Setting Up in El Born & Barri Gòtic Without Spanish: Starter Pack

El Born and the Barri Gòtic are part of the Ciutat Vella district, so you register at the Ciutat Vella citizen office. This guide is a starter pack for newcomers who do not yet speak Spanish or Catalan, whether you are on your own or moving with children. It covers the official steps in order, the public health centres and markets the council lists for El Born & Barri Gòtic, the route into school for children who arrive mid-year, and the English-speaking professionals we list here. It is general information, not legal or medical advice, and the local details come from council pages and datasets that can change.

What should I do first when I move to El Born & Barri Gòtic?

Register on the padró (the municipal register) first, because the council says it gives access to public healthcare and basic schooling for children and is needed for most immigration procedures. You do not need regular residence status to register. For El Born & Barri Gòtic you can go in person to the Ciutat Vella Oficina d'Atenció Ciutadana at Carrer de les Ramelleres 17, separate from the district headquarters at Plaça de Bonsuccés 3, call 010, or use the council's online procedures office. The council's registration page and its Empadrona't leaflet are available in English.

Then apply for the Catalan individual health card, the TSI. CatSalut says everyone must be on the padró of a Catalan municipality first. You need your passport or NIE and a padró certificate issued in the last three months. You can apply online, which produces a temporary receipt with your personal identification code (CIP) by email while the card is posted free of charge, or in person at the primary care centre (CAP) that corresponds to your address. Foreign nationals who are not in the Social Security system are assigned a coverage level according to their circumstances, so the route can differ for you; see our newcomer glossary and immigration lawyer guide if your status is unclear.

If you are having a baby, CatSalut sets the order: register the newborn with the national Social Security institute (INSS) as a beneficiary of a parent first, register the child on the padró, then apply for the TSI. The Ciutat Vella housing office is at Plaça de Salvador Seguí 13.

Which public health centres cover El Born & Barri Gòtic?

The council's open-data list of health services shows two primary care centres (CAP) for El Born & Barri Gòtic. El Born and the Barri Gòtic are neighbouring neighbourhoods of Ciutat Vella, and the council's list gives each its own centre, so the border between them can decide which one you use.

• CAP Gòtic, Passatge de Pau 1 (el Barri Gòtic): Monday to Friday 08:00 to 20:00
• CAP Casc Antic, Carrer del Rec Comtal 24 (Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera (El Born)): Monday to Friday 08:00 to 20:00

Out of hours, both centres' notes point to the 061 health line, with CAP Casc Antic also naming the Manso urgent care centre. On non-holiday Saturdays CAP Gòtic refers patients to a continuous care centre. CatSalut says your CAP is set by your home address or by free choice within the public system, and its website has a tool to find yours. The list is marked as last updated in October 2023, so confirm hours and addresses with the centre before you go. None of the sources we used say whether staff at these centres work in English, so do not assume it; for appointments in English, a private doctor is the alternative, and our guide to seeing a doctor in English and private health insurance guide compare.

What about paediatricians and schools if I have children?

Public paediatric care in Catalonia covers children up to age 14, according to a December 2023 report by 3Cat on the Department of Health's plans, after which young people move to adult primary care in principle. Once the TSI is issued, ask your CAP which paediatrician your child is assigned to. Private paediatricians are the alternative if you want appointments in English; our paediatrician guide covers costs and the vaccination schedule.

For schools, the Barcelona Education Consortium (run by the city council and the Generalitat) handles places in the city. The city's International Welcome site, which is in English, explains that children aged 3 to 16 who arrive outside the normal pre-enrolment period, for example when a family moves to the city mid-year, can apply online at any point in the school year. Places are granted only where there are vacancies, each child can have one application, the process is free, and requests are generally resolved within about two weeks. The Consortium's own website is in Catalan only but can be translated in the browser. In-person help needs an appointment, bookable on 012 or 93 551 10 00, at the help office on Carrer de Roger de Llúria 1-3.

Where do I shop, and where can I get help in English?

The council lists one municipal market in these two neighbourhoods; other Ciutat Vella markets, such as the Boqueria, fall in the neighbouring Raval. They are:

• Mercat de Santa Caterina, Avinguda de Francesc Cambó 16

For help in English with the settling-in steps, the Barcelona International Welcome Desk offers free, confidential support in English, Catalan and Spanish for people moving to the city to work, start a business, invest, study or do research, and eligible family members. It helps with registering as a resident, the healthcare system and enrolling children in school. It is at Carrer de Roc Boronat 117, and you request an appointment through a form on the council's site. If you are not moving for one of those reasons you may not be eligible, so check first. For general questions, the council's information line is 010.

Where do I find English-speaking doctors, paediatricians and dentists in El Born & Barri Gòtic?

Doctors, paediatricians and dentists are what most families look for first, followed by help with paperwork. We list a professional only after finding a checkable English-language signal, such as their own website or profile, and we do not rank them, so a listing means English is offered, not that we can vouch for quality. Some professions, such as lawyers, gestors and translators, work across the city, so the same firm can appear under several areas.

Browse the El Born & Barri Gòtic page, or open doctors, paediatricians and dentists directly. For what the neighbourhood is like to live in, read our guide to living in El Born & Barri Gòtic.

A starter-pack checklist

• Week 1: register on the padró at the district citizen office or online, and keep several copies of the certificate.
• Week 1 to 2: apply for the TSI, with your passport or NIE and a padró certificate under three months old.
• Week 1 to 2: if you have children aged 3 to 16 who need a school place, start the online application with the Barcelona Education Consortium.
• Month 1: pick one public health centre by address and one English-speaking private doctor, and write the 061 line and the nearest urgent care centre in your phone.
• Month 1: ask a Welcome Desk adviser or a local gestor what else your status requires, rather than guessing.

Looking for an English-speaking doctor in Barcelona? Browse by area: All of Barcelona, or by area: Eixample, Poblenou, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, Les Corts, Diagonal Mar & Vila Olímpica, Gràcia, El Born & Barri Gòtic and Sants.