Emma Killick throws her agenda out of the window and strolls around Barcelona. It all starts when you get off the train at Fontana station. Images: Wikimedia Commons.
But first, a siesta...
Usually when I visit a new city, top of my list of priorities is making sure I hit all the landmark buildings and museums. In Barcelona, I seem to have been distracted. The food, bars, shops and sea just got in the way.
Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia and Casa Mila are must sees, the parks are beautiful and the Picasso Museum is worth a visit; but the ancient little streets of Barri Gotic, the grand avenues of Eixample and the quirky tiny roads of the Gracia are just as inspiring and interesting.
Because so much wonderful architecture is interspersed throughout the city, I still felt like I was getting my fill of culture, while I was actually fervently shopping, eating and drinking.
So, we threw my agenda out the window and instead just strolled, stopping for food and drink when we needed a break. Each new area we explored became our favourite. The service and friendliness of people was extraordinary. Oh and the swimming was glorious (hoorah for 30 degrees in mid-September!) – the sea was warm, the beach was clean and quiet, and the string of beachfront bars and restaurants provided the sustenance needed after all that lying around on the beach.
Here are my tips to help you have a fab time in Barcelona, although I really don’t think you can go wrong as most of the city is a visual and gastronomic delight. You could spend a day, or at least half a day, in each of the areas below.
Gracia Quarter
Our concierge gave us a great recommendation that I’d like to pass along: start at the Fontana metro station and simply meander your way through the Gracia district.
If you head in a south east direction, you’ll end up only a short walk from Sagrada Familia, while south, after crossing Avenida Diagonal, you’ll reach Casa Mila. But don’t hurry through the Gracia district: apart from various plazas where you’ll find plenty of places offering tapas and cervezas (we liked Placa del Sol for people watching and a touch of tapas), this district has an edgy feel with a wide variety of small artisan stores – quirky boutiques, specialty tea and wine shops – mixed in with traditional barbers and dusty electrical shops. Most stores in this area close for a siesta.
Eat, shop, eat, eat
And for something really special you have to try Con Gracia restaurant. And I mean really special. The space is tiny – about 20 covers – and simply but beautifully designed. The two front of house staff had the perfect combination of food knowledge, attention to detail, sense of humour, and knew when to leave you alone.
The food was incredible and very reasonable for the quality (€49 for 5 courses). There are only two options on the menu: the “surprise” or the “tradition”. The “tradition” isn’t that traditional, but if you are going for a special experience, you may as well trust the chef and go for the “surprise” (they’ll ask if there is anything you won’t eat and modify the menu accordingly).
You can also opt for the surprise wine tasting, where the sommelier picks the wine and gives you a glass to match each course – again, highly recommended and very good value (an extra €25 per person). I could rave about this restaurant for weeks on end, but here are the highlights of the highlights: a foie gras and miso soup with truffle oil that, somehow, was silky and viscous, subtle and rich; and the most amazing and perfectly matched wines, including a thick figgy dessert wine (called Alvear Pedro Ximénez Montilla-Moriles Solera) to go with the beautiful rich chocolate birthday cake they made especially for me.
Michelin star-like in quality and style, but without pretension (the waitress ran down the winding back streets to find us after we left the restaurant without taking the rest of the cake!), this restaurant is one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever had. Con Gracia Restaurante, Martinez de la Rosa 8, (www.congracia.es), +34 932 380201 (reservations are essential).
Eixample Quarter
Casa Mila, Sagrada Familia, and several other Gaudi buildings are in this area. The outside of Sagrada Familia won’t disappoint, but the inside might. My partner bluntly said “what a rip off”. We all know the church is unfinished, but it is a little weird to be restricted to walking straight through the transept as the rest of the interior is filled with bulldozers and men donning hard hats and tool belts. (See here for further information and for total Gaudi fans, join the Gaudi Club.
This part of town is also known for shopping. Rambla Catalunya (better known as “Las Ramblas”) is a long boulevard filled with shops and restaurants, with most restaurants setting up outside eating areas in the centre of the boulevard. The shopping on this street is mostly your standard high street fare, with some touristy stuff thrown in, but there are streets that run off and parallel to Las Ramblas that offer a wide variety of goods (try Placa Catalunya, Passeig de Gràcia, Diagonal, and Avinguda del Portal de l’Angel).
