Barcelona
History
Sights
Activities
Courses
Tours
Festivals & Events
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Eating
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Information
Barcelona
Why Go?
Barcelona is a mix of sunny Mediterranean charm and European urban style, where dedicated hedonists and culture vultures feel equally at home. From Gothic to Gaudí, the city bursts with art and architecture; Catalan cooking is among the country's best; summer sun seekers fill the beaches in and beyond the city; and the bars and clubs heave year-round.
From its origins as a middle-ranking Roman town, of which vestiges can be seen today, Barcelona became a medieval trade juggernaut. Its old centre holds one of the greatest concentrations of Gothic architecture in Europe. Beyond this are some of the world's more bizarre buildings: surreal spectacles capped by Antoni Gaudí's Sagrada Família.
Barcelona has been breaking ground in art, architecture and style since the late 19th century. From Picasso and Miró to the modern wonders of today, the racing heart of Barcelona has barely skipped a beat. Equally busy are the city's avant-garde chefs, who compete with old-time classics for the gourmet's attention.
When to Go
AMay Plaça del Fòrum rocks during Primavera Sound, a long weekend of outdoor concerts.
AJun Sónar, Europe's biggest celebration of electronic music, is held across the city.
ASep Festes de la Mercè is Barcelona's end-of-summer finale and biggest party.
Culinary Riches
Great Catalan restaurants can be found in nearly every neighbourhood around town. The settings can be a huge part of the appeal – with candlelit medieval chambers in the Ciutat Vella (old city) and Modernista design in the Eixample setting the stage for a memorable feast. Although there are plenty of high-end places in this city, barcelonins aren't averse to eating at humbler, less elegant places – which sometimes offer the most memorable dining experiences. Along those lines, you can't always judge the quality of the food from the restaurant interior. The size of the crowds gathering inside (or even outside) is usually a better indicator.
Catalan Culture
Barcelona is famous for being the capital of Catalonia, which is home to unique traditions seen nowhere else in Spain. Catalan pride manifests itself in many aspects, including raucous festivals where you can see awe-inspiring castells (human towers) and frightening correfocs (fire runs). The biggest events are Festes de Santa Eulàlia in February and Festes de la Mercè in September. But no matter what time of year you visit, you can catch Catalan folk dancing: see the sardana performed in front of La Catedral from 6pm on Saturdays or around noon on Sundays. The Catalan language is widely spoken, and you'll earn much goodwill by learning a few phrases. Bon dia (good day/good morning), bona tarda (good afternoon) or bona nit (good evening) are good places to start.
Top Modernista Gems
ALa Sagrada Família, Antoni Gaudí's unfinished symphony, is a soaring cathedral that people love or loathe. Work continues apace on this controversial project.
APalau de la Música Catalana, a gaudily sumptuous home for music to suit the most eclectic of tastes, is a giddy example of Modernista fantasy.
ALa Pedrera, Gaudí's wavy corner apartment block with an exquisite period apartment and a sci-fi roof, is one of the best examples of the star architect's work.
ACasa Batlló, possibly kookier than La Pedrera, looks at first glance like some strange sea creature frozen into a building facade. Inside, it's all curls and swirls.
ARecinte Modernista de Sant Pau, long one of the city's main hospitals, features 16 uniquely decorated pavilions.
Seaside Allure
No matter the season, taking a stroll – or better yet a bike ride – along Barcelona's revitalised waterfont makes a splendid complement to exploring medieval lanes and Modernista architecture. In summer, open-air beach bars provide refreshing pit stops.
Top Tips
ABeat the crowds by buying tickets online for the Museu Picasso and La Sagrada Família.
AHave a seafood feast in Barceloneta.
ATake a biking tour, walking tour (many are free) or a gourmand's stroll.
AExplore the latest new bars in up-and-coming Sant Antoni and Poble Sec.
Resources
ABarcelona Turisme (www.barcelonaturisme.com) Official tourism website.
AMiniguide (www.miniguide.es) Art, film, theatre, shops, eateries, bars and clubs.
ABarcelona Connect (www.barcelonaconnect.com) Restaurants, nightlife, sights and more.
ABarcelona Rocks.com (www.barcelonarocks.com) Bars, clubs and gigs.
History
It is thought that Barcelona may have been founded by the Carthaginians in about 230 BC, taking the surname of Hamilcar Barca, Hannibal's father. Roman Barcelona (known as Barcino) covered an area within today's Barri Gòtic and was overshadowed by Tarraco (Tarragona), 90km to the southwest.
In the wake of Muslim occupation and then Frankish domination, Guifré el Pilós (Wilfrid the Hairy) founded the house of the Comtes de Barcelona (Counts of Barcelona) in AD 878. In 1137 Count Ramon Berenguer IV married Petronilla, heiress of Aragón, creating a joint state and setting the scene for Catalonia's golden age. Jaume I (1213–76) wrenched the Balearic Islands and Valencia from the Muslims in the 1230s to '40s. Jaume I's son Pere II followed with Sicily in 1282.
The accession of the Aragonese noble Fernando to the throne in 1479 augured ill for Barcelona, and his marriage to Queen Isabel of Castilla more still. Catalonia effectively became a subordinate part of the Castilian state. After the War of the Spanish Succession (1702–13), Barcelona fell to the Bourbon king, Felipe V, in September 1714.
Barcelona Highlights
1 Marvel at La Sagrada Família, Antoni Gaudí's still-unfolding Modernista masterpiece.
2 Stroll the narrow medieval lanes of the enchanting Barri Gòtic.
3 See a concert in the extravagant concert hall of Palau de la Música Catalana.
4 Join the riotous carnival at an FC Barça match in hallowed Camp Nou.
5 Drink in the views from Gaudí's Park Güell.
6 Dine (Click here) and drink (Click here) amid the architecturally rich streetscape of L'Eixample.
7 Discover Pablo's early masterpieces inside the atmospheric Museu Picasso.
8 Feast on fresh seafood, followed by a stroll along the boardwalk in La Barceloneta.
9 Take in the nightlife of bohemian-loving El Raval.
a Explore Montjuïc, home to Romanesque art, a brooding fort, Miró and beautiful gardens.
Modernisme, Anarchy & Civil War
The 19th century brought economic resurgence. Wine, cotton, cork and iron industries developed, as did urban working-class poverty and unrest. To ease the crush, Barcelona's medieval walls were demolished in 1854, and in 1869 work began on L'Eixample, an extension of the city beyond Plaça de Catalunya. The flourishing bourgeoisie paid for lavish buildings, many of them in the eclectic Modernisme style, whose leading exponent was Antoni Gaudí.
In 1937, a year into the Spanish Civil War, the Catalan communist party (PSUC; Partit Socialista Unificat de Catalunya) took control of the city after fratricidal street battles against anarchists and Trotskyists. George Orwell recorded the events in his classic Homage to Catalonia. Barcelona fell to Franco in 1939 and there followed a long period of repression.
From Franco to the Present
Under Franco, Barcelona received a flood of immigrants, chiefly from Andalucía. Some 750,000 people came to Barcelona in the 50s and 60s, and almost as many to the rest of Catalonia. Many lived in appalling conditions.
Three years after Franco's death in 1975, a new Spanish constitution created the autonomous community of Catalonia (Catalunya in Catalan; Cataluña in Castilian), with Barcelona as its capital. The 1992 Olympic Games put Barcelona on the map. Under the visionary leadership of popular Catalan Socialist mayor Pasqual Maragall, a burst of public works brought new life to Montjuïc and the once shabby waterfront.
Flush with success after the Olympics makeover, Barcelona continued the revitalisation of formerly run-down neighbourhoods. El Raval, still dodgy in parts, has seen a host of building projects, from the opening of Richard Meier's cutting-edge Macba in 1995 to the new Filmoteca de Catalunya in 2012. Further west, the once derelict industrial district of Poble Nou has been reinvented as 22@ (pronounced 'vint-i-dos arroba'), a 200-hectare zone that is today a centre for technology and design. Innovative companies and futuristic architecture (such as the brand-new Museu del Disseny) continue to reshape the urban landscape of this ever-evolving city.
On other fronts, Catalonia continues to be a trendsetter for the rest of Spain. Barcelona's shared biking program Bicing, launched in 2007, has become a model for sustainable transport initiatives, and the city continues to invest in green energy (particularly in its use of solar power and electric and hybrid vehicles).
Once a great kingdom unto its own, Catalonia has a long independent streak. In 2013, on the Catalan National Day (11 September), hundreds of thousands of separatist supporters formed a 400km human chain across Catalonia. In 2014, a referendum on independence was slated to take place, though Spanish judges have said such a vote was illegal and violates the constitution. Whether or not Catalonia will gain its independence, Barcelona will continue to chart its own course ahead.
1Sights
Barcelona could be divided up into thematic chunks. In the Ciutat Vella (especially the Barri Gòtic and La Ribera) are clustered the bulk of the city's ancient and medieval splendours. Along with El Raval, on the other side of La Rambla, and Port Vell, where old Barcelona meets the sea, this is the core of the city's life, both by day and by night. Top attractions here include the Museu d'Història de Barcelona, La Catedral and the Museu Picasso.
L'Eixample is where the Modernistas went to town. Attractions here are more spread out. Passeig de Gràcia is a concentrated showcase for some of their most outlandish work, but La Sagrada Família, Gaudí's masterpiece, is a long walk (or short metro ride) from there.
Other areas of interest include the beaches and seafood restaurants of the working-class district of La Barceloneta. Montjuïc, with its gardens, museums, art galleries and Olympic Games sites, forms a microcosm on its own. Not to be missed are the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya and the Fundació Joan Miró.
Gaudí's Park Güell is just beyond the area of Gràcia, whose narrow lanes and interlocking squares set the scene for much lively nightlife.
Futher out, you'll find the amusement park and church of high-up Tibidabo, the wooded hills of Parc de Collserola, FC Barcelona's Camp Nou football stadium and the peaceful haven of the Museu-Monestir de Pedralbes.
FREE BARCELONA
Entry to some sights is free on occasion, most commonly on the first Sunday of the month. Other attractions are free on Sunday afternoons. Here are some sights that offer free admission days:
AMuseu Picasso Sundays 3pm to 8pm and all day on first Sunday of the month.
ALa Catedral From 8am to 12.45pm and 5.15pm to 8pm Monday to Saturday.
AMuseu d’Història de Barcelona From 3pm to 8pm Sunday and first Sunday of the month.
AMuseu d’Història de Catalunya First Sunday of the month.
AMuseu Marítim From 3pm to 8pm Sunday.
AMuseu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya First Sunday of the month.
APalau Güell First Sunday of the month November to March, and 5pm to 8pm Sundays from April to October.
AMuseu de la Música From 3pm to 8pm Sunday.
La Rambla
Head to Spain's most famous street for that first taste of Barcelona's vibrant atmosphere.
Flanked by narrow traffic lanes and plane trees, the middle of La Rambla is a broad pedestrian boulevard, crowded every day until the wee hours with a cross section of barcelonins and out-of-towners. Dotted with cafes, restaurants, kiosks and news stands, and enlivened by buskers, pavement artists, mimes and living statues, La Rambla rarely allows a dull moment.
La Rambla gets its name from a seasonal stream (raml in Arabic) that once ran here. It was outside the city walls until the 14th century and was built up with monastic buildings and palaces in the 16th to 18th centuries. Unofficially La Rambla is divided into five sections, each with its own name.
Barri Gòtic, La Rambla & El Raval
1Top Sights
1Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Sleeping
5Eating
6Drinking & Nightlife
3Entertainment
7Shopping
Gran Teatre del LiceuARCHITECTURE
(
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%93 485 99 14; www.liceubarcelona.com; La Rambla dels Caputxins 51-59; tour 20/80min €5.50/11.50; 
hguided tour 10am, short tour 11.30am, noon, 12.30pm & 1pm; 
mLiceu)
If you can’t catch a night at the opera, you can still have a look around one of Europe’s greatest opera houses, known to locals as the Liceu. Smaller than Milan’s La Scala but bigger than Venice’s La Fenice, it can seat up to 2300 people in its grand horseshoe auditorium.
Mirador de ColomVIEWPOINT
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; %93 302 52 24; Plaça del Portal de la Pau; lift adult/child €4.50/3; h8.30am-8pm; mDrassanes)
High above the swirl of traffic on the roundabout below, Columbus keeps permanent watch, pointing vaguely out to the Mediterranean. Built for the Universal Exhibition in 1888, the monument allows you to zip up 60m in the lift for bird’s-eye views back up La Rambla and across the ports of Barcelona.
WANT MORE?
For in-depth information, reviews and recommendations at your fingertips, head to the Apple App Store to purchase Lonely Planet's Barcelona City Guide iPhone app.
Alternatively, go to Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/Spain/Barcelona) for planning advice, author recommendations, traveller reviews and insider tips.
Barri Gòtic
Barcelona's 'Gothic Quarter', east of La Rambla, is a medieval warren of narrow, winding streets, quaint plaças (plazas), and grand mansions and monuments from the city's golden age. Many of its buildings date from the 15th century or earlier. The district is liberally seasoned with restaurants, cafes and bars, so relief from sightseeing is always close by.
oLa CatedralCHURCH
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; %93 342 82 62; www.catedralbcn.org; Plaça de la Seu; admission free, special visit €6, choir admission €2.80; h8am-12.45pm & 5.15-7.30pm Mon-Sat, special visit 1-5pm Mon-Sat, 2-5pm Sun & holidays; mJaume I)
Barcelona’s central place of worship presents a magnificent image. The richly decorated main facade, laced with gargoyles and the stone intricacies you would expect of northern European Gothic, sets it quite apart from other churches in Barcelona. The facade was actually added in 1870, although the rest of the building was built between 1298 and 1460. The other facades are sparse in decoration, and the octagonal, flat-roofed towers are a clear reminder that, even here, Catalan Gothic architectural principles prevailed.
Museu DiocesàMUSEUM
(Casa de la Pia Almoina;
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 315 22 13; www.arqbcn.org; Avinguda de la Catedral 4; adult/child €6/3; h10am-2pm & 5-8pm Tue-Sat, 11am-2pm Sun; mJaume I)
Next to the cathedral, the Diocesan Museum has a handful of exhibits on Gaudí (including a fascinating documentary on his life and philosophy) on the upper floors. There's also a sparse collection of medieval and romanesque religious art usually supplemented by a temporary exhibition or two.
Plaça de Sant JaumeSQUARE
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; mLiceu or Jaume I)
In the 2000 or so years since the Romans settled here, the area around this square (often remodelled), which started life as the forum, has been the focus of Barcelona’s civic life. This is still the central staging area for Barcelona's traditonal festivals. Facing each other across the square are the Palau de la Generalitat (seat of Catalonia’s regional government) on the north side and the ajuntament (town hall) to the south.
Palau de la GeneralitatPALACE
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; www.president.cat; Plaça de Sant Jaume; h2nd & 4th weekend of month; mLiceu, Jaume I)
Founded in the early 15th century, the Palau de la Generalitat is open on limited occasions only (the second and fourth weekends of the month, plus open-door days). The most impressive of the ceremonial halls is the Saló de Sant Jordi, named after St George, the region's patron saint. To see inside, book on the website (unfortunately in Catalan only).
AjuntamentARCHITECTURE
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; %93 402 70 00; www.bcn.cat; Plaça de Sant Jaume; h10.30am-1.30pm Sun; mLiceu, Jaume I)
F
The ajuntament, otherwise known as the Casa de la Ciutat, has been the seat of power for centuries. The Consell de Cent (the city’s ruling council) first sat here in the 14th century, but the building has lamentably undergone many changes since the days of Barcelona’s Gothic-era splendour.
Museu d'Idees i Invents de BarcelonaMUSEUM
(Museum of Ideas and Inventions;
MAP
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; %93 332 79 30; www.mibamuseum.com; Carrer de la Ciutat 7; adult/child €8/6; h10am-2pm & 4-7pm Tue-Fri, 10am-8pm Sat, to 2pm Sun; mJaume I)
Although the price is a bit steep for such a small museum, the collection makes for an amusing browse over an hour or so. On display, you'll find both brilliant and bizarre inventions: square egg makers, absorbent pillows for flatulent folks, a chair for inserting suppositories, as well as more useful devices like the Lifestraw (filters contaminants from any drinking source) and gas glasses (adaptive eyecare for any prescription).
Plaça ReialSQUARE
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; mLiceu)
One of the most photogenic squares in Barcelona, the Plaça Reial is a delightful retreat from the traffic and pedestrian mobs on the nearby Rambla. Numerous eateries, bars and nightspots lie beneath the arcades of 19th-century neoclassical buildings, with a buzz of activity at all hours.
Temple Romà d’AugustRUIN
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; Carrer del Paradis 10; h10am-2pm Mon, to 7pm Tue-Sun; mJaume I)F
Opposite the southeast end of La Catedral, narrow Carrer del Paradis leads towards Plaça de Sant Jaume. Inside No 10, itself an intriguing building with Gothic and baroque touches, are four columns and the architrave of Barcelona’s main Roman temple, dedicated to Caesar Augustus and built to worship his imperial highness in the 1st century AD.
Plaça del ReiMUSEUM, SQUARE
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Plaça del Rei (King’s Sq) is a picturesque plaza where Fernando and Isabel received Columbus following his first New World voyage. It is the courtyard of the former Palau Reial Major. The palace today houses a superb history museum, with significant Roman ruins underground.
oMuseu d'Història de BarcelonaMUSEUM
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; %93 256 21 00; www.museuhistoria.bcn.cat; Plaça del Rei; adult/child €7/free, free 1st Sun of month & 3-8pm Sun; h10am-7pm Tue-Sat, 10am-8pm Sun; mJaume I)
One of Barcelona's most fascinating museums takes you back through the centuries to the very foundations of Roman Barcino. You'll stroll over ruins of the old streets, sewers, laundries and wine- and fish-making factories that flourished here following the town's founding by Emperor Augustus around 10 BC. Equally impressive is the building itself, which was once part of the Palau Reial Major (Grand Royal Palace) on Plaça del Rei, among the key locations of medieval princely power in Barcelona.
Palau del LloctinentHISTORIC SITE
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; Carrer dels Comtes; h10am-7pm; mJaume I)F
This converted 16th-century palace has a peaceful courtyard worth wandering through. Have a look upwards from the main staircase to admire the extraordinary timber artesonado, a sculpted ceiling made to seem like the upturned hull of a boat. Temporary exhibitions, usually related in some way to the archives, are often held here.
oMuseu Frederic MarèsMUSEUM
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; %93 256 35 00; www.museumares.bcn.es; Plaça de Sant Iu 5; admission €4.20, after 3pm Sun & 1st Sun of month free; h10am-7pm Tue-Sat, 11am-8pm Sun; mJaume I)
One of the wildest collections of historical curios lies inside this vast medieval complex, once part of the royal palace of the counts of Barcelona. A rather worn coat of arms on the wall indicates that it was also, for a while, the seat of the Spanish Inquisition in Barcelona. Frederic Marès i Deulovol (1893–1991) was a rich sculptor, traveller and obsessive collector, and displays of religious art and vast varieties of bric-a-brac litter the museum.
Roman WallsRUIN
( GOOGLE MAP )
From Plaça del Rei it's worth a detour to see the two best surviving stretches of Barcelona's Roman walls, which once boasted 78 towers (as much a matter of prestige as of defence). One section is on the southeast side of Plaça de Ramon Berenguer el Gran, with the Capella Reial de Santa Àgata atop. The other is a little further south, by the northern end of Carrer del Sots-tinent Navarro. They date from the 3rd and 4th centuries, when the Romans rebuilt their walls after the first attacks by Germanic tribes from the north.
Plaça de Sant Josep OriolSQUARE
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; mLiceu)
This small plaza flanking the majestic Església de Santa Maria del Pi is one of the prettiest in the Barri Gòtic. Its bars and cafes attract buskers and artists and make it a lively place to hang out. It is surrounded by quaint streets, many dotted with appealing cafes, restaurants and shops.
Sinagoga MajorSYNAGOGUE
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; %93 317 07 90; www.calldebarcelona.org; Carrer de Marlet 5; admission by suggested donation €2.50; h10.30am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, to 2.30pm Sat & Sun; mLiceu)
When an Argentine investor bought a run-down electrician’s store with an eye to converting it into central Barcelona’s umpteenth bar, he could hardly have known he had stumbled onto the remains of what could be the city’s main medieval synagogue (some historians cast doubt on the claim). A guide will explain what is thought to be the significance of the site in various languages.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
EL CALL
One of our favourite places to wander around in theCiutat Vella is El Call (pronounced 'kye'), which is the name of the medieval Jewish quarter that flourished here until a tragic pogrom in the 14th century. Today, its narrow lanes hide some surprising sites (including an ancient synagogue unearthed in the 1990s and the fragments of a women's bathhouse inside the basement of the cafe, Caelum). Some of the old town's most unusual shops are here – selling exquisite antiques, handmade leather products, even kosher wine. Its well-concealed dining rooms and candelit bars and cafes make a fine destination in the evening.
El Call (the name probably derives from the Hebrew word 'kahal', meaning 'community') is a tiny area, and a little tricky to find. The boundaries are roughly Carrer del Call, Carrer dels Banys Nous, Baixada de Santa Eulalia and Carrer de Sant Honorat.
BARCELONA IN…
TWO DAYS
Start with the Barri Gòtic. After a stroll along La Rambla, wade into the labyrinth to admire La Catedral and the Museu d'Història de Barcelona on historic Plaça del Rei. Cross Via Laietana into La Ribera for the city's most beloved church, the Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar, and the nearby Museu Picasso. Round off with a meal and cocktails in the funky El Born area.
The following day, start with a walk through Gaudí's unique Park Güell, then head for his work in progress, La Sagrada Família. Afterwards, head to El Raval for dinner at the innovative Suculent followed by drinks at Bar Marsella.
FOUR DAYS
Start the third day with another round of Gaudí, visiting Casa Batlló and La Pedrera, followed by beachside relaxation and seafood in Barceloneta. Day four should be dedicated to Montjuïc, with its museums, galleries, fortress, gardens and Olympic stadium.
ONE WEEK
With three extra days, you can explore further, taking in El Raval, Gràcia, a game at Camp Nou, Tibidabo views, and the wooded paths of Collserola. A tempting one-day excursion is Montserrat, Catalonia's 'sacred mountain'. Another option is to spend a day at the beach at Sitges.
El Raval
West of La Rambla, Ciutat Vella spreads to Ronda de Sant Antoni, Ronda de Sant Pau and Avinguda del Paral·lel, which together trace the line of Barcelona's 14th-century walls. Known as El Raval, the area contains what remains of one of the city's slums, the dwindling but still seedy red-light zone and drug abusers' haunt of the Barri Xinès, at its south end. It's not nearly as tricky as it once was, but watch your pockets nonetheless.
oMACBAMUSEUM
(Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona;
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; %93 412 08 10; www.macba.cat; Plaça dels Àngels 1; adult/concession €10/8; h11am-7.30pm Mon & Wed-Fri, 10am-9pm Sat, 10am-3pm Sun & holidays; mUniversitat)
Designed by Richard Meier and opened in 1995, MACBA has become the city's foremost contemporary art centre, with captivating exhibitions for the serious art lover. The permanent collection is on the ground floor and dedicates itself to Spanish and Catalan art from the second half of the 20th century, with works by Antoni Tàpies, Joan Brossa and Miquel Barceló, among others, though international artists, such as Paul Klee, Bruce Nauman and John Cage, are also represented.
Centre de Cultura Contemporània de BarcelonaBUILDING
(CCCB;
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; %93 306 41 00; www.cccb.org; Carrer de Montalegre 5; 2 exhibitions adult/child under 16yr/senior & student €8/free/6, 1 exhibition €6/free/4, free on Sun 3-8pm; h11am-8pm Tue-Sun; mUniversitat)
A complex of auditoriums, exhibition spaces and conference halls opened here in 1994 in what had been an 18th-century hospice, the Casa de la Caritat. The courtyard, with a vast glass wall on one side, is spectacular. With 4500 sq metres of exhibition space in four separate areas, the centre hosts a constantly changing program of exhibitions, film cycles and other events.
Antic Hospital de la Santa CreuHISTORIC BUILDING
(Former Hospital of the Holy Cross;
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; %93 270 16 21; www.bnc.cat; Carrer de l’Hospital 56; h9am-8pm Mon-Fri, to 2pm Sat; mLiceu)F
Behind La Boqueria stands the Antic Hospital de la Santa Creu, which was once the city’s main hospital. Begun in 1401, it functioned until the 1930s, and was considered one of the best in Europe in its medieval heyday – it is famously the place where Antoni Gaudí died in 1926. Today it houses the Biblioteca de Catalunya, and the Institut d'Estudis Catalans (Institute for Catalan Studies). The hospital’s Gothic chapel, La Capella (
MAP
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; %93 442 71 71; www.bcn.cat/lacapella; hnoon-2pm & 4-8pm Tue-Sat, 11am-2pm Sun & holidays; mLiceu), shows temporary exhibitions.
oPalau GüellPALACE
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; %93 472 57 75; www.palauguell.cat; Carrer Nou de la Rambla 3-5; adult/concession €12/8; h10am-8pm Tue-Sun; mDrassanes)
Finally reopened in its entirety in May 2012 after several years of refurbishment, this is a magnificent example of the early days of Gaudí’s fevered architectural imagination – the extraordinary neo-Gothic mansion, one of the few major buildings of that era raised in Ciutat Vella, gives an insight into its maker’s prodigious genius.
