Diagonal Mar is a neighbourhood rich with activities and opportunities in a city with no shortage of fun and interesting things to do.

There are plenty of reasons you might never want to leave Antares Barcelona, with its luxury residences, unmatched sea views, top-flight leisure and fitness facilities, and the stunning rooftop pool and terrace. But you won’t have to venture too far from home to find a host of cool things to see and do right on your doorstep. 

Water everywhere!

As a waterfront district the main attraction here is the sea and you almost couldn’t be any closer than Antares Barcelona. It’s just a quick dash from your front door to splash about and sunbathe off the wide strip of Llevant Beach. Swimmers wanting a sand-free place to take a dip also have access to Zona de Baño, an open-water swimming area just off the Parque del Forum seafront. But swimming isn’t all that’s on offer. Port Forum is the city’s watersports centre with everything from parasailing to jet ski hire and diving instruction. 

Blue Salt School (bluesaltschool.com) offers a range of activities, including SUP, surfing and rowing. There’s even special yoga sessions to help you gain the core strength you need for SUP. Jet Scoot (jetscoot.com) provides jet ski hire and instruction and has a range of wild rides like hoverboarding, wakeboarding and flyboards. 

If discovering what’s under the waves is more alluring, you’ll find what you need at the Saita Diving Club (saitadiving.org). From beginner to refresher courses, the centre can offer training at all levels to allow you to safely start or improve your diving. The club is also a non-profit organisation investing funds into ongoing social and environmental activities. Also nearby is iDive Barcelona diving school (idivebcn.com), where you can take try dives, PADI certification and diving day trips.  

Sail away

Has Barcelona’s hosting of the forthcoming 37th America’s Cup (www.americascup.com) given you the sailing bug? You’re in luck. Diagonal Mar has Port Forum marina (portforum.com) with all the services you’ll need to moor your own boat. For those just starting out, Port Forum also has its own sailing school. Aimed at those wanting to achieve athletic excellence in sailing, the Barcelona International Sailing School (bisc.cat) is the only World Sailing approved centre to offer training in all Olympic-level classes. Too full on? Hire a crewed private yacht from one of the companies located at the port or just enjoy being a spectator at one of the regular regattas and team sailing events. 

Shops and screens

If retail therapy’s your thing, you’ll find all your desires catered for just across the street at the Diagonal Mar Commercial Centre (www.diagonalmarcentre.es). One of the largest retail and leisure facilities in Catalonia, the mall has around 200 shops, restaurants and various leisure outlets. Whether you’re shopping for the best brand names, looking to pick up local delicacies from the on-site supermarket or just want to grab lunch at one of the many dining options, you’ll find everything you need. When you’ve shopped till you’ve dropped you can relax while watching the latest blockbuster in one of the 11 screening rooms at the centre’s on-site cinema.

In the nearby Poblenou district, you’ll also find an eclectic range of boutiques to kit out your home and yourself. Check out Unusual* concept store for artisan goods from shoes to jewellery; Noak Room (noakroom.com), offering Scandinavian furnishings; and vintage clothing outlet, Vintage Poblenou. 

Dining out

For fine dining, Le Grand Café Rouge (legrandcaferouge.eu) at Antares Barcelona should be your first stop. One of the best new restaurants in the city, it offers Michelin-quality, French-influenced food in a stunning architect-designed dining room. 

There’s also plenty of options in the neighbourhood. Port Forum marina has a cluster of well-rated eateries, with the added benefit of being waterfront. Check out Cantina Marina Seca for their popular paellas, El Racó de Mariner for seafood, or Lahore for authentic Pakistani dishes. Also popular is Dagma in the Barcelona Princess Hotel, which offers Mediterranean-inspired contemporary dining. For relaxed, seafront vibes, try Bambú Beach Bar, right on Llevant Beach. It offers Thai-inspired food, a good cocktail menu and sun loungers. Or perhaps enjoy a 15 minute bike ride along the waterfront promenade to L’Estupendu in Badalona for lunch, where the intense turquoise blue water and white sand make you feel like  you’re on holiday in the Caribbean. An easy 25-minute stroll in the other direction brings you to Els Pescadors, in the charming Plaza de Prim, where you can enjoy some of the best seafood in Spain.

Stay active 

If you like to be on the go, it’s hard to see how you could ever run out of things to do in Diagonal Mar. The boardwalk that runs along almost the entire city seafront starts at the Parque del Forum and offers the perfect route for runners and cyclists to stay fit against the backdrop of the Mediterranean. Dog walkers will have the run of Llevant Beach, the only city beach where your canine companions are allowed.

The young, or young-at-heart, can demonstrate their moves at the Forum Skate Park. Not isolated to skateboards, the ramps and turns are ideal for mountain bikes and roller skating. The facility is floodlit to allow evening activities too. 

Watch and learn 

Step out of the city and into the natural world at Barcelona’s Museum of Natural Sciences (museuciencies.cat). Located in Parque del Forum, the museum is housed in the iconic Forum building, designed by starchitects Herzog and de Meuron. Dedicated to understanding the biodiversity of Catalonia and the natural world in general, the museum has permanent and visiting exhibitions and science-related activities for children. 

For an unusual and creative experience, look out for one of Diagonal Mar’s undiscovered attractions. La Central del Circ (lacentraldelcirc.cat) is a circus skills training centre in Parque del Forum. The main aims of the centre are the training and development of professional circus and performance artists. You won’t be able to test your own trapeze skills but you can attend regular open events where performers showcase their talents to the public. 

Party central

Summer is festival season and Parque del Forum (parcdelforum.barcelona) is home during the warmer weather to numerous open-air events. You might have missed this year’s Primavera Sound and Cruilla festivals earlier this year but there’s still time to catch the three-day Brunch Electronik, featuring Hernan Cattano and Fatboy Slim, in August, or September’s B festival. Dive into where the action is, and enjoy knowing it’s not far to head home to Antares Barcelona for your exclusive after-show party. 

Summer or winter, inside and outdoors, there’s plenty on offer right on the doorstep of Antares Barcelona. So be sure to make the most of Diagonal Mar.

Antares Barcelona