la barceloneta beach

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

la barceloneta

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

barceloneta beach

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.

bicycles

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.

barceloneta

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.

the claw

barceloneta beach, april 2007.

can paixano

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.

las fiestas mayores de los barrios de barcelona

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.