Església de Sant Pau del CampCHURCH
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; Carrer de Sant Pau 101; adult/concession €3/2; h10am-1.30pm & 4-7.30pm Mon-Sat; mParal·lel)
The best example of Romanesque architecture in the city is the dainty little cloister of this church. Set in a somewhat dusty garden, the 12th-century church also boasts some Visigothic sculptural detail on the main entrance.
oMuseu MarítimMUSEUM
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; %93 342 99 20; www.mmb.cat; Avinguda de les Drassanes; adult/child €5/2, 3-8pm Sun free; h10am-8pm; 
W; mDrassanes)
These mighty Gothic shipyards shelter the Museu Marítim, a remarkable relic from Barcelona's days as the seat of a seafaring empire. Highlights include a full-sized replica (made in the 1970s) of Don Juan of Austria’s 16th-century flagship, fishing vessels, antique navigation charts and dioramas of the Barcelona waterfront.
REVIVING EL RAVAL
The Filmoteca de Catalunya's relocation to the Raval from the neighbourhood of Sarrià is part of the 'Raval Revival', an ongoing project to set up the neighbourhood as one of Spain’s most influential cultural centres. As part of the project, representatives from the Macba, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona, the Biblioteca de Catalunya, Arts Santa Mònica, the Virreina Centre de la Imatge, the Institut d'Estudis Catalans and the Filmoteca de Catalunya meet every three months with the aim of creating a cultural network with the Raval as its nucleus. The idea is that these eight institutions will join forces, showing complementary exhibitions, organising cultural events and collaborating in creative projects.
La Ribera
La Ribera is cut off from the Barri Gòtic by noisy Via Laietana, which was driven through the city in 1908. La Ribera, whose name refers to the waterfront that once lay much further inland, was the pumping commercial heart of medieval Barcelona. Its intriguing, narrow streets house major sights, and good bars and restaurants, mainly in El Born around Passeig del Born.
La Ribera
2Activities, Courses & Tours
6Drinking & Nightlife
Palau de la Música CatalanaARCHITECTURE
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; %93 295 72 00; www.palaumusica.org; Carrer de Sant Francesc de Paula 2; adult/child €17/free; hguided tours 10am-3.30pm daily; mUrquinaona)
This concert hall is a high point of Barcelona’s Modernista architecture, a symphony in tile, brick, sculpted stone and stained glass. Built by Domènech i Montaner between 1905 and 1908 for the Orfeo Català musical society, it was conceived as a temple for the Catalan Renaixença (Renaissance).
Carrer de MontcadaSTREET
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; mJaume I)
An early example of town planning, this medieval high street was driven towards the sea from the road that in the 12th century led northeast from the city walls. It was the city's most coveted address for the merchant classes. The bulk of the great mansions that remain today mostly date to the 14th and 15th centuries.
oBasílica de Santa Maria del MarCHURCH
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; %93 310 23 90; Plaça de Santa Maria del Mar; h9am-1.30pm & 4.30-8.30pm, opens at 10.30am Sun; mJaume I)F
At the southwest end of Passeig del Born stands the apse of Barcelona’s finest Catalan Gothic church, Santa Maria del Mar (Our Lady of the Sea). Built in the 14th century with record-breaking alacrity for the time (it took just 54 years), the church is remarkable for its architectural harmony and simplicity.
Mercat de Santa CaterinaMARKET
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; %93 319 17 40; www.mercatsantacaterina.com; Avinguda de Francesc Cambó 16; h7.30am-2pm Mon, to 3.30pm Tue, Wed & Sat, to 8.30pm Thu & Fri, closed afternoons Jul & Aug; W; mJaume I)
Come shopping for your tomatoes at this extraordinary-looking produce market, designed by Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue to replace its 19th-century predecessor. Finished in 2005, it is distinguished by its kaleidoscopic and undulating roof, held up above the bustling produce stands, restaurants, cafes and bars by twisting slender branches of what look like grey steel trees.
Museu de la XocolataMUSEUM
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; %93 268 78 78; www.museuxocolata.cat; Carrer del Comerç 36; adult/child under 7yr/senior & student €5/free/4.25; h10am-7pm Mon-Sat, to 3pm Sun & holidays; W
c; mJaume I)
Chocoholics have a hard time containing themselves in this museum dedicated to the fundamental foodstuff – particularly when faced with tempting displays of cocoa-based treats in the cafe at the exit. The displays trace the origins of chocolate, its arrival in Europe, and the many myths and images associated with it. Among the informative stuff and machinery used in the production of chocolate are large chocolate models of emblematic buildings such as the Sagrada Família, along with various characters, local and international.
Arxiu Fotogràfic de BarcelonaGALLERY
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; %93 256 34 20; www.bcn.cat/arxiu/fotografic; Plaça de Pons i Clerch 2, 2A; h10am-7pm Mon-Sat; mJaume I)F
On the 2nd floor of the former Convent de Sant Agustí is the modest exhibition space of this city photo archive. Photos on show are generally related to the city, as the photo collection is principally devoted to that theme, from the late 19th century until the late 20th century.
Museu del Rei de la MagiaMUSEUM
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; %93 318 71 92; www.elreydelamagia.com; Carrer de les Jonqueres 15; admission €3; h11am-2pm & 4-8pm Thu-Sun, closed Sun morning Jul & Aug; c; mJaume I)
This museum is a timeless curio. It is the scene of magic shows, home to collections of material that hark back to the 19th-century origins of the associated magic shop (
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; %93 319 39 20; www.elreydelamagia.com; Carrer de la Princesa 11; h11am-2pm & 5-8pm Mon-Fri, 11am-2pm Sat; mJaume I) at Carrer de la Princesa 11 (which holds everything from old posters and books for learning tricks to magic wands and trick cards) and the place for budding magicians of all ages to enrol in courses. Seeing is believing.
Parc de la CiutadellaPARK
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; Passeig de Picasso; mArc de Triomf)F
Come for a stroll, a picnic, a visit to the zoo or to inspect Catalonia’s regional parliament, but don’t miss a visit to this, the most central green lung in the city. Parc de la Ciutadella is perfect for winding down.
Parlament de CatalunyaNOTABLE BUILDING
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; www.parlament.cat; hguided tours 10am-1pm Sat, Sun & holidays)
Southeast, in the fort's former arsenal, is the regional Parlament de Catalunya. You can join free guided tours, in Catalan and Spanish (Castilian) only, on Saturdays and Sundays. The building is open for independent visiting on 11 September from 10am to 7pm. The most interesting is the sweeping Escala d’Honor (Stairway of Honour) and the several solemn halls that lead to the Saló de Sessions, the semicircular auditorium where parliament sits. At the centre of the garden in front of the parlament is a statue of a seemingly heartbroken woman, Desconsol (Distress; 1907), by Josep Llimona.
Zoo de BarcelonaZOO
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; %902 457545; www.zoobarcelona.cat; Parc de la Ciutadella; adult/child €19.90/€11.95; h10am-5.30pm Nov-Mar, 10am-7pm Apr, May, Sep, Oct, 10am-8pm Jun-Aug; c; mBarceloneta)
The zoo is a great day out for kids, with 7500 critters that range from geckos to gorillas, lions and elephants. There are more than 400 species, plus picnic areas dotted all around and a wonderful adventure playground. There are pony rides, a petting zoo and a mini-train meandering through the grounds. A new marine zoo being built on the coast of El Fòrum northeast of the city centre will ease the currently slightly crowded space, although the recession has meant plans are stalled for the time being.
DON'T MISS
MUSEU PICASSO
The setting alone, in five contiguous medieval stone mansions, makes the Museu Picasso (
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; %93 256 30 00; www.museupicasso.bcn.cat; Carrer de Montcada 15-23; adult/child €14/free, temporary exhibitions adult/child €6.50/free, 3-8pm Sun & 1st Sun of month free; h9am-7pm daily, until 9.30pm Thu; W; mJaume I) unique (and worth the probable queues). The pretty courtyards, galleries and staircases preserved in the first three of these buildings are nearly as delightful as the collection inside.
The collection, which includes more than 3500 artworks, is strongest on Picasso’s earliest years, up until 1904, which is apt considering that the artist spent his formative creative years in Barcelona.
A visit starts with sketches and oils from Picasso’s earliest years in Málaga and La Coruña – around 1893–95. Some of his self-portraits and the portraits of his father, which date from 1896, are evidence enough of his precocious talent. The enormous Ciència i Caritat (Science and Charity) showcases his masterful academic techniques of portraiture.
His nocturnal blue-tinted views of Terrats de Barcelona (Roofs of Barcelona) and El foll (The Madman) are cold and cheerless, yet somehow spectrally alive.
Among the later works, done in Cannes in 1957, Las meninas is a complex technical series of studies on Diego Velázquez' masterpiece of the same name (which hangs in the Prado in Madrid).
Port Vell
Barcelona's old port at the bottom of La Rambla, to the west of La Barceloneta, was transformed in the 1990s to become a popular leisure zone.
Moll de la FustaPROMENADE
Northeast from the quay stretches the promenade Moll de la Fusta. Usually the Pailebot de Santa Eulàlia (
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; Moll de la Fusta; adult/child €1/free; h10am-8.30pm Tue-Fri & Sun, 2-8.30pm Sat; mDrassanes), a fully functioning 1918 schooner restored by the Museu Marítim, is moored here for visits, although sometimes it's off on the high seas; admission is free with a Museu Marítim ticket.
Moll d'EspanyaPROMENADE
The heart of the redeveloped harbour is Moll d'Espanya, a former wharf linked to Moll de la Fusta by a wave-shaped footbridge, Rambla de Mar, which rotates to let boats enter the marina behind it. At the end of Moll d'Espanya is the glossy Maremàgnum shopping and eating complex, but the major attraction is L'Aquàrium (
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; %93 221 74 74; www.aquariumbcn.com; Moll d’Espanya; adult/child €20/15, dive €300; h9.30am-11pm Jul & Aug, to 9pm Sep-Jun; mDrassanes), with its 80m-long shark tunnel. Short of diving among them (which can be arranged here too), this is as close as you can get to a set of shark teeth without being bitten. Beyond L'Aquàrium is the big-screen Imax cinema.
Barceloneta & the Waterfront
Barceloneta, laid out in the 18th century and subsequently heavily overdeveloped, was once a factory workers' and fishermen's quarter. Today the smokestacks are gone (as are most of the fishing families), though an authentic, ungentrified air still permeates these narrow gridlike streets. You'll find some excellent seafood restaurants here and a few bohemianesque neighbourhood bars. Barceloneta meets the sea at the city's sparkling new waterfront, with a beachside promenade extending some 4.5km past artificial beaches, parks and new high-rises to El Fòrum.
La Barceloneta
1Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
5Eating
3Entertainment
7Shopping
Museu d’Història de CatalunyaMUSEUM
(Museum of Catalonian History;
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; %93 225 47 00; www.mhcat.net; Plaça de Pau Vila 3; adult/child €4.50/3.50, 1st Sun of month free; h10am-7pm Tue & Thu-Sat, to 8pm Wed, to 2.30pm Sun; mBarceloneta)
Inside the Palau de Mar ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ), this worthwhile museum takes you from the Stone Age through to the early 1980s. It is a busy hotchpotch of dioramas, artefacts, videos, models, documents and interactive bits: all up, an entertaining exploration of 2000 years of Catalan history.
Passeig Marítim de la BarcelonetaPROMENADE
(mBarceloneta or Ciutadella Vila Olímpica)
On La Barceloneta's seaward side are the first of Barcelona's beaches, which are popular on summer weekends. The pleasant Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, a 1.25km promenade from La Barceloneta to Port Olímpic, is a haunt for strollers and rollers, so bring your rollerblades.
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A busy marina built for the Olympic sailing events, Port Olímpic is surrounded by bars and restaurants. An eye-catcher on the approach from La Barceloneta is Frank Gehry’s giant copper Peix (Fish) sculpture. The area behind Port Olímpic, dominated by twin-tower blocks (the luxury Hotel Arts Barcelona and the Torre Mapfre office block), is the former Vila Olímpica living quarters for the Olympic competitors, which was later sold off as apartments.
El FòrumNEIGHBOURHOOD
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; %93 356 10 50; mEl Maresme Fòrum)
Once an urban wasteland, this area has seen dramatic changes in recent years, with sparkling new buildings, open plazas and waterfront recreation areas. The most striking element is the eerily blue, triangular 2001: A Space Odyssey–style Edifici Fòrum building by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron.
DON'T MISS
TOP FIVE FOR ART LOVERS
AMuseu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
L'Eixample
Stretching north, east and west of Plaça de Catalunya, L'Eixample (the Extension) was Barcelona's 19th-century answer to overcrowding in the medieval city.
Work on it began in 1869, following a design by Ildefons Cerdà, who specified a grid of wide streets with plazas that were formed by their cut-off corners. Cerdà also planned numerous public green spaces, but few survived the ensuing scramble for real estate.
The development of L'Eixample coincided with the city's Modernisme period and so it's home to many Modernista creations. Apart from La Sagrada Família, the principal ones are clustered on or near L'Eixample's main avenue, Passeig de Gràcia.
Along the area's grid of straight streets are the majority of the city's most expensive shops and hotels, plus a range of eateries, bars and clubs.
La Sagrada FamíliaCHURCH
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; %93 207 30 31; www.sagradafamilia.cat; Carrer de Mallorca 401; adult/child under 11yr/senior & student €14.80/free/12.80; h9am-8pm Apr-Sep, to 6pm Oct-Mar; mSagrada Família)
If you have time for only one sightseeing outing, this should be it. La Sagrada Família inspires awe by its sheer verticality, and in the manner of the medieval cathedrals it emulates, it’s still under construction after more than 100 years. When completed, the highest tower will be more than half as high again as those that stand today.
Unfinished it may be, but it attracts around 2.8 million visitors a year and is the most visited monument in Spain. The most important recent tourist was Pope Benedict XVI, who consecrated the church in a huge ceremony in November 2010.
The Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família (Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family) was Antoni Gaudí’s all-consuming obsession. Given the commission by a conservative society that wished to build a temple as atonement for the city’s sins of modernity, Gaudí saw its completion as his holy mission. As funds dried up, he contributed his own, and in the last years of his life he was never shy of pleading with anyone he thought a likely donor.
Gaudí devised a temple 95m long and 60m wide, able to seat 13,000 people, with a central tower 170m high above the transept (representing Christ) and another 17 of 100m or more. The 12 along the three facades represent the Apostles, while the remaining five represent the Virgin Mary and the four Evangelists. With his characteristic dislike for straight lines (there were none in nature, he said), Gaudí gave his towers swelling outlines inspired by the weird peaks of the holy mountain Montserrat outside Barcelona, and encrusted them with a tangle of sculpture that seems an outgrowth of the stone.
At Gaudí’s death, only the crypt, the apse walls, one portal and one tower had been finished. Three more towers were added by 1930, completing the northeast (Nativity) facade. In 1936 anarchists burned and smashed the interior, including workshops, plans and models. Work began again in 1952, but controversy has always clouded progress. Opponents of the continuation of the project claim that the computer models based on what little of Gaudí’s plans survived the anarchists’ ire have led to the creation of a monster that has little to do with Gaudí’s plans and style. It is a debate that appears to have little hope of resolution. Like or hate what is being done, the fascination it awakens is undeniable.
Guesses on when construction might be complete range from the 2020s to the 2040s. Even before reaching that point, some of the oldest parts of the church, especially the apse, have required restoration work.
The Interior & the Apse
Inside, work on roofing over the church was completed in 2010. The roof is held up by a forest of extraordinary angled pillars. As the pillars soar towards the ceiling, they sprout a web of supporting branches, creating the effect of a forest canopy. The tree image is in no way fortuitous – Gaudí envisaged such an effect. Everything was thought through, including the shape and placement of windows to create the mottled effect one would see with sunlight pouring through the branches of a thick forest. The pillars are of four different types of stone. They vary in colour and load-bearing strength, from the soft Montjuïc stone pillars along the lateral aisles through to granite, dark grey basalt and finally burgundy-tinged Iranian porphyry for the key columns at the intersection of the nave and transept. Tribunes built high above the aisles can host two choirs; the main tribune up to 1300 people and the children’s tribune up to 300.
Nativity Facade
The Nativity Facade is the artistic pinnacle of the building, mostly created under Gaudí’s personal supervision. You can climb high up inside some of the four towers by a combination of lifts and narrow spiral staircases – a vertiginous experience. Do not climb the stairs if you have cardiac or respiratory problems. The towers are destined to hold tubular bells capable of playing complex music at great volume. Their upper parts are decorated with mosaics spelling out ‘Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Hosanna in Excelsis, Amen, Alleluia’. Asked why he lavished so much care on the tops of the spires, which no one would see from close up, Gaudí answered: ‘The angels will see them.’
Three sections of the portal represent, from left to right, Hope, Charity and Faith. Among the forest of sculpture on the Charity portal you can see, low down, the manger surrounded by an ox, an ass, the shepherds and kings, and angel musicians. Some 30 different species of plant from around Catalonia are reproduced here, and the faces of the many figures are taken from plaster casts done of local people and the occasional one made from corpses in the local morgue!
Directly above the blue stained-glass window is the Archangel Gabriel’s Annunciation to Mary. At the top is a green cypress tree, a refuge in a storm for the white doves of peace dotted over it. The mosaic work at the pinnacle of the towers is made from Murano glass, from Venice.
To the right of the facade is the curious Claustre del Roser, a Gothic style mini-cloister tacked on to the outside of the church (rather than the classic square enclosure of the great Gothic church monasteries). Once inside, look back to the intricately decorated entrance. On the lower right-hand side, you’ll notice the sculpture of a reptilian devil handing a terrorist a bomb. Barcelona was regularly rocked by political violence and bombings were frequent in the decades prior to the civil war. The sculpture is one of several on the ‘temptations of men and women’.
Passion Facade
The southwest Passion Facade, on the theme of Christ’s last days and death, was built between 1954 and 1978 based on surviving drawings by Gaudí, with four towers and a large, sculpture-bedecked portal. The sculptor, Josep Subirachs, worked on its decoration from 1986 to 2006. He did not attempt to imitate Gaudí, rather producing angular, controversial images of his own. The main series of sculptures, on three levels, are in an S-shaped sequence, starting with the Last Supper at the bottom left and ending with Christ’s burial at the top right. Decorative work on the Passion Facade continues even today, as construction of the Glory Facade moves ahead.
To the right, in front of the Passion Facade, the Escoles de Gaudí is one of his simpler gems. Gaudí built this as a children’s school, creating an original, undulating roof of brick that continues to charm architects to this day. Inside is a re-creation of Gaudí’s modest office as it was when he died, and explanations of the geometric patterns and plans at the heart of his building techniques.
Glory Facade
The Glory Facade is under construction and will, like the others, be crowned by four towers – the total of 12 representing the Twelve Apostles. Gaudí wanted it to be the most magnificent facade of the church. Inside will be the narthex, a kind of foyer made up of 16 ‘lanterns’, a series of hyperboloid forms topped by cones. Further decoration will make the whole building a microcosmic symbol of the Christian church, with Christ represented by a massive 170m central tower above the transept, and the five remaining planned towers symbolising the Virgin Mary and the four evangelists.
Museu Gaudí
Open the same times as the church, the Museu Gaudí, below ground level, includes interesting material on Gaudí's life and other works, as well as models and photos of La Sagrada Família. You can see a good example of his plumb-line models that showed him the stresses and strains he could get away with in construction. A side hall towards the eastern end of the museum leads to a viewing point above the simple crypt in which the genius is buried. The crypt, where Masses are now held, can also be visited from the Carrer de Mallorca side of the church.
Exploring La Sagrada
Although essentially a building site, the completed sections and museum may be explored at leisure. Fifty-minute guided tours (€4) are offered. Alternatively, pick up an audio tour (€4), for which you need ID. Enter from Carrer de Sardenya and Carrer de la Marina. Once inside, €2.50 will get you into lifts that rise up inside towers in the Nativity and Passion facades. These two facades, each with four sky-scraping towers, are the sides of the church. The main Glory Facade, on which work is underway, closes off the southeast end on Carrer de Mallorca.
oCasa BatllóARCHITECTURE
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; %93 216 03 06; www.casabatllo.es; Passeig de Gràcia 43; adult/concessions/child under 7yr €21.50/€18.50/free; h9am-9pm daily; mPasseig de Gràcia)
One of the strangest residential buildings in Europe, this is Gaudí at his hallucinogenic best. The facade, sprinkled with bits of blue, mauve and green tiles and studded with wave-shaped window frames and balconies, rises to an uneven blue-tiled roof with a solitary tower.
It is one of the three houses on the block between Carrer del Consell de Cent and Carrer d’Aragó that gave it the playful name Manzana de la Discordia, meaning ‘Apple (Block) of Discord’. The others are Puig i Cadafalch’s Casa Amatller and Domènech i Montaner’s Casa Lleó Morera. They were all renovated between 1898 and 1906 and show how eclectic a ‘style’ Modernisme was.
Locals know Casa Batlló variously as the casa dels ossos (house of bones) or casa del drac (house of the dragon). It’s easy enough to see why. The balconies look like the bony jaws of some strange beast and the roof represents Sant Jordi (St George) and the dragon. Even the roof was built to look like the shape of an animal’s back, with shiny scales – the 'spine' changes colour as you walk around. If you stare long enough at the building, it seems almost to be a living being. Before going inside, take a look at the pavement. Each paving piece carries stylised images of an octopus and a starfish, Gaudí designs originally cooked up for Casa Batlló.
When Gaudí was commissioned to refashion this building, he went to town inside and out. The internal light wells shimmer with tiles of deep sea blue. Gaudí eschewed the straight line, and so the staircase wafts you up to the 1st (main) floor, where the salon looks on to Passeig de Gràcia. Everything swirls: the ceiling is twisted into a vortex around its sunlike lamp; the doors, window and skylights are dreamy waves of wood and coloured glass. The same themes continue in the other rooms and covered terrace. The attic is characterised by Gaudí trademark hyperboloid arches. Twisting, tiled chimney pots add a surreal touch to the roof.
Museu de la MúsicaMUSEUM
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; %93 256 36 50; www.museumusica.bcn.cat; Carrer de Lepant 150; adult/student €5/4, 3-8pm Sun free; h10am-6pm Tue-Sat, to 8pm Sun; mMonumental)
Some 500 instruments (less than a third of those held) are on show in this museum, housed on the 2nd floor of the administration building in L’Auditori, the city’s main classical-music concert hall.
Instruments range from a 17th-century baroque guitar through to lutes (look out for the many-stringed 1641 archilute from Venice), violins, Japanese kotos, sitars from India, eight organs (some dating from the 18th century), pianos, a varied collection of drums and other percussion instruments from across Spain and beyond, along with all sorts of phonographs and gramophones. There are some odd pieces indeed, like the buccèn, a snake-head-adorned brass instrument. Much of the documentary and sound material can be enjoyed through audiovisual displays as you proceed.
From Tuesday to Sunday at 3.30pm, the museum holds a concert (€15, including museum admission), in which musicians perform on rare instruments held in the collection.
Casa AmatllerARCHITECTURE
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; %93 487 72 17; www.amatller.org; Passeig de Gràcia 41; tour €10; htour Sat; mPasseig de Gràcia)F
One of Puig i Cadafalch’s most striking bits of Modernista fantasy, Casa Amatller combines Gothic window frames with a stepped gable borrowed from Dutch urban architecture. But the busts and reliefs of dragons, knights and other characters dripping off the main facade are pure caprice.
Casa Lleó MoreraARCHITECTURE
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; %93 676 27 33; www.casalleomorera.com; Passeig de Gràcia 35; adult/concession/child under 12yr €15/€13.50/free; hguided tour in English 10am Mon-Sat; mPasseig de Gràcia)
Domènech i Montaner’s 1905 contribution to the Manzana de la Discordia, with Modernista carving outside and a bright, tiled lobby in which floral motifs predominate, is perhaps the least odd-looking of the three main buildings on the block. In 2014 part of the building was opened to the public (by guided tour only), so you can appreciate the 1st floor, giddy with swirling sculptures, rich mosaics and whimsical decor.
Museu del PerfumMUSEUM
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; %93 216 01 21; www.museudelperfum.com; Passeig de Gràcia 39; adult/child €5/3; h10.30am-2pm & 4.30-8pm Mon-Fri, 11am-2pm Sat; mPasseig de Gràcia)
Housed in the back of the Regia (
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; %93 216 01 21; www.regia.es; Passeig de Gràcia 39; h9.30am-8.30pm Mon-Fri, 10.30am-8.30pm Sat; mPasseig de Gràcia) perfume store, this museum contains everything from ancient Egyptian and Roman (the latter mostly from the 1st to 3rd centuries AD) scent receptacles to classic eau de cologne bottles – all in all, some 5000 bottles of infinite shapes, sizes and histories.
oLa PedreraARCHITECTURE
(Casa Milà;
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; %93 484 59 00; www.lapedrera.com; Carrer de Provença 261-265; adult/student/child €16.50/14.85/8.25; h9am-8pm Mar-Oct, to 6.30pm Nov-Feb; mDiagonal)
This undulating beast is another madcap Gaudí masterpiece, built in 1905–10 as a combined apartment and office block. Formally called Casa Milà, after the businessman who commissioned it, it is better known as La Pedrera (the Quarry) because of its uneven grey stone facade, which ripples around the corner of Carrer de Provença.
