Barcelona Guide

I spent in Barcelona beautiful 3 months and I can honestly say that I know 1/1000 of the city 😉 It’s full of cafes, restaurants, markets and beautiful places everywhere you go. Unique architecture and loud locals make you feel like in a land of an adventure. I’ve been asked far too many times for tips about Barcelona, so here is everything I have to share. Just few places I enjoyed a lot, hopefully you’ll like them as well.

To start with, I must say that Barcelona is not an easy city. Why? Because:

– you have people walking in different directions at once in all places all the time. They use each side and centre of a sidewalk, there’s no rule to control it. Walking around the city is like constantly going through a labyrinth of people and I wasn’t there during the season.

– you have to get used to new lunch and dinner time. Eating lunch at 12 – not possible, as everything is closed, eating dinner around 6 pm will be problematic as well.

– as not a local, you can be charged more on markets. But if you’ll stick to one vendor, you’ll be rewarded after some time.

– you need to talk to locals to discover great food spots in good price, they know what’s good and where to find it.

– there’s too many delicious things to try, to much of cava and …

– if you’re moving to Barcelona in winter you must know, that it may be freezing in your apartment. It’s not that cold outside, but is inside, as most of apartments don’t have a heating system.

EAT BARCELONA:

Brunch and cake – the best breakfast and brunch in the city, the best service, the best experience. I fell in love with their waffles with eggs Benedict. More here.

Dolc i Salat – a small place with a big atmosphere. They serve italian sweets, sandwiches for breakfast and some other snacks. I went there three days in a row and a friend said that I am truly dedicated to testing the place, but the truth is, that I simply like it. More here.

Taranna – interior is great, people working over there very friendly and have a positive attitude. I definitely recommend this place for a relaxing breakfast or an afternoon chill out. More here.

Federal Café – good place for breakfast or brunch. Owners made it feel special with a beautiful interior and flowers all around. It’s full of light and I liked the place even before trying their coffee or food. More here.

Cosmo – is two in one – Cafe and Art Gallery. Specious and nicely designed interior plus interesting exhibitions are worth a visit. You can expect wooden tables, comfy chairs and even a big sofa, just like in Central Perk from “Friends”. More here.

Granja Petitbo – cosy and quite, spacious place with an old-school vibe. They use only organic products and know what to do with it :). More here.

En Aparte (C/ Lluis el Piados 2)- nice place for coffee and to do some work. They share wifi and serve great roscon de reyes. In the evening you can enjoy good wine and french cuisine.

Petit Pot Café (Bruc 84) – Lovely little place with good coffee and wifi. Busy in the morning and lunch time. They have wifi and you are welcome with your laptop. Try focaccia with brie and sobrasada.

Satan’s Coffee Corner – over here everything is about a passion for coffee. When you try a cup, you’ll know what I mean. I can honestly write that they serve the best coffee in Barcelona.

Mundial Bar (Placa Sant Agust’ Vell 1) – we are in love with this place. Seafood tapas in a good price, with a lovely and helpful service, it’s fresh and delicious. We took navajas, tallarinas, prawns and we wanted more and more. It’s a family business and you can say by the pictures on a wall, that they love box there.

Mosquito tapas (carders 46) – great Asian tapas. The only challenge is a catalan menu, but it’s fun to translate it or you can ask staff for help. Very busy during lunch time, so be ready to wait or reserve a table ahead.

Taktika Berri (València 169 ) – imagine having dinner in a place full of locals, who are fighting to get next piece of tapas coming from the kitchen. They open at 8:30 pm and at 8:35 pm it’s packed. You will probably stand, unless somehow you’ll be able to take a seat next to a bar. But it’s all worth it. The best tapas in the city. Hang out in the bar area, as tables are pricy.

NAP (Carrer Gombau 5-7, El Born) – Neapolitan Authentic Pizza – the best pizza I had in Barcelona! It’s full of locals start from the moment they open the door. You’re in Spain, so better eat something local, but if you have craving for pizza, this is the place.

Bar Central – is in a heart of Mercado de la Boqueria. If you’re curious about this popular place and would like to eat there, you won’t be disappointed. A bit pricy (it’s Mercado de la Boqueria) but yummy.

Maccaroni (Carders 6)- best pasta in Barcelona. It’s a new place and the main idea is that you can choose whatever you like. You start with a type of pasta, than sauce and some extras. The owner knows what goes together well and will advise you if you got too wild.

El Vaso de Oro (C/ Balboa 6) – they make their own beer (awesome!). A typical and popular place among locals. I had an amazing solomillo con foie (steak) served as tapas and you want to try it. Sandwich granger is sin worthy as well.

Churrería Manuel San Román (Banys Nous 8) – the best churros I had in Barcelona. Take a bag or two and go next door to La Granja for a hot chocolate. Combining these two is a heaven for your mouth.

DRINK BARCELONA:

Rufian (Nou de la Rambla, 123) – A place for an evening and Sunday’s afternoon vermut. The owners create a unique atmosphere and seems like they’re friends with every guest. Try homemade hummus and pastrami.

La Champañería – Can Paixano (Carrer de la Reina Cristina, 7) – This place is always packed and everyone drink cava per glass (1.20 -1.40 euro each). My personal favorite is the pink one. You can get cheap tapas, nice bocadillos and a very energizing atmosphere. You need to push yourself through the crowd to get to the bar, but it’s worth it. You will leave with new friends and a great experience. They close at 10pm, so better hurry 😉

Bar Pasajes (Sant pere més alt 31) – great spicy vermut and some nice tapas for a bite. This bar is located in a corridor of a building and has a good vibe.

Creps al Born (Passeig del Born 12) – cocktails made by professionals, it’s a pleasure to watch them at work.

SEE BARCELONA:

Búnker del Carmel – I’ve climbed the hill after two glasses on vermut served by a friend. we were in hurry, as the sunset was almost there and we did not want to miss it. Step after step on a steep way and then I saw it. And the world stood still. At least for me. Because what I saw was beautiful. More here.

Port Forum – We were supposed to spend there maximum an hour as it was raining, but instead we’ve been there till sunset. Maybe because of Christmas, but area was totally empty and we could experience the place just for ourselves. Walking in a rain and getting more excited with each step is a good way to spend Christmas. More here.

Cementiri de Montjuic – 138 acre of cemetery located on a hill with a sea view. It’s one of this places that you want to see in Barcelona. Beautiful, peaceful and full of an unique art. You will see it while driving from an airport to the city or in Almodovar’s movie. It is truly beautiful spot. More here.

Fundació Joan Miró – Not only Fundació Joan Miró contains an amazing collection, but the building designed by Josep Lluís Sert is awesome. I want to live on it’s terrace and wake up each day to the view of Barcelona. More here.

Parc de la Ciutadella – I like parks, but I don’t usually recommend them. This is a magical place with a beautiful fountains, lake with boats, big mamut, glass house and much more. I used to spend there hours reading or knitting.

W hotel area – just behind the W hotel is one of my favorite spots. I like to sit on stairs facing sea and look at it.