A nice way to get to know La Ribera is to start just above the Barceloneta, on Av. Marqués de l'Argentera, and work your way up into medieval Barcelona.
Carrer de Vidriera meets Av. Marqués de l'Argentera a few blocks west of the Estació de França train station. Follow it north to the Placeta de Montcada and you'll find the church of Santa María del Mar, considered the purest example of Catalan Gothic architecture.
Passeig del Born, Barcelona's hippest avenue, extends east from the placeta torwards the Mercat del Born, a 19th century market surrounded by pleasant outdoor cafes.
Carrer de Montcada, which meets the Placeta de Montcada on its northeast side, was built in the 14th century as a direct path from the maze of Barcelona's medieval streets to the sea. Head north up Montcada and you'll find yourself transported to the historical stomping grounds of Barcelona's high society. Five of the street's many 14th century palaces, numbers 15-23, are linked together to house the Picasso Museum, Barcelona's most visited attraction with a rare collection of the artist's early works.
Continuing up Via Laetana - El Born's western border just a few blocks from the Picasso Museum - will lead you to the Palau de la Música Catalana, Domenech i Montaner's classical music concert hall. Head east towards the Arc de Triomf, another of La Ribera's modernista structures, and you'll find yourself just above the Parc de la Ciutadella. The Ciutadella contains the Barcelona Zoo and Geology Museum, and is the biggest patch of green in the city center.
