La Barcelonista

la barceloneta beach

2008-11-29T15:38:00.000-08:00

a view of barceloneta beach from one of the cube-rock jetties

c/ ferran

2008-11-11T00:08:00.001-08:00

c/ ferran is another of barcelona's busy and touristy streets, though not as well known as its neighbors las ramblas or passeig de gracia. ferran connects las ramblas at metro liceu with laietana at metro jaume i. if you have to make the connection from the green to yellow metro lines, i recommend skipping the long hot underground switch at passeig de gracia (if you have an unlimited pass) and just taking a leisurely stroll from liceu to jaume i.

ferran is lined with shops, restaurants, and an entrance to plaça reial. there is a leather shop that always has very nice wares on display in the window and even a pet store with puppies! my favorite gelato shop in the whole world is also on this street, and you can get absolutely delicious gelato for much cheaper than some of the other nearby shops, despite the convenient location. it's called lato gelato. try the rich rich rich chocolate and the wonderful banana. i wanted to link to another online review, but there is absolutely nothing online, so you'll have to find it on your own as i don't remember the address. it's on the north (as in the side farthest from the sea) side of ferran near las ramblas!

also, if you are on an extreme budget and/or a vegetarian and cannot cook for yourself, you can get a falafel at pita inn (right near lato gelato) on this street for 1.99. i know a lot of people are loyal to maoz, a hipper and flashier shop on las ramblas, but pita inn serves up nearly the same product for half the price (though it completely lacks the atmosphere and...cleanliness). as an added incentive, pita inn often lacks the late night, well, questionable clientele that maoz seemed to attract around closing, due to its location near the dark alleys around la boqueria. not a threatening crowd, but you'll see what i mean if you find yourself there past 1am.

if you're in barcelona for a short while and are looking for a good walk through the city, I'd recommend starting at plaça catalunya, walking down las ramblas, taking a left on ferran, crossing laeitana and making a slight left onto c/ de l'argenteria, passing the church of santa maria del mar and making a u-turn at the end of passeig del born, you'll have a nice little intro to some of barcelona's big stops! even better, keep this route as your base route, and wander off course if you can amongst the streets of the ciutat vella. as long as you can find the big streets, you'll never be too far from the metro. in the next post i'll go over some must-do's, must-tastes, and must buys along the rough route just mentioned.

restaurant set portes

2008-11-02T10:58:00.001-08:00

this restaurant is well-known among locals and tourists alike for its catalan cuisine and its famous clientele. in the past, celebrities and political figures such as che guevara, errol flynn, joan miró, pele, loud reed, pablo picasso, and salvador dalí have dined beneath the restaurant's frilly peach lampshades. now very popular with tourists, the restaurant serves up paellas and other classic spanish fare, often with waits out the door. i don't like paella, it's generally too salty for my taste with too many little mysterious fish-related pieces in it, but set portes has a "paella parellada" which has all the meat and seafood deboned and shelled, which is convenient for those people who are creeped out by antennae and shell bits. i still was not too much of a fan (take that with a grain of salt as i rarely am when it comes to paella), but what i did love were the seafood canelons (canelloni) and the "espinacs amb panses i pinyons
a la catalana," catalan style spinach with pine nuts and sultanas (turkish white raisins). they were both delightful, and were much less expensive than a large paella. the restaurant is open from 13:00 to 1:00 without interruption (that's 1pm to 1am) and does have a line out the door during peak hours. definitely not my favorite restaurant in all of barcelona, but if you are looking for an old time catalan experience in a slightly frilly environment, i would call this the place.

la barceloneta

2008-10-22T00:25:00.000-07:00

rebecca horn's "homentage a la barceloneta" on the beach in la barceloneta

la mercé

2008-08-29T21:38:00.000-07:00

a tiny picture from la mercé

sagrada familia

2008-07-23T19:08:00.000-07:00

some more windows, seen from inside sagrada familia

montserrat

2008-06-05T00:33:00.000-07:00

a viewpoint at montserrat, near the tables of sweets and nuts for sale. pick up some delicious candied almonds if you have a chance.

c/ de guillem tell

2008-06-02T01:16:00.000-07:00

a residential street in the eastern side of gracia

a little castellera

2008-05-22T19:26:00.000-07:00

the top-tier, or enxaneta, of one of the la merce castelles, climbing back down to the ground. Here are some more facts on the tower arrangement.

