Weekend in Barcelona

Our Local Expert Says:

Check out Chiringuito 23 on the main Barceloneta beach. Great view, reasonably priced food and efficient, friendly service. Everyday after 4pm there's an original happy hour cocktail.

Description:

What used to be one of the dodgiest neighbourds in Barcelona, is now thriving with tourists, locals and all those who appreciate living by the sea. Barceloneta is a diamond in the rough as it posseses both that genuine barrio feel, while at the same time its home to some of the most delicious and well known touristy restaurants in the city. Visit the many seaside patios and chiringuitos for the must try Spanish paella and daytime sangria before hitting up the beach. A perfect place for Sunday strolls with the family, bike rides, surfing and kite surfing or ideal for just working on the tan, Barceloneta is never dull, especially between the months from May-September. The best time to make a beach appearance is in the morning, as it doesn't usually fill up until 1 pm when it often overflows with people. Barceloneta is also home to the Maritime Museum, the casino, as well as some of the most popular (and cheesy) night clubs the city has to offer. There's also a great little plaza across from the market equipped with ping pong tables and a small park for the kids.

Our Local Expert Says:

Check out, Tapas 24, a great tapas restaurant on Paseo de Gracia and Diputacio. There's always lineups so get there as early as possible. (before 2 to avoid the 2:30 lunch crowd)

Description:

The Champs-Elysees of Barcelona, Passeig de Gracia is the best place to go to do a little shopping, enjoy some entertaining people watching while sipping a café on an outdoor patio, or just a great place to stroll up from Placa Catalunya and into the Gracia neighbourhood. Showcasing popular names and brands such as, Louis Vitton, Gucci, Armand Bassi as well as trendy Spanish stores like Zara and Mango, Passeig de Gracia is one of Barcelona's chicest streets. Full of wide sidewalks, interesting people and tasty restaurants and tapas bars, Passeig de Gracia always has an energetic and exciting buzz. It is also one of the most easily accessible streets, as it's in the center of the city and has direct connection to most of the metro lines including the yellow and green lines. If you want to shop in 'peace' try to come during the week, as weekends are packed.

Description:

This neighborhood was a town in its own right until it was swallowed up by Barcelona in 1897. The streets are narrow and winding, with little squares dotted here and there. The buildings are low-rise, which shows how old they are (compare them to those anywhere else in Barcelona). One of Gaudí's first works can be found here, Casa Vicens (1883-88), on Carrer Carolines. It's a very lively area with lots of bars and street life. There are numerous theatres, cinemas and cultural centres as well as good vegetarian restaurants and health-food stores. The August festival is a major event in the city.

Description:

Founded in 1940, this old wine tavern is one of the more authentic options in this ritzy boulevard of franchised eateries. It specializes in Catalan sausage (botifarra), salamis, and cheeses. Wash them all down with vermut or inexpensive Spanish wines from the barrel. It's loud, no-nonsense, and a favorite with students.

Description:

The Born goes from the apse of Santa Maria del Mar Church up to the market and is where the legendary jousting matches of the Middle Ages took place, as well as numerous fairs and marches. This is also where men were knighted. However, in the 18th Century the Ribera area went into decline and the mansions that use to line the avenue began to disappear, one by one. The only one left is at number 17, and you can still see the 14th-century Gothic façade. Nowadays the area is positively packed with stylish bars and restaurants and is a favorite haunt for locals.

Our Local Expert Says:

For everything and anything foreign, check out FNAC department store, right across from the Plaza. It contains all types electronic gadgets, magazines in all languages and also has a nice coffee shop below. Best to go early in the morning to avoid the crowds.

Description:

If coming to Barcelona, you have to frequent Placa Catalunya. One of, if not the most popular plaza in Barcelona, this 5000 meter square is the cross roads between where the old city and the new city meet. Sitting at the top of the Gotico and Raval and leading into the Eixample and Gracia neighbourhoods, Placa Catalunya is not only a landmark but a gathering point for locals and tourists alike. Hosting outdoor, free concerts and celebrations, Placa Catalunya is right next to El Corte Ingles, FNAC and an abundance of other popular shops and cafes. There's always something happening in the plaza, even if it's just hippies sitting and playing guitar while children run around screaming, it's never dull.

Our Local Expert Says:

Although it's a massive tourist trap, Las Ramblas is a great place to shop for gifts. Check out the jewelry stands at the bottom of Las Ramblas, even locals buy things there.

