We've never explored this area properly before and although it was nice and I can see how people love it, we still prefer the Gothic area but maybe it's because we know it a lot better. In El Born there was some amazing little shops, loads of great quirky cafes and bars but the few that we stopped at, although they were lovely, there always seemed to be a lot of "characters" hanging around outside. I would definitely recommend a browse though and decide for yourself what your favourite area is.