creatures

2008-05-21T09:46:00.000-07:00

more animals for sale on las ramblas

un perrito

2008-05-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

a cute little dog standing guard in front of the wine shop near the entrance to la boqueria.

three little boats

2008-05-15T23:42:00.000-07:00

some little pink sailboats at the beach at tossa de mar.

la pedrera

2008-05-14T21:51:00.001-07:00

a barcelona classic, right on passeig de gracia. these are some of the sculptured chimneys on top of the roof. much of the building, including the attic and roof, are accessible, and a lot of the pretty rooms are filled with period furniture as it would have been seen in its time. there's a fee to get in, but if the sky is blue, it's worth it for the rooftop photo ops alone. too cheap? the awesome bookstore downstairs is free for all to access, but you should really head over to vinçon, a greeeaaattt store right nearby. the second story, which houses their furniture department, is in an old beautiful house with windows, ceilings, and stellar fireplaces all intact. even if you do make it into la pedrera (also known as casa mila), you should stop here after for a look around and a souvenir. their kitchen wares department is awesome. i came home with a pair of chick-shaped salt and pepper shakers, though the house-shaped incense burner they keep near the register was my favorite item in the place.

barceloneta beach

2008-05-13T02:02:00.000-07:00

a typical day on the beach in barceloneta, late summer 2006. note the varying degrees of undress present. it can be a little shocking for visitors from the u.s. and other countries not accustomed to toplessness. the sand is coarse in a good way, the kind with grains big enough to brush off yourself and your stuff easily, but not so big to classify them as pebbles, not even close. but it will stain your towel if it's damp. the water is warm and the surf is small. it's all around delightful.

cava factory

2008-05-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

the bottling portion of the freixenet cava tour.

sitges

2008-05-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

a quiet little street in the gay-friendly beach resort town of sitges. you can get there in less than an hour from plaça catalunya on a train, and it's a nice little change of pace during the summer. they also have a horror film fest in october, and a fun looking carnaval. here's a little video.

the funicular to tibidabo

2008-05-06T17:21:00.000-07:00

view up the tracks to tibidabo from the funicular station

montserrat

2008-05-05T18:49:00.000-07:00

another nice view from montserrat.

palau nacional

2008-05-04T18:24:00.000-07:00

now home of museu nacional d'art de catalunya, this impressive castle sits up on a hill overlooking placa espanya and the font magica.

una ventana

2008-05-02T14:22:00.000-07:00

an apartmnet window on c/ cervantes near plaça sant jaume, seen from hostal sol y k.

street art

2008-05-01T01:05:00.000-07:00

raval, winter 2006

cranes

2008-04-22T10:07:00.000-07:00

parc guell

2008-04-18T18:30:00.000-07:00

a view of the ceiling amidst the pillars in gaudi's parc guell

we're back!

2008-04-16T00:59:00.000-07:00

though most of my photos were lost to a computer thief and his deleting ways, i'm doing what i can to keep posting. so here's the first of the new ones, some detail on the façade of sagrada familia.

2008-04-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

sorry for the lack of posts in the last month. between my computer being stolen (and all my photos being deleted) and a trip out of the country, it's been a struggle to get new posts in. i'm working on getting the photos recovered and getting back in action! moral of the story: backup your stuff!

the city

2008-02-21T01:32:00.000-08:00

a view of the city from the top of sagrada familia. if you're there on a clear day and you have a camera, it's really worth going up to the top. better yet, head to tibidabo.

plaça catalunya

2008-02-21T01:30:00.000-08:00

caj chai

2008-02-21T01:26:00.000-08:00

pronounced "chai chai," this cozy little teteria is one of my very favorite establishments in the city, rivalling only a granja or two. modeled after the teahouses of prague, it's tucked away, far from the maddening crowds of las ramblas and c/ ferran, and it serves a mean spicy chai, garnished with a hot candied orange slice. if they still have the one with canary sprinkles, get that, but i think it might have been taken off the menu. anyways, there's a bike rack outside, a bookshelf full of borrow-able books in english and spanish, and a great, warm atmosphere. they also serve mate, for all you argentinians out there. highly recommended for a rainy day, or any day for that matter. the people who work there are also awesome and possibly quadrilingual. but they'll tolerate your attempts at spanish, which is wonderful. just be aware that when you're looking for it, st. domenec de call doesn't connect with ferran. i got a little lost the first time i headed over.

