda (split into Antigua Izquierda and Nueva Izquierda), Eixample Dreta (o Derecha), Sagrada Familia, Fort Pienc, and Sant Antoni.
The areas were progressively built as the city grew, and differ a lot from each other,
The part of the Eixample that goes from Calle Aribau to Paseo Sant Joan is also referred to as the Golden Square, and it contains the greatest amount of modernist buildings of the city of Barcelona.
Sant Antoni
Sant Antoni might be the least known part of the Eixample, meaning that often people do not know that this area – especially the part closest to the Raval – belongs to the Eixample district, but it is definitely a very interesting part of the city, worth considering while looking for a property.
The area takes the name from the famous Sant Antoni market, built at the end of the XIX Century and now completed renovated and brought back to its original splendour.
Sant Antoni is a very lively area that benefits from its closeness to the Raval and the Avenida Paralelo, amongst the most dynamic and socially active areas of the city.
Sant Antoni stretches all the way to Plaza de Espanya and therefore benefits also from the proximity to the international exhibition centre, the Arenas shopping centre, and the Montjuic hill.
Just like the adjacent Nueva Izquierda Eixample, most of the buildings in Sant Antoni were erected or renovated following the Universal Exhibition of 1929, when the city started to expand.
It is an area that includes fewer landmarks or iconic buildings compared to other parts of the Eixample but that benefits from a privileged location, close to the centre (Plaza Universitat), and to several other very interesting areas: additionally to the already mentioned Raval, Parallel, and Plaza de España, also Poble Sec, which is now becoming more and more appealing to both locals and foreigners.
Sant Antoni offers plenty of shops, restaurants, cafes, and services of all kinds (gyms, schools, medical centres, clinics, beauty centres, etc.).
Transport links are excellent, with several underground stops, buses, and the shuttle bus to/from the international airport that stops in Plaza de Espanya and reaches the airport in around 15 minutes without further stops.
The Properties in Sant Antoni
Properties in this area are less expensive than in the Eixample Dreta and the Antigua Izquierda and represent an excellent investment opportunity.
Thanks to the central location and the proximity to several interesting areas, Sant Antoni can be very appealing to international investors who are planning to either re-sell or rent out their property, or simply to clients who want a second residence in Barcelona in a very good area.
As most of the buildings are fairly more recent than in the historical city centre or in the oldest parts of the Eixample, it is easier to find buildings with lifts, balconies, terraces, and other features that have become usual in the more modern standard of construction.
Properties in this area are usually good quality, and buildings are often already renovated. When the flats need renovation, the refurbishment is less challenging than in the historical city centre.
However, properties here also may have less character as it is harder to find features such as the hydraulic floors or the Catalan vaulted ceilings, which make the Barcelona flats so unique and charming.
We can help you assess the quality of a property and taking care of the renovation, in full respect of the regulations and the care required by any type of properties.
Prices in the Eixample
The average price per m2 in the district of the Eixample has remained stable over the past year (source Habitaclia, October 2019).
The current price per m2 of 5.577,07 € is the average of the prices in all the areas of the district, which includes lower prices in Sagrada Familia, Sant Antoni and Fort Pienc, and higher prices in the other areas.
Prices per m2 in Sant Antoni can substantially vary depending on the type of building and on the features of the flat.
As in all the other areas, penthouses and properties with “special” features (terraces, beautiful view, or else) can reach prices per m2 well above the average but most of the flats can be acquired for a price per m2 between 3.500 € and 4.500 €, less if the property needs some renovation.
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