Barcelona - places to see and restaurant recommendations
Discussion
I'm off to Barcelona with my wife in a couple of weeks for 4 nights. Neither of us have been before and we're staying at the Olivia Balmes, just off Las Ramblas.
As such, other than the big touristy stuff what should we be making a must see/do? Also any good restaurant recommendations around that sort of area?
As such, other than the big touristy stuff what should we be making a must see/do? Also any good restaurant recommendations around that sort of area?
There is another thread running on this, but that's for a stag do!
I went about 10 years ago with 4 friends. Sagrade familiar (spelling?), gaudi park, Picasso museum, black cat restaurant were what I remember and all very good.
I think picasso frequented the black cat which is why we went there!
I went about 10 years ago with 4 friends. Sagrade familiar (spelling?), gaudi park, Picasso museum, black cat restaurant were what I remember and all very good.
I think picasso frequented the black cat which is why we went there!
I answer this question every few months as I used to live in Barcelona until 2013.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
- Take out with you what you need and not everything you own e.g. passports and nice watches as you will stick out being a tourist. Don't put your bag down, even when eating. I was never targeted, but the pickpockets are on Las ramblas and within 1-2 blocks of it and the metro..... They carry coats over their arms and stand near the doors on metros. They work in groups!!
- Sagrada Famillia / La pedrera, casa Batillo / Mont Juic, Las Ramblas / the beach / Passeig de gracia, camp Nou / placa catalunya
- day trips to Sitges, Monserrat, Olot, Grirona
- restaurants - basically, go away from the tourist areas by 2-3 blocks and nearly everything is good. The best tapas is paco merlago, the 2nd best Catalana..... Other good restaurants, Aqua, flamant, habaluc, fillete russo (for a burger) , solo pizza, non - solo pizza
Drinks - Hotel Ohm, casa fuster, or just about any of the rooftop hotel bars... they really are very good
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
- Take out with you what you need and not everything you own e.g. passports and nice watches as you will stick out being a tourist. Don't put your bag down, even when eating. I was never targeted, but the pickpockets are on Las ramblas and within 1-2 blocks of it and the metro..... They carry coats over their arms and stand near the doors on metros. They work in groups!!
- Sagrada Famillia / La pedrera, casa Batillo / Mont Juic, Las Ramblas / the beach / Passeig de gracia, camp Nou / placa catalunya
- day trips to Sitges, Monserrat, Olot, Grirona
- restaurants - basically, go away from the tourist areas by 2-3 blocks and nearly everything is good. The best tapas is paco merlago, the 2nd best Catalana..... Other good restaurants, Aqua, flamant, habaluc, fillete russo (for a burger) , solo pizza, non - solo pizza
Drinks - Hotel Ohm, casa fuster, or just about any of the rooftop hotel bars... they really are very good
+ 1 on pickpockets.... Can speak from experience,on one occasion a man in a suit with a small boy in broad daylight brushed past my wife,fortunately I was a few steps behind her as I saw here handbag falling from her shoulder I just call her thinking nothing of and she caught it only to realize the strap had been cut..... By this time man and boy know were to be seen.....!
I'd recommend El Xampagnet (pronounced "champanyet"), a little place we found when we came out hungry and thirsty from the Picasso museum. It's in the El Born area of the city which has lots of small streets and little bars - this tightly packed place is no exception.
What attracted us were a load of people spilling out of the place into the street so we thought it must be at least worth a look. We elbowed ourselves up to the bar and grabbed a couple of stools and made ourselves comfortable for the next couple of hours.
We asked the barman to bring out a selection of dishes and keep serving the cava he was pouring out of unlabled bottles into saucer shaped glasses.
Food was pretty good and fresh (usual Spanish fare of cheese, jamon, peppers, seafood, including a dish of raw tuna like sushi), the cava was surprisingly sweet but very quaffable. I don't remember spending too much so it must have been fairly good value as we ate and drank a lot!
What attracted us were a load of people spilling out of the place into the street so we thought it must be at least worth a look. We elbowed ourselves up to the bar and grabbed a couple of stools and made ourselves comfortable for the next couple of hours.
We asked the barman to bring out a selection of dishes and keep serving the cava he was pouring out of unlabled bottles into saucer shaped glasses.
Food was pretty good and fresh (usual Spanish fare of cheese, jamon, peppers, seafood, including a dish of raw tuna like sushi), the cava was surprisingly sweet but very quaffable. I don't remember spending too much so it must have been fairly good value as we ate and drank a lot!
prand said:
I'd recommend El Xampagnet (pronounced "champanyet")
Was just about to post the same. Terrific food, but it's quite busy. Best lamb chops I've ever tasted.Bar Celta is quite good, and the place to try pulpo, if you're adventurous.
Casa Calvet is also very good indeed, and it's in one of the most beautiful buildings I've ever seen.
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