macba / art galleries

2008-02-12T22:40:00.000-08:00

i like macba. it's housed in a richard meier-designed building that pops out of the otherwise expected landscape. try approaching it from the ronda sant antoni side when seeing it for the first time if you're looking for a bright white surprise. the bookshop is fantastic for souvenirs and all things barcelona or art. it is also the place to find skateboarders in barcelona. look out for some characters. if you're looking for something a little smaller, a little more free, check out some of the born art galleries like iguapop or mercado. they have nice rotating exhibitions and awesome stores as well. pick up a copy of lecool's guide to barcelona while you're there. you won't regret it.

font mágica

2008-02-06T23:08:00.000-08:00

a free water show set to deafeningly loud music. it happens every 30 minutes during the summer. go after it gets dark to see it at it's best. and stand back if you want to save your hearing. just beware that it gets veeerrrrry crowded during peak times.

plaça catalunya

2008-02-05T00:49:00.000-08:00

the world's most excellent vending machine downstairs at the las ramblas entrance to the plaça catalunya metro station.

la sagrada familia

2008-01-30T21:56:00.001-08:00

a must-see for every first time visitor to barcelona, the unfinished masterpiece is rumored by some to be endangered by the construction of a new high speed train that's to be built beneath it. maybe true, maybe not, either way, it's awesome.

creatures

2008-01-28T23:06:00.000-08:00

more creatures for sale on las ramblas.

palau de la generalitat

2008-01-24T19:19:00.000-08:00

the palau de la generalitat on placa sant jaume in the ciutat vella. more info here! limited visits are allowed, check that website out for details.

nuts!

2008-01-24T00:54:00.000-08:00

some neutral tones at la boqueria

museu frederic marés

2008-01-22T18:04:00.000-08:00

i've never been to this strange sounding little museum, but it's supposed to contain some pretty interesting stuff, including a "museu sentimental" with artifacts from daily life in barcelona over the last couple of centuries, and a lot of wonderful sculptures. admission is pretty cheap too, so it's probably worth a look. i have been to this adjacent outdoor patio, however, and it's a wonderful place to sit and take a break from the city. it's quiet, with a little bubbling fountain, and pretty orange trees, all tucked next to the cathedral through a little gateway. there are a few benches there, and usually even fewer people, so it's a nice place to read or relax. there is also a little cafe (though i have never seen it open) and windows that look into the museu d'história de la ciutat where you can see a little of the roman history that lies beneath the city. the patio closes with the museum.

street art

2008-01-15T23:48:00.000-08:00

by miss van, raval, winter 2006

little diver

2008-01-15T03:27:00.000-08:00

tossa de mar, july 2007

inside bcn apartments

2008-01-14T20:51:00.000-08:00

if you're looking for a place to stay in barcelona and you've got a lot of people in your group, these apartments are a great option (they look just like the pictures on the website, too). we stayed in the esparteria building, in the two bedroom apartment, and it comfortable fit our party of five, though one person was on a pull-out sofa bed. still, at 150 euros per night, it comes out pretty close to what a hostal would cost for all five of us, and these apartments have much more to offer. clean, comfortable, and in a wonderful location; add air conditioning and a view of santa maria del mar from one of your three little balconies and you have a real winner. as an added bonus, the english-speaking front desk is located on the ground floor of the esparteria building (and about two doors down from vidreria), and they were extremely accomodating. they had hair dryers for us and arranged for a taxi pick-up at 5am. i highly recommend this place, especially for families with children. the location, in my opinion, is unbeatable. right off passeig del born, nestled between ciutat vella and the ocean, close enough to everything, but not too loud. plus you can pick up some late night slices from pizza del born around the corner (get the hawaiian!).

carrer de montcada

2008-01-10T00:49:00.000-08:00

in ciutat vella, behind santa maria del mar in the el born neighborhood is a little street called carrer de montcada. on it you will find the pictured ceramics store. it may not be the least touristy store around, but it's a great place to pick up reasonable, useful souvenirs. the older man behind the counter is delightful. i was sniffling with a cold the last time that i was there, and he was very concerned that i get healthy and also carefully wrapped each piece of ceramic in a tremendous amount of newspaper after asking if i would be travelling with them. i am always delighted to buy things here. also on the street you will find the picasso museum and xampanyet, a great place to mingle with locals and savvy tourists while munching on some authentic barceclona style tapas and cava. read the reviews here for a pretty good idea of what's going on. there's also rumored to be a shop that will fill up old wine bottles from their barrels for one euro, though i never found it. its a good street to wander down. make sure you also stop into the tea shop near the corner of passeig del born for a nice hot sample or a pretty kettle.

