Erleben und Entdecken
Barcelona
"...the city pushes the limits of style and good taste in everything it does - and with amazing results.....The result is a vanguard city where rooftops drip toward the sidewalk, serpentine park benches twist past fairy-tale houses and an unfinished cathedral captures imaginations around the world." (Let's Go Europe Guide 2003).
Besides tourist flooded Las Ramblas from harbour to Place de Catalunya (city center), there is much more to find.....the medieval charm of Carrer de la Pietat and Carrer del Paradis is evolving.
For a good start I recommend to buy the "Ruta del Modernisme pass" for Gaudi's architecture, museums and other attractions.
resources
1. Seaside (harbours and beaches)
1.1 old harbour
Museu Maritim (should be reopened in 2012);
Museu d’Historie de Catalunja, 1881 Placa de Pau Vila 3 (palau de mar), without museum ticket go to panoramic roof terrace of the cafeteria; also several restos in same building
Santa Maria del Mar-Church in La Ribera (waterside) for coolhunters and gastronomic experiences,
Museu Picasso,
Parc de la Ciutadella with castel and zoo
Barceloneta with W-Hotel (Miami-style wet deck, Bravo 24 resto (chef: Carles Abellan), panoramabar Eclipse
1.2 platja (beaches)
Platja Sant Sebastia (near W-Hotel) for youngsters & surf schools
Platja Sant Miguel for gays
Platja Barceloneta & Platja Somorrostro for families, sports and fitness
Recommended addresses :
Agua (passeig Maritim 30, +34 932 251 272, www.grupotragaluz.com) mediterane cuisine
Llucanes (Placa de la Font, +34 932 242 525, www.restaurantllucanes.com) one Michelin star
Big Fish (carrer Commercial 9, +34 932 681728, www.bigfish.cat) evening resto & sushi
1.3 Port Olimpico
Yacht harbor, loungeclubs (e.g. CDLC , passeig Maritim 32, better during day than at partynights) , Frank Gehry’s fish sculpture, twin Towers with discos and restaurants around, Hotel Arts, best terrace at hotel Pullmann Barcelona Skipper, Platja Nova Icaria (lively beach)
1.4 Poblenou
Completely renewed (former weaving industrial) suburb with project 22@Barcelona to technology district with modern offices and lofts since year 2000, star architecture (e.g. Torre Agbar by Jean Nouvel (called el supositori, gurkin), Hotel ME by Philippe Starck in tower by Dominique Perrault.
Playa de Bogatelli (fishrestos), , Platja Mar Bella (FKK, sports), Platja Nova Mar Bella (for women)
Recommended addresses :
Els Encants Vells (2nd hand & vintage market Mo, WO FR & SA 07:00-15:00) www.encantsbcn.com
El Tio Che (Rambla del Poblenou 44, near metro Poblenou): offers since 1912 excellent granizados and orxata
Xiringuito escriba (ronda Litoral 42): beachresto at Playa de Bogatelli, paella, seafood and desserts,
+34 932 210729, www.escriba.es
1.5 modern architecture Forum
Edifici Forum (blue façade conference center by Herzog & de Meuron), *****hotels, luxury apartments, huge shopping center, Telefonica Tower, to come: university (designed by Zaha Hadid) and maritime Zoo, Futuristic Parc Diagonal Mar. Most people complain about no shadow or cool places being here.
recommended address:
cantina Marina Seca, Calle Pau 12 – Port Forum): simple resto for harbor staff, 3 course lunch for 9 Eur,
+34 933 563 058
Platja de Llevant (surrealistic landscape for photo shooting), Platja Nova (industry)
Mac Arena Mar beach-club , FR-So www.macarenamar.com.
2. Gay center
2.1 Gaixample
recommended address:
Men fashion shops: Special Events Man (carrer d’Aribau 26), Skulls Barcelona (carrer d’Aribau 37), M69 (carrer de Muntaner 69), Ritual (carrer de Muntaner 58)
Cocktailbar Dacksy (carrer de Consell de Cent 247), 80s-bar Museum Retro(Carrer del Comte d ‘Urgell 106), BimBamBum (carrer de Casanova 75)
Cinc Sentits (carrer d’Aribau 58), affordable Catalan haute cuisine, +34 933 239 490, www.cincsentits.com
Cornelia and Co (carrer de Valencia 225), delicatess shop and resto, +34 932 723 956
Deli Shop (carrer de Mallorca 241), delicatess shop
El Japones (Passaige de la Concepcio 2), minimalistic sushi resto, +34 934 872 592,
www.eljaponesdeltragaluz.com
Menjador (carrer de Valencia 193), modern catalan cuisine, +34 934 511 434, www.menjador-restaurant.com
Design shop Vincon (Passeig de Gracia 96)
2.2 El Raval
sights: Palau Guell by Gaudi is a modernist residence with spectacular interior,
Museu D'Art Contmporani (MACBA) exhibits avant-garde art after WW I
recommended address:
Barcelo Raval (Rambla del raval 17-21), designhotel, panoramic roof terrace, www.barcelo.com
Dos Palillos (carrer d’Elisabets 9), trendy fusion resto, trad. Tapasbar, +34 933 040 513, www.dospalillos.com
Dostrece (carrer del Carme 40), pleasant breakfast, lunch and coffie place, www.dostrece.net
La Central del Raval (carrer d’Elisabets 6) bookshop café in former church
La Penultima (carrer de la Riera Alta 40) alternative, shabby chic gay bar
Lailo (carrer de la Riera Baixa 20) vintage fashion and accessoires
Lullaby (carrer de la Riera Baixa 22) vintage fashion , accessoires, interior deco
Ulleras (carrer de les Ramelleres 3) specs from Maria Assumpta
The air Shop (carrer dels Angels 20) airbags
3. Non-touristic suburbs
3.1 Gracia
(locals, colourful, emerging, small shops & trendy world restos)
Park Guell with Gaudi’s famous mosaic and Casa-Museu Gaudi
Gran de garcia, Casa Vicens by Gaudi
Placa de la Virreina, Placa de la Vila de Gracia (best during day)
Placa del Sol (after noon)
Colourful, emerging, most small shops open at 4pm!
