Hotels
There are all types of places in Barcelona,
and no shortage of truly stylish places. Here's what I'm looking at now, but feel free to email me with your favorites!
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Hotel Constanza
33 Bruc, 08010
011-34-93-270-1910
011-34-93-317-4024 (fax)
info@hotelconstanza.com
Located three blocks from the Passeig de Gracia, this modern and very
pretty hotel is convenient to some of the big Gaudi sites, as
well as a pleasant walk from the Placa Catalunya and the Ramblas.
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Hotel Gran Via (Juan Gomez)
Granvia de los Cortes Catallanes 642
011-34-93 318-1900
011-34-93 318-9997 (fax)
hgranvia@nnhotels.es
A pleasant if old-fashioned hotel with clean, serviceable rooms.
Also close to Placa Catalunya and the Ramblas, the staff is especially
warm and helpful here.
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Hotel Toledano,
34 93-3010872, Las Ramblas 138. You can't beat the location at the top
of the Ramblas, but this basic inexpensive hotel offers warm
hospitality as well as low prices.
Eats
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 La Fonda,
Carrer dels Escudellers, 10, (34) 93 301 75
15, A favorite lunch and dinner spot just off the Ramblas, about 100
meters south of the Placa Reial.
People line up every evening to get in to this airy place that specializes
in Catalan home cooking in a relaxed but elegant atmosphere. Paellas are
large and usually meant for two, but try any of their seafood specialties
are great and inexpensive.
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 Els Quatre Gats,
Montsió 3,
011-34-93-302-41-40, in the Barri Gotic off of Portal de l’Angel. Famed as a hangout for artists, not the least of whom
was Picasso, the Four Cats has atmosphere, as well as delicious food.
It's not cheap, but worth it for a special meal out. The
“Four Cats” is Catalan slang for “just a few people”) and this
fin-de-siècle cafe has been the setting for poetry readings by Joan
Maragall, piano concerts by Isaac Albéniz and Ernie Granados, and murals
by Ramón Casas.
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Taverna Basca Irati, (34) 933-023-084 A block off the Ramblas, behind
arcade at Carrer Cardenal Casanyes 17, Metro: Liceu. Serves all kinds of
hot and cold Basque pintxos --open-faced sandwiches. Grab a plate from the
waiter, and help yourself. It works on the honor system: youpay according
to the number of toothpicks left on your plate when you’re done.
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Cal
Pep, (34) 93-310-7961, 8 Plaça de les Olles. A wonderful, noisy,
hectic, boistrous, brimming over with energy and personality. Try the
small baby clams in a broth seasoned with Jabugo ham, hot peppers, garlic
and parsley, lightly fried artichokes, fresh, fat, lightly fried sardines,
anchovies served on layers of potatoes and tomatoes, drizzled with olive
oil; oven baked bacala topped with sauteed greens; razor clams (“havalles”
in Catalan) cooked on the grill; fried peppers; fried calamari that dipped
in allioli; and an oven baked llobina (whiting) with garlic, red chile
pepper, and olive oil.
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El
Xampanyet, (34) 93-319-7003, 22 Montcada. This tapas bar is a great
place for Cava with some local anchovies.
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Bar
Pinotxo, (34) 93-317-1731, 66-67 La Boquería market. A good stop
while you're shopping in the Boqueria or on the Ramblas.
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Sights
 La Boqueria.
Go there. One
of Europe's great food markets, just off the Ramblas, and a wonderful
place to pick up cheeses, Jamon de Jabugo, as well as the tastiest
little anchovies you've ever had.
Official site.
La Sagrada Familia,
Calle Mallorca, 9-6(Oct-Mar), 9-8 (Apr-Sep). Without doubt, the most
visited construction site in the world, Antoni Gaudi's expiatory temple
of faith is magnificent even half-built.
Picasso Museum,
(34) 93-319-6310, 15-19 c. Montcada,
Tue-Sat 10am-8pm; Sun
10am-3pm. One of the most highly
touristed places in Barcelona, but the collection is
not-to-be-missed, and worth the wait.
 Fundacio Joan Miro,
Parc de
Montjuïc, s/n, (34) 934.439.470.
The ultimate collection of Catalan artist Joan Miro.
 National Museum of Catalan Art or MNAC,
Palau Nacional. Parc de Montjuïc,
Modernism Center,
(34) 93-488-0139, 41 Passeig de
Gracia, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday till 2. A good place for information
about Gaudí and other modernist architects. At the center you can pick
up a map and discount tickets to the Palau de la Música and three
museums.
 Casa Milà
(la Pedrera), (34) 93-484-5995,
92 Passeig de Gracia,
10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
 Casa
Batlló,
(34) 93-488-0666, 43 Passeig de Gracia,
open Sunday till 8. One of the three fabulous Modernista houses that
make up the Manzana de Discordia, or block of Discord. Batllo tell the
story of Barcelona's patron St. George. The roof of the house
depicts the spine of the dragon St. Jordi fought, and the macabre bony
balconies show the grisly remains of the dragon's victims.
St. Eulalia Cathedral,
(34) 93-315-1554, Pla de la Seu,
closed for the long Spanish lunch.
 Parc Güell,
(34) 93-213-0488, Carrer d'Olot,
Park free; museum
€1.80, May-Aug: 10am-9pm. Gaudi's fantasyland of open spaces and
relaxing shady passageways isn't easy to get to, but worth the trip.
Palau Guell,
(34) 93-317-3974, 3-5 Nou de la
Rambla, $3 , The Palau is closed until January 2009.
 Barceloneta.
That part of town was built after King Philip V pushed all the workers
out of the area east of the Born in order to build his new fortress, the
Ciutadella. It’s still got the feel of a working-class fishing village —
laundry hung from balconies, the smell of fried seafood in the air. The
streets are close and a little gritty, but if you look straight down
them, you’ll get beautiful views of sand and sea. Theaters
 Gran Teatro Liceu - La
Rambla, 51-59; +34 93 485 99 00. Barcelona's grand opera house.
 Palau de la Musica
- Pasaje Palau 4, off Via Laietana,
Metro: Urquinaona; +34 93 295 72 00.
One of the most beautiful concert halls in Europe, designed by Lluis
Domenech i Montaner.
Mercat de les Flors - Lleida, 59; +34 93
4261875. A venue for contemporary dance.
L’Auditori- carrer Lepant 150, Metro: Glories, Monumental. A
modern venue for traveling jazz and contemporary music groups. |
One of the most beautiful cities in all of Europe is Barcelona.
Known for its unique Modernista architecture and independent
sensibilities, Barcelona is also one of the most welcoming and friendliest
of the major European capitals. And the food-- you can't beat the
food.