Fundació Antoni TàpiesGALLERY
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; %93 487 03 15; www.fundaciotapies.org; Carrer d’Aragó 255; adult/concession €7/5.60; h10am-7pm Tue-Sun; mPasseig de Gràcia)
The Fundació Antoni Tàpies is both a pioneering Modernista building (completed in 1885) and the major collection of leading 20th-century Catalan artist Antoni Tàpies. A man known for his esoteric work, Tàpies died in February 2012, aged 88; he leaves behind a powerful range of paintings and a foundation intended to promote contemporary artists.
Museu del Modernisme CatalàMUSEUM
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; %93 272 28 96; www.mmcat.cat; Carrer de Balmes 48; adult/concession €10/€8.50; h10am-8pm Mon-Sat, to 2pm Sun; mPasseig de Gràcia)
Housed in a Modernista building, the ground floor seems like a big Modernista furniture showroom. Several items by Antoni Gaudí, including chairs from Casa Batlló and a mirror from Casa Calvet, are supplemented by a host of items by his lesser-known contemporaries, including some typically whimsical, mock medieval pieces by Puig i Cadafalch.
Palau del Baró QuadrasARCHITECTURE
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; %93 467 80 00; Avinguda Diagonal 373; h8am-8pm Mon-Fri; mDiagonal)F
Puig i Cadafalch designed Palau del Baró Quadras (built 1902–06) in an exuberant Gothic-inspired style. The main facade is its most intriguing, with a soaring, glassed-in gallery. Take a closer look at the gargoyles and reliefs – the pair of toothy fish and the sword-wielding knight clearly have the same artistic signature as the architect behind Casa Amatller. Decor inside is eclectic, but dominated by Middle Eastern and East Asian themes.
Recinte Modernista de Sant PauARCHITECTURE
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; %93 553 78 01; www.santpaubarcelona.org; Carrer de Cartagena 167; adult/concession/child €8/5.60/free; h10am-6.30pm Mon-Sat, to 2.30pm Sun; mHospital de Sant Pau)
Domènech i Montaner outdid himself as architect and philanthropist with the Modernista Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau, redubbed in 2014 the 'Recinte Modernista'. It was long considered one of the city’s most important hospitals, and only recently repurposed, its various spaces becoming cultural centres, offices and something of a monument. The complex, including 16 pavilions – together with the Palau de la Música Catalana, a joint World Heritage site – is lavishly decorated and each pavilion is unique.
Torre AgbarARCHITECTURE
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; www.torreagbar.com; Avinguda Diagonal 225; mGlòries)
Barcelona’s very own cucumber-shaped tower, Jean Nouvel’s luminous Torre Agbar, is among the most daring additions to the skyline since the first towers of La Sagrada Família went up. Completed in 2005, it shimmers at night in shades of midnight blue and lipstick red. At the time of publication, the Hyatt group was in negotiations to purchase the building and transform it into a luxury hotel.
Fundación Francisco GodiaGALLERY
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; %93 272 31 80; www.fundacionfgodia.org; Carrer de la Diputació 250; adult/child under 6yr/student €6/free/3; h10am-8pm Mon & Wed-Sat, 10am-3pm Sun; mPasseig de Gràcia)
Francisco Godia (1921–90), head of one of Barcelona’s great establishment families, liked fast cars (he came sixth in the 1956 Grand Prix season driving Maseratis) and fine art. An intriguing mix of medieval art, ceramics and modern paintings make up this varied private collection.
Museu EgipciMUSEUM
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GOOGLE MAP
; %93 488 01 88; www.museuegipci.com; Carrer de València 284; adult/senior & student €11/8; h10am-8pm Mon-Sat, to 2pm Sun; mPasseig de Gràcia)
Hotel magnate Jordi Clos has spent much of his life collecting ancient Egyptian artefacts, brought together in this private museum. It’s divided into different thematic areas (the Pharaoh, religion, funerary practices, mummification, crafts etc) and boasts an interesting variety of exhibits.
Fundació SuñolGALLERY
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 496 10 32; www.fundaciosunol.org; Passeig de Gràcia 98; adult/concession/child €4/2/free; h11am-2pm & 4-8pm Mon-Fri, 4-8pm Sat; mDiagonal)
Rotating exhibitions of portions of this private collection of mostly 20th-century art (some 1200 works in total) offer anything from Man Ray’s photography to sculptures by Alberto Giacometti. Over two floors, you are most likely to run into Spanish artists, anyone from Picasso to Jaume Plensa, along with a sprinkling of others from abroad.
APPLE OF DISCORD
Casa Batlló is the centrepiece of the so-called Manzana de la Discordia (Apple of Discord – in a play on words, manzana means both city block and apple), along with Casa Lleó Morera and Casa Amatller, on the western side of Passeig de Gràcia between Carrer del Consell de Cent and Carrer d'Aragó. All three buildings were completed between 1898 and 1906. According to Greek myth, the original Apple of Discord was tossed onto Mt Olympus by Eris (Discord) with orders that it be given to the most beautiful goddess, sparking jealousies that helped start the Trojan War.
Gràcia
Gràcia lies north of L'Eixample. Once a separate village and, in the 19th century, an industrial district famous for its Republican and liberal ideas, it became fashionable among radical and bohemian types in the 1960s and '70s. Now more sedate and gentrified, it retains a very Catalan feel, a mixed-class population (with a high rate of students, both local and from abroad) and a slightly rebellious air (witness all the Catalan nationalist youth graffiti and the occasional surviving squat). Gràcia's interest lies in the atmosphere of its narrow streets, small plazas and its multitude of bars and restaurants.
The liveliest plazas are Plaça del Sol, Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia with its clock tower (a favourite meeting place) and Plaça de la Virreina with the 17th-century Església de Sant Joan (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
). Approximately five blocks west of Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia, there's a big covered market, the Mercat de la Llibertat (
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 217 09 95; www.mercatllibertat.com; Plaça de la Llibertat 27; h8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 8am-3pm Sat; 
dFGC Gràcia). West of Gràcia's main street, Carrer Gran de Gràcia (from Fontana metro station, walk one block north to Carrer de les Carolines and turn left), seek out an early Gaudí house, the turreted, vaguely Mudéjar Casa Vicens (
GOOGLE MAP
; Carrer de les Carolines 22; dFGC Plaça Molina); it's not open to the public.
Gràcia
1Sights
4Sleeping
3Entertainment
7Shopping
Park GüellPARK
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 409 18 31; www.parkguell.cat; Carrer d’Olot 7; adult/child €7/€4.50 admission to central area; h8am-9.30pm daily; 
g24 or 32, mLesseps or Vallcarca)
North of Gràcia and about 4km from Plaça de Catalunya, Park Güell is where Gaudí turned his hand to landscape gardening. It’s a strange, enchanting place where his passion for natural forms really took flight – to the point where the artificial almost seems more natural than the natural.
Park Güell originated in 1900, when Count Eusebi Güell bought a tree-covered hillside (then outside Barcelona) and hired Gaudí to create a miniature city of houses for the wealthy in landscaped grounds. The project was a commercial flop and was abandoned in 1914 – but not before Gaudí had created 3km of roads and walks, steps, a plaza and two gatehouses in his inimitable manner. In 1922 the city bought the estate for use as a public park.
Just inside the main entrance on Carrer d’Olot, immediately recognisable by the two Hansel-and-Gretel gatehouses, is the park’s Centre d’Interpretaciò, in the Pavelló de Consergeria, which is a typically curvaceous former porter’s home that hosts a display on Gaudí’s building methods and the history of the park. There are nice views from the top floor.
The steps up from the entrance, guarded by a mosaic dragon/lizard (a copy of which you can buy in many downtown souvenir shops), lead to the Sala Hipóstila (aka the Doric Temple). This is a forest of 88 stone columns, some of which lean like mighty trees bent by the weight of time, originally intended as a market. To the left curves a gallery whose twisted stonework columns and roof give the effect of a cloister beneath tree roots – a motif repeated in several places in the park.
On top of the Sala Hipóstila is a broad open space whose centrepiece is the Banc de Trencadís, a tiled bench curving sinuously around its perimeter and designed by one of Gaudí’s closest colleagues, architect Josep Maria Jujol (1879–1949). With Gaudí, however, there is always more than meets the eye. This giant platform was designed as a kind of catchment area for rainwater washing down the hillside. The water is filtered through a layer of stone and sand, and it drains down through the columns to an underground cistern.
The spired house over to the right is the Casa-Museu Gaudí, where Gaudí lived for most of his last 20 years (1906–26). It contains furniture by him (including items that were once at home in La Pedrera, Casa Batlló and Casa Calvet) and other memorabilia. The house was built in 1904 by Francesc Berenguer i Mestres as a prototype for the 60 or so houses that were originally planned here.
Much of the park is still wooded, but it’s laced with pathways. The best views are from the cross-topped Turó del Calvari in the southwest corner.
The walk from metro stop Lesseps is signposted. From the Vallcarca stop, it is marginally shorter and the uphill trek eased by escalators. Bus 24 drops you at an entrance near the top of the park.
The park is extremely popular (it gets an estimated 4 million visitors a year, about 86% of them tourists) and in 2013 an entrance fee was imposed on the central area containing most of its attractions. Access is limited to a certain number of people every half-hour, and it's wise to book ahead online.
DEADLY SERIOUS
Museu de Carrosses Fúnebres (
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 484 19 99; www.cbsa.cat; Carrer de la Mare de Déu de Port 56-58; h10am-2pm Wed-Sun; g9, 21) is probably the weirdest museum in town. This basement hearse museum is the place to come if you want to see how the great and good have been transported to their final resting places in Barcelona since the 18th century. Solemn, wigged mannequins and life-size model horses accompany a series of dark hearses.
Tibidabo
Tibidabo (512m) is the highest hill in the wooded range that forms the backdrop to Barcelona and is a good place for some fresh air and fine views. It gets its name from the devil, who, trying to tempt Christ, took him to a high place and said, in the Latin version: 'Haec omnia tibi dabo si cadens adoraberis me' ('All this I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me').
CosmoCaixaMUSEUM
(Museu de la Ciència;
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 212 60 50; www.fundacio.lacaixa.es; Carrer de Isaac Newton 26; adult/child €4/free; h10am-8pm Tue-Sun; g60, dFGC Avinguda Tibidabo)
Kids (and kids at heart) are fascinated by displays here and this science museum has become one of the city’s most popular attractions. The single greatest highlight is the recreation over 1 sq km of a chunk of flooded Amazon rainforest (Bosc Inundat). More than 100 species of Amazon flora and fauna (including anacondas, colourful poisonous frogs and caymans) prosper in this unique, living diorama in which you can even experience a tropical downpour.
Parc d’AtraccionsAMUSEMENT PARK
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 211 79 42; www.tibidabo.cat; Plaça de Tibidabo 3-4; adult/child €29/10.30; hclosed Jan & Feb)
The reason most barcelonins come up to Tibidabo is for some thrills in this funfair, close to the top funicular station. Here you'll find whirling high-speed rides and high-tech 4D cinema, as well as old-fashioned amusement, including an old steam train and the Museu d’Autòmats, with its collection of automated puppets going as far back as 1880. Check the website for opening times.
Temple del Sagrat CorCHURCH
(Church of the Sacred Heart;
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 417 56 86; Plaça de Tibidabo; admission free, lift €2; h7am-8pm, lift 10am-8pm)F
The Church of the Sacred Heart, looming above the top funicular station, is meant to be Barcelona’s answer to Paris’ Sacré-Cœur. The church, built from 1902 to 1961 in a mix of styles with some Modernista influence, is certainly as visible as its Parisian namesake, and even more vilified by aesthetes. It’s actually two churches, one on top of the other. The top one is surmounted by a giant statue of Christ and has a lift to take you to the roof for the panoramic (and often wind-chilled) views.
Jardins del Laberint d’HortaGARDENS
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 413 24 00; Passeig del Castanyers 1; adult/student €2.23/1.42, free Wed & Sun; h10am-sunset; c; mMundet)
Laid out in the twilight years of the 18th century by Antoni Desvalls, Marquès d’Alfarras i de Llupià, this carefully manicured park remained a private family idyll until the 1970s, when it was opened to the public. Many a fine party and theatrical performance was held here over the years, but it now serves as a kind of museum-park. The gardens take their name from a maze in their centre, but other paths take you past a pleasant artificial lake (estany), waterfalls, a neoclassical pavilion and a false cemetery. The last is inspired by 19th-century romanticism, characterised by an obsession with a swooning, anaemic (some might say silly) vision of death. The labyrinth, in the middle of these cool gardens (somehow odd in this environment, with modern apartments and ring roads nearby), can be surprisingly frustrating! Aim to reach the centre from the bottom end, and then exit towards the ponds and neoclassical pavilion. This is a good one for kids. Scenes of the film adaptation of Patrick Süskind’s novel Perfume were shot in the gardens. To reach the gardens, take the right exit upstairs at Mundet Metro station; on emerging, turn right and then left along the main road (with football fields on your left) and then the first left uphill to the gardens (about five minutes).
GETTING TO TIBIDABO
Take one of the frequent Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) trains to Avinguda de Tibidabo from Catalunya station on Plaça de Catalunya (€2, 10 minutes). Outside Avinguda de Tibidabo station, hop on the tramvia blau (one way €4.20, 15 minutes, every 15 or 30 minutes 10am to 6pm Saturdays, Sundays and holidays), Barcelona's last surviving old-style tram. It runs between fancy Modernista mansions – of particular note is Casa Roviralta, now home to a well-known grill restaurant, El Asador de Aranda (
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 417 01 15; www.asadordearanda.com; Av del Tibidabo 31; mains €20-22; h1-4pm daily & 8-11pm Mon-Sat; dAv Tibidabo) – and Plaça del Doctor Andreu and has been doing so since 1901. When the tram isn't in operation, a bus serves the route.
From Plaça del Doctor Andreu (also called Plaça del Funicular), the Tibidabo funicular railway climbs through the woods to Plaça de Tibidabo at the top of the hill (return €7.70, five minutes). Departures start at 10.15am and continue until shortly after the park's closing time.
An alternative is bus T2, the 'Tibibús', from Plaça de Catalunya to Plaça de Tibidabo (€3, 30 minutes). It runs every 30 to 50 minutes on Saturday, Sunday and holidays; purchase tickets on the bus. The last bus down leaves Tibidabo 30 minutes after the Parc d'Atraccions closes.
Collserola
Parc de CollserolaPARK
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 280 35 52; www.parcnaturalcollserola.cat; Carretera de l’Església 92; hCentre d’Informació 9.30am-3pm, Can Coll 9.30am-3pm Sun & holidays, closed Jul & Aug; dFGC Peu del Funicular, Baixador de Vallvidrera)
Barcelonins needing an escape from the city without heading too far into the countryside seek out this extensive, 8000-hectare park in the hills. It is a great place to hike and bike and bristles with eateries and snack bars. Pick up a map from the Centre d’Informació.
The principal point of interest is the sprawling Museu-Casa Verdaguer. Catalonia’s revered writer Jacint Verdaguer lived in this late-18th-century country house before his death on 10 July 1902. Beyond, the park has various other minor highlights, including a smattering of country chapels (some Romanesque), the ragged ruins of the 14th-century Castellciuro castle in the west, various lookout points and, to the north, the 15th-century Can Coll, a grand farmhouse. It’s used as an environmental education centre where you can see how richer farmers lived around the 17th to 19th centuries.
Torre de CollserolaLOOKOUT
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 406 93 54; www.torredecollserola.com; Carretera de Vallvidrera al Tibidabo; adult/child €6/4; hnoon-2pm & 3.30-8pm Wed-Sun Jul & Aug, noon-2pm & 3.15-6pm Sat, Sun & holidays Sep-Jun, closed Jan & Feb; g111, Funicular de Vallvidrera)
Sir Norman Foster designed the 288m-high Torre de Collserola telecommunications tower, which was completed in 1992. There is an external glass lift to the visitors’ observation area, 115m up, where there are some magnificent views – up to 70km on a clear day. All of Barcelona’s TV and radio sets are transmitted from here, and repeater stations across Catalonia are also controlled from this tower.
Pedralbes
A wealthy residential area north of the Zona Universitària, Pedralbes is named after the eponymous convent that is a key attraction in the area.
Jardins del Palau de PedralbesPARK
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Avinguda Diagonal 686; h10am-8pm Apr-Oct, to 6pm Nov-Mar; mPalau Reial)F
A few steps from busy Avinguda Diagonal lies this small enchanting green space. Sculptures, fountains, citrus trees, bamboo groves, fragrant eucalyptus, towering cypresses and bougainvillea-covered nooks lie scattered along the paths criss-crossing these peaceful gardens. Among the little-known treasures here are a vine-covered parabolic pergola and a gurgling fountain of Hercules, both designed by Antoni Gaudí.
Museu-Monestir de PedralbesMONASTERY
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 256 34 34; www.bcn.cat/monestirpedralbes; Baixada del Monestir 9; adult/child €7/5, free 3-8pm Sun; h10am-5pm Tue-Fri, to 7pm Sat, to 8pm Sun; g22, 63, 64 or 75, dFGC Reina Elisenda)
This peaceful old convent was first opened to the public in 1983 and is now a museum of monastic life (the few remaining nuns have moved into more modern neighbouring buildings). It stands at the top of Avinguda de Pedralbes in a residential area that was countryside until the 20th century, but which remains a divinely quiet corner of Barcelona.
Camp NouSTADIUM
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %902 189900; www.fcbarcelona.com; Carrer d’Aristides Maillol; adult/child €23/17; h10am-7.30pm Mon-Sat, to 2.30pm Sun; mPalau Reial)
Among Barcelona’s most-visited sites is the massive stadium of Camp Nou (which means New Field in Catalan), home to the legendary Futbol Club Barcelona. Attending a game amid the roar of the crowds is an unforgettable experience. Football fans who aren't able to see a game can get a taste of all the excitement at the museum, with its multimedia exhibits, and a self-guided tour of the stadium.
El Poble Sec
Draped on the eastern slopes of Montjuïc down to Avinguda del Paral·lel, working-class El Poble Sec (the Dry Village) is short on sights but hides several interesting bars and eateries. Until the 1960s the neighbourhood was the centre of Barcelona nightlife, crammed with theatres and cabarets. A handful of them survives and one, the Sala Apolo, converted itself successfully into a club.
MUHBA Refugi 307HISTORIC SITE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 256 21 22; www.museuhistoria.bcn.cat; Carrer Nou de la Rambla 169; admission incl tour adult/child under 7yr €3.40/free; htours 10.30am, 11.30am & 2.30pm Sun; mParal·lel)
Part of the Museu d'Història de Barcelona (MUHBA), this is a shelter that dates back to the days of the Spanish Civil War. Barcelona was the city most heavily bombed from the air during this war and had more than 1300 air-raid shelters. Local citizens started digging this one under a fold of Montjuïc in March 1937.
DON'T MISS
ROMANESQUE TREASURES IN THE MUSEU NACIONAL D'ART DE CATALUNYA
The Romanesque art section in the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya constitutes one of Europe's greatest such collections and is an absolute must for lovers of medieval art – and an excellent place to learn about it for those who have had few previous opportunities. The collection consists mainly of 11th- and 12th-century murals, woodcarvings and altar frontals – painted, bas-relief wooden panels that were forerunners of the elaborate retablos (altarpieces) that adorned later churches. Gathered from decaying rural churches in northern Catalonia early last century, they are a surprising treasure of vivid colour, discrediting the idea that medieval churches were bereft of decoration. The two outstanding items are an image of Christ in Majesty, done around 1123 and taken from the apse of the Església de Sant Climent de Taüll in northwest Catalonia, and an apse image of the Virgin Mary and Christ Child from the nearby Església de Santa Maria de Taüll.
Montjuïc
Montjuïc, the hill overlooking the city centre from the southwest, is dotted with museums, soothing gardens and the main group of 1992 Olympic sites, along with a handful of theatres and clubs.
The name Montjuïc (Jewish Mountain) indicates there was once a Jewish cemetery, and possibly settlement, here. Montjuïc also has a darker history: its castle was used as a political prison and execution site by various governments, including the Republicans during the civil war and Franco thereafter.
The first main burst of building on Montjuïc came in the 1920s, when it was chosen as the stage for Barcelona's 1929 World Exhibition. The Estadi Olímpic, the Poble Espanyol and some museums all date from this time. Montjuïc got a facelift and more new buildings for the 1992 Olympics.
Abundant roads and paths, with occasional escalators, plus buses and a chairlift, allow you to visit Montjuïc's sights in any order you choose. The main attractions – the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, CaixaForum, the Poble Espanyol, the Pavelló Mies van der Rohe, the Fundació Joan Miró, the Estadi Olímpic and the views from the castle – make for a full couple of days' sightseeing.
Montjuïc & Poble Sec
1Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Sleeping
3Entertainment
7Shopping
Plaça d'EspanyaSQUARE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
The approach to Montjuïc from Plaça d'Espanya gives you the full benefit of the landscaping on the hill's northern side and allows Montjuïc to unfold for you from the bottom up. On Plaça d'Espanya's northern side is the former Plaça de Braus Les Arenes bullring, built in 1900 and slowly being converted into a shopping and leisure centre by Sir Richard Rogers.
Behind the bullring is Parc Joan Miró, created in the 1980s, and worth a quick detour for Miró's giant, highly phallic sculpture Dona i Ocell (Woman and Bird) in the northwest corner.
oMuseu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC)MUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 622 03 76; www.museunacional.cat; Mirador del Palau Nacional; adult/senior & child under 16yr/student €12/free/€8.40, 1st Sun of month free; h10am-8pm Tue-Sat, to 3pm Sun, library 10am-6pm Mon-Fri; mEspanya)
From across the city, the bombastic neobaroque silhouette of the Palau Nacional can be seen on the slopes of Montjuïc. Built for the 1929 World Exhibition and restored in 2005, it houses a vast collection of mostly Catalan art spanning the early Middle Ages to the early 20th century. The high point is the collection of extraordinary Romanesque frescoes.
oFundació Joan MiróMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 443 94 70; www.fundaciomiro-bcn.org; Parc de Montjuïc; adult/child €11/free; h10am-8pm Tue-Sat, to 9.30pm Thu, to 2.30pm Sun & holidays; g55, 150, Paral·lel)
Joan Miró, the city’s best-known 20th-century artistic progeny, bequeathed this art foundation to his hometown in 1971. Its light-filled buildings, designed by close friend and architect Josep Lluís Sert (who also built Miró’s Mallorca studios), are crammed with seminal works, from Miró’s earliest timid sketches to paintings from his last years.
Castell de MontjuïcFORTRESS, GARDENS
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 256 44 45; www.bcn.cat/castelldemontjuic; Carretera de Montjuïc 66; adult/concessions/child €5/€3/free, free Sun pm & 1st Sun of month; h10am-8pm; g150, Telefèric de Montjuïc, Castell de Montjuïc)
This forbidding castell (castle or fort) dominates the southeastern heights of Montjuïc and enjoys commanding views over the Mediterranean. It dates, in its present form, from the late 17th and 18th centuries. For most of its dark history, it has been used to watch over the city and as a political prison and killing ground.
JardinsGARDENS
F
Towards the foot of the fortress, above the main road to Tarragona, the Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.bcn.cat/parcsijardins; Carretera de Miramar 1; h10am-sunset; Transbordador Aeri, Miramar) have a good collection of tropical and desert plants – including a veritable forest of cacti. Near the Estació Parc Montjuïc (funicular station) are the ornamentalJardins de Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer (
GOOGLE MAP
; www.bcn.cat/parcsijardins; h10am-sunset; g55, 150), full of beautiful bulbs and aquatic plants. East across the road are the landscaped Jardins Joan Brossa (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; h10am-sunset; Telefèric de Montjuïc, Mirador), set on the site of a former amusement park. These gardens contain many Mediterranean species, from cypresses to pines and a few palms. From the Jardins del Mirador, opposite the Estació Mirador, you have fine views over the port of Barcelona.
Poble EspanyolCULTURAL CENTRE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.poble-espanyol.com; Avinguda de Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia 13; adult/child €11/6.25; h9am-8pm Mon, to midnight Tue-Thu & Sun, to 3am Fri, to 4am Sat; g13, 23, 150, mEspanya)
Welcome to Spain! All of it! This ‘Spanish Village’ is both a cheesy souvenir hunters’ haunt and an intriguing scrapbook of Spanish architecture built for the Spanish crafts section of the 1929 World Exhibition. You can meander from Andalucía to the Balearic Islands in the space of a couple of hours, visiting surprisingly good copies of Spain's characteristic buildings.
Fundació Fran DaurelMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.fundaciofrandaurel.com; Avinguda Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia 13; h10am-7pm)F
The Fundació Fran Daurel (in Poble Espanyol) is an eclectic collection of 300 works of art including sculptures, prints, ceramics and tapestries by modern artists ranging from Picasso and Miró to more contemporary figures, including Miquel Barceló. The foundation also has a sculpture garden, boasting 27 pieces, nearby the Fundació and within the grounds of Poble Espanyol (look for the Montblanc gate). Frequent temporary exhibitions broaden the offerings further.
Font MàgicaFOUNTAIN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 316 10 00; Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina; hevery 30min 7-9pm Fri & Sat Oct-Apr, 9.30-11pm Thu-Sun May-Sep; mEspanya)
A huge fountain that crowns the long sweep of the Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina to the grand facade of the Palau Nacional, Font Màgica is a unique performance in which the water can look like seething fireworks or a mystical cauldron of colour.
