The apartment is close to the metro and a 10 minute trip from the city centre. It's close enough to the city with the hustle and bustle and the tourist hordes, which suited us just fine. There are a number of cafes, bars and restaurants which were reasonably priced and within a 5 minute stroll. We felt vey safe walking in and around the area and the people were very friendly and doubly so if you make the attempt to speak Spanish, even the most cursory Spanish garnered an enthusiastic response. We would recommend Annalisa place as an alternative for those seeking repose from the hustle and bustle of down town Barcelona and for those who wish to engage with the local population as opposed to other tourists.