Trip to Barcelona

Heading to Barca in a few months. Does anyone have suggestions of places to eat, bars, things to see, things to avoid, places to stay, etc?

Thanks
T

That list could be very long ... it depends a little bit on how much time you intend to spend there and what you are interested in.

My wife is from Barcelona and we just bought an apartment there, I think I might be able to help you a little bit.

Couple of quick ones top of my head without knowing your preferences:

- Air B'nB is huge in Barcelona. Not beloved by the people living there (they say it drives prices up and people are too noisy), but you can find great options and IMHO it's nicer than hotels. If you go for hotels, google "Barcelona hotel rooftop or rooftop pool" if you are into that stuff and willing to shell out some money. There are a couple of great places you can find that way.

- Unless you are into the uber-touristy stuff, avoid LaRambla and the areas close to it. It's tourist trapalicious. The Bari Gothic is a must, and the area on the other side of la Rambla quite interesting as well (used to be the red light district). I would not miss La Bouqueria, the large market off la Rambla (or really any other food market), but that's about it. Maybe Liceu if you are into opera and classical music.

- Go up the Montjuic, either walk from Plaza Espanya or take the Funicular. Great views. The other mountain (tibidabo) you can avoid, unless you like small amusement parks.

- There is no such thing as typical Tapas in Barcelona. Tapas are not from there. If you want to try typical Catalan dishes, have Escudella (soup), my favorite the Esqueixada (salted cod salad, incredibly good in warmer months), Escalivada (toasted bread with cooked but cold eggplant, garlic and olive oil, rasted peppers and anchovies on top - it's so simple yet so amazing), catalan spinach with pine nuts and raisins, butifarra negra (blood sausage, either with rice inside, with onions, with both or with sugar), Llonganissa and Fuet (sausages, cold cut), and Fideua.

- I won't be of much help with restaurants, I eat at the best one out there: My mom in laws. But if you just steer clear of the touristy areas, you can get great deals and authentic food at lunch, always go for the menu del dia. Usually that runs you less than 20 bucks even in better places, but you can get some for 8 bucks or so in simple ones. It's almost always three courses and often includes beverage, coffee, or both.

- Depending on your preferences, I can ask my family and friends in Barcelona for bar and restaurant recommendations. I heard good things about Chicoa, Cal Boter and Can Cargol (all for Catalan food)

- Try to see a game of futbol at Camp Nou... FC Barcelona is playing the most beautiful style of soccer you'll ever see (unless you don't care about sports, then don't go)

- Don't miss the Gaudi buildings or Parc Guell, it's truly amazing stuff. I would go to Gracia as well, really nice neighborhood, more residential. IMHO, Eixample, Bari Gothic, Gracia and el Born are the areas you have to walk and experience. You don't have to go to the Olimpic harbor, for example.

- If you have time for a day trip, go to Cadaques and visit the Dali museum nearby, or go to Montserrat ... or to the beach, but you don't have to leave Barcelona for that. Might just be nicer further south than in Barcelona itself.

- Never, EVER tell a Catalan that he/she is Spanish. They will be offended, seriously. They do not consider themselves Spanish and most of them want to be independent. Don't tell them that Catalan is just a Spanish dialect, either. It is not. It's a different language, just with the same origin, same as Italian, French, Portuguese. And don't ask where you can see a bull fight. It's illegal in Catalunya and they see it as a symbol of Spain, so it's frowned upon and even hated (the bull fighting arena they had has been converted to a Shopping mall)

Feel free to PM me if you prefer.

Cheers
Steffen

I'd also say to try and eat at lunch, taking advantage of the menus del dia which, not having been to every part of Spain, I think are probably unique to Bcn and Catalunya within the country. If it's important, you can eat very well and much more economically. Also, don't look for restaurants on the main tourist drags described above. Go over a couple of streets and have a look there. Avoid places with touristy sets of paella pictures out front.