Pavelló Mies van der RoheARCHITECTURE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 423 40 16; www.miesbcn.com; Avinguda de Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia 7; adult/child €5/free; h10am-8pm; mEspanya)
The Pavelló Mies van der Rohe is not only a work of breathtaking beauty and simplicity, it is a highly influential building emblematic of the modern movement. The structure has been the subject of many studies and interpretations, and it has inspired several generations of architects.
CaixaForumGALLERY
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 476 86 00; www.fundacio.lacaixa.es; Avinguda de Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia 6-8; adult/student & child €4/free, 1st Sun of month free; h10am-8pm Mon-Fri, to 9pm Sat & Sun; 
p; mEspanya)
The Caixa building society prides itself on its involvement in (and ownership of) art, in particular all that is contemporary. Its premier art expo space in Barcelona hosts part of the bank’s extensive collection from around the globe. The setting is a completely renovated former factory, the Fàbrica Casaramona, an outstanding Modernista brick structure designed by Puig i Cadafalch. From 1940 to 1993 it housed the First Squadron of the police cavalry unit – 120 horses in all.
Museu EtnològicMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.museuetnologic.bcn.cat; Passeig de Santa Madrona 16-22; g55)
Barcelona’s ethnology museum presents a curious permanent collection that explores how various societies have worked down the centuries, as seen through collections of all sorts of objects. The entire museum was closed at the time of writing for major refurbishments. Check the website for the reopening date.
Museu d'Arqueologia de CatalunyaMUSEUM
(MAC;
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 423 21 49; www.mac.cat; Passeig de Santa Madrona 39-41; adult/student €4.50/3.50; h9.30am-7pm Tue-Sat, 10am-2.30pm Sun; mPoble Sec)
This archaeology museum, housed in what was the Graphic Arts palace during the 1929 World Exhibition, covers Catalonia and cultures from elsewhere in Spain. Items range from copies of pre-Neanderthal skulls to lovely Carthaginian necklaces and jewel-studded Visigothic crosses.
Anella OlímpicaOLYMPIC SITE
(h8am-9pm Apr-Sep, 8am-7pm Oct-Mar)
The 'Olympic Ring' is the group of sports installations where the main events of the 1992 Olympics were held. Westernmost is the Institut Nacional d'Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC) , a kind of sports university, designed by one of Catalonia's best-known contemporary architects, Ricardo Bofill. Past a circular arena, Plaça d'Europa, with the Torre Calatrava telecommunications tower behind it, is the Piscines Bernat Picornell, where the swimming and diving events were held.
Estadi Olímpic Lluís CompanysSTADIUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 426 20 89; Avinguda de l'Estadi; h10am-8pm; g150)F
The Estadi Olímpic was the main stadium of Barcelona's Olympic Games. If you saw the Olympics on TV, the 65,000-capacity stadium may seem surprisingly small. So might the Olympic flame holder into which an archer spectacularly fired a flaming arrow during the opening ceremony. The stadium was opened in 1929 and restored for 1992.
Museu Olímpic i de l'EsportMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 292 53 79; www.museuolimpicbcn.com; Avinguda de l'Estadi 60; adult/student €5.10/3.20; h10am-8pm Tue-Sat, 10am-2.30pm Sun; g55, 150)
The Museu Olímpic i de l'Esport is an information-packed interactive museum dedicated to the history of sport and the Olympic Games. After picking up tickets, you wander down a ramp that snakes below ground level and is lined with displays on the history of sport, starting with the ancients.
Jardí BotànicGARDENS
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.jardibotanic.bcn.cat; Carrer del Doctor Font i Quer 2; adult/child €3.50/free; h10am-7pm; g55, 150)
This botanical garden is dedicated to Mediterranean flora and has a collection of some 40,000 plants and 1500 species that thrive in areas with a climate similar to that of the Mediterranean, such as the Eastern Mediterranean, Spain (including the Balearic and Canary Islands), North Africa, Australia, California, Chile and South Africa.
Cementiri del Sud-OestCEMETERY
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 484 19 70; www.cbsa.cat; Carrer de la Mare de Déu de Port 56-58; h8am-6pm; g9, 21)F
On the hill to the south of the Anella Olímpica stretches this huge cemetery, the Cementiri del Sud-Oest (or 'Cementiri Nou'), which extends down the southern side of the hill. Opened in 1883, it’s an odd combination of elaborate architect-designed tombs for rich families and small niches for the rest. It includes the graves of numerous Catalan artists and politicians, and, at the entrance, the Col·lecció de Carrosses Fúnebres.
Transbordador AeriCABLE CAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.telefericodebarcelona.com; Av de Miramar, Jardins de Miramar; one way/return €11/16.50; h11am-7pm; g50 & 153)
GETTING TO MONTJUïC
You could walk from Ciutat Vella (the foot of La Rambla is 700m from the eastern end of Montjuïc). Escalators run up to the Palau Nacional from Avinguda de Rius i Taulet and Passeig de les Cascades. They continue as far as Avinguda de l'Estadi.
Bus
Several buses make their way up here, including buses 50, 55 and 61. Local bus 193 does a circle trip from Plaça d'Espanya to the castle.
Metro & Funicular
Take the metro (lines 2 and 3) to Paral·lel station and get on the funicular railway (
GOOGLE MAP
; h9am-10pm Apr-Oct, 9am-8pm Nov-Mar) from there to Estació Parc Montjuïc.
Telefèric de Montjuïc
From Estació Parc Montjuïc, this cable car (adult/child one way €6.80/5.20; h10am-9pm) carries you to the Castell de Montjuïc via the mirador (lookout point).
Transbordador Aeri
To get to the mountain from the beach, take the Transbordador Aeri (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.telefericodebarcelona.com; Passeig Escullera; one way/return €11/16.50; h11am-7pm; g17, 39 or 64, mBarceloneta). This cable car runs between Torre de Sant Sebastiá in La Barceloneta and the Miramar stop on Montjuïc.
2City Walk
Old Town
Start Plaça de Catalunya
End Palau de la Música Catalana
Length 3.5km; 1½ hours
A great deal of what makes Barcelona fascinating is crowded into a relatively compact space, making an introductory strolling tour a great way to make the city's acquaintance. There's nothing wrong with following the crowds to start off with, so wander down La Rambla from 1Plaça de Catalunya. Along the way, sniff around the 2Mercat de la Boqueria, one of Europe's most colourful and well-stocked produce markets. Pop into the 3Gran Teatre del Liceu, the city's main opera house, and then visit one of Gaudí's earlier efforts, the 4Palau Güell. From here, cross La Rambla and linger in scenic 5Plaça Reial. Make your way to 6Plaça de Sant Jaume, at the core of the Barri Gòtic and the political heart of the city for 2000 years. You can examine the city's Roman origins in the nearby 7Museu d'Història de Barcelona, which also leads you to a fine Catalan Gothic hall and medieval chapel. From the complex of buildings huddled around the museum and Plaça del Rei, you pass the 8Museu Frederic Marès en route to the main facade of the 9Catedral – make time to spend inside and to head up to the roof for bird's-eye views of the medieval city. From there, make the loop down Vía Laietana to admire what remains of the aRoman walls, and then branch off along Carrer de l'Argenteria (once home to Barcelona's silversmiths) to reach the splendid Gothic bEsglésia de Santa Maria del Mar, a striking symbol of Catalan identity. Circle around it and up noble Carrer de Montcada, home to fine centuries-old mansions, several of which house museums – including the cMuseu Picasso. Proceed north past the dMercat de Santa Caterina, a daring 21st-century reincarnation of a grand 19th-century produce market on the site of a medieval monastery, and then dogleg on to the stunning Modernista ePalau de la Música Catalana, best visited for a performance of anything from flamenco to Portuguese fado.
WORTH A TRIP
COLòNIA GüELL
Apart from La Sagrada Família, Gaudí's last big project was the creation of a utopian textile workers' complex, the fColònia Güell, built for his magnate patron Eusebi Güell outside Barcelona at Santa Coloma de Cervelló. Gaudí's main role was to erect the colony's church. Work began in 1908 but the idea fizzled eight years later and Gaudí only finished the crypt, which still serves as a working church.
This structure is a key to understanding what the master had in mind for his magnum opus, La Sagrada Família. The mostly brick-clad columns that support the ribbed vaults in the ceiling are inclined at all angles in much the way you might expect trees in a forest to lean. That effect was deliberate, but also grounded in physics. Gaudí worked out the angles so that their load would be transmitted from the ceiling to the earth without the help of extra buttressing.
Near the church spread the cute brick houses designed for the factory workers and still inhabited today. In a five-room display with audiovisual and interactive material, the history and life of the industrial colony and the story of Gaudí's church are told in colourful fashion.
2Activities
Popular places for a run or a bike ride are in Montjuïc and in the Parc de Collserola (among the best trails there is the 9km-long Carretera de les Aigües): both are hilly but much less stressful than the rest of the city in terms of traffic. Another good place for a spin or a jog is along the esplanade from Barceloneta beach up to El Fòrum.
Club Natació Atlètic-BarcelonaSWIMMING
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.cnab.cat; Plaça del Mar; daypass adult/child €12.20/7.10; h7am-11pm Mon-Sat, 8am-8pm Sun; g17, 39, 57 or 64, mBarceloneta)
This athletic club has one indoor and two outdoor pools. Of the latter, one is heated for lap swimming in winter. Admission includes use of the gym and private beach access.
GolondrinaBOAT TOUR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 442 31 06; www.lasgolondrinas.com; Moll de les Drassanes; adult/child €14.50/5.25; hMar-Nov; mDrassanes)
For a view of the harbour from the water, you can take a golondrina from in front of the Mirador a Colom. The 90-minute round trip takes you to Port Olímpic, El Fòrum and back again. The number of departures depends largely on season and demand. As a rule, trips are only done between March and November. If you just want to discover the area around the port, you can opt for a 35-minute excursion to the breakwater and back (€7/3 per adult/child).
OrsomCRUISE
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 441 05 37; www.barcelona-orsom.com; Moll de les Drassanes; adult/child €16.50/11; hApr-Oct; mDrassanes)
Aboard a large sailing catamaran, Orsom makes the 90-minute journey to Port Olímpic and back. There are three departures per day (four on weekends in July and August), and the last is a jazz cruise, scheduled around sunset. The same company also runs five daily, 50-minute speedboat tours (adult/child €12.50/11).
Piscines Bernat PicornellSWIMMING
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 423 40 41; www.picornell.cat; Avinguda de l'Estadi 30-38; adult/child €6.50/4.50; h6.45am-midnight Mon-Fri, 7am-9pm Sat, 7.30am-4pm Sun; g50, 61 or 193)
Barcelona’s official Olympic pool on Montjuïc. On Saturday nights, between 9pm and 11pm, the pool (with access to sauna and steam bath) is open only to nudists. On Sundays between October and May the indoor pool also opens for nudists only from 4.15pm to 6pm.
BARCELONA FOR CHILDREN
There's plenty to interest kids, from street theatre on La Rambla to the beaches. Transport is good, many attractions are huddled fairly close together and children are generally welcome in restaurants and cafes.
An initial stroll along La Rambla is full of potential distractions and wonders, particularly the living statues and buskers.
At the bottom end of La Rambla, more options present themselves: a ride up to the top of the Mirador de Colom or seeing sharks at L'Aquàrium.
The Transbordador Aeri, strung across the harbour between La Barceloneta and Montjuïc, is an irresistible ride. Or scare the wits out of them with hair-raising rides at Tibidabo's Parc d'Atraccions amusement park.
Of the city's museums, those most likely to capture children's imaginations as much as those of their adult companions are the Museu Marítim, the Museu de la Xocolata and the popular interactive Cosmocaixa science museum.
In the summer months, you will doubtless be rewarded by squeals of delight if you take the bairns to one of the city's swimming pools or the beach. In cooler weather, parks can be a good choice. A walk in the gardens of Montjuïc, including some exploration of Castell de Montjuïc, will appeal to everyone. Adults find the maze of the Jardins del Laberint d'Horta hard to work out, too. Another old favourite with most children is a visit to see the animals at the Zoo de Barcelona.
CCourses
Barcelona is bristling with schools offering Spanish- and Catalan-language courses. You can learn lots more in Barcelona, too, such as salsa and sauces.
Cook and TasteCOOKING COURSE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 302 13 20; www.cookandtaste.net; Carrer del Paradís 3; half-day workshop €65; mLiceu)
Learn to whip up a paella or stir a gazpacho in this Spanish cookery school.
International HouseLANGUAGE COURSE
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 268 45 11; www.ihes.com/bcn; Carrer de Trafalgar 14; mArc de Triomf)
Intensive courses from around €410 for two weeks. Staff can also organise accommodation.
FREE WALKING TOURS
Numerous companies offer pay-what-you-wish walking tours. These typically take in the Barri Gòtic or the Modernista sites of L'Eixample. A few recommended operators include Runner Bean Tours (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %636 108776; www.runnerbeantours.com; htours 11am year-round & 4.30pm Apr-Sep), Feel Free Tours (www.feelfreetours.com), Orange Donut Tours (www.orangedonuttours.com; htours 11am & 3pm), Discover Walks (www.discoverwalks.com; h10.30am, 3pm & 5pm Fri-Mon Apr-Oct ) and Travel Bound (www.travelbar.com).
TTours
A number of tour options present themselves if you want a hand getting around the sights.
Barcelona Walking ToursWALKING TOUR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 285 38 34; www.barcelonaturisme.com; Plaça de Catalunya 17-S; mCatalunya)
The Oficina d'Informació de Turisme de Barcelona organises guided walking tours. One explores the Barri Gòtic (adult/child €15.50/free; hin English 9.30am daily); another follows in the footsteps of Picasso (adult/child €21.50/7; hin English 3pm Tue, Thu & Sat) and winds up at the Museu Picasso, entry to which is included in the price, and a third takes in the main jewels of Modernisme (adult/child €15.50/free; hin English 4pm Fri). Also offered is a gourmet tour (adult/child €21.50/7; hin English 10am Fri & Sat) of traditional purveyors of fine foodstuffs across the old city; it includes a couple of chances to taste some of the products.
Bus TurísticBUS
(%93 285 38 32; www.barcelonabusturistic.cat/en; day ticket adult/child €27/16; h9am-8pm)
This hop-on, hop-off service covers three circuits (44 stops) linking virtually all the major tourist sights. Tourist offices, TMB transport authority offices and many hotels have leaflets explaining the system. Each of the two main circuits takes approximately two hours. The third circuit, from Port Olímpic to El Fòrum, runs from April to September and is less interesting. Possession of a Bus Turístic ticket entitles you to discounts to some museums.
Catalunya Bus TurísticBUS TOUR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 285 38 32; www.catalunyabusturistic.com/; Plaça de Catalunya)
Routes include a day in Vic (€35), north of Barcelona, visiting the old town and huge weekly market; Girona and Figueres (€71); a Penedès wine and cava (sparkling wine) jaunt with three winery tours and lunch (€59); Montserrat and Sitges (€69). All tours leave at 8.30am from late March to October from Plaça de Catalunya.
Barcelona ScooterDRIVING TOUR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 221 40 70; tour €50; h10.30am Sat, 3.30pm Thu)
Run by Cooltra, Barcelona Scooter offers a three-hour tour by scooter around the city (€50) in conjunction with the city tourism office. Departure is from the Cooltra rental outlet.
GocarDRIVING TOUR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 269 17 92; www.gocartours.es; Carrer de Freixures 23; tours 2½/8 hrs €70/160; h9am-9pm)
These GPS-guided 'cars' (really two-seat, three-wheel mopeds) allow you to tour around town, park where motorbikes are allowed and listen to commentaries on major sites as you go. The GPS system makes it virtually impossible to get lost.
My Favourite ThingsTOUR
(%637 265405; www.myft.net; tours from €26)
Offers tours (with no more than 10 participants) based on numerous themes: street art, shopping, culinary tours, musical journeys and forgotten neighbourhoods are among the offerings. Other activities include flamenco and salsa classes and bicycle rides in and out of Barcelona. Some of the more unusual activities cost more and times vary.
BICYCLE TOURS
Barcelona is awash with companies offering bicycle tours. Tours typically cost around €22, take two to four hours and generally stick to the old city, La Sagrada Família and the beaches. Operators include Barcelona By Bike (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %671 307325; www.barcelonabybike.com; Carrer de la Marina 13; tours €22; mCuitadella/Vila Olimpica), CicloTour (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 317 19 70; www.barcelonaciclotour.com/eng; Carrer dels Tallers 45; tours €22; h11am daily, 4.30pm mid-Apr-Oct, 7.30pm Thu-Sun Jun-Sep), Barcelona by Bicycle (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 268 21 05; www.bicicletabarcelona.com; Carrer de l’Esparteria 3; tour €22), Barcelona Biking (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %656 356300; www.barcelonabiking.com; Baixada de Sant Miquel 6; bike hire per hr/24hr €5/15, tour €21; h10am-8pm, tour 11am daily; mJaume I or Liceu) and Fat Tire Bike Tours. (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 342 92 75; http://fattirebiketours.com; Carrer Sant Honorat 7; bike hire per hr/half-day €3/8, tour €24; h10am-8pm; mJaume I or Liceu)
zFestivals & Events
Reis/ReyesEPIPHANY
Epifanía (the Epiphany) on 6 January is also known as the Dia dels Reis Mags/Día de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings' Day). The night before, children delight in the Cavalcada dels Reis Mags (Parade of the Three Kings), a colourful parade of floats and music during which tons of sweets are thrown into the crowd of eager kids (and not a few adults!).
Celebrates Barcelona’s first patron saint with a week of cultural events, including castells (human castles).
Dia de Sant JordiPATRON SAINT FESTIVAL
This is the day of Catalonia's patron saint (George) and also the Day of the Book: men give women a rose, women give men a book, publishers launch new titles. La Rambla and Plaça de Sant Jaume and other central city streets and squares are filled with book and flower stalls. Celebrated on 23 April.
Pride BarcelonaGAY PRIDE
The Barcelona gay-pride festival is a week of celebrations held towards the end of June with a crammed program of culture and concerts, along with the gay-pride march on the last Sunday of the month.
SónarMUSIC
Barcelona’s celebration of electronic music is said to be Europe’s biggest such event. Locations and dates change each year.
Primavera SoundMUSIC
For three days in late May or early June, the Auditori Fòrum and other locations around town become the combined stage for a host of international DJs and musicians.
Dia de Sant JoanMIDSUMMER
This is a colourful midsummer celebration on 24 June with bonfires, even in the squares of L'Eixample, and fireworks marking the evening that precedes this holiday.
Festival del GrecMUSIC, DANCE
Held from late June to August, this festival involves music, dance and theatre at many locations across the city.
Festa Major de GràciaCITY FESTIVAL
This is a madcap local festival held in Gràcia around 15 August, with decorated streets, dancing and concerts.
Festes de la MercèCITY FESTIVAL
The city’s biggest party involves four days of concerts, dancing, castellers (human-castle builders), a fireworks display synchronised with the Montjuïc fountains, dances of giants on the Saturday, and correfocs – a parade of fireworks-spitting monsters and demons who run with the crowd – spitting dragons and devils from all over Catalonia, on the Sunday. Held around 24 September.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
SUMMER CELEBRATION
In the summer, there are loads of great events on. From June to August, the city hosts Música als Parcs (Music in the Parks), a series of open-air concerts held in different parks and green spaces around the city. Over 40 different concerts feature classical, blues and jazz groups. Popular venues include Parc de la Ciutadella, Parc de Joan Miró (Carrer de Tarragona, Sant Antoni) and Parc Turó (Avinguda de Pau Casals 19, Sant Gervasi). Stop in at the tourist office or go online (www.bcn.cat) for a schedule.
Another ongoing summertime event is the Festival Piknic Electronik (piknicelectronik.es/en). Every Sunday from June through September, you can enjoy a day of electronic music at an outdoor space on Montjuïc. It attracts a mix of young families and party people.
And for big-name concerts, don't miss the Festival Pedralbes (www.festivalpedralbes.com), featuring top talent (George Benson, Carla Bruni, Kool & the Gang) performing in lovely gardens from mid-June to early July.
4Sleeping
Those looking for cheaper accommodation close to the action should check out the Barri Gòtic and El Raval. Some good lower-end pensiones (small private hotels) are also scattered about L'Eixample. A range of boutique-style hotels with real charm in all categories has enriched the offerings in the past few years. Many midrange and top-end places are spread across L'Eixample, most of them within easy striking distance of the old town. There's a handful of options near the beaches at La Barceloneta.
LONGER-STAY ACCOMMODATION
An alternative accommodation option can be apartment rental. Typical short-term prices are around €80 to €100 for two people per night. An excellent option, with hundreds of listings is Air BnB (www.airbnb.com). In addition to full apartments, the site also lists rooms available, which can be a good way to meet locals and/or other travellers if you don't mind sharing common areas. Prices for a room range from €30 to €60 on average.
There are scores of rental services: Oh-Barcelona (www.oh-barcelona.com); Aparteasy (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 451 67 66; www.aparteasy.com; Carrer de Santa Tecla 3; mDiagonal); Feelathomebarcelona.com (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %651 894141; www.feelathomebarcelona.com; Carrer Nou de la Rambla 15); Barcelona On Line (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %902 887017, 93 343 79 93; www.barcelona-on-line.es; Gran Vía de les Corts Catalanes, 662, 1º 1A); Friendly Rentals (
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 268 80 51; www.friendlyrentals.com; Passatge de Sert 4); and Rent a Flat in Barcelona (
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 342 73 00; www.rentaflatinbarcelona.com; Ronda del Guinardó 2).
Barri Gòtic
Alberg Hostel ItacaHOSTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 301 97 51; www.itacahostel.com; Carrer de Ripoll 21; dm €21-24, tw/d €60/70, apt €90-150; 
iW; mJaume I)
A bright, quiet hostel near the cathedral, Itaca has spacious dorms (sleeping six to 10 people) with parquet floors and spring colours, and two doubles. There's a lively vibe, and the hostel organises activities (pub crawls, flamenco concerts, free daily walking tour), making it a good option for solo travellers.
BonicB&B
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %626 053434; www.bonic-barcelona.com; Carrer de Josep Anselm Clavé 9; s €55, d €90-95; 
aiW; mDrassanes)
Bonic is a small, cosy B&B that has eight rooms in varied styles, with wood or decorative tile floors, high ceilings and attractive furnishings. Several are bright and cheerfully painted, and some lack exterior windows. Owing to the restrictive layout – all guest rooms share three bathrooms – maximum occupancy is six or seven guests a night, although groups of friends can book the whole place to themselves.
El JardíHOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 301 59 00; www.eljardi-barcelona.com; Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol 1; d €90-120; aW; mLiceu)
'The Garden' has no garden but a handful of boxy doubles with balcony overlooking one of the prettiest squares in Barcelona. If you can snag one of them, it is well worth climbing up the stairs. If you can’t get a room with a view, you are better off looking elsewhere.
VrabacGUESTHOUSE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %663 494029; vrabacguesthouse.wordpress.com; Carrer de Portaferrissa 14; d €95-145, s/d without bathroom from €55/65; aW; mLiceu or Catalunya)
In a central location just off La Rambla, Vrabac is set in a beautifully restored heritage building complete with original decorative ceilings, exposed sandstone walls and large oil paintings. Rooms vary in size and equipment – the best have elegant ceramic tile floors and sizeable balconies with private bathrooms. The cheapest are small and basic and lack a bathroom, and aren't recommended. Cash only.
DOBOUTIQUE HOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 481 36 66; www.hoteldoreial.com; Plaça Reial 1; s/d from €230/280; aW
s; mLiceu)
Overlooking the magnificent plaza for which it is named, this 18-room property has handsomely designed rooms, set with beamed ceilings, wide plank floors and all-important soundproofing. The service is excellent, and the facilities extensive, with roof terrace (with bar in summer), dipping pool, solarium and spa. Its excellent market-to-table restaurants draw in visiting foodies.
El Raval
Hotel PeninsularHOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 302 31 38; www.hotelpeninsular.net; Carrer de Sant Pau 34; s/d €57/80; aiW; mLiceu)
An oasis on the edge of the slightly dicey Barri Xinès, this former convent (which was connected by tunnel to the Església de Sant Agustí) has a plant-draped atrium extending its height and most of its length. The 60 rooms are simple, with tiled floors and whitewash, but mostly spacious and well kept. There are some great bargains to be had on quiet dates.
Chic & Basic TallersHOSTAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 302 51 83; www.chicandbasic.com; Carrer dels Tallers 82; s/d from €71/84; ai; mUniversitat)
The colour scheme here is predominantly white, with exceptions like the screaming orange fridge in the communal kitchen and chill-out area. Rooms are also themed lily white, from the floors to the sheets. Finishing touches include the plasma-screen TVs and the option of plugging your iPod into your room’s sound system. The street can get noisy.
oBarceló RavalDESIGN HOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 320 14 90; www.barceloraval.com; Rambla del Raval 17-21; r from €128; ai; mLiceu)
Part of the city’s plans to pull the El Raval district up by the bootstraps, this oval-shaped designer hotel tower makes a 21st-century splash. The rooftop terrace offers fabulous views and the B-Lounge bar-restaurant is the toast of the town for meals and cocktails. Rooms have slick aesthetics (white with lime green or ruby-red splashes of colour), Nespresso machines and iPod docks.