paella

2008-01-08T17:47:00.000-08:00

paelleras, or paella pans, for sale in front of a store in el born on plaça de palau. i've never cared too much for paella, though can majó seems to be a visitor favorite, in no small part due to its location. avoid paella tourist traps at all costs. they're salty and gross and not worth your time or money. and if you find yourself at les set portes, i recommend skipping the paella and having a light meal of the delicious seafood canneloni and perhaps a side of spinach with raisins and pine nuts. but remember, i don't like the stuff too much, so don't trust me. here are some more recommendations if you want to give paella a go.

meat

2008-01-03T01:09:00.000-08:00

keep an eye out for some very interesting meats in la boqueria, or any old grocery store around barcelona. some of the more unusual fare that you don't usually see in stateside grocers are whole rabbits, sheep heads, and some interesting innards. head to the far left or far right of boqueria for the most bizarre creatures and their parts, but avoid it if you have a less than exploratory appetite.

bon nadal!

2007-12-25T11:46:00.000-08:00

christmas 2006.

bon nadal!

2007-12-24T12:06:00.000-08:00

candy houses in a store window near c/ de mallorca, december 2006. bon nadal.

la granja

2007-12-23T00:45:00.000-08:00

an adorable little granja on c/ banys (pronounced bansh) nous, 4 in the heart of the barri gotic. it's not always open, so be sure to check the hours before you go. it's a nice break on a cold day, i especially like their 'suis' chocolate. after your chocolate break, head down the rest of banys nous and check out the antique stores, full of exquisite antique furniture and fashions. it's where some of kate winslet's glittery gowns from titanic were discovered.

bicycles

2007-12-22T14:41:00.000-08:00

if you want to get a good, comprehensive familiarity with your surroundings and the layout of the city, there are few options better than a guided bicycle tour of the city. you move fast, and the city is relatively flat and compact, so you see a lot, all accompanied by a history lesson from your english-speaking guide. the bikes are easy, and it's less difficult to navigate the city in a large group than you would think, though most of the tour groups tend to stay relatively small. there are designated bike zones on all busy streets, so you're safe too. once you've mastered the routes, you can sign up for a bicing membership, or buy a bicycle from loquo, the free classifieds of barcelona.

parc guell

2007-12-20T20:51:00.000-08:00

amongst gaudi's pillars in parc guell.

la mercé

2007-12-19T22:07:00.000-08:00

a little devil on via laietana during la mercé.

cosmocaixa

2007-12-18T16:04:00.000-08:00

a hermit crab in a tank at cosmocaixa.

montserrat

2007-12-16T23:09:00.000-08:00

on a clear day, the view from montserrat can be quite impressive. be sure to check out the pretty, mosaic-covered chapel and if they're there, buy some of the candied almonds from the cart attendants near the funicular.there's also a famous boys choir that performs twice daily. some history.

perpignan

2007-12-15T17:11:00.000-08:00

if you're looking for an international weekend trip, your closest option is france. you can catch a train to perpignan, stopping at the border to switch trains. it's the closest sizable town/city to barcelona, and its very different from spain. they speak french and catalan there, but don't expect to get by with castillian. there's also the 13th century palace of the kings of majorca, which you can explore. it's also home of the pictured garden. the sunday market in the town's main square has a great selection of very french things like cheeses and crepes and lavender, so you can really feel like you got your france's worth.

la catedral de santa eulália

2007-12-12T16:45:00.000-08:00

the cathedral has a gothic cloister that is home to 13 white geese representing the 13 years of the life of saint eulalia who was killed by being placed in a barrel stuck through with knives and rolled through the city. horrible story, beautiful cloister.

museu de zoologia

2007-12-11T18:19:00.000-08:00

located in the parc de la ciutadella, the museum is a bit of an oddity, with tons and tons of stuffed and preserved animals of every kind, like these snails, housed in big glass cases. a nice kitschy day. on the first sunday of every month, the city's museums are free, including this one.