Cal Pep for a quick tapas lunch with tons of local color.
Gotta visit the Sagrada Familia. Amazing.

I suggest you bring me with you Travis. I'm an excellent drinking companion/wingman.

Oh, and one thing: really, really watch your stuff. I know more people who had their wallet, handbag or watch stolen in Barcelona than people who didn't... Talking about tourists, eh?

- La Boqueria Market is pretty touristy but worth a visit for the Baby Squid w/ Eggs from El Quim alone, there are other small/quick service "restaurants" in there - Pinotxo is also quality.
- Cal Pep for sure
- You can check out one of Ferran Adria's brother Albert's restaurants, kinda pricey, the most famous one called Tickets is impossible to get into, but got a reservation at Bodega 1900 pretty easy, you can get the famous el bulli olive spheres there
- Ganiveteria Roca is a decent Knife shop there that is near a lot of the sights, though nothing that exciting kitchen wise, picked up a nice folder from a Spanish maker
- Cafes El Magnifico & Satans Coffee Corner for coffee

brainsausage said:

I suggest you bring me with you Travis. I'm an excellent drinking companion/wingman.

Click to expand...

I'm bringing my wife. I had to delay our honeymoon last fall b/c of reopening the restaurant. I'll ask her if you can join.

tkern said:

I'm bringing my wife. I had to delay our honeymoon last fall b/c of reopening the restaurant. I'll ask her if you can join.

Click to expand...

Please do. I clean up nice when needed, can discuss a wide variety of topics in polite company, and the rumors of my distaste for cobblestone are highly overrated.

Take me with youuuuuuu!!!!!

Great city, used to live there for two years (2004-2006) and go back for work quite regularly. Last week i ate at Boca Grande and headed to their bar upstairs afterwards. Can certainly recommend! Drinks around the Carrer de Maria Cubi area can be fun as well.

Went there for a week on a University trip and it was one of the best experiences of my life. We stayed at a cheapo hostel in Las Ramblas. As others have said, I'd be very very careful with your stuff, a few people with us got their bags stolen and that sort of thing. I've never known anywhere to have so many stories of pickpockets

I envy you. Seen the Antoni Gaudi Basilica in pictures and on TV. Must be awesome to be there in person. I like both Art Nouveau and Art Deco Architecture. Never been to Spain yet.

keithsaltydog said:

I envy you. Seen the Antoni Gaudi Basilica in pictures and on TV. Must be awesome to be there in person. I like both Art Nouveau and Art Deco Architecture. Never been to Spain yet.

Click to expand...

I used to live right by the Sagrada Familia. The old front side is kind of good, but in my opinion the whole thing is a monstrosity and a bit of a trap. Haven't been in the city in almost 10 years, but I can see it's all a lot bigger now.

My girlfriend was quite lucky, in ways, when she stayed in the modernista hospital not far from the SF. (I used to pretend I was a doctor and dine in the doctor's cafeteria, which seemed a good deal at the time.) I also like some of the other modernista buildings here and there more than the SF, in part because they don't get all the fuss. There's also a modernista 'workers village' a bit outside of Bcn on the Hospitalet side (can google; I don't remember the name). In an unrelated note, one of my workplaces was in a converted large home which apparently was Maradona's place in the single season he was at Barca before moving to Napoli, and so kind of cool to me at least.

That's cool. Did you have a white coat for the cafeteria?:biggrin: I know there is some unusual architecture in Spain. My only trip to Europe had a 90 day rail pass. Went to England, Scotland, France, Italy, Greece, Austria, Germany, Denmark, Holland. Spent almost a week in Paris so much to see.

If we make it again deff. want to spend time in Spain.

Dont forget the surrounding areas. Katalonia has some amazing wineyards to be discovered!

banjo1071 said:

Dont forget the surrounding areas. Katalonia has some amazing wineyards to be discovered!

Click to expand...

Oh yeah, even if you were only exploring you could still spend a few months there