Recommended adresses:
Azpeleta & Martinez (carrer del penedes 12), young designer duo, www.azpeletaymartinez.com
Hackney (travessera a Gracia 164), bambas(=sneakers), www.hackneyshop.com
Aqui estoy yo (carrer del penedes 3), vintage
Sune by Suenos Negros (Carrer Verdi 11) fashion, www.suenosnegros.com
Anthony Llobet (Carrer Ros de Olano 19), retro hair cutter, www.anthonyllobet.com
Mushi Mushi (Placa de la vila de Gracia 5), lady fashion, www.mushimushicollection.com
Sho (Travessera de Gracia 163), streetdesign, gadgets, expo www.shobcn.com
BOO (carrer de la Per la 20), fashion, assessoires, www.boobcn.com
Los Patines de Celia (Carrer Verdi 28) bohemian fashion
La Nena Xocolateria (carrer ramon y Cajal 36), breakfast/lunch and sweets
FlashFlash ((Carrer Granada del Penedes 25) tortilleria
La Baignoire (Carrer Verdi 6) winebar
Nomo (Gran de Gracia 13) sushi & Japanese www.restaurantenomo.com
3.2 Eixample Esquerra
(art nouveau, bohemian suburb, culinary restos for wining & dining at decent prices,
Carrer Diagonal (locals preferred place, restos and young designer shops)
Carrer Enric Granados (culinary heart, lots of Sushi)
sights are Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia, La Manzana de la Discordia (3 houses), and Casa Mila.
Recommended adresses:
Monvinic (Carrer Disputacio 249) futuristic winebar & resto www.monvinic.com
Habaluc (carrer Enric Granados 4) healthy cuisine & terrific desserts
Cinc Sentits (carrer d’Aribau 58), affordable Catalan haute cuisine, +34 933 239 490, www.cincsentits.com
On Sushi (carrer Rosello 154) extraordinary sushi, www.onsushirestaurant.com
Nagomi (Carrer Muntaner 231) affordable sushi tent
Shibui (carrer Comte d’Urgell 272) sushi & Tataki Uramakil icecream, www.shibuirestaurantes.com
Paco Meralgo (Carrer Muntaner 171) tapas, www.pacomeralgo.com
Me (Carrer Paris 162) terrific fusion Barcelona/New Orleans/Vietnam, www.catarsiscuisine.com
Semproniana (carrer Rosello 148) Catalans cuisine in former library, www.semproniana.net
Igueldo (carrer Rosello 186) Basque cuisine, www.restauranteigueldo.com
Cornelia and Co (carrer de Valencia 225), delicatess shop and resto, +34 932 723 956
www.corneliaandco.com also with neighbouring shops Dolso for cupcakes and Crusto for bread
shops:
Ailanto (carrer Enric Granados 46) pricey fashion design, www.ailanto.com
Juan Antonio Lopez (carrer consell de Cent 240) shoes, www.juanantoniolopez.com
L’Appartement (carrer Enric Granados 44) designshop+Galery, www.lappartement.es
Kowasa (carrer Mallorca 235) photobooks & expo, www.kowasa.com
3.3 Poble Sec
(non-touristic workers suburb, best for evenings, out)
Placa Sortidor
Carrer Blai
On hill Montjuic picknick on Sundays (bring your wine and tapas), Castell de Montjuice (Museu Militar)
Fonts luminoses with Palau Nacional and Museu Nacional d'Art de Cataluna
Fundacio Miro with museum
Recommended adresses:
Solea (Placa Sortidor), top salads and humus
Sortidor (Placa Sortidor) best suburb rest, www.sortidor.com
Quimet&Quimet (carrer Poeta Cabanyes 25), small wine&tapas bar
Bar Ramon (carrer Blai 28-30) small resto with Canary islands specialties
Bar Rouge (carrer Poeta Cabanyes 21)red world with music, cocktails, artists and fashionistas
Apolo (carrer Nou de la Rambla 113) famous disco
Cerveceria Jazz (carrer Margarit 43) pleasant beer bar
Bodega del Onze (Carrer Blai 8) popular cocktail bar
La Bella Napoli (carrer Margarit 14) excellent Italian, long queues
4. others
FC Barcelona's Soccer Stadion Camp Nou opens at 10:00, with soccer museum, photo shoot with digitized famous soccer player
Mercat de la Boqueria (Rambla de Sant Joseph) farmers market
5. trips around Barcelona
mountain of Montserrat with monastery, museum and funicular is 1 hr away.
Girona, a sleeping beauty of an medieval half paired with a modern bustling city, is worth a visit being only 1.5 hrs away from Barcelona. Most sights are in the old city. Santa Feliu, Museu capitular, Cafe El Bistrot
Figueres, Dali birthplace (touristic), famous for the Teatro-Museu Dali, is only 40 min. away
Cadaques has Dali's summer home Casa Museu Savador Dali.
Pubol: Castle of Gala
Besalu: medieval town at river El Fluvia (picturesque place)
picturesque villages along the winding coastal road route from Barcelona to Cap de Creus: Calella, Tamariu, Liafranc, Empuries
Tossa de Mar with its spiraling medieval alleys in its cliff studed landscape has kept its charm.