parc guell

2007-12-10T10:18:00.000-08:00

up in gracia is the famous parc guell, designed by antoni gaudí. It can be reached by metro (green line lesseps), though it's a bit of a walk from the station and very steep. there are also a number of busses that will take you up the hill. it's a must for anyone photographing barcelona, as it affords views of the surrounding city as well as architectural amazingness. not my favorite gaudi site, but worth the visit. entrance to the park is free, though there is a museum inside that charges admission which can be combined in a special price for those also visiting sagrada familia.

street art

2007-12-09T02:03:00.000-08:00

poble sec, winter 2006

la mercé

2007-12-06T00:18:00.000-08:00

human tower, or castell, in plaça sant jaume the morning after the fiery parade down via laietana.

santa maria del mar

2007-12-04T18:53:00.000-08:00

the ceiling inside the door of santa maria del mar, a gothic church in the ribera quarter of the ciutat vella.

street art

2007-12-04T18:46:00.000-08:00

road to parc guell, fall 2006

laberint d'horta

2007-12-03T22:08:00.000-08:00

a former estate and the oldest gardens in barcelona, the labyrinth of horta is made up of three levels of gardens complete with fountains, sculptures, and a maze for which it is named. there's a small admission charge, but i think thursdays are free. the park, one of many in the city, is a short walk from the end of the blue line in horta.

cadaqués

2007-12-03T19:48:00.000-08:00

a funny house in cadaques

barceloneta

2007-11-28T21:47:00.000-08:00

tourist and local-filled sandy manmade beach where the sand will stain your towel red and you will literally have to fight off offers of 'masajes' and 'cerveza cold beer agua fria.' and the occassional begging dog. Grab a drink and some food at princesa 23 or one of the other beach-side snack shacks and enjoy the warm water and blazing sun. wear sunscreen.

cadaqués

2007-11-27T18:50:00.000-08:00

cadaqués is a quaint little fishing town about two hours north of barcelona. it's easily reached by taking a train to figueres, then catching the bus from the station across the street. we stumbled upon a small hostel that rented a whole apartment to our group of six for ninety euros, which was quite the deal for everyone having a bed and linens, plus a kitchen, living room, and balcony. i think it was called hostal el ranxo. there was a restaurant downstairs and the staff was extremely friendly and spoke the clearest spanish to us.
there are also two cute cafes pretty much on the sand on the beach, several pretty churches, and a bunch of general cuteness.
dalí spent a significant amount of time there, and it's supposedly the place where he discovered modern painting on a family vacation. so there's that as well. you can make it a full-force dalí trip by spending some time at the museum in figueres before catching the bus to cadaques if you want. and figueres makes a good daytrip if you don't want to leave for the whole weekend.

street art

2007-11-27T18:40:00.000-08:00

raval, fall 2006

las ramblas

2007-11-26T19:21:00.000-08:00

cava tours

2007-11-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

if you have a day, or at least a half-day, you can catch a train from plaça catalunya to san sadurni d'anoia and visit the freixenet winery. the renfe fare should be about 5 euros to get there, and trains leave frequently, but it's best to check the timetables and get there early. the freixenet tour includes guided tours (in english) of the caves where the bottles are stored, the bottling factory, and a complementary tasting at the end. when we went, there weren't many people, so we got to do the tasting for the whole group. the tour is actually pretty impressive, and the whole thing is free*. after the tour, you can get back on the train and hop off at random stops for a small adventure. the region is called alt penedes and is the center of cava production, so you're bound to find something to explore. cordoníu also has a bodega with tours. if it's grapes your interested in and not the bodega caves, there's a 2 euro option at the torres vineyards that features a castle AND tasting of one wine.
*note (1/17/08): a recent check of the freixenet website reveals that they now charge 5 euros per adult for the tours. i'd say it's still worth it. it's also probably worth checking out some of the others down there.

cosmocaixa

2007-11-24T12:11:00.000-08:00

cosmocaixa is a science museum set up above the city beyond the top of avenida tibidabo. you will need to take the metro, then walk the rest of the way up the steep street, or you can take the tramvia blau most of the way. I recommend the bus and the walk, as avenida tibidabo is very different from the barcelona you will come to have known. Once inside, expect skeletons, mechanical demonstrations of natural processes, living creatures, and the world's only indoor mangrove forest, complete with flora, fauna, and frequent rainstorms. The outdoor area affords great views of the city, and admission is only 2 euros for students with id (3 for adults). It's open tuesday-sunday, 10-8 and worth a look to experience something different.