Chic & Basic RamblasDESIGN HOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 302 71 11; www.chicandbasicramblashotel.com; Passatge Gutenberg 7; s & d €106-116; aW; mDrassanes)
The latest in the Chic & Basic chain is the most riotous to date, with quirky and colourful interiors that hit you from the second you walk in and see a vintage Seat 600 car in the foyer. The rooms themselves are solid blocks of colour, and each loosely pays homage to an aspect of Barcelona life in the 1960s. All have balconies and small kitchens. Note that the name is misleading – the hotel is a couple of blocks into the Raval.
Hotel Sant AgustíHOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 318 16 58; www.hotelsa.com; Plaça de Sant Agustí 3; r from €125; aiW; mLiceu)
This former 18th-century monastery opened as a hotel in 1840, making it the city’s oldest. The location is perfect – a quick stroll off La Rambla on a curious square. Rooms sparkle, and are mostly spacious and light filled. Consider an attic double with sloping ceiling and bird’s-eye views.
Hotel EspañaHOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 550 00 00; www.hotelespanya.com; Carrer de Sant Pau 9-11; r €164; aiWs; mLiceu)
Best known for its wonderful Modernista interiors in the dining rooms and bar, in which architect Domènech i Montaner, sculptor Eusebi Arnau and painter Ramon Casas had a hand, this hotel offers clean, straightforward rooms in a building that still manages to ooze a little history. In the 1920s it was a favourite with bullfighters.
Raval RoomsHOSTAL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 481 66 70; www.ravalrooms.com; Carrer de Joaquín Costa 44; s/d €90/95; aiW; mUniversitat)
There’s pea-green and lemon-lime decor in this hip 2nd-floor hostal located on a bar-lined lane dominated by resident migrants and wandering bands of uni students. The rooms are pleasant and secure, if snug, and enlivened with colourful artworks.
Casa CamperDESIGN HOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 342 62 80; www.casacamper.com; Carrer d'Elisabets 11; s/d from €238/260; aiW; mCatalunya)
The massive foyer looks like a contemporary-art museum, but the rooms are the real surprise. Decorated in red, black and white, each room has a sleeping and bathroom area, where you can put on your Camper slippers, enjoy the Vinçon furniture and contemplate the hanging gardens outside your window. Across the corridor is a separate, private sitting room with balcony, TV and hammock. Get to the rooftop for sweeping cityscapes.
La Ribera
Pensión FranciaHOSTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 319 03 76; www.pensionfrancia-barcelona.com; Carrer de Rera Palau 4; s/d without bathroom €30/55; W; mBarceloneta)
The homey smell of laundry pervades this quaint little hostel in a great location close to the shore, the Parc de la Ciutadella and the nightlife of El Born. The 11 simple rooms are kept spick and span, with nothing much in the way of frills. Rooms with balconies benefit from plenty of natural light but little noise, as the lane is set away from the busy nearby thoroughfares.
Pensió 2000PENSIóN
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 310 74 66; www.pensio2000.com; Carrer de Sant Pere més Alt 6; d €70-80; aiW; mUrquinaona)
This 1st-floor, family-run place is opposite the anything-but-simple Palau de la Música Catalana. Seven reasonably spacious doubles have mosaic-tiled floors, and after a recent renovation all have private bathrooms. You can eat your breakfast in the little courtyard.
Chic & BasicDESIGN HOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 295 46 52; www.chicandbasic.com; Carrer de la Princesa 50; s €81-87, d €103-150; aiW; mJaume I)
This is a very cool hotel indeed, with its 31 spotlessly white rooms and fairy-light curtains that change colour, adding an entirely new atmosphere to the space. The rooms are small, but the ceilings are high and the beds enormous. Many beautiful old features of the original building have been retained, such as the marble staircase. Chic & Basic also runs a hostal and other hotels and apartments around town.
Hotel Banys OrientalsBOUTIQUE HOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 268 84 60; www.hotelbanysorientals.com; Carrer de l'Argenteria 37; s €96, d €115.50-143; aW; mJaume I)
Book well ahead to get into this magnetically popular designer haunt. Cool blues and aquamarines combine with dark-hued floors to lend this clean-lined, boutique hotel a quiet charm. All rooms, on the small side, look onto the street or back lanes. There are more spacious suites in two other nearby buildings.
Port Vell & Barceloneta
Hotel Marina FolchHOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 310 37 09; Carrer del Mar 16; s/d/tr from €45/65/85; aW; mBarceloneta)
Simple digs above a busy seafood restaurant, this hotel has just one teeny single and nine doubles of varying sizes and quality. The best are those with small balconies facing out towards the marina. The rooms are basic but well maintained, and the location is unbeatable, just a couple of minutes from the beach.
Equity Point Sea HostelHOSTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 231 20 45; www.equity-point.com; Plaça del Mar 1-4; dm €19-34; aiW; g17, 39, 57 or 64, mBarceloneta)
Perched near the sea in a rather ugly high-rise is this busy backpackers hostel. Rooms are basic, cramped and noisy (bring earplugs) but you will not find a room closer to the beach.
Marina ViewB&B
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %678 854456; www.marinaviewbcn.com; Passeig de Colom; d without/with view €116/139, tr €136/165; aW; mDrassanes)
In an excellent location near both the old city and the waterfront, this Irish-run B&B has six airy, comfortably furnished rooms, some with small balconies sporting sunlit views over the marina. The welcome is genuinely warm, and Paddy, the owner, has loads of tips on neighbourhood eateries and how to make the most of your visit.
Hotel del MarHOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 319 30 47; www.gargallo-hotels.com; Pla del Palau 19; d €96-150; aiW; mBarceloneta)
The nicely modernised Hotel del Mar is strategically placed between Port Vell and El Born. Rooms are bright, clean and comfortable, though not luxurious. The best chambers have balconies with waterfront views. You’re in a fairly peaceful spot but no more than 10 minutes’ walk from the beaches and seafood of La Barceloneta, and the nightlife of El Born.
Poblenou & Port Olímpic
Amistat Beach HostelHOSTEL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 221 32 81; www.amistatbeachhostel.com; Carrer Amistat 21; dm €21-33; W; mPoblenou)
A stylish new addition to Poblenou, Amistat has attractively designed common areas, with a beanbag-filled lounge with DJ set-up, a low-lit TV room and a guest kitchen. The rooms themselves, which sleep from four to 12, are clean, but basic – aside from a splash of colour on the ceilings. Friendly staff organise pub crawls, club nights and other events.
Poblenou Bed & BreakfastHOTEL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 221 26 01; www.hostalpoblenou.com; Carrer del Taulat 30; s/d from €50/80; aiW; mLlacuna)
Experience life in this colourful working-class neighbourhood, just back from the beach, a few steps from the restaurant-lined Rambla del Poblenou, and increasingly home to a diverse population of loft-inhabiting gentrifiers. The 1930s house, with its high ceilings and beautiful tile floors, has six appealing rooms, each a little different and all with a fresh feel, light colours, comfortable beds and, occasionally, a little balcony.
L'Eixample
Hostal OlivaHOSTAL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 488 01 62; www.hostaloliva.com; Passeig de Gràcia 32; d €51-91, s/d without bathroom €41-71; aW; mPasseig de Gràcia)
A picturesque antique lift wheezes its way up to this 4th-floor hostal, a terrific, reliable cheapie in one of the city’s most expensive neighbourhoods. Some of the single rooms can barely fit a bed but the doubles are big enough, light and airy (some with tiled floors, others with parquet and dark old wardrobes).
Hostal MuntanerHOSTAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 410 94 74; www.hostalmuntaner.com; Carrer de Muntaner 175; r €60, without bathroom €50; a; mHospital Clínic)
Within a five-block walk of Passeig de Gràcia and Diagonal, this is a busy residential location surrounded by restaurants and bars (especially along nearby Carrer d’Aribau, a block away). Crisp, simple rooms are comfy and light. Be aware of traffic noise at the front of the house – a room deeper inside will guarantee tranquillity.
Fashion HouseB&B
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %637 904044; www.bcnfashionhouse.com; Carrer del Bruc 13; s/d €51/91, without bathroom €41/71; aW; mUrquinaona)
The name is a little silly but this typical, broad 1st-floor L’Eixample flat contains eight rooms of varying size done in tasteful style, with 4.5m-high ceilings, parquet floors and, in some cases, a little balcony onto the street. Bathrooms are located along the broad corridor, one for every two rooms.
Somnio HostelHOSTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 272 53 08; www.somniohostels.com; Carrer de la Diputació 251; dm €25, d €87, s/d without bathroom €44/78; aiW; mPasseig de Gràcia)
A crisp, tranquil hostel with 10 rooms (two of them six-bed dorms and all with a simple white and light-blue paint job), Somnio is nicely located in the thick of things in L’Eixample and a short walk from the old city. Rain showers and thick flex mattresses are nice features in these 2nd-floor digs.
oFive RoomsBOUTIQUE HOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 342 78 80; www.thefiverooms.com; Carrer de Pau Claris 72; s/d from €155/165; aiW; mUrquinaona)
Like they say, there are five rooms (standard rooms and suites) in this 1st-floor flat virtually on the border between L’Eixample and the old centre of town. Each is different and features include broad, firm beds, stretches of exposed brick wall, restored mosaic tiles and minimalist decor. There are also two apartments.
Cami Bed & GalleryB&B
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 270 17 48; www.camibedandgallery.com; Carrer de Casp 22, prl 1º; s/d from €135, s/d without bathroom from €110; aW; mCatalunya)
A new, luxury B&B in a handsome Modernista building that could not be more central, just metres from the Plaça Catalunya. Seven airy rooms, with high ceilings, are meticulously designed and each slightly different in character, though only one has a private bathroom. It was conceived by art lovers, and also functions as a gallery, staging exhibtions and cultural events.
Hotel ConstanzaBOUTIQUE HOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 270 19 10; www.hotelconstanza.com; Carrer del Bruc 33; s/d €80/100; aiW; mGirona, Urquinaona)
This boutique beauty has stolen the hearts of many a visitor to Barcelona. Design touches abound, and little details like flowers in the bathroom add charm. Suites and studios are further options. The terrace is a nice spot to relax for a while, looking over the rooftops of L’Eixample.
Barcelona Center InnHOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 265 25 60; www.hostalcenterinn.com; Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 688; s/d €75/89; aiW; mTetuan)
A charming simplicity pervades the rooms here. Wrought-iron bedsteads are overshadowed by flowing drapes. Room decor varies, with a vaguely Andalucian flavour in the bathrooms. Some rooms have little terraces. Get a back room if you can, as Gran Via is noisy.
Hotel PraktikBOUTIQUE HOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 343 66 90; www.hotelpraktikrambla.com; Rambla de Catalunya 27; r €119-129; aW; mPasseig de Gràcia)
This Modernista gem hides a gorgeous little boutique number. While the high ceilings and the bulk of the original tile floors have been maintained, the 43 rooms have daring ceramic touches, spot lighting and contemporary art. There is a chilled reading area and deck-style lounge terrace. The handy location on a tree-lined boulevard is an added plus.
GAY STAYS
Barcelona has a few excellent gay-friendly options, including several in the heart of the ‘Gaixample’.
Hotel AxelHOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 323 93 93; www.axelhotels.com; Carrer d’Aribau 33; r from €129; aiWs; mUniversitat)
Favoured by a mixed fashion and gay set, Axel occupies a sleek corner block and offers modern touches in its 105 designer rooms. A subtle, light colour scheme, plasma TVs and (in the double rooms) king-sized beds are just some of the pluses. Take a break in the rooftop pool, the Finnish sauna or the spa bath. The rooftop Skybar is open for cocktails from May to September.
Room Mate PauHOTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 343 63 00; pau.room-matehotels.com; Carrer de Fontanella 7; d €125-170; aW; mUrquinaona, Catalunya)
Just a short stroll from Plaça de Catalunya, Room Mate Pau sits somewhere between upscale hostel and boutique hotel. The rooms are small and minimalist, but cleverly designed (with USB-connected flat screen TVs and good mattresses). The enticing interior terrace with bar draws a young and hip crowd.
Casa de Billy BarcelonaHOTEL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 426 30 48; www.casabillybarcelona.com; Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 420; s & d from €40, without bathroom from €35; i; mRocafort)
Set in a rambling apartment, a stone’s throw from the Gaixample bars, this is an intriguing, gay-friendly stop. The rooms are largely decorated in flamboyant Art Deco style and guests may use the kitchen. There is a two-night-minimum policy.
Gràcia
oCasa GràciaHOSTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 187 44 97; www.casagraciabcn.com; Passeig de Gràcia 116; dm from €27, d from €50; aiW; mDiagonal)
A hostel with a difference (several differences), the tasteful Casa Gràcia has raised the bar for budget accommodation. There are dorm rooms and a couple of private rooms, and all are decorated in crisp white with bursts of colour. There's a huge terrace where communal dinners are held, along with film screenings and various other events, and art exhibitions adorn its walls. There's also a kitchen and TV room for colder months.
Montjuïc, Poble Sec & Sant Antoni
oHotel MarketBOUTIQUE HOTEL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 325 12 05; www.forkandpillow.com; Passatge de Sant Antoni Abad 10; s/d from €72/76; aiW; mSant Antoni)
Attractively located in a renovated building along a narrow lane just north of the grand old Sant Antoni market (now shut for renovation), this place has an air of simple chic. Room decor is a pleasing combination of white, dark nut browns, light wood and reds.
Sant Jordi Mambo TangoHOSTEL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 442 51 64; www.hostelmambotango.com; Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes 23; dm from €27; iW; mParal·lel)
A fun, international hostel to hang out in, the Mambo Tango has basic dorms (sleeping from six to nine people) and a welcoming, somewhat chaotic atmosphere. This playful vibe is reflected in the kooky colour scheme in the bathrooms. Advice on what to do and where to go out is always on hand.
Urban SuitesHOTEL, APARTMENT
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 201 51 64; www.theurbansuites.com; Carrer de Sant Nicolau 3; ste from €130; paiW; mSants Estació)
Directed largely at the trade-fair crowd, this contemporary spot with 16 suites and four apartments makes for a convenient and comfortable home away from home. You get a bedroom, living room and kitchen, DVD player and free wi-fi, and the configuration is good for families. Prices fluctuate enormously according to demand. Note that there is a two-night minimum stay.
La Zona Alta
Inout HostelHOSTEL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 280 09 85; www.inouthostel.com; Major del Rectoret 2; dm €18; aiWsc; dFGC Baixador de Vallvidrera)
S
One of Spain's most extraordinary hostels, Inout is a beautifully located property with a strong social ethos. Over 90% of staff here have disabilities. It's a friendly and welcoming place with extensive facilities, including an enticing pool, sports courts, and a low-key restaurant with panoramic views. It's a 12-minute uphill walk from the Baixador de Vallvidrera FGC station.
5Eating
Barcelona is something of a foodies' paradise, combining rich Catalan cooking traditions with a new wave of culinary wizardry by chefs at the vanguard of nueva cocina española.
Traditional restaurants, often quite affordable, are scattered across the Barri Gòtic and El Raval, where you'll also find plenty of hip little places. The El Born area of La Ribera teems with eateries, ranging from high-end experimental to many atmospheric spots in historic buildings.
Barceloneta and the waterfront is famed for its seafood eateries, while Gràcia offers a diverse range of tapas bars, inexpensive Middle Eastern and Greek joints and classic Spanish eateries.
Across the broad expanse of L'Eixample, the Zona Alta and further outlying districts, you'll find all sorts of places, from designer sushi bars and top-end dining rooms to festive old-world eateries. You need to know where you are going, however, as wandering about aimlessly and picking whatever takes your fancy is not as feasible as in the old city.
Cartas (menus) may be in Catalan, Spanish or both; quite a few establishments also have foreign-language menus.
EAT WITH LOCALS
A handful of new websites allow travellers to eat in the homes of locals for about the same price as you'd pay to eat in a restaurant. The biggest and best of the bunch is EatWith.com (www.eatwith.com) – the airbnb of the dining world – which lists hundreds of aspiring hosts throwing dinner parties and food-related events (wine tastings, cooking tutorials, gourmet walking tours) in Barcelona and beyond. Read profiles of hosts, plus reviews by recent guests, then take the plunge. It's a great way to experience an authentic side of the city.
Barri Gòtic
ButifarringSANDWICHES
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Carrer del Call 26; sandwiches €4-5; h9am-9pm Mon-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat, to 6pm Sun; W; mLiceu, Jaume I)
Gourmet sausage sandwiches are grilled to perfection at this friendly and appealing new eatery just off Plaça Sant Jaume. You'll find around six different sausages on the menu including seasonal varieties (like calçots in winter), plus homemade sauces, roasted potatoes, Montseny craft beer and chocolate coulant (soufflé) for dessert.
RasoterraVEGETARIAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 318 69 26; Carrer del Palau 5; tapas €5-8, lunch specials €7-10; hnoon-5pm Tue, to midnight Wed-Sun; 
v; mJaume I)
A delightful addition to the Gothic quarter, Rasoterra cooks up first-rate vegetarian dishes in a Zen-like setting with tall ceilings, low-playing jazz and fresh flowers on the tables. The creative, globally influenced menu changes regularly and might feature Vietnamese-style coconut pancakes with tofu and vegetables, beluga lentils with basmati rice, and pear and goat cheese quesadillas. Good vegan and gluten-free options.
AlliumCATALAN, FUSION
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 302 30 03; Carrer del Call 17; mains €8-16; hnoon-4pm Mon-Tue, to 10.30pm Wed-Sat; mLiceu)
This inviting newcomer to Barri Gòtic serves beautifully prepared tapas dishes and changing specials (including seafood paella for one). The menu, which changes every two or three weeks, focuses on seasonal, organic cuisine. Its bright, modern interior sets it apart from other neighbourhood options; it's also open continuously, making it a good bet for those who don't want to wait until 9pm for a meal.
La Vinateria del CallSPANISH
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 302 60 92; www.lavinateriadelcall.com; Carrer de Sant Domènec del Call 9; small plates €7-12; h7.30pm-1am; mJaume I)
In a magical setting in the former Jewish quarter, this tiny jewel box of a restaurant serves up tasty Iberian dishes including Galician octopus, cider-cooked chorizo and the Catalan escalivada (roasted peppers, aubergine and onions) with anchovies. Portions are small and made for sharing, and there's a good and affordable selection of wines.
Cafè de l’AcadèmiaCATALAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 319 82 53; Carrer dels Lledó 1; mains €13-19; h1.30-4pm & 8.45-11.30pm Mon-Fri; mJaume I)
Expect a mix of traditional dishes with the occasional creative twist. At lunchtime, local ajuntament (town hall) office workers pounce on the menú del día. In the evening it is rather more romantic, as low lighting emphasises the intimacy of the timber ceiling and wooden decor. On warm days, you can also dine on the pretty square at the front.
OnofreSPANISH
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 317 69 37; www.onofre.net; Carrer de les Magdalenes 19; mains €9-14; h10am-4pm & 7.30pm-midnight Mon-Sat; mJaume I)
Famed for its wine selections, Onofre is a small, modern eatery (and wine shop and delicatessen) that has a strong local following for its delicious tapas plates, good affordable wines and great-value lunch specials (three-course prix-fixe for €10.75). Among the delectable tapas selections: Italian greens with foie shavings, duck confit, codfish carpaccio, oven-baked prawns, and warm goat cheese salad with ham and anchovies.
Koy ShunkaJAPANESE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 412 79 39; www.koyshunka.com; Carrer de Copons 7; multicourse menus €77-110; h1.30-3pm Tue-Sun & 8.30-11pm Tue-Sat; mUrquinaona)
Down a narrow lane north of the cathedral, Koy Shunka opens a portal to exquisite dishes from the East – mouthwatering sushi, sashimi, seared Wagyu beef and flavour-rich seaweed salads are served alongside inventive cooked fushion dishes like steamed clams with sake or tempura of scallops and king prawns with Japanese mushrooms. Don't miss the house speciality of tender toro (tuna belly).
PlaFUSION
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 412 65 52; www.elpla.cat; Carrer de la Bellafila 5; mains €18-25; h7.30pm-midnight; v; mJaume I)
One of Gòtic's long-standing favourites, Pla is a stylish, romantically lit medieval dining room where the cooks churn out such temptations as oxtail braised in red wine, seared tuna with oven-roasted peppers, and polenta with seasonal mushrooms. It has a tasting menu for €38 Sunday to Thursday.
El Raval
ElisabetsCATALAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 317 58 26; Carrer d’Elisabets 2-4; mains €8-10; h7.30am-11pm Mon-Thu & Sat, until 2am Fri, closed Aug; mCatalunya)
This unassuming restaurant is popular for no-nonsense local fare. The walls are dotted with old radio sets and the menú del día (€10.85) varies daily. If you prefer a la carta, try the ragú de jabalí (wild boar stew) and finish with mel i mató (a Catalan dessert made from cheese and honey). Those with a post-midnight hunger on Friday nights can probably get a meal here as late as 1am.
SésamoVEGETARIAN
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 441 64 11; Carrer de Sant Antoni Abat 52; tapas €6; h8pm-midnight Tue-Sun; v; mSant Antoni)
Widely held to be the best veggie restaurant in the city (admittedly not as great an accolade as it might be elsewhere), Sésamo is a cosy, fun place. The menu is mostly tapas, and most people go for the seven-course tapas menu (wine included; €25), but there are a few more substantial dishes. Nice touches include the home-baked bread and cakes.
CaravelleINTERNATIONAL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 317 98 92; Carrer del Pintor Fortuny 31; mains €10-13; h8.30am-6.30pm Mon-Wed, 8.30am-1am Thu, 10.30am-1am Sat, 10.30am-6.30pm Sun; mLiceu)
A bright little joint, beloved by the hipster element of the Raval and anyone with a discerning palate. Tacos as you've never tasted them (cod, lime alioli and radish; pulled pork with roast corn and avocado), a superior steak sandwich on homemade brioche with pickled celeriac and all manner of soul food. Drinks are every bit as inventive – try the homemade ginger beer or grapefruit soda.
oMam i TecaCATALAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 441 33 35; Carrer de la Lluna 4; mains €9-12; h1-4pm & 8pm-midnight Mon, Wed-Fri & Sun, closed Sat lunch; mSant Antoni)
A tiny place with half a dozen tables, Mam i Teca is as much a lifestyle choice as a restaurant. Locals drop in and hang about at the bar, and diners are treated to Catalan dishes made with locally sourced products and adhering to Slow Food principles. Try, for example, cod fried in olive oil with garlic and red pepper, or pork ribs with chickpeas.
Bar PinotxoTAPAS
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.pinotxobar.com; Mercat de la Boqueria; mains €8-15; h6am-4pm Mon-Sat; mLiceu)
Bar Pinotxo is arguably La Boqueria's, and even Barcelona's, best tapas bar. It sits among the half-dozen or so informal eateries within the market, and the popular owner, Juanito, might serve up chickpeas with a sweet sauce of pine nuts and raisins, a fantastically soft mix of potato and spinach sprinkled with coarse salt, soft baby squid with cannellini beans, or a quivering cube of caramel-sweet pork belly.
SuculentCATALAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 443 65 79; www.suculent.com; Rambla del Raval 39; mains €11-20; h1-4pm & 8.30-11.30pm Wed-Sun, closed Sun night; mLiceu)
Michelin-starred chef Carles Abellán (of Comerç 24 fame) adds to his stable with this old-style bistro, which showcases the best of Catalan cuisine. From the cod brandade to the oxtail stew with truffled sweet potato, only the best ingredients are used, so be warned that the prices can mount up a bit, but this is a great place to sample the regional highlights.
MARKET FEASTING
Barcelona has some fantastic food markets. Foodies will enjoy the sounds, smells and most importantly tastes of the Mercat de la Boqueria (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 318 25 84; www.boqueria.info; La Rambla 91; h8am-8.30pm Mon-Sat, closed Sun; mLiceu). This is probably Spain’s biggest and best market, and it’s conveniently located right off La Rambla. Here you'll find countless temptations, including an array of tapas bars where you can sample amazingly fresh dishes cooked to perfection.
Other recommended markets for produce or tapas-style dining:
- Mercat de Sant Antoni (
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 209 31 58; www.mercatdesantantoni.com; Carrer de Comte d'Urgell 1; h7am-2.30pm & 5-8.30pm Mon-Thu, 7am-8.30pm Fri & Sat; mSant Antoni)
- Mercat de Santa Caterina
- Mercat del Ninot ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Carrer de Mallorca 157; Hospital Clínic)
- Mercat de la Llibertat
- Mercat de la Barceloneta (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 221 64 71; www.mercatdelabarceloneta.com; Plaça de la Font 1; h7am-3pm Mon-Thu & Sat, 7am-8pm Fri; mBarceloneta)
- Mercat de l’Abaceria Central (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Travessera de Gràcia 186; h7am-2.30pm & 5.30-8pm Mon-Sat; Fontana)
La Ribera
BormuthTAPAS
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 310 21 86; Carrer del Rec 31; tapas from €3.50; h5pm-midnight Mon & Tue, noon-1am Wed, Thu & Sun, noon-2.30am Fri & Sat; mJaume I)
Opened on the pedestrian Carrer del Rec in 2013, Bormuth has tapped into the vogue for old-school tapas with modern-times service and decor, and serves all the old favourites – patatas bravas, ensaladilla (Russian salad), tortilla – along with some less predictable and superbly prepared numbers (try the chargrilled red pepper with black pudding). The split-level dining room is never less than animated, but there's a more peaceful space with a single long table if you can assemble a group.