Description:

Whether or not you've been to Barcelona, everyone's heard of Las Ramblas. One of the most renowned walkways in Europe and perhaps the world, this incredible stretch starts at el Colon (Christopher Columbus Statue) by the sea and extends all the way until Plaza Catalunya. Sprinkled with street vendors selling everything from fine jewelry to caged pigeons, the greatest attraction on Las Ramblas is the one of a kind street performers. Depicting the most innovative costumes it's possible to stare at a man sitting perfectly still on a toilet for as long as it takes until someone drops a Euro in his bucket and he makes a funny face. Overcrowded and a hot spot for pickpockets and prostitutes, Las Ramblas is still a definite must see if you're coming to Barcelona.

Our Local Expert Says:

Interior rooms are quiet, exterior rooms have windows overlooking the entertaining street.

Description:

Located in between Plaza Espanya and the University, the innovative and minimalist Hotel Soho, designed by Alfredo Arribas, gives its guests the privileged opportunity to get to know Barcelona from the heart of the Eixample.

The hotel welcomes guests with a fabulous glass-paneled lobby, and features 51 rooms, an outdoor pool on the terrace with incredible panoramic views of Gran Vía, a Media Center with free ADSL Internet access, a mezzanine with terrace on the first floor, free wireless Internet access throughout the building, and private parking with a special discount for hotel guests.

Among the many tourist destinations within walking distance are some of Barcelona's most cherished landmarks: Plaza Catalunya, the Passeig de Gracia, la Rambla, the Gothic neighborhood and cathedral, as well as some of Gaudí's most famous buildings, the Pedrera and Casa Batlló. Multiple forms of public transportation accessible from the hotel can take you across the city and to other popular destinations in minutes.

Description:

This music club hosts a range of live concerts and DJ sets featuring both local and international artists. From indie rock to techno pop, there is sure to be something that gets you moving. Plus, the club does not close down between concerts, so you can continue to party while you wait for the next set. There are several rooms within the space that offer guests the chance to pick their ideal ambiance - and you can even head to their Irish pub for a taste of Guinness.

Description:

One of the most well known Tapas joints in the city, Tapas 24 features high quality food with a greasy flare. Their menu is diverse with a variety of Spanish, Catalan and Mediterranean options. The restaurant itself is tiny with a few outdoor tables on the patio, ideal during summer and heated in the winter. You can't make reservations and the place is always packed so it's best to go early especially on weekends.

Our Local Expert Says:

On Paseo Del Born there's a few great tapas bars where all you have to do is buy a drink and you eat for free. Best to arrive before 9pm, as most places stop serving at 10pm and all the good food usually comes out between 6-8pm.

Description:

Combine gourmet food and Catalan culture on a pre-dinner walking tour of Barcelona's famous tapas bars. It's a great way to begin your visit of Barcelona - not only do you get an overview of this fabulous city, you also learn how to order tapas (bar snacks) and discover some of the best bars and cafes Barcelona has to offer. Plus, your friendly, informative guide can offer suggestions to help you get the most from your stay in Barcelona.

Your tapas walking tour of Barcelona begins at a restaurant offering a wide selection of local, delectable tapas. Here you will enjoy three tapas with a glass of wine or beer, while your food and wine guide provides insights into the flavors of the wine, the cuisine and Spanish culture.

From here your guide will lead you to Barcelona's most famous street, La Rambla, with its bird cages, tapas bars and local restaurants. On your stroll down La Rambla you will make a detour to La Boqueria, the city's famous food market which offers an array of fresh produce including fruit and vegetables, live seafood, cheeses and every type of meat imaginable.

You'll continue to the Gothic Quarter, where you will discover the architecture, atmosphere, language and gastronomy...

Our Local Expert Says:

Calle Ferran in the Gotico, has some of the chicest and unique designer stores in the city. Watch your bags though, the Gotico is infamous for theft.

Description:

One of the oldest neighbourhoods in Barcelona, the Gotico remains at the heart of Barcelona's downtown district. Both grungy and trendy, this neighbourhood is filled with small nooks and crannies, bars, cool restaurants, niche shops and eclectic jewelers. Just a stone's throw from the Born and the beach, the Gotico is home to Barcelona's magnificent Cathedral which dates back to 14th century. It is also home to Placa Reial, the most well known square for backpackers as it's home to the ever so popular Kabul Hostel.

Description:

This spot does not look like a tavern at all; the decor is minimalist, with white, chrome and industrial black. Taberna Real offers a great variety of Iberian sausages as specialties, accompanied by typical Catalan pà amb tomàquet (bread rubbed with tomato, garlic and olive oil) and a selection of 75 Spanish wines. There are two dining areas, one on the ground floor and one on the first floor, a big bar and great ambience to enjoy a meal of great quality. It's worth a visit; this spot is really a success.

