Ciutat Vella (means Old City in Catalan) is oldest district of Barcelona and it's numbered District 1.

Ciutat Vella is considered as the centre of Barcelona and it holds four administrative neighborhoods:

La Barceloneta: This neighborhood was constructed during the 18th century and it has a triangular shape, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea and it's serviced by its own stop on the metro. Barceloneta is known for its sandy beach and its restaurants and night life.

El Gotic: Gothic Quarter in Catalan is the centre of the old city (Ciutat Vella) of Barcelona. It stretches from La Rambla to Via Laietana, and from the Mediterranean seafront to Ronda de Sant Pere. Many of the buildings date from Medieval times and even from the Roman settlement of Barcelona. El Gotic retains a labyrinthine street plan, with many small streets opening out into squares. Most of the quarter is closed to regular traffic although open to service vehicles and taxis.

El Raval: Also known as Barri xinés, which means Chinatown. El Raval is one of the two historical neighborhoods that border the Rambla (the other is El Gotic). El Raval is a home to a very diverse immigrant community and becoming one of the hippest neighborhoods of Barcelona where many artists live and work. It is home to many bars, restaurants, and night spots.

Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera: It's formed by the former neighbourhoods of Sant Pere, Santa Catarina and la Ribera.
Sant Pere: Named after the 10th century monastery Sant Pere de les Puelles
Santa Caterina: Known mainly for its glorious Santa Caterina market.
La Ribera: Means The Shore in Catalan, many of its buildings date from the Medieval times, some of the main buildings in La Ribera are the Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar and the palaces along Carrer de Montcada, including the Museu Picasso, the Barbier-Muller Museum of Pre-Colombian Art, and part of the Textile Museum.

Les Rambles: Running down the center of the Ciutat Vella (dividing the Raval and El Gotic) are the boulevards Les Rambles, popularly known as La Rambla (in singular) since they are continuous, like a single street. Les Rambles stretches from Plaça Catalunya to the Mediterranean Sea and, since the 1990s, now extends out over the sea into one of Barcelona's newest centers of entertainment, Maremagnum. Each of Les Rambles has its own specialty. La Rambla de les Flors (The Flowers Rambla) is devoted to flower stands, another Rambla to animal vendors (selling mainly birds), and the lowest Rambla hosts temporary art fairs. Les Rambles are among the most frequently travelled streets by pedestrians in Barcelona.