En ApartéFRENCH
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 269 13 35; www.enaparte.es; Carrer Lluis el Piados 2; mains €7-10; h10am-1am Tue-Thu, 10am-2am Fri & Sat, noon-1am Sun; W; mArc de Triomf or Urquinaona)
A great low-key place to eat good-quality French food, just off the quiet Plaça de Sant Pere. The restaurant is small but spacious, with sewing-machine tables and vintage details, and floor-to-ceiling windows that bring in some wonderful early-afternoon sunlight.
The lunch menu (€11) is excellent, offering a salad (such as beetroot and apple and walnut), and a quiche or other dish, such as stuffed peppers with a potato gratin. Brunch – including French toast, eggs Benedict and muesli with yoghurt – is served on weekends.
oEl AtrilINTERNATIONAL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 310 12 20; www.atrilbarcelona.com; Carrer dels Carders 23; mains €11-15; h6pm-midnight Mon, noon-midnight Tue-Thu, noon-1am Fri & Sat, 11.30am-11.30pm Sun; mJaume I)
Aussie owner Brenden is influenced by culinary influences from all over the globe, so while you'll see plenty of tapas (the patatas bravas are recommended for their homemade sauce), you'll also find kangaroo fillet, salmon and date rolls with mascarpone, chargrilled turkey with fried yucca, and plenty more. If the weather is good or there's no room in the cosy dining room, there are tables outside in a lively square.
Casa DelfínSPANISH
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 319 50 88; www.tallerdetapas.com; Passeig del Born 36; mains €10-15; h8am-midnight daily, until 1am Fri & Sat; mBarceloneta)
One of Barcelona's culinary delights, Casa Delfín is everything you dream of when you think of Catalan (and Mediterranean) cooking. Start with the tangy and sweet calçots (a cross between a leek and an onion; February and March only) or salt-strewn padron peppers, moving on to grilled sardines speckled with parsley, then tackle the meaty monkfish roasted in white wine and garlic.
Cal PepTAPAS
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 310 79 61; www.calpep.com; Plaça de les Olles 8; mains €12-20; h7.30-11.30pm Mon, 1-3.45pm & 7.30-11.30pm Tue-Fri, 1-3.45pm Sat, closed last 3 weeks Aug; mBarceloneta)
It’s getting a foot in the door here that’s the problem – there can be queues out into the square with people trying to get in. And if you want one of the five tables out the back, you’ll need to call ahead. Most people are happy elbowing their way to the bar for some of the tastiest gourmet seafood tapas in town.
oComerç 24INTERNATIONAL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 319 21 02; www.carlesabellan.com; Carrer del Comerç 24; mains €24-32; h1.30-3.30pm & 8.30-11pm Tue-Sat; mBarceloneta)
Michelin-starred chef Carles Abellán playfully reinterprets the traditional (suckling pig 'Hanoi style'), as well as more international classics, such as the bite-sized mini-pizza sashimi with tuna; melón con jamón, a millefeuille of layered caramelised Iberian ham and thinly sliced melon, or oxtail with cauliflower purée. If your budget will stretch to it, try a little of almost everything with the 'Menú del Gran Festival' (€116).
Port Vell & Barceloneta
Baluard BarcelonetaBAKERY
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Carrer del Baluard 36; pastries €1-2.70; h8am-9pm; mBarceloneta)
One of the best bakeries in the city, Baluard serves up warm flaky croissants, perfect baguettes, moist muffins, and a range of tempting pastries and tarts (try one with figs or wild berries).
Can MañoSPANISH
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Carrer del Baluard 12; mains €7-12; h9am-4pm Tue-Sat & 8-11pm Mon-Fri; mBarceloneta)
It may look like a dive, but you’ll need to be prepared to wait before being squeezed in at a packed table for a raucous night of raciones (full-plate-size tapas serving; posted on a board at the back) over a bottle of turbio – a cloudy white plonk. The seafood is abundant with first-rate squid, shrimp and fish served at rock-bottom prices.
Vaso de OroTAPAS
(
MAP
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; Carrer de Balboa 6; tapas €4-12; h10am-midnight; mBarceloneta)
Always packed, this narrow bar gathers a festive, beer-swilling crowd who come for fantastic tapas. Fast-talking, white-jacketed waiters will serve up a few quick quips with your plates of grilled gambes (prawns), foie a la plancha (grilled liver pâté) or solomillo (sirloin) chunks. Want something a little different to drink? Ask for a flauta cincuenta – half lager and half dark beer.
oLa Cova FumadaTAPAS
(
MAP
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; %93 221 40 61; Carrer del Baluard 56; tapas €3.50-7.50; h9am-3.20pm Mon-Wed, 9am-3.20pm & 6-8.20pm Thu & Fri, 9am-1.20pm Sat; mBarceloneta)
There's no sign and the setting is decidedly downmarket, but this tiny, buzzing family-run tapas spot always packs in a crowd. The secret? Mouthwatering pulpo (octopus), calamar, sardinias and 15 or so other small plates cooked up to perfection in the small open kitchen near the door. The bombas (potato croquettes served with alioli) and grilled carxofes (artichokes) are good, but everything is amazingly fresh.
Jai-CaSEAFOOD
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 268 32 65; Carrer de Ginebra 13; tapas €4-7; h9am-11.30pm Mon-Sat; mBarceloneta)
Jai-Ca is a much-loved eatery that serves up juicy grilled prawns, flavour-rich anchovies, tender octopus, decadent razor clams and other seafood favourites to ever-growing crowds as the evening progresses. The turbio (Galician white wine), sangria and cold draughts are ideal refreshment after a day on the beach.
BarracaSEAFOOD
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 224 12 53; www.barraca-barcelona.com; Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta 1; mains €19-29; h1pm-midnight; mBarceloneta)
Recently opened, this buzzing space has a great location fronting the Mediterranean – a key reference point in the excellent seafood dishes served up here. Start off with a cauldron of chili-infused clams, cockles and mussels before moving on to the lavish paellas and other rice dishes, which steal the show.
Can MajóSEAFOOD
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 221 54 55; www.canmajo.es; Carrer del Almirall Aixada 23; mains €16-26; h1-4pm Tue-Sun & 8-11.30pm Tue-Sat; g45, 57, 59, 64 or 157, mBarceloneta)
Virtually on the beach (with tables outside in summer), Can Majó has a long and steady reputation for fine seafood, particularly its rice dishes and bountiful suquets (fish stews). The bouillabaisse of fish and seafood is succulent. Sit outside (there are heat lamps in winter) and admire the beach goers.
Poblenou & Port Olímpic
oCan RecasensCATALAN
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 300 81 23; Rambla del Poblenou 102; mains €6-14; h9pm-1am Mon-Sat & 1-4pm Sat; mPoblenou)
One of Poblenou's most romantic settings, Can Recasens hides a warren of warmly lit rooms full of oil paintings, flickering candles, fairy lights and baskets of fruit. The food is outstanding, with a mix of salads, fondues, smoked meats, cheeses, and open-faced sandwiches piled high with delicacies like wild mushrooms and brie, escalivada (grilled vegetables) and gruyere, and spicy chorizo.
L'Eixample
oCerveseria CatalanaTAPAS
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 216 03 68; Carrer de Mallorca 236; tapas €4-11; h9.30am-1.30am; mPasseig de Gràcia)
The ‘Catalan Brewery’ is good for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Come for your morning coffee and croissant, or wait until lunch to enjoy choosing from the abundance of tapas and montaditos (canapés). You can sit at the bar, on the pavement terrace or in the restaurant at the back. The variety of hot tapas, salads and other snacks draws a well-dressed crowd of locals and outsiders.
CopaseticCAFE
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 532 76 66; www.copaseticbarcelona.com; Carrer de la Diputació 55; mains €8-12; h7pm-midnight Mon, noon-midnight Tue & Wed, noon-1am Thu, noon-3am Fri, 10.30am-3am Sat, 10.30am-6pm Sun; mRocafort)
A fun and friendly new cafe, decked out with retro furniture. The menu holds plenty for everyone, whether your thing is eggs Benedict, wild-berry tartlets or a juicy fat burger. There are lots of vegetarian, gluten-free and organic options, and superb (and reasonably priced) brunches on weekends. Wednesday night is ladies' night, with cheap cocktails.
FastvínicCAFE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 487 32 41; www.fastvinic.com; Carrer de la Diputació 251; sandwiches €4.25-12; hnoon-midnight Mon-Sat; mPasseig de Gracia)S
A project in sustainability all round, this is Slow Food done fast, with ingredients, wine and building materials all sourced from Catalonia. Designed by Alfons Tost, there are air-purifying plants, energy-efficient LED lighting, and a water and food recycling system.
AmalteaVEGETARIAN
(
GOOGLE MAP
; www.amalteaygovinda.com; Carrer de la Diputació 164; mains €5-9; h1-4pm & 8-11.30pm Mon-Sat; v; mUrgell)
The ceiling fresco of blue sky sets the scene in this popular vegetarian eatery. The menú del día (€10.70) offers a series of dishes that change frequently with the seasons. At night, the set two-course dinner (€15) offers good value. The homemade desserts are tempting. The place is something of an alternative lifestyle centre, with yoga, t’ai chi and belly-dancing classes.
oTapas 24TAPAS
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 488 09 77; www.carlesabellan.com; Carrer de la Diputació 269; tapas €4-9; h9am-midnight Mon-Sat; mPasseig de Gràcia)
Carles Abellán, master of Comerç 24 in La Ribera, runs this basement tapas haven known for its gourmet versions of old faves. Specials include the bikini (toasted ham and cheese sandwich – here the ham is cured and the truffle makes all the difference) and a thick black arròs negre de sípia (squid-ink black rice).
Cata 1.81TAPAS
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 323 68 18; www.cata181.com; Carrer de València 181; tapas €6-8; h7pm-midnight Mon-Sat; mPasseig de Gràcia)
A beautifully designed venue (with lots of small lights, some trapped in birdcages), this is the place to come for fine wines and dainty gourmet dishes like raviolis amb bacallà (salt-cod dumplings) or truita de patates i tòfona negre (thick potato tortilla with a delicate trace of black truffle). The best option is to choose from one of several tasting-menu options ranging from €29 to €45.
Can KenjiJAPANESE
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 476 18 23; www.cankenji.com; Carrer del Rosselló 325; mains €8-14; h1-3.30pm & 8.30-11pm Mon-Sat; mVerdaguer)
If you want to go Japanese in Barcelona, this is the place. The chef of this understated little izakaya (the Japanese version of a tavern) gets his ingredients fresh from the city's markets, with traditional Japanese recipes receiving a Mediterranean touch, so you'll get things like sardine tempura with an aubergine, miso and anchovy purée, or tataki (lightly grilled meat) of bonito (tuna) with salmorejo (a Córdoban cold tomato and bread soup). This is fusion at its very best.
Taktika BerriBASQUE, TAPAS
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 453 47 59; Carrer de València 169; tapas from €3; h1-4pm & 8.30-11pm Mon-Fri, 1-4pm Sat; mHospital Clínic)
Get in early because the bar teems with punters from far and wide, anxious to wrap their mouths around some of the best Basque tapas in town. The hot morsels are all snapped up as soon as they arrive from the kitchen, so keep your eyes peeled. The seated dining area out the back is also good. In the evening, it’s all over by about 10.30pm.
oCinc SentitsINTERNATIONAL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 323 94 90; www.cincsentits.com; Carrer d’Aribau 58; tasting menus €65-109; h1.30-3pm & 8.30-10pm Tue-Sat; mPasseig de Gràcia)
Enter the realm of the ‘Five Senses’ to indulge in a jaw-dropping tasting menu (there is no à la carte, although dishes can be tweaked to suit diners' requests), consisting of a series of small, experimental dishes. A key is the use of fresh local produce, such as fish landed on the Costa Brava and top-quality suckling pig from Extremadura, along with the kind of creative genius that has earned chef Jordi Artal a Michelin star.
CELEBRATED CATALAN CHEFS
Barcelona has a growing number of Michelin-starred chefs. Albert Adrià, brother of Ferran of El Bulli fame, has brought even more culinary fame to Barcelona with his growing empire of restaurants. His tapas restaurant Tickets (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.ticketsbar.es; Avinguda del Paral·lel 164; tapas €6-15; h7-11.30pm Tue-Fri, 1.30-3.30pm & 7-11.30pm Sat, closed Aug; mParal·lel) is a delectable showcase of whimsy and imagination, with deconstructed dishes like liquid olives, 'air baguettes' (made with Iberian ham) and cotton-candy-covered trees with edible dark chocolate 'soil'.
Other great chefs continue to redefine contemporary cuisine. Carles Abellán, creator of Comerç 24, Tapas 24 and other restaurants, playfully reinterprets traditional tapas with dishes like the bite-sized mini-pizza sashimi with tuna; melón con jamón, a millefeuille of layered carmelised Iberian ham and thinly sliced melon; oxtail with cauliflower purée; and an ever-changing parade of other mouth-watering bites.
Another star of the Catalan cooking scene is Jordi Vilà, who continues to wow diners at Alkímia (
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 207 61 15; www.alkimia.cat; Carrer de l’Indústria 79; mains €18-29; h1.30-3.30pm & 8-11pm Mon-Fri; mSagrada Família) and Vivanda (
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 203 19 18; www.vivanda.cat; Carrer Major de Sarrià 134; sharing plates €9-15; h1.30-3.30pm Tue-Sun, 9-11pm Tue-Sat; dFGC Reina Elisenda) with reinvented Catalan classics. Other major players on the Catalan dining scene are Jordi Artal at Cinc Sentits, Xavier Pellicer at ABaC (
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 319 66 00; www.abacbarcelona.com; Av del Tibidabo 1; mains €42-72, tasting menu €135-155; h1.30-4pm & 8.30-11pm Tue-Sat) and Barraca, and Carles Gaig, whose family has roots in Catalan culinary traditions dating back to the 1860s.
Gràcia
oLes Tres a la CuinaINTERNATIONAL
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 105 49 47; Carrer de Sant Lluis 35; menú del día €9, brunch menú €10; h10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 11.30am-4.30pm Sat & Sun; mJoanic)
Colourful, Instagrammable food that tastes superb and uses ingredients you won't find in most other restaurants around town. The menu changes daily but you can choose from the likes of chicken with apricots, prunes and tamarind sauce, or quinoa salad with baked fennel and avocado, and finish up with pistachio and lemon drizzle cake. All this prepared with love and Slow Food principles for an unbeatable price. There are few tables, so arrive early.
El TossalSPANISH
(
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; %93 457 63 82; www.eltossalbcn.com; Carrer de Tordera 12; mains €10-16; h1.30-4pm & 8.30-11pm Tue-Sat; mJoanic)
A proper old-fashioned, no-frills Catalan restaurant, of the sort in which Gràcia excels, with tables arrayed around a central bar area and into a low-ceilinged dining annexe. The speciality is game and similarly hearty fare – the oxtail stew is excellent, as is the duck magret with caramelised onions and a port reduction – and there is a short but well-chosen list of suitably robust wines.
Sol i LlunaFRENCH
(
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; %93 237 10 52; Carrer de Verdi 50; mains €10.50-16.50; h7.30-11pm Mon-Fri, 1-4pm & 7.30pm-midnight Sat & Sun; mFontana)
Bright and sunny by day, softly lit at night, Sol i Lluna is a peaceful, elegant place that has as its distinguishing feature a giant wooden hippo (frequently topped with a small child) in the window. The food is mostly French, but draws in influences from around the globe, such as the 'lasagne' of ratatouille with goat's cheese or the vegetarian Puy lentil 'meatballs'.
Botafumeiro SEAFOOD
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 218 42 30; www.botafumeiro.es; Carrer Gran de Gràcia 81; mains €16-28; hnoon-1am; mFontana)
It is hard not to mention this classic temple of Galician shellfish and other briny delights, long a magnet for VIPs visiting Barcelona. You can bring the price down by sharing a few medias raciones (large tapas plates) to taste a range of marine offerings or a safata especial del Mar Cantàbric (seafood platter) between two. Try the percebes, the strangely twisted goose barnacles harvested along Galicia’s north Atlantic coast, which many Spaniards consider the ultimate seafood delicacy.
La Zona Alta
Mitja VidaTAPAS
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Carrer de Brusi 39; tapas €2-6; h6-11pm Mon-Thu, noon-4pm & 6-11pm Fri & Sat, noon-4pm Sun; dFGC Sant Gervasi)
A fun, youthful mostly local crowd gathers around the stainless-steel tapas bar of tiny Mitja Vida. It's a jovial eating and drinking spot, with flavourful servings of anchovies, calamares, smoked herring, cheeses and mojama (salt-cured tuna). The drink of choice is housemade vermouth.
AjoblancoTAPAS
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 667 87 66; Carrer de Tuset 20; sharing plates €8-20; hnoon-3am; dFGC Gràcia)
New in 2014, this beautifully designed space serves up a mix of classic and creative tapas plates that go nicely with the imaginative cocktail menu. Sip the house vermouth while feasting on oxtail tacos, jumbo prawns with avocado and cherry tomato, or arugula salad with goat cheese, strawberries and toasted almonds.
Montjuïc, Poble Sec & Sant Antoni
BarramónCANARIAN
(
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GOOGLE MAP
; %93 442 30 80; www.barramon.es; Carrer de Blai 28; mains €9-11; h7-11.30pm Mon-Thu, 1pm-midnight Fri-Sun; mParal·lel)
On the lively Carrer de Blai, Barramón is a great little bar that serves Canarian food and is a bit rock and roll at the same time. Try the ropa vieja (an infinitely more flavoursome version of its Cuban cousin), a wonderful stew of chickpeas and shredded pork; papas arrugadas (baked new potatoes with a spicy sauce); and almogrote (cured cheese topped with olive oil, garlic and red pepper).
oQuimet i QuimetTAPAS
(
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; %93 442 31 42; Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes 25; tapas €4-11; hnoon-4pm & 7-10.30pm Mon-Fri, noon-4pm Sat & Sun; mParal·lel)
Quimet i Quimet is a family-run business that has been passed down from generation to generation. There’s barely space to swing a calamar in this bottle-lined, standing-room-only place, but it is a treat for the palate, with montaditos (tapas on a slice of bread) made to order. Let the folk behind the bar advise you, and order a drop of fine wine to accompany the food.
FederalCAFE
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 187 36 07; www.federalcafe.es; Carrer del Parlament 39; snacks from €8; h8am-11pm Mon-Thu, 8am-1am Fri, 9am-1am Sat, 9am-5.30pm Sun; mSant Antoni)
On a stretch that now teems with cafes, Australian-run Federal was the trailblazer, with its breezy chic and superb brunches. Later in the day there is healthy, tasty cooking from veggie burgers to a ploughman's, and cupcakes and good coffee are available all day. Head to the roof for a small, leafy terrace on which to browse the day's papers.
XemeiITALIAN
(
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; %93 553 51 40; Passeig de l'Exposició 85; mains €15-24; h1.30-3.30pm & 9-11.30pm Mon-Fri, 2-4pm & 9pm-midnight Sat & Sun; mPoble Sec)
Xemei (‘twins’ in Venetian, because it is run by twins from Italy’s lagoon city) is a wonderful slice of Venice in Barcelona. To the accompaniment of gentle jazz, you might try a starter of mixed cicheti (Venetian seafood tapas), followed by bigoi in salsa veneziana (thick spaghetti in an anchovy and onion sauce).
Drinking & Nightlife
Barcelona's bars run the gamut from wood-panelled wine cellars to bright waterfront places and trendy cocktail lounges. Most are at their liveliest around midnight. Barcelona's clubs are spread a little more thinly than bars across the city. They tend to open from around midnight until 6am.
The old town is jammed with venues. One of the hippest areas is El Born, at the lower end of La Ribera, but there is an impressive scattering of bars across the lower half of the Barri Gòtic and in El Raval too. The last especially is home to some fine old drinking institutions as well as a new wave of funky, inner-city places.
Elsewhere, a series of squares and some streets in Gràcia are loaded up with bars. In the broad expanse of L'Eixample you need to know where to go. The upper end of Carrer d'Aribau is the busiest area (late in the week), along with the area around its continuation northwest of Avinguda Diagonal.
Some useful sources of information on bars, clubs and gigs includ Barcelonarocks.com (www.barcelonarocks.com), Clubbingspain.com (www.clubbingspain.com) and LaNetro (www.lanetro.com/barcelona).
Barri Gòtic
OcañaBAR
(
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; %93 676 48 14; www.ocana.cat; Plaça Reial 13; h5pm-2.30am Mon-Fri, from 11am Sat & Sun; mLiceu)
Named after a flamboyant artist who once lived on Plaça Reial, Ocaña is a beautifully designed space with fluted columns, stone walls, candlelit chandeliers and plush furnishings. Have a seat on the terrace and watch the passing people parade, or head downstairs to the Moorish-inspired Apotheke bar or the chic lounge a few steps away, where DJs spin for a mix of beauties and bohemians on weekend nights.
Sor RitaBAR
(
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GOOGLE MAP
; Carrer de la Mercè 27; h7pm-2.30am; mJaume I)
A lover of all things kitsch, Sor Rita is pure eye candy, from its leopard-print wallpaper to its high-heel festooned ceiling, and deliciously irreverent decorations inspired by the films of Almodóvar. It's a fun and festive scene, with special-event nights throughout the week, including tarot readings on Mondays, €5 all-you-can-eat snack buffets on Tuesdays, karaoke Wednesdays and gin specials on Thursdays.
GingerCOCKTAIL BAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.ginger.cat; Carrer de Palma de Sant Just 1; h7.30pm-2.30am Tue-Sat; mJaume I)
Tucked away just off peaceful Plaça de Sant Just, Ginger is an art deco–style multilevel drinking den with low lighting, finely crafted cocktails and good ambient sounds (provided by vinyl-spinning DJs some nights). It's a mellow spot that's great for sipping wine and sampling from the small tapas menu.
OvisoBAR
(
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; Carrer d'Arai 5; h10am-2.30am; W; mLiceu)
Oviso is a popular budget-friendly restaurant with outdoor tables on the plaza, but shows its true bohemian colours by night, with a mixed crowd, a rock-and-roll vibe and a rustic decorated two-room interior plastered with curious murals – geese taking flight, leaping dolphins and blue peacocks framing the brightly painted concrete walls.
La CervetecaBAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Carrer de Gignàs 25; h6-11pm Sun-Thu, to midnight Fri & Sat; mJaume I)
An unmissable stop for beer lovers, La Cerveteca serves an impressive variety of global craft brews. In addition to scores of bottled brews, there's a frequent rotation of what's on draught. Cheeses, jamon ibérico and other charcuterie selections are on hand, including cecina (cured horse meat). The standing cask tables (with a few seats at the back) are a fine setting for an early evening pick-me-up.
Marula CafèBAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.marulacafe.com; Carrer dels Escudellers 49; h11pm-5am Wed-Sun; mLiceu)
A fantastic funk find in the heart of the Barri Gòtic, Marula will transport you to the 1970s and the best in funk and soul. James Brown fans will think they’ve died and gone to heaven. It’s not, however, a monothematic place and DJs slip in other tunes, from breakbeat to house. Samba and other Brazilian dance sounds also penetrate here.
Barcelona Pipa ClubBAR
(
MAP
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; %93 302 47 32; www.bpipaclub.com; Plaça Reial 3; h10pm-4am; mLiceu)
This pipe-smokers’ club is like an apartment, with all sorts of interconnecting rooms and knick-knacks – notably the pipes after which the place is named. Buzz at the door and head two floors up. Note there's no longer any smoking here, though there is occasional live music.
BEST CAFES
Some of Barcelona’s most atmospheric cafes lie hidden in the cobbled lanes of the Ciutat Vella. A round-up of our favourite spots for a pick-me-up:
SalterioCAFE
(
MAP
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; Carrer de Sant Domènec del Call 4; h2pm-midnight; mJaume I)
A wonderfully photogenic spot tucked down a tiny lane in the Call, Salterio serves refreshing teas, Turkish coffee, authentic mint teas and snacks amid stone walls, incense and ambient Middle Eastern music. If hunger strikes, try the sardo (grilled flat-bread covered with pesto, cheese or other toppings).
Čaj ChaiCAFE
(
MAP
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; %93 301 95 92; www.cajchai.com; Carrer de Sant Domènec del Call 12; h3-10pm Mon, 10.30am-10pm Tue-Sun; mJaume I)
Inspired by Prague's bohemian tearooms, this bright and buzzing cafe in the heart of the old Jewish quarter is a tea connoisseur’s paradise. Čaj Chai stocks over 100 teas from China, India, Korea, Japan, Nepal, Morocco and beyond. It's a much-loved local haunt.
CaelumCAFE
(
MAP
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; %93 302 69 93; www.caelumbarcelona.com; Carrer de la Palla 8; h10.30am-8.30pm Mon-Thu, 10.30am-11.30pm Fri & Sat, 11.30am-9pm Sun; mLiceu)
Centuries of heavenly gastronomic tradition from across Spain are concentrated in this exquisite medieval space in the heart of the city. The upstairs cafe is a dainty setting for decadent cakes and pastries, while descending into the underground chamber with its stone walls and flickering candles is like stepping into the Middle Ages.
