Spain · Catalunya · Barcelona
Hostafrancs, Barcelona — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Hostafrancs is a barri of the Sants-Montjuïc district of Barcelona whose main street, the Creu Coberta, is one of the busiest shopping streets in the city.
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Where to stay in Hostafrancs
The practical side of choosing where to sleep.
Hostafrancs lies on the Creu Coberta, the old main road into Barcelona. The Creu Coberta and the carrer de Sants together form a shopping street of about four kilometres, from the Plaça d'Espanya to the carretera de Collblanc, with more than 800 shops. Three stations serve the barri: Hostafrancs on metro line L1 in its middle, the Espanya metro and railway station on its eastern edge, and Sants just to the north.
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Along the Creu Coberta
The Tinença d'Alcaldia, seat of the Sants-Montjuïc district, stands on this street at number 104-106.Find hotels in Along the Creu Cobertathe start of the shopping streetBy the Plaça d'Espanya
The old boundary between Santa Maria de Sants and Barcelona ran where the plaça now lies, and the Creu Coberta starts here.Find hotels in By the Plaça d'EspanyaHotel links are affiliate links: booking through them may earn us a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never affects how places are ranked. How this works
Things to do in and around Barcelona
Ranked by global recognition; descriptions from Wikidata (CC0).
Museums & Galleries
3- Archaeology Museum of Catalonia (Barcelona)
- Centre de Documentació i Museu de les Arts Escèniques
- Museo Fran Daurel
Churches & Religious Sites
3- Ermita de Santa Madrona (Montjuïc) Heritage
- Santa Tecla Heritage
- Església de Santa Maria de Sants
Castles & Historic Sites
3- Casa Golferichs Heritage
- Sant Jordi 175 Heritage
- Peace bell Heritage
Stadiums & Sports
3- Club Natació Montjuïc
- Camp Municipal de Rugby La Foixarda
- Piscina Sant Jordi
Landmarks & Notable Places
4- Venetian Towers Heritage
- Casa Josep Filella Heritage
- Casa Salvat Heritage
- Can Ros de Mayol Heritage
worth knowingacross 5 categories in and around Barcelona
About Hostafrancs
What are the main landmarks in Hostafrancs?
The Hostafrancs market is the oldest in the Sants-Montjuïc district. Antoni Rovira i Trias designed it with an iron frame and three naves. It opened in 1888.
The Tinença d'Alcaldia at Creu Coberta 104-106 was built in 1885 by the modernista architect Jaume Gustà i Bondia and extended in 1908 and 1915 by Ubald Iranzo. It has been the seat of the district since 1984, and its council chamber keeps stained glass made in 1914 by the Rigalt i Granell workshop.
What is the history of Hostafrancs?
Hostafrancs takes its name from an inn built in the mid-19th century by Joan Corrades i Bosch, who bought the land in 1840 and named it after his home village, Hostafrancs del Sió in the Segarra. In the Middle Ages the spot was a crossroads at the approach to Barcelona, and a boundary cross raised in 1344 and later roofed over gave the Creu Coberta its name. Windmills were built here between 1584 and 1785.
The land belonged to the municipality of Santa Maria de Sants until 1839. Industry made it a working-class barri. The market and the Vinyeta slaughterhouse of 1891 boosted its trade.
Where is Hostafrancs?
Hostafrancs is bounded by the carrer de Tarragona to the north-east, the Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes to the south-east and the carrer del Moianès to the west. The Plaça d'Espanya marks its eastern edge.
Common questions
What is the best area to stay in Hostafrancs?
Along the Creu Coberta: the district seat on the main street. By the Plaça d'Espanya: the start of the shopping street.
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Updated October 2026