Until the 1950s this part of Barcelona, Nou Barris, was predominantly rural and only sparsely inhabited.

Sandwiched between Horta-Guinard and Sant Andreu in the north-east of the city, Nou Barris is now a densely populated high-rise suburban sprawl just 15 minutes away from the city centre.

The third most populous of Barcelonas ten municipal districts, it has an extensive public transport system including three underground lines and a large number of bus routes.

Around ten local markets are dotted throughout the 14 barrios, or neighbourhoods, which make up the Nou Barris district and there are also two large shopping centres in the eastern neighbourhoods of Vilapiscina/Tur de la Piera: the super modern Centre Comercial Heron City and another branch of El Corte Ingls.

Apart from the Ateneu Popular - the Peoples University - and the four public libraries, the area is a bit short on cultural facilities, with only two cinemas and two theatres within its boundaries.

However parks and green spaces abound: as well as the Parc Tur de la Piera in the east and the Parc Esportiu Can Drag in the west, the recently inaugurated Parc Central de Nou Barris covering more than 16 hectares, is a geometric homage to Picasso and constitutes an oasis of lakes and waterfalls in the midst of the apartment blocks.