Granja M ViaderCAFE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 318 34 86; www.granjaviader.cat; Carrer d’en Xuclà 6; h9am-1.30pm & 5-9pm Mon-Sat; mLiceu)
For more than a century, people have flocked down this alley to get to the cups of homemade hot chocolate and whipped cream (ask for a suís) ladled out in this classic Catalan-style milk bar-cum-deli. The Viader clan invented Cacaolat, a forerunner of kids’ powdered-chocolate beverages. The interior is delightfully vintage and the atmosphere always upbeat.
La NenaCAFE
(
MAP
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; %93 285 14 76; Carrer de Ramon i Cajal 36; snacks from €3; h9am-10.30pm; c; mFontana)
A French team has created this delightfully chaotic space for indulging in cups of suïssos (rich hot chocolate) served with a plate of heavy homemade whipped cream and melindros (spongy sweet biscuits), fine desserts and even a few savoury dishes (including crêpes). The place is strewn with books and the area out the back is designed to keep kids busy, with toys, books and a blackboard with chalk, making it an ideal family rest stop.
El Raval
Casa AlmirallBAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.casaalmirall.com; Carrer de Joaquín Costa 33; h6pm-2.30am Mon-Thu, 6.30pm-3am Fri, noon-3am Sat, noon-1.30am Sun; mUniversitat)
In business since the 1860s, this unchanged corner bar is dark and intriguing, with Modernista decor and a mixed clientele. There are some great original pieces in here, like the marble counter and the cast-iron statue of the muse of the Universal Exposition, held in Barcelona in 1888.
oLa ConfiteríaBAR
(
MAP
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; Carrer de Sant Pau 128; h7.30pm-3am Mon-Thu, 1pm-3am Fri-Sun; mParal·lel)
This is a trip into the 19th century. Until the 1980s it was a confectioner’s shop, and although the original cabinets are now lined with booze, the look of the place has barely changed in its conversion into a laid-back bar. A quiet enough spot for a house vermut (€3; add your own soda) in the early evening, it fills with theatregoers and local party people later at night.
Bar La ConchaBAR, GAY
(
MAP
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; Carrer de la Guàrdia 14; h5pm-3am daily; mDrassanes)
This place is dedicated to worshipping the actress Sara Montiel: the walls groan with over 250 photos of the sultry star. Born in 1928, Montiel bared all on the silver screen in an era that condemned nudity to shameful brazenness – hence 'la concha' (a word commonly used in the Spanish slang) can be read as a sly salute to the female genitalia. La Concha used to be a largely gay and transvestite haunt, but anyone is welcome and bound to have fun – especially when the drag queens come out to play. Moroccan ownership means you're as likely to see belly dancing nowadays.
NegroniCOCKTAIL BAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.negronicocktailbar.com; Carrer de Joaquín Costa 46; h7pm-2.30am Mon-Thu, 7pm-3am Fri & Sat; mLiceu)
Good things come in small packages and this dark, teeny cocktail bar confirms the rule. The mostly black decor lures in a largely student set to try out the cocktails, among them, of course, the celebrated Negroni, a Florentine invention with one part Campari, one part gin and one part sweet vermouth.
MarmaladeBAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.marmaladebarcelona.com; Carrer de la Riera Alta 4-6; h6.30pm-2.30am Mon-Wed, 10am-2.30am Thu-Sun; mSant Antoni)
The golden hues of this backlit bar and restaurant beckon seductively through the glass facade. There are various distinct spaces, decorated in different but equally sumptuous styles, and a pool table next to the bar. Cocktails are big business here, and a selection of them are €5 all night.
MoogCLUB
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.masimas.com/moog; Carrer de l’Arc del Teatre 3; admission €10; hmidnight-5am Mon-Thu & Sun, midnight-6am Fri & Sat; mDrassanes)
This fun and minuscule club is a standing favourite with the downtown crowd. In the main dance area, DJs dish out house, techno and electro, while upstairs you can groove to a nice blend of indie and occasional classic-pop throwbacks.
THE GREEN FAIRY
Bar Marsella (
MAP
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; Carrer de Sant Pau 65; h10pm-2.30am Mon-Wed, 10pm-3am Thu-Sat; mLiceu) has been in business since 1820, and has served the likes of Hemingway, who was known to slump here over an absenta (absinthe). The bar still specialises in absinthe, a drink to be treated with respect. Your glass comes with a lump of sugar, a fork and a little bottle of mineral water. Hold the sugar on the fork, over your glass, and drip the water onto the sugar so that it dissolves into the absinthe, which turns yellow. The result should give you a warm glow.
La Ribera
MudanzasBAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 319 11 37; Carrer de la Vidrieria 15; h9.30am-2.30am Mon-Fri, 5pm-3am Sat & Sun; W; mJaume I)
This was one of the first bars to get things into gear in El Born and it still attracts a faithful crowd. It’s a straightforward place for a beer, a chat and perhaps a sandwich. Oh, and it has a nice line in rums and malt whiskey.
La Vinya del SenyorWINE BAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 310 33 79; www.lavinyadelsenyor.com; Plaça de Santa Maria del Mar 5; hnoon-1am Mon-Thu, noon-2am Fri & Sat, noon-midnight Sun; mJaume I)
Relax on the terrassa, which lies in the shadow of Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar, or crowd inside at the tiny bar. The wine list is as long as War and Peace and there’s a table upstairs for those who opt to sample by the bottle rather than the glass.
Juanra FalcesCOCKTAIL BAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 310 10 27; Carrer del Rec 24; h8pm-3am, from 10pm Mon & Sun; mJaume I)
Transport yourself to a Humphrey Bogart movie in this narrow little bar, formerly (and still, at least among the locals) known as Gimlet. White-jacketed bar staff will whip you up a gimlet or any other classic cocktail (around €10) your heart desires, with all the appropriate aplomb.
RubíBAR
(
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; %647 773707; Carrer dels Banys Vells 6; h7.30pm-2.30am; mJaume I)
With its boudoir lighting and cheap mojitos, Rubí is where the Born's cognoscenti head for a nightcap – or several. It's a narrow, cosy space – push through to the back where you might just get one of the coveted tables – with superior bar food, from Vietnamese rolls to more traditional selections of cheese and ham.
Miramelindo BAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 310 37 27; Passeig del Born 15; h8pm-2.30am; mJaume I)
A spacious tavern in a Gothic building, this remains a classic on Passeig del Born for mixed drinks, while soft jazz and soul sounds float overhead. Try for a comfy seat at a table towards the back before it fills to bursting. A couple of similarly barn-sized places line this side of the passeig.
CAVA BARS
Cava bars tend to be more about the festive ambience than the actual drinking of cava, a sparkling white or rosé, most of which is produced in Catalonia’s Penedès region. The most famous cava bars are El Xampanyet (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 319 70 03; Carrer de Montcada 22; hnoon-3.30pm & 7-11pm Tue-Sat, noon-4pm Sun; mJaume I) in La Ribera and Can Paixano (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 310 08 39; Carrer de la Reina Cristina 7; tapas €3-6; h9am-10.30pm Mon-Sat; mBarceloneta) in Barceloneta.
Barceloneta & the Waterfront
The Barcelona beach scene warms up to dance sounds from Easter to early October. In addition to waterfront restaurants and bars (especially on and near Port Olímpic), a string of chiringuitos (rustic bars) sets up along the beaches. Most serve food and some turn into miniclubs on the sand from the afternoon until as late as 2am.
AbsentaBAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Carrer de Sant Carles 36; h7pm-2am Wed-Thu, from 1pm Sat & Sun; mBarceloneta)
Decorated with old paintings, vintage lamps and curious sculpture (including a dangling butterfly woman and face-painted TVs), this whimsical and creative drinking den takes its liquor seriously. Stop in for the house-made vermouth or for more bite try one of the many absinthes on hand. Absenta gathers a hipsterish but easygoing crowd.
CDLCLOUNGE
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.cdlcbarcelona.com; Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 32; hnoon-4am; mCiutadella Vila Olímpica)
Seize the night by the scruff at the Carpe Diem Lounge Club, where you can lounge in Asian-inspired surrounds. Ideal for a slow warm-up before heading to the nearby clubs. You can come for the food (quite good, but pricey) or wait until about midnight, when they roll up the tables and the DJs and dancers take full control.
Ké?BAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Carrer del Baluard 54; hnoon-2am; mBarceloneta)
An eclectic and happy crowd hangs about this small bohemian bar run by a friendly Dutchman. Pull up a padded 'keg chair' or grab a seat on one of the worn lounges at the back and join in the animated conversation wafting out over the street. Outdoor seating in summer, just a few steps from Barceloneta’s market.
L'Eixample
There are three main concentrations for carousers in L'Eixample. The top end of Carrer d'Aribau and the area where it crosses Avinguda Diagonal attract a heterogeneous but mostly local crowd to its many bars and clubs. Carrer de Balmes is lined with clubs for a mostly teen 'n' 20s crowd. The city's gay-and-lesbian circuit is concentrated in 'Gaixample' around Carrer del Consell de Cent.
oDry MartiniBAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 217 50 72; www.javierdelasmuelas.com; Carrer d’Aribau 162-166; h1pm-2.30am Mon-Thu, 6pm-3am Fri & Sat; mDiagonal)
Waiters with a discreetly knowing smile will attend to your cocktail needs here. The house drink, taken at the bar or in one of the plush green leather lounges, is a safe bet. The gin and tonic comes in an enormous mug-sized glass – a couple of these and you’re well on the way. Out the back is a restaurant, Speakeasy (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 217 50 80; www.javierdelasmuelas.com; Carrer d’Aribau 162-166; mains €19-28; h1-4pm & 8pm-midnight Mon-Fri, 8pm-midnight Sat, closed Aug; mDiagonal).
MonvínicWINE BAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %932 72 61 87; www.monvinic.com; Carrer de la Diputació 249; hwine bar 1.30-11pm Mon-Sat; mPasseig de Gracia)
Proclaimed as 'possibly the best wine bar in the world' by the Wall Street Journal, and apparently considered unmissable by El Bulli's sommelier, Monvínic is an ode, a rhapsody even, to wine loving. The interactive wine list sits on the bar for you to browse on a digital tablet similar to an iPad and boasts more than 3000 varieties.
La FiraBAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %682 323 714; Carrer de Provença 171; admission €5 (incl 1 drink); h11pm-5am Fri & Sat; dFGC Provença)
A designer bar with a difference. Wander in past distorting mirrors and ancient fairground attractions from Germany. Put in coins and listen to hens squawk. Speaking of squawking, the music swings wildly from whiffs of house through ’90s hits to Spanish pop classics. You can spend the earlier part of the night trying some of the bar’s shots – it claims to have 500 varieties (but we haven’t counted them up).
Les Gens Que J'AimeBAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 215 68 79; www.lesgensquejaime.com; Carrer de València 286; h6pm-2.30am Sun-Thu, 7pm-3am Fri & Sat; mPasseig de Gràcia)
This intimate basement relic of the 1960s follows a deceptively simple formula: chilled jazz music in the background, minimal lighting from an assortment of flea-market lamps and a cosy, cramped scattering of red velvet-backed lounges around tiny dark tables.
MilanoCOCKTAIL BAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 112 71 50; www.camparimilano.com; Ronda de la Universitat 35; hnoon-3am; mCatalunya)
You don’t quite know what to expect when heading downstairs into this cocktail den. Then you are confronted by its vastness and the happily imbibing crowds ensconced at tables or perched at the broad, curving bar to the right.
Gràcia
VibliotecaWINE BAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 284 42 02; www.viblioteca.com; Carrer de Vallfogona 12; h7pm-1am; mFontana)
If the smell of ripe cheese doesn't rock your boat, this is not the place for you – a glass cabinet piled high with the stuff assaults your olfactory nerves as you walk into this small, white, cleverly designed space. The real speciality at Viblioteca, however, is wine, and you can choose from 150 mostly local labels, many of them available by the glass.
La CigaleBAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 457 58 23; Carrer de Tordera 50; h6pm-2.30am Mon-Thu, 6pm-3am Fri & Sat; mJoanic)
A very civilised place for a cocktail (or, in summer, two for €8 if you order before 10pm) and to hear some poetry readings. Prop up the zinc bar, sink into a secondhand lounge chair around a teeny table or head upstairs. Music is chilled, conversation lively, and you’re likely to see Charlie Chaplin in action on the silent flat-screen TV. You can also snack on wok-fried dishes.
Raïm BAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Carrer del Progrés 48; h7pm-2.30am; mDiagonal)
The walls in Raïm are alive with black-and-white photos of Cubans and Cuba. Tired old wooden chairs of another epoch huddle around marble tables, while grand old wood-framed mirrors hang from the walls. They just don’t make old Spanish taverns like this any more.
Le JournalBAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 368 41 37; Carrer de Francisco Giner 36; h6pm-2.30am Sun-Thu, 6pm-3am Fri & Sat; mFontana)
Students love the conspiratorial basement air of this narrow bar, whose walls and ceiling are plastered with newspapers (hence the name). Read the headlines of yesteryear while reclining in an old lounge. For a slightly more intimate feel, head upstairs to the rear gallery.
Tibidabo & La Zona Alta
MirablauBAR
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Plaça del Doctor Andreu; h11am-4.30am; 
jtramvia blau, dAvinguda Tibidabo then)
Gaze out over the entire city from this privileged balcony restaurant on the way up to Tibidabo. Wander downstairs to join the folk in the tiny dance space. In summer you can step out onto the even smaller terrace for a breather.
Otto ZutzCLUB
(
GOOGLE MAP
; www.ottozutz.com; Carrer de Lincoln 15; admission €10-15; hmidnight-6am Tue-Sat; dFGC Gràcia)
Beautiful people only need apply for entry to this three-floor dance den. Shake it all up to house on the ground floor, or head upstairs for funk and soul. DJs come from the Ibiza rave mould and the top floor is for VIPs (although at some ill-defined point in the evening the barriers all seem to come down).
BikiniCLUB
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 322 08 00; www.bikinibcn.com; Av Diagonal 547; admission €10-20; hmidnight-6am Thu-Sat; g6, 7, 33, 34, 63, 67 or 68, mEntença)
This grand old star of the Barcelona nightlife scene has been keeping the beat since the darkest days of Franco. Every possible kind of music gets a run, from Latin and Brazilian beats to 1980s disco, depending on the night and the space you choose.
Sutton ClubCLUB
(
GOOGLE MAP
; www.thesuttonclub.com; Carrer de Tuset 13; admission €15; hmidnight-5am Wed-Thu, midnight-6am Fri & Sat, 10.30pm-4am Sun; mDiagonal)
A classic disco with mainstream sounds on the dance floor, some hopping house in a side bar and a fair spread of eye candy, this place inevitably attracts just about everyone pouring in and out of the nearby bars at some stage of the evening. The main dance floor is akin to a writhing bear pit. The people are mostly beautiful and the bouncers can be tough.
Montjuïc, Poble Sec & Sant Antoni
oLa Caseta del Migdia BAR
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %617 956572; www.lacaseta.org; Mirador del Migdia; h8pm-1am Wed & Thu, 8pm-2am Fri, noon-2am Sat, noon-1am Sun, weekends only in winter; mParal·lel, )
The effort of getting to what is, for all intents and purposes, a simple chiringuito (makeshift cafe-bar) is well worth it. Stare out to sea over a beer or coffee by day. As sunset approaches the atmosphere changes, as lounge music (from samba to funk) wafts out over the hammocks. Walk below the walls of the Castell de Montjuïc along the dirt track or follow Passeig del Migdia – watch out for signs for the Mirador del Migdia.
Tinta RojaBAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 443 32 43; www.tintaroja.cat; Carrer de la Creu dels Molers 17; h8.30pm-1am Wed, to 2am Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat; mPoble Sec)
A succession of nooks and crannies, dotted with flea market finds and dimly lit in violets, reds and yellows, makes Tinta Roja an intimate spot for a drink and the occasional show in the back – with anything from actors to acrobats. This was once a vaqueria (small dairy farm), where they kept cows out the back and sold fresh milk at the front.
La TerrrazzaCLUB
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.laterrrazza.com; Avinguda de Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia; admission €15-20; hmidnight-5am Thu, to 6am Fri & Sat, closed Oct-Apr; mEspanya)
One of the city’s top summertime dance locations, La Terrrazza attracts squadrons of the beautiful people, locals and foreigners alike, for a full-on night of music and cocktails partly under the stars inside the Poble Espanyol complex.
Bar CaldersWINE BAR
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 329 93 49; Carrer del Parlament 25; h5pm-1.30am Mon-Thu, to 2.30am Fri, 11am-2.30am Sat, 11am-midnight Sun; mSant Antoni)
It bills itself as a wine bar, but actually the wine selection at Bar Calders is its weak point. As an all-day cafe and tapas bar, however, it's unbeatable, with a few tables outside on a tiny pedestrian side street, and has become the favoured meeting point for the neighbourhood's boho element.
3Entertainment
To keep up with what's on, pick up a copy of the weekly listings magazine, Guía del Ocio (www.guiadelocio.com) from news stands. Newspapers also have listings sections (with an extensive entertainment section on Fridays) and the Palau de la Virreina ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) information office can clue you in to present and forthcoming events.
The easiest way to get hold of entradas (tickets) for most venues throughout the city is through the Caixa de Catalunya's Tel-Entrada (www.telentrada.com) service or Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.es). There's a venta de localidades (ticket office) on the ground floor of the Plaça de Catalunya branch of El Corte Inglés and at some of its other branches around town; and at the FNAC store in the El Triangle shopping centre on the same square.
GAY & LESBIAN BARCELONA
Although somewhat overshadowed by the beachy gay mecca of Sitges up the coast, Barcelona still has a lively gay scene. Gay bars, clubs and cafes are mostly concentrated around the 'Gaixample', between Carrer de Muntaner and Carrer de Balmes, around Carrer del Consell de Cent.
For information, pick up a copy of Shanguide (www.shangay.com), available in many gay bars and shops. Other sources of info include www.60by80.com, www.visitbarcelonagay.com and www.guiagaybarcelona.es.
Arena MadreGAY
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 487 83 42; www.grupoarena.com; Carrer de Balmes 32; admission Sun-Fri €6, Sat €12; h12.30am-5am Sun-Thu, until 5.30am Fri & Sat; mPasseig de Gràcia)
Popular with a hot young crowd, Arena Madre is one of the top clubs in town for boys seeking boys. Keep an eye out for the striptease shows on Mondays and drag queens on Wednesdays, along with the usual combination of disco and Latin music to get those butts moving. Heteros are welcome but a minority.
MetroGAY
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 323 52 27; www.metrodiscobcn.com; Carrer de Sepúlveda 185; admission €19, incl 1 drink; h12.15am-5am Sun-Thu, until 6am Fri & Sat; mUniversitat)
Metro attracts a casual gay crowd with its two dance floors, three bars and very dark room. Keep an eye out for shows and parties, which can range from parades of models to bingo nights (on Thursday nights, with sometimes-interesting prizes). On Wednesday nights there’s a live sex show.
Punto BcnGAY
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 487 83 42; www.arenadisco.com; Carrer de Muntaner 63-65; h6pm-3am; mUniversitat)
It’s an oldie but a goody. A big bar over two levels with a crowd ranging from their 20s to their 40s and beyond, this place fills to bursting on Friday and Saturday nights. It’s a friendly early stop on a gay night out, and you can shoot a round of pool if you feel so inclined.
Dietrich Gay Teatro CaféCABARET
(Carrer del Consell de Cent 255; h10.30pm-3am; mUniversitat)
A classic of the Gaixample, this place hosts some of the best drag in the city in its elegant quarters – all-timber finishing on two levels. Quiet during the week, it goes a little wild with drag shows, acrobats and dancing from Friday on.
Cinemas
Foreign films, shown with subtitles and their original soundtrack, rather than dubbed, are marked VO (versión original) in movie listings. These cinemas show VO films:
oFilmoteca de CatalunyaCINEMA
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 567 10 70; www.filmoteca.cat; Plaça de Salvador Seguí 1-9; adult/concession €4/2 ; h4-10pm Tue-Sun; mLiceu)
After almost a decade in the planning, the Filmoteca de Catalunya – Catalonia's national cinema – moved into this modern 6000-sq-metre building in 2012. It's a glass, metal and concrete beast that hulks in the midst of the most louche part of the Raval, but the building's interior shouts revival, with light and space, wall-to-wall windows, skylights and glass panels that let the sun in.
VerdiCINEMA
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 238 79 90; www.cines-verdi.com; Carrer de Verdi 32; mFontana)
A popular original-language movie house in the heart of Gràcia, handy to lots of local eateries and bars for pre- and post-film enjoyment.
Yelmo Cines IcàriaCINEMA
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %902 220922; www.yelmocines.es; Carrer de Salvador Espriú 61; mCiutadella Vila Olímpica)
This vast cinema complex screens movies in the original language on 15 screens, making for plenty of choice. Aside from the screens, you’ll find several cheerful eateries, bars and the like to keep you occupied before and after the movies.
Live Music
There's a good choice most nights of the week. Many venues double as bars and/or clubs. Starting time is rarely before 10pm. Admission charges range from nothing to €20 or more – the higher prices often include a drink. Note that some of the clubs mentioned, including Razzmatazz and Luz de Gas often stage concerts. Keep an eye on listings.
oPalau de la Música CatalanaCLASSICAL MUSIC
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 295 72 00; www.palaumusica.org; Carrer de Sant Francesc de Paula 2; hbox office 9.30am-9pm Mon-Sat; mUrquinaona)
A feast for the eyes, this Modernista confection is also the city’s most traditional venue for classical and choral music, although it has a wide-ranging program, including flamenco, pop and – particularly – jazz. Just being here for a performance is an experience. Sip a preconcert tipple in the foyer, its tiled pillars all a-glitter. Head up the grand stairway to the main auditorium, a whirlpool of Modernista whimsy.
Jazz Sí ClubLIVE MUSIC
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 329 00 20; www.tallerdemusics.com; Carrer de Requesens 2; admission €4-9, incl drink; h8.30-11pm Tue-Sat, 6.30-10pm Sun; mSant Antoni)
A cramped little bar run by the Taller de Músics (Musicians’ Workshop) serves as the stage for a varied program of jazz jams through to some good flamenco (Friday nights). Thursday night is Cuban night, Tuesday and Sunday are rock, and the rest are devoted to jazz and/or blues sessions. Concerts start around 9pm but the jam sessions can get going earlier.
Harlem Jazz ClubJAZZ
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 310 07 55; www.harlemjazzclub.es; Carrer de la Comtessa de Sobradiel 8; admission around €7-8; h8pm-5am Tue-Sat; mDrassanes)
This narrow, old-city dive is one of the best spots in town for jazz, as well as funk, Latin, blues and gypsy jazz. It attracts a mixed crowd that maintains a respectful silence during the acts. Most concerts start around 10pm. Get in early if you want a seat in front of the stage.
RazzmatazzLIVE MUSIC
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 320 82 00; www.salarazzmatazz.com; Carrer de Pamplona 88; admission €12-32; hmidnight-3.30am Thu, to 5.30am Fri & Sat; mMarina, Bogatell)
Bands from far and wide occasionally create scenes of near hysteria in this, one of the city’s classic live-music and clubbing venues. Bands can appear throughout the week (check the website), with different start times. On weekends the live music then gives way to club sounds.
JamboreeLIVE MUSIC
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 319 17 89; www.masimas.com/jamboree; Plaça Reial 17; admission €10-20; h8pm-6am; mLiceu)
For over half a century, Jamboree has been bringing joy to the jivers of Barcelona, with high-calibre acts featuring jazz trios, blues, Afrobeats, Latin sounds and big-band sounds. Two concerts are held most nights (at 8pm and 10pm), after which Jamboree morphs into a DJ-spinning club at midnight. WTF jam sessions are held Mondays (entrance a mere €5). Buy tickets online to save a few euros.
Luz de GasLIVE MUSIC
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 209 77 11; www.luzdegas.com; Carrer de Muntaner 246; admission up to €20; hWed-Sun; g6, 7, 15, 27, 32, 33, 34, 58 or 64, mDiagonal)
Several nights a week this club, set in a grand former theatre, stages concerts ranging through rock, soul, salsa, jazz and pop. From about 2am, the place turns into a club that attracts a well-dressed crowd with varying musical tastes, depending on the night.
23 RobadorsLIVE MUSIC
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Carrer d’en Robador 23; admission varies; h8pm-3am daily; mLiceu)
On what remains a sleazy Raval street, where a hardy band of streetwalkers, junkies and other misfits hang out in spite of all the work being carried out to gentrify the area, a narrow little bar has made a name for itself with its shows and live music. Jazz is the name of the game, but you'll also find live poetry, flamenco and plenty more.
Sidecar Factory ClubLIVE MUSIC
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 302 15 86; www.sidecarfactoryclub.com; Plaça Reial 7; admission €8-18; h10pm-5am Mon-Sat; mLiceu)
With its entrance on Plaça Reial, you can come here for a meal before midnight or a few drinks at ground level (which closes by 3am at the latest), or descend into the red-tinged, brick-vaulted bowels for live music most nights. Just about anything goes here, from UK indie through to country punk, but rock and pop lead the way. Most shows start around 10pm. DJs take over at 12.30am to keep things going.