live music

2007-11-23T16:06:00.000-08:00

barcelona allows for quite a few concert experiences during the year. subscribing to the weekly lecool newsletter will keep you up to date on shows at locations like sidecar, which features smaller bands in an underground (literally), smokey little box of a club, or the gargantuan razzmatazz which plays host to bigger acts like missy elliot and peter bjorn and john (in photo). even more shows can be found on the spanish version of ticketmaster, ticktackticket.com. then of course you have the festivals to check out, sonar, primavera sound, summercase, and wintercase. so hopefully you like live music, cause barcelona has you covered.

juice

2007-11-22T18:11:00.000-08:00

never pay more than one euro for these thick fresh juices from boqueria. and never buy them from the front-most stalls, you'll get better deals over on the sides. and if you want the best deal of all, stick around towards the end of the day when some places try to get rid of the fruity concoctions by closing time and will offer them two for one. my favorite was the plain old strawberry.

street art

2007-11-22T17:34:00.000-08:00

artists, poble sec

la merce

2007-11-21T21:54:00.000-08:00

probably the single greatest weekend i have ever spent in barcelona, la mercé is three days of fireworks, parades, human towers, concerts, and people dressed as devils. try to be in barcelona the last weekend in september at least once in your life. you'll never forget it.

ponies

2007-11-20T21:13:00.000-08:00

up on montjuic, there is a hidden stable full of ponies, which look a lot like full on horses. there's a poster up that says that you can rent them for rides, though i think they are confined to the paddock. there's another sign that says to keep out, but there aren't many people watching, so you can pretty much walk up and pet the ponies if you want. there's also a little bar where you can enjoy a beer and snack in the midst of the horsey smelliness.

the claw

2007-11-19T18:56:00.000-08:00

barceloneta beach, april 2007.

montserrat

2007-11-19T00:07:00.000-08:00

about one hour outside barcelona is the mountaintop monastery at montserrat. it's got a bunch of unusual rock formations, a beautiful chapel, and camping and hiking. its a great break from the city and you can reach it by train and funicular or tram. the trip costs about 12 euro from placa catalunya. and don't try to use your t-10 or monthly metro pass unless you want to get scolded by the ticket checker. and make sure you make the last train back. there's not too much to do if you get stuck there overnight.

montjuic

2007-11-16T23:41:00.000-08:00

the castle on montjuic can be quite pretty at night, and at sunset, there's a nice view of the lights in the port. there's also a stable of ponies hidden away on the montain, as well as the olympic facilities, which can be kind of creepy in their abandonment and a little boring. but nice. there's also a bar near the castle that i've never been able to find, but if you're there in the summer, i hear that it's worth looking for.

a man and his dog

2007-11-16T23:39:00.000-08:00

raval, december 2006.

creatures

2007-11-15T21:22:00.000-08:00

lining las ramblas are stalls selling all kinds of animals and flowers. they're kinda worth fighting through the hoardes of tourists for, especially if there is ANY chance that you can actually buy one of the adorable baby bunnies they all have for about 12 euros.

street art

2007-11-15T21:19:00.000-08:00

plaça catalunya metro station stairs, december 2006.

can paixano

2007-11-15T00:17:00.000-08:00

if you are in barcelona and haven't been to can paixano, well, you should. it's open from about 10-10 and serves 2 euro bottles of sweet cava and cheap greasy sandwiches to match. it's standing room only, and trash is littering the floor, with jamon overhead, so don't expect a (traditionally) romantic atmosphere. cold to-go bottles are available at the back counter for an even cheaper fix. take some to the port and enjoy. check out this for more in english.

hostal sol y k

2007-11-14T23:55:00.000-08:00

c/ cervantes 2-2-1

if you're headed to barcelona on a budget and you're looking for a little more privacy than your standard hostel, check out hostal sol y k. the owner, philippe, is very nice and fluent in english and french, and all of the rooms are private. some have their own bathrooms as well (all have a sink), though the shared baths are very nice and constantly cleaned. your bed gets made daily, and the provided bath towels are also replaced every day, quite a luxurious service for such a well-priced place. prices range from shared bath singles start at 30 euros to private bath doubles with balconies at 75 euros. it's also right off the corner of c/ d'avinyo and c/ ferran on the quieter c/ cervantes, which puts it right in the middle of the tourist map, but a little bit off the las ramblas/ferran masses. metro liceu and jaume i are also conveniently close. details here.