Kate Moss loves Spanish brand Mango. So does Spain.
If you are taking a rest between the shopping and the sightseeing, there’s a nice little friendly bar called Gran Foc, Roger de Lluria 23, (www.granfoc.com), + 34 933 043020 (yeah, it was the name that got us to stop). For fabulous tapas, try Ciudad Comtal, Rambla de Catalunya 18. The restaurant is huge and extremely busy, but it is busy for good reason. If you can squeeze up to the bar, check out the amazing array of tapas on display. We had giant mushrooms with ham that was earthy, salty and juicy. The salted and fried peppers (pimentos) were also excellent here. I do need to explain that there’s a system at Ciudad Comtal. It’s complicated, but worth deciphering because the food is fantastic. Read this to avoid the bewilderment we suffered for more than half and hour:
- They don’t take reservations.
- For dinner, arrive before 8:30 or after 10:30 if you don’t want to wait for a long time.
- Don’t walk straight up to the outside eating area in the middle of the boulevard to try and get a table: the waiters will ignore you.
- Also ignore the bar that has beer taps that opens directly to the street. Seems like an obvious place to get a drink and ask for a table. Wrong. It is for the waiters to use to serve those already seated.
- For a table: go inside and to the left behind the bar that has the beer taps and you’ll spot a hostess behind a podium. Make your way toward her. When your table is ready, she’ll look for you or shout out your name unceremoniously.
- For a drink: elbow your way toward the bar inside with all the tapas on it and shout out what you want when the bartender is vaguely looking in your direction – in Spanish is better but English won’t be ignored.
- Be pushy. If you aren’t you’ll be hungry and thirsty.
Once you’ve mastered this, you can then stand outside enjoying a drink and giving advice to confused-looking would-be diners. It is very satisfying!
Barri Gotic Quarter
The Barrí Gotic is the Roman centre of Barcelona, with narrow cobbled streets housing antique shops, small bookstores and young fashion designers.
You’ll find a treat of a bar here too: 4 Gats – also a favourite with Holiday Goddess editor Tamara Pitelen. The Four Cats is an historical and memorable place. Unlike Tamara, we went late at night but it was still deserted. We hovered over a couple of chairs, but a smiling bartender directed us to a table that was close to the bar, saying that it was the best seat because we would be able to hear the live music coming in from the restaurant. I loved everything about this place: the paintings, the tiles, the friendly service. It felt like visiting an old friend. 4 Gats, Carrer Montsio (just off Avinguda del Portal de l”Angel), (http://www.4gats.com/) +34 933 024140.
Platja de la Barceloneta
For a lovely sea break, head to Platja de la Barceloneta. We were lucky enough to stay in the Hotel Arts Barcelona, Carrer de la Marina 19-21, (www.hotelartsbarcelona.com), +34 932 211000. The rooms were modern and stylish with one of the most sumptuous beds I’ve ever slept in, the service was great (again!), and the flowers in the lobby were spectacular and bring flower arranging to a whole new level. The big fish sculpture (the “peix”) between the hotel and the beach is typical Gehry: easily identifiable, amazing from a distance and up close, and constantly interesting because of its seemingly changing colour throughout the day.
The hotel and the big fish are next to the “new” marina – all of it built for the 1992 Olympics. The beaches are gorgeous and underneath Gehry’s peix are a variety of ginormous and extravagantly decorated restaurants, bars and clubs on Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta. The best way to get to these eateries is via the beach: walk to the end of Carrer de la Marina and you’ll see a decked boulevard at the back of the beach. They all have a relatively small covered area facing the beach and then a vast other-worldly inside. We liked Carpe Diem Lounge Club, Passeig Marítim 32, (http://www.cdlcbarcelona.com) +34 932 240470, done in an Asian theme with comfy seating. The drinks were great and – guess what? – the service came with a smile…
Emma Killick is a contributor to The Holiday Goddess Handbag Guide