Our Local Expert Says:

There are a couple of ice cream parlors on this street which can save you on a hot day.

Description:

Extending from the Liceu on the Ramblas to Plaça Sant Jaume, this is where Saint James' Church was constructed in the fourteenth century, on the site of an ancient synagogue. Today only the facade of this church remains, the rest of the building dates from the XVI and XVII centuries. The rest of the buildings on the street are from later periods. It has been changed to a walking street, making it much more pleasurable to stroll along. There are a lot of shops and cafés here as well - check out the grocers' shops that still have wonderful display windows like in past.

Description:

This street runs from Carrer Ferran to Carrer Ample, and is very typical of an old town street, with lots of places to eat, drink and socialize with the hoards of young people that populate them. Picasso found the inspiration to paint his famous Las señoritas de Aviñón in a brothel located here, too; the painting does not refer to the French town, as people often assume. It is an agreeable place for a late-afternoon stroll; it still maintains all the charm it once had centuries ago.

Description:

Gaudí's incomplete masterpiece is one of the city's more idiosyncratic creations -- if you have time to see only one Catalan landmark, you should make it this one. Begun in 1882 and incomplete at the architect's death in 1926, this incredible temple -- the Church of the Holy Family -- is a bizarre wonder. The languid, amorphous structure embodies the essence of Gaudí's style, which some have described as Art Nouveau run wild.

The Sagrada Família became Gaudí's all-encompassing obsession toward the last years of this intensely religious man's life. The commission came from the Josephines, a right-wing, highly pious faction of the Catholic Church. They were of the opinion that the decadent city needed an expiatory (atonement) temple where its inhabitants could go and do penance for their sins. Gaudí, whose view of Barcelona's supposed decadence largely mirrored that of the Josephines, by all accounts had a free hand; money was no object, nor was there a deadline. As Gaudí is known to have said, "My client [God] is in no hurry."

Literally dripping in symbolism, the Sagrada Família was conceived to be a "catechism in stone." The basic design followed that of a Gothic church, with transepts,...

Description:

The name of this place is the abbreviation of the Catalan quasi queviures, which means 'almost provisions'. It is a clever mixture of a tapas bar and deli; you access the bar through the shop. The shop is specialized in cheeses, cooked pork and sausages and other delightful products, which give you a good clue of what you are to expect at the bar. At the bar you can have omelettes, toast, Russian salad and freshly made dishes. Their patatas bravas and Iberian sausages are superb.

Description:

On any given day, one of the most popular questions to be asked while strolling around Barcelona is: Where can I find the Cathedral? One of the most poignant landmarks in the city, this Romanesque architectural vision, is located in the Gothic Quarter (barrio Gotico) of Barcelona and attracts streams of tourists day and night. The Cathedral has been reformed and rebuilt several times and when looking closely it's easy to see the architectural differences from across the centuries. In addition to the Cathedral, the Gotico has a host of incredible Gothic style buildings, small quaint squares and of course the Picasso Museum.

Description:

Next door to the Casa Amatller, Casa Batlló was designed by Gaudí in 1905, and is hands-down the superior of the three works in the manzana. Using sensuous curves in iron and stone and glittering, luminous trencadis (collage of broken tiles and ceramic) on the facade, the Casa Batlló is widely thought to represent the legend of Saint George (the patron saint of Catalonia) and his dragon. The balconies are protected by imposing skull-like formations and supported by vertebrae-like columns representing the dragon's victims, while the spectacular roof is the dragon's humped and glossy scaled back. St. George can be seen in the turret, his lance crowned by a cross. The building was opened to the public in 2004, and although its admission price is steep compared to many other Gaudí attractions, the interior of the building is no less spectacular than the exterior, with sinuous staircases, flowing wood paneling, and a stained-glass gallery supported by yet more bonelike columns. Custom-made Gaudí-designed furniture is scattered throughout.

Description:

This is a mixture of Cuban-Asian cuisine, with African and European touches. Salads, Chicken with Onions and Caramel and other exotic dishes make an amazing menu. Algerian raï music creates atmosphere, and performances by a contortionist from Thursday to Saturday nights are not to be missed. Try the delightful homemade desserts.

Description:

This pride of the Born District is the business venture of Carles Abellan. A restaurant-cum-tapas bar, the venue also serves certain Asian, American and Italian specialties. There are three distinct seating areas, but the tall pillars, high ceiling, spotlights and yellow tone run through the whole interior. Besides delectable drinks, the bar with its individual table-space also features cold dishes prepared right in front of you. The dining section accommodates around 40 people and can be rented for private events. A visit here is a must; make sure to reserve a table in advance.