catalunya

2007-11-14T23:49:00.000-08:00

little flags in tossa de mar

flying

2007-11-07T22:40:00.000-08:00

if you're looking for low cost carriers in and out of barcelona, you have several options. ryanair, of course, flies into girona, which can be a drag, especially because it costs a pretty penny and it takes several extra hours to get to that airport by train. best bets, clickair and vueling, both fly out of BCN (and are based there), which you can reach with a metro pass or by aerobus, and both fly to great places like dubrovnik (where you really should go), moscow, or marrakech.

tibidabo

2007-11-07T22:34:00.000-08:00

there's a theme park on the top of tibidabo. it's old, from the 1930s i think, and there's a hefty admission fee to go in. but it's worth a ride up the funicular to check out the view and have a nice walk in a very different part of the city. just make sure it's a clear day!

las fiestas mayores de los barrios de barcelona

2007-11-02T00:52:00.000-07:00

once a year, every neighborhood in barcelona has a party, a fiesta mayor. gracia's is probably the biggest/best known, but there are others too. check here for a list that includes dates. this picture is from barceloneta, a party involving lots of carnival rides along the old port and lots of little old ladies in aprons. see here for dates and details.

shhhh

2007-11-02T00:07:00.000-07:00

go into maremagnum. find desigual and go up to the very top floor. make sure it's the highest one, the one without any clothes. you'll find a big pit full of pillows. kind of dirty pillows. but no people. just a nice view of the new port, and a quiet spot to pass some time.

via laietana

2007-11-02T00:05:00.000-07:00

seafood

2007-10-31T00:36:00.000-07:00

there are some crazy things for sale in the seafood market towards the back of la boqueria. go earlier in the day when there is still a lot of stuff out and they haven't started packing up. there will be more live things too.

christmas catedral

2007-10-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

plaça de la seu

right before christmas, there's lots going on in front of the catedral de santa eulalia (aka la seu). there's a christmas fair outside in the plaça at night, and inside, you will see more offering candles than you've ever seen before. the heat literally creates a draft and there's hundreds of old women lighting candles for their patron saints. inside the inner courtyard, the typical thirteen geese (representing the thirteen years of saint eulalia's life) are replaced by a nativity scene. you'll want to come back on a normal day to see the geese, but otherwise, it's a pretty sweet display.
You should probably also stop and take a look at the caganers for sale out front. it's a weird catalan addition to nativity scenes that i'm still struggling to understand. kind of like their other unique christmas figure, the tió de nadal.

christmas lights

2007-10-30T21:29:00.000-07:00

starting in december and running through christmas, the whole city gets lit up with awesome hanging lights. there's blue lights hanging on a lot of the busier streets, and a nice set-up on los cortes ingleses. some of the buildings in el born, etc. are lit up colorfully too.

street art

2007-10-29T22:06:00.000-07:00

space invader, ciutat vella, spring 2007

champiñones

2007-10-29T21:54:00.001-07:00

go into boqueria and make a right. down one of the side aisles, there's a stand that sells only mushrooms, and they're delicious. order them by the kilo. Point to the one you want and say one of the following phrases. Then be sure to wash them really well, they're usually covered in soil.
un cuarto de kilo: quarter kilo
un medio kilo: half kilo

street art

2007-10-29T21:35:00.000-07:00

behind la boqueria, fall 2006

tossa de mar

2007-10-29T21:30:00.001-07:00

about two hours north of the city by bus lies tossa de mar, a beach town on the costa brava. there are lots of tourists, but there is also a castle overlooking a kind of awesome beach. and it's even nice looking on a cloudy day, though i'd recommend checking the weather first. a round trip but ticket should cost about 25 euros from estacio del nord and busses leave about every 30 minutes.

granja m. viader

2007-10-29T21:17:00.000-07:00

c/ xuciá, 4-6 metro liceu

a family owned granja behind boqueria with perfect chocolate and pastries for dipping. go during the winter, around christmas. the chocolate is very very thick, as is all spanish hot chocolate, so if that is not to your taste, be sure to order the petit suis. it's still thick, but thinned with milk and served with whipped cream.

the city

2007-10-28T22:22:00.000-07:00