That Time I Wanted to Live on Carrer de Tuset
During our apartment hunt in Barcelona, we visited quite a few places— each with its own little story. But there’s one my husband still teases me about, even two years later - the Carrer de Tuset episode.
It started with what seemed like a dream find. We visited a stunning apartment on Carrer de Tuset — 150 sqm of beauty, high ceilings, lovely period details, and enough space to host visiting family, have an office, and let the girls run wild. Even better? It was within our budget. A unicorn, really.
The real estate agent was super friendly, and when I explained that we were a family with two young girls, he paused and asked, “Are you familiar with Barcelona?” I proudly said, “Yes, more and more,” and continued gushing about the apartment’s potential. We connected well, and despite the fact that other people were scheduled to view the place before and after us, I had a good feeling. I was already mentally arranging furniture.
It was around 6 PM when we did the visit. The street had a lively vibe — people were sitting on terraces, music in the background, after-work drinks happening. It all felt very Barcelona, very Mediterranean. We stopped by 4 Latas afterward for a drink, talking about what we’d do with all that space and how close we’d be to Diagonal and the shops, yet tucked away on a smaller street. We were excited.
Then — divine intervention. My husband, never the cautious one, decided to Google Carrer de Tuset when we got home. Let’s just say the search results were… enlightening. Headlines like "Tuset, el epicentro nocturno de Barcelona" (Tuset, the nightlife epicenter of Barcelona) popped up. Mentions of nightclubs, late-night bars, and party hotspots flooded the screen. We looked at each other in disbelief.
To be sure, we did what any sane family would do - we got in the car and drove back at midnight on a Friday. What we saw was… not quite the serene family neighborhood we had pictured. The small street was pulsing with life — clubgoers, bar hoppers, groups of friends laughing and shouting, and yes, we even saw a group of eight guys walking into the very building where we were about to apply to live.
Reality check - Carrer de Tuset is great… if you’re 25, single, and own noise-canceling headphones. Needless to say, we did not move in. But ended up with a great story to tell.
What We Learned
After that experience, we made it a habit to:
Google the street name
Check Google Maps street view to see nearby businesses
Pay attention to what’s happening at different times of the day
Some areas are bustling in the morning and quiet by night
Others sleep all day and come very alive after dark
Barcelona is a city of contrasts. One street can feel like a calm oasis during the day and turn into a party zone at night. It’s one of the things that makes the city so dynamic — but also tricky when choosing where to live.