Barcelona Information for visitors

Introduction

History

Restaurants & Bars

Recommended Restaurants and Bars

Things to do in Barcelona

Hotels

Flight information

Food and Drink (explanation of different food types)

The Weather

Introduction

The Old Town

Barcelona's old town, or Ciutat Vella, is the heart of the city. It's made up of many small neighbourhoods, full of old-world character, linked by narrow, winding streets. The old town has recently enjoyed an economic revival after many years of decline. Students, foreigners and artists have moved into the area, attracted by its sense of history and cosmopolitan feel, along with its trendy bars, concert halls and good restaurants.

Start your tour from Plaça Catalunya and take Les Rambles (or Las Ramblas in Spanish) towards the sea. On the right, you'll find Raval district with its museums, art galleries and notorious red-light area, Barri Xines. On your left, the medieval Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter) is home to the cathedral, peaceful Plaça del Pi, art galleries and lots of cafes serving delicious hot chocolate. If you go even further left, across busy Via Laietana, you'll come to Born market, in La Ribera district. This trendy neighbourhood is also home to the graceful Santa Maria del Mar Church and the impressive Museu Picasso.

The Eixample

When the old town became overpopulated in the mid-19th century, the city expanded inland, north of Plaça Catalunya. The streets