Plaça de la Virreina could be Barcelona’s most beautiful plaza, or the Gràcia neighborhood’s most beautiful plaza, or neither. It boasts an old church, numerous café terraces and benches, and offers a nice mix of shade and sun, owing to the trees. The plaza was urbanized in 1878 by architect Josep Artigas, and the church was built in 1884. The church is named the Church of Sant Joan, and some local residents still call the plaza Plaça de Sant Joan for that reason.