Sala Apolo LIVE MUSIC
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 441 40 01; www.sala-apolo.com; Carrer Nou de la Rambla 113; admission club €13-18, concerts vary; hmidnight-5am Sun-Thu, 12.30am-6am Fri & Sat; mParal·lel)
This is a fine old theatre, where red velvet dominates and you feel as though you’re in a movie-set dancehall scene featuring Eliot Ness. ‘Nasty Mondays’ and ‘Crappy Tuesdays’ are aimed at a diehard, we-never-stop-dancing crowd. Earlier in the evening, concerts generally take place, here and in 'La 2', a smaller auditorium downstairs. Tastes are as eclectic as possible, from local bands and burlesque shows to big-name international acts.
Gran Teatre del LiceuTHEATRE, LIVE MUSIC
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 485 99 00; www.liceubarcelona.com; La Rambla dels Caputxins 51-59; hbox office 1.30-8pm Mon-Fri & 1hr before show Sat & Sun; mLiceu)
Barcelona’s grand old opera house, restored after a fire in 1994, is one of the most technologically advanced theatres in the world. To take up a seat in the grand auditorium, returned to all its 19th-century glory but with the very latest in acoustic accoutrements, is to be transported to another age. Tickets can cost anything from €9 for a cheap seat behind a pillar to €205 for a well-positioned night at the opera.
Dance
The best chance you have of seeing people dancing the sardana (a Catalan folk dance) is at 6.30pm on Saturday or noon on Sunday in front of the Catedral. You can also see the dancers during some of the city's festivals.
DON'T MISS
SEEING AN FC BARCELONA MATCH
Football in Barcelona has the aura of religion, and for much of the city’s population, support of FC Barcelona is an article of faith. FC Barcelona is traditionally associated with the Catalans and even Catalan nationalism. Pride is at an all-time high these days, with FC Barça continually ranked among the world's best teams.
For a pure adrenaline rush, try to see a match at the massive 99,000-seat Camp Nou, Europe's largest football arena. Tickets are available at Camp Nou, as well as online. You can also purchase them at tourist offices and FC Barcelona shops. Tickets cost anything from €20 to €210, depending on the seat and match. If you can't make a match, the high-tech Camp Nou museum is a worthwhile alternative – and a must-see for football fans.
7Shopping
Mainstream fashion and design stores can be found on Plaça de Catalunya as it heads along Passeig de Gràcia, turning left into Avinguda Diagonal.
Fashion does not end in the chic streets of L'Eixample and Avinguda Diagonal. The El Born area in La Ribera, especially on and around Carrer del Rec, is awash with tiny boutiques, especially those purveying young, fun fashion. A bubbling fashion strip is the Barri Gòtic's Carrer d'Avinyó. For secondhand stuff, head for El Raval, especially Carrer de la Riera Baixa. Carrer de Verdi in Gràcia is good for alternative shops too.
The single best-known department store is El Corte Inglés, with branches at Plaça de Catalunya (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 306 38 00; www.elcorteingles.es; Plaça de Catalunya 14; h9.30am-9.30pm Mon-Sat; mCatalunya), Plaça de la Reina Maria Cristina (
GOOGLE MAP
; Avinguda Diagonal 617; mMaria Cristina) and other locations around town. FNAC (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 344 18 00; www.fnac.es; Plaça de Catalunya 4; h10am-10pm Mon-Sat; Catalunya), the French book, CD and electronics emporium, has a couple of branches around town. The Maremagnum (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.maremagnum.es; Moll d'Espanya 5; h10am-10pm; mDrassanes) shopping centre can be a diversion when wandering around Port Vell.
Winter sales officially start on or around 10 January and the summer equivalents on or around 5 July.
Empremtes de CatalunyaHANDICRAFTS
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 467 46 60; Carrer dels Banys Nous 11; h10am-8pm Mon-Sat, to 2pm Sun; mLiceu)
A celebration of Catalan products, this nicely designed store is a great place to browse for unique gifts. You'll find jewellery with designs inspired by Roman iconography (as well as works that reference Gaudí and Barcelona's Gothic era), plus pottery, wooden toys, silk scarves, notebooks, housewares and more.
VinçonHOMEWARES
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 215 60 50; www.vincon.com; Passeig de Gràcia 96; h10am-8.30pm Mon-Fri, 10.30am-9pm Sat; mDiagonal)
An icon of the Barcelona design scene, Vinçon has the slickest furniture and household goods (particularly lighting), both local and imported. Not surprising, really, since the building, raised in 1899, belonged to the Modernista artist Ramon Casas. Head upstairs to the furniture area – from the windows and terrace you get close side views of La Pedrera.
L’Arca VINTAGE, CLOTHING
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 302 15 98; www.larca.es; Carrer dels Banys Nous 20; h11am-2pm & 4.30-8.30pm; mLiceu)
Step inside this enchanting shop for a glimpse of beautifully crafted apparel from the past, including 18th-century embroidered silk vests, elaborate silk kimonos, and wedding dresses and shawls from the 1920s. Owing to its incredible collection, it has provided clothing for films including Titanic, Talk to Her and Perfume.
LoisaidaCLOTHING, ANTIQUES
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 295 54 92; www.loisaidabcn.com; Carrer dels Flassaders 42; h11am-9pm Mon-Sat, 11am-2pm & 4-8pm Sun; mJaume I)
A sight in its own right, housed in what was once the coach house and stables for the Royal Mint, Loisaida (from the Spanglish for 'Lower East Side') is a deceptively large emporium of colourful, retro and somewhat preppy clothing for men and women, costume jewellery, music from the 1940s and '50s and some covetable antiques. There is more womenswear and some very cute children's lines a few doors away at No 32 (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 295 54 92; Carrer dels Flassaders 32; h11am-9pm Mon-Sat, 11am-2pm & 4-8pm Sun; mJaume I).
Coquette FASHION
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 295 42 85; www.coquettebcn.com; Carrer del Rec 65; h11am-3pm & 5-9pm Mon-Fri, 11.30am-9pm Sat; mBarceloneta)
With its spare, cut-back and designer look, this fashion store is attractive in its own right. Women can browse through casual, feminine wear by such designers as Humanoid, Vanessa Bruno, UKE and Hoss Intropia, and others, with a further collection nearby at Carrer de Bonaire 5 (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 310 35 35; Carrer de Bonaire 5; h11am-3pm & 5-9pm Mon-Fri, 11.30am-8.30pm Sat; mBarceloneta).
El Bulevard dels AntiquarisANTIQUES
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 215 44 99; www.bulevarddelsantiquaris.com; Passeig de Gràcia 55; h9am-6pm Mon-Thu, 9am-2pm Fri & Sat; mPasseig de Gràcia)
More than 70 stores (most are open from 11am to 2pm and 5pm to 8.30pm) are gathered under one roof (on the floor above the more general Bulevard Rosa arcade) to offer the most varied selection of collector’s pieces, ranging from old porcelain dolls through to fine crystal, from Asian antique furniture to old French goods, and from African and other ethnic art to jewellery.
La Manual AlpargateraSHOES
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 301 01 72; lamanualalpargatera.es; Carrer d’Avinyó 7; h9.30am-1.30pm & 4.30-8pm; mLiceu)
Everyone from Salvador Dalí to Jean Paul Gaultier has ordered a pair of espadrilles (rope-soled canvas shoes or sandals) from this famous store, which is the birthplace of the iconic footware. The shop was founded just after the Spanish Civil War, though the roots of the simple shoe design date back thousands of years.
Fires, Festes i TradicionsFOOD, DRINK
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 269 12 61; Carrer de la Dagueria 13; h4-8.30pm Mon, 10am-8.30pm Tue-Sat; mJaume I)
Whether assembling a picnic or hoping to bring home a few edible momentos, don't miss this little shop, which stocks a wide range of specialities from Catalunya, including jams, sweets, sausages and cheeses.
Vila Viniteca DRINK
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %902 32 77 77; www.vilaviniteca.es; Carrer dels Agullers 7; h8.30am-8.30pm Mon-Sat; mJaume I)
One of the best wine stores in Barcelona (and Lord knows, there are a few), this place has been searching out the finest in local and imported wines since 1932. On a couple of November evenings it organises what has by now become an almost riotous wine-tasting event in Carrer dels Agullers and surrounding lanes, at which cellars from around Spain present their young new wines. At No 9 it has another store devoted to gourmet food products.
BARCELONA'S MARKETS
The sprawling Els Encants Vells (Fira de Bellcaire;
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 246 30 30; www.encantsbcn.com; Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes; h8am-8pm Mon, Wed, Fri & Sat; mGlòries) is the city's principal flea market. There is an awful lot of junk, but you can unearth interesting items if you're willing to dig. The Barri Gòtic is enlivened by an art and crafts market (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol; h11am-8.30pm Sat, 10am-3pm Sun; Liceu) on Saturday and Sunday. Just south of La Rambla, the Port Antic (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Plaça del Portal de la Pau; h10am-8pm Sat & Sun; mDrassanes) is a small antique market open on weekends.
8Information
Emergency
Tourists who want to report thefts need to go to the Catalan police, known as the Mossos d'Esquadra (
GOOGLE MAP
; %088; Carrer Nou de la Rambla 80; mParal.lel) or the Guàrdia Urbana (Local Police;
GOOGLE MAP
; %092; La Rambla 43; mLiceu).
AmbulanceHOSPITAL
(%061)
EU standard emergency numberEMERGENCY SERVICES
(%112)
Fire brigadeFIRE BRIGADE
(Bombers; %080, 085)
Policía NacionalPOLICE
(National Police; %091)
Internet Access
A growing number of hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars and other public locations offer wi-fi access.
BornetINTERNET
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 268 15 07; Carrer Barra de Ferro 3; per 15 min/hr €1/2.80; h11am-midnight Mon-Thu, to 2.30am Fri-Sun; mJaume I)
A cool little internet centre and art gallery.
Media
La Vanguardia and El Periódico are the main local Castilian-language dailies.
Medical Services
Call 010 to find the nearest late-opening duty pharmacy. There are also several 24-hour pharmacies scattered across town.
Farmàcia TorresMEDICAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; www.farmaciaabierta24h.com; Carrer d'Aribau 62; h24hr; dFGC Provença)
Hospital Clínic i ProvincialHOSPITAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 227 54 00; Carrer de Villarroel 170; mHospital Clínic)
Hospital Dos de MaigHOSPITAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 507 27 00; Carrer del Dos de Maig 301; mSant Pau–Dos de Maig)
Money
Banks abound in Barcelona, many with ATMs, including several around Plaça de Catalunya, on La Rambla and on Plaça de Sant Jaume in the Barri Gòtic.
The foreign-exchange offices that you see along La Rambla and elsewhere are open for longer hours than banks but generally offer poorer rates.
DISCOUNTS
Students generally pay a little over half of adult admission prices, as do children aged under 12 years and senior citizens (aged 65 and over) with appropriate ID. Possession of a Bus Turístic ticket entitles you to discounts to some museums.
Articket (www.articketbcn.org; per person €30) gives you admission to six important art galleries for €30 and is valid for six months. The galleries are the Museu Picasso, Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Macba (Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona), the Fundació Antoni Tàpies, the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona and the Fundació Joan Miró. You can buy the ticket at the museums or at the tourist offices on Plaça de Catalunya, Plaça de Sant Jaume and at Sants train station.
Aficionados of Barcelona's Modernista heritage should consider the Ruta del Modernisme pack (www.rutadelmodernisme.com; €12). For €12 you receive a guide to 115 Modernista buildings great and small, a map and discounts of up to 50% on the main Modernista sights in Barcelona, as well as some others around Catalonia. Pick it up at the tourist office at Plaça de Catalunya.
Post
The main post office (
GOOGLE MAP
; Plaça d’Antoni López; h8.30am-9.30pm Mon-Fri, to 2pm Sat; mJaume I) is opposite the northeast end of Port Vell. There's a handy branch (
GOOGLE MAP
; Carrer d’Aragó 282; h8.30am-8.30pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-1pm Sat; mPasseig de Gràcia) just off Passeig de Gràcia.
Tourist Information
In addition to the following listed tourist offices, information booths operate at Estació Nord bus station, Plaça del Portal de la Pau and at the foot of the Mirador a Colom. At least three others are set up at various points around the city centre in summer.
Oficina d'Informació de Turisme de Barcelona has its main branch (
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 285 38 34; www.barcelonaturisme.com; underground at Plaça de Catalunya 17-S; h9.30am-9.30pm; mCatalunya) in Plaça de Catalunya. It concentrates on city information and can help book accommodation. The branch in the EU arrivals hall at Aeroport del Prat (Aeroport del Prat, terminals 1, 2B & 2A; h9am-9pm) has information on all of Catalonia; a smaller office at the international arrivals hall opens the same hours. The branch at Estació Sants (h8am-8pm; dEstació Sants) has limited city information. There's also a helpful branch near the town hall (
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 285 38 32; Carrer de la Ciutat 2; h8.30am-8.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-7pm Sat, 9am-2pm Sun & holidays; mJaume I).
La Rambla Information BoothTOURIST INFORMATION
(
GOOGLE MAP
; www.barcelonaturisme.com; La Rambla dels Estudis 115; h8.30am-8.30pm; mLiceu)
Palau Robert Regional Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 238 80 91, from outside Catalonia 902 400012; www.gencat.net/probert; Passeig de Gràcia 107; h10am-8pm Mon-Sat, to 2.30pm Sun; mDiagonal)
A host of material on Catalonia, audiovisual resources, a bookshop and a branch of Turisme Juvenil de Catalunya (for youth travel).
WARNING: KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR VALUABLES
Every year aggrieved readers write in with tales of woe from Barcelona. Petty crime and theft, with tourists as the prey of choice, are a problem, so you need to take a few common-sense precautions.
Thieves and pickpockets operate on airport trains and the metro, especially around stops popular with tourists (such as La Sagrada Família). The Old City (Ciutat Vella) is the pickpockets' and bag-snatchers' prime hunting ground. Take special care on and around La Rambla. Prostitutes working the lower (waterfront) end often do a double trade in wallet snatching.
Useful Websites
Awww.barcelonaturisme.com The city's official tourism website.
Awww.barcelonaconnect.com Loads of listings covering restaurants, nightlife, sights and more.
Awww.miniguide.es Covering high and low culture, including art, film, theatre, shops, eateries, bars and clubs.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Aeroport del Prat (%902 404704; www.aena.es) is 12km southwest of the centre at El Prat de Llobregat. Barcelona is a big international and domestic destination, with direct flights from North America, as well as many European cities.
Several budget airlines, including Ryanair, use Girona-Costa Brava airport, 11km south of Girona and about 80km north of Barcelona. Buses connect with Barcelona's Estació del Nord bus station.
Boat
Balearic Islands
Regular passenger and vehicular ferries to/from the Balearic Islands, operated by Acciona Trasmediterránea (%902 454645; www.trasmediterranea.es; mDrassanes), dock along both sides of the Moll de Barcelona wharf in Port Vell.
Italy
The Grimaldi group's Grandi Navi Veloci (
GOOGLE MAP
; %in Italy 010 209 4591; www1.gnv.it; mDrassanes) runs high-speed luxury ferries two (sometimes more) days a week between Genoa and Barcelona. The journey takes 19 hours. Ticket prices vary wildly and depend on the season and how far in advance you purchase, but start at about €91 one way for an airline-style seat in summer. They can be bought online or at Acciona Trasmediterránea ticket windows. The same company runs a similar number of ferries between Barcelona and Tangiers, in Morocco (voyage time about 26 hours).
Grimaldi Ferries (
GOOGLE MAP
; %902 53 13 33, in Italy 081 496 444; www.grimaldi-lines.com; mDrassanes) operates similar services from Barcelona to Civitavecchia (near Rome; 20½ hours, six to seven times a week), Livorno (Tuscany; 19½ hours, three times a week) and Porto Torres (northwest Sardinia; 12 hours, daily). An economy-class airline-style seat costs from €70 in low season to €115 in high season on all routes.
Boats of both lines dock at Moll de Sant Bertran and all vessels take vehicles.
Bus
Long-distance buses for destinations throughout Spain leave from the Estació del Nord (
GOOGLE MAP
; %902 260606; www.barcelonanord.cat; Carrer d’Ali Bei 80; mArc de Triomf). A plethora of companies operate services to different parts of the country, although many come under the umbrella of ALSA. There are frequent services to Madrid, Valencia and Zaragoza (20 or more a day) and several daily departures to such distant destinations as Burgos, Santiago de Compostela and Seville.
Eurolines (www.eurolines.es), in conjunction with local carriers all over Europe, is the main international carrier. It runs services across Europe and to Morocco, departing from Estació del Nord and Estació d'Autobusos de Sants (
GOOGLE MAP
; Carrer de Viriat; mEstació Sants), which is next to Estació Sants Barcelona. For information and tickets in Barcelona, contact ALSA. Another carrier is Linebús (www.linebus.com).
Within Catalonia, much of the Pyrenees and the entire Costa Brava are served only by buses, as train services are limited to important railheads such as Girona, Figueres, Lleida, Ripoll and Puigcerdà. If there is a train, take it – it's usually more convenient.
Various bus companies operate across the region, mostly from Estació del Nord.
Departures from Estació del Nord include the following (where frequencies vary, the lowest figure is usually for Sunday; fares quoted are the lowest available):
Alsina GraellsBUS
(%902 422242; www.alsa.es)
A subsidiary of ALSA, it runs buses from Barcelona to destinations west and northwest, such as Vielha, La Seu d’Urgell and Lleida.
Barcelona BusBUS
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %902 130014; www.barcelonabus.com)
Runs direct services between Girona-Costa Brava airport and Estació del Nord bus station in Barcelona (one way/return €14/21, 70 minutes).
Hispano-IgualadinaBUS
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %902 292900; www.igualadina.net; Estació Sants)
This bus services central and southern Catalonia. It offers a service that runs between Reus airport and Estació d'Autobusos de Sants to meet flights (€15/26 one-way/return, 2 hours).
TEISABUS
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 215 35 66; www.teisa-bus.com; Carrer de Pau Claris 117; mPasseig de Gràcia)
Covers a large part of the eastern Catalan Pyrenees from Girona and Figueres. From Barcelona, buses head for Camprodon via Ripoll and Olot via Besalú.
Car & Motorcycle
Autopistas (tollways) head out of Barcelona in most directions, including the C31/C32 to the southern Costa Brava; the C32 to Sitges; the C16 to Manresa (with a turnoff for Montserrat); and the AP7 north to Girona, Figueres and France, and south to Tarragona and Valencia (turn off along the AP2 for Lleida, Zaragoza and Madrid). The toll-free alternatives, such as the A2 north to Girona, Figueres and France, and west to Lleida and beyond, or the A7 to Tarragona, tend to be busy and slow.
Rental
Avis, Europcar, Hertz and several other big companies have desks at the airport, Estació Sants train station and Estació del Nord bus terminus.
EuropcarCAR RENTAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 302 05 43; www.europcar.com; Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 680; mGirona)
MondoRentSCOOTER RENTAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 295 32 68; www.mondorent.com; Passeig de Joan de Borbó 80-84; mBarceloneta)
Rents scooters (including stylish Vespas) as well as electric bikes.
National/AtesaCAR RENTAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 323 07 01; www.atesa.es; Carrer de Muntaner 45; mUniversitat)
Train
The main international and domestic station is Estació Sants (
GOOGLE MAP
; Plaça dels Països Catalans; mEstació Sants), 2.5km west of La Rambla. Other stops on long-distance lines include Catalunya and Passeig de Gràcia. Information windows operate at Estació Sants and Passeig de Gràcia station. Sants station has a consigna (left-luggage lockers; h5.30am-11pm), a tourist office, a telephone and fax office, currency-exchange booths and ATMs.
International
One or two daily services connect Montpellier in France with Estació Sants (€47 to €72 each way, three hours). From Estació Sants, there are also two to three high-speed trains direct to Paris (around €112 to €176 each way, 6½ hours).
Domestic
Two dozen high-speed Tren de Alta Velocidad Española (AVE) trains between Madrid and Barcelona run daily in each direction (2½ to 3¼ hours). One-way prices range from €85 to €150. Some other popular runs include the following (fares represent range of lowest fares depending on type of train):
8Getting Around
The metro is the easiest way of getting around and reaches most places you're likely to visit (although not the airport). For some trips you need buses or FGC suburban trains. The tourist office gives out comprehensive transport maps with metro and bus routes.
For public-transport information, call 010.
To/From the Airport
The A1 Aerobús (
GOOGLE MAP
; %902 100104; www.aerobusbcn.com; one way/return €5.90/10.20) runs from Terminal 1 to Plaça de Catalunya via Plaça d'Espanya, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes (on the corner of Carrer del Comte d'Urgell) and Plaça de la Universitat (every five to 10 minutes depending on the time of day; 35 minutes) from 6.10am to 1.05am. A2 Aerobús does the same run from Terminal 2, from 6am to 1am. You can buy tickets on the bus.
Renfe's R2 Nord train line runs between the airport and Passeig de Graçia (via Estació Sants) in central Barcelona (about 25 minutes), before heading out of town. Tickets cost €4.10, unless you have a T-10 multitrip public-transport ticket. The service from the airport starts at 5.42am and ends at 11.38pm daily.
A taxi to/from the centre, about a half-hour ride depending on traffic, costs around €30 to €35.
Sagalés (%902 130014; www.sagales.com) runs the Barcelona Bus service between Girona airport and Estació del Nord bus station in Barcelona (one way/return €14/21, 70 minutes).
Car & Motorcycle
An effective one-way system makes traffic flow fairly smoothly, but you'll often find yourself flowing the way you don't want to go, unless you happen to have an adept navigator and a map that shows one-way streets.
Limited parking in the Ciutat Vella is virtually all for residents only, with some metered parking. The narrow streets of Gràcia are not much better. The broad boulevards of L'Eixample are divided into blue and green zones. For nonresidents they mean the same thing: limited meter parking. Fees vary but tend to hover around €3 per hour. Parking stations are also scattered all over L'Eixample, with a few in the old centre too. Prices vary from around €4 to €5 per hour.
Public Transport
Bus
The city transport authority, Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB; %010; www.tmb.net), runs buses along most city routes every few minutes from 5am or 6am to 10pm or 11pm. Many routes pass through Plaça de Catalunya and/or Plaça de la Universitat. After 11pm, a reduced network of yellow nitbusos (night buses) runs until 3am or 5am. All nitbus routes pass through Plaça de Catalunya and most run about every 30 to 45 minutes.
Metro & FGC
The TMB metro has 11 numbered and colour-coded lines. It runs from 5am to midnight from Sunday to Thursday and on holidays, from 5am to 2am on Friday and days immediately preceding holidays, and 24 hours on Saturday. Line 2 has access for people with disabilities and a growing number of stations on other lines also have lifts.
Suburban trains run by the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC; %93 205 15 15; www.fgc.net) include a couple of useful city lines. One heads north from Plaça de Catalunya. A branch of it will get you to Tibidabo and another within spitting distance of the Monestir de Pedralbes. Some trains along this line run beyond Barcelona to Sant Cugat, Sabadell and Terrassa. The other FGC line heads to Manresa from Plaça d'Espanya and is handy for the trip to Montserrat. These trains run from about 5am (with only one or two services before 6am) to 11pm or midnight (depending on the line) Sunday to Thursday, and from 5am to about 1am (or a little later, depending on the line and stop) on Friday and Saturday.
Three tram (%902 193275; www.trambcn.com) lines run into the suburbs of greater Barcelona from Plaça de Francesc Macià and are of limited interest to visitors. Another line (T4) runs from behind the zoo near the Ciutadella Vila Olímpica metro stop to Sant Adrià via Fòrum. The T5 line runs from Glòries to Badalona. All standard transport passes are valid.
Tickets & Targetas
The metro, FGC trains, rodalies/cercanías (Renfe-run local trains) and buses come under one zoned fare regime. Single-ride tickets on all standard transport within Zone 1 (which extends beyond the airport), except on Renfe trains, cost €2.
Targetas are multitrip transport tickets. They are sold at most city-centre metro stations. The prices given here are for travel in Zone 1. Children under four travel free.
Targeta T-10METRO
(€10.30)
Ten rides (each valid for 1¼ hours) on the metro, buses and FGC trains. You can change between metro, FGC, rodalies and buses.
Targeta T-DIAMETRO
(€7.60)
Unlimited travel on all transport for one day.
Targeta T-50/30METRO
(€42.50)
For 50 trips within 30 days.
Two-/Three-/Four-/Five-Day TicketsMETRO
(€14/20/26/31)
These provide unlimited travel on all transport except the Aerobús; buy them at metro stations and tourist offices.
T-MesMETRO
(€52.75)
For unlimited use of all public transport for a month.
Taxi
Taxis charge €2.10 flag fall (€2.40 on weekend nights) plus meter charges of €1.03 per kilometre (€1.30 from 8pm to 8am weekday nights and daytime on weekends; and €1.40 on weekend nights). A further €4.20 is added for all trips to/from the airport (and €2.10 from the main train stations). You can call a taxi (%Fonotaxi 93 300 11 00, Radiotaxi 93 303 30 33, Radiotaxi BCN 93 225 00 00) or flag them down in the streets. The call-out charge is €3.40 (€4.20 to €4.50 at night and on weekends). In many taxis it is possible to pay with credit card.
Taxi Amic (%93 420 80 88; http://rtljtic.wix.com/taxiamic) is a special taxi service for people with disabilities or difficult situations (such as transport of big objects). Book at least 24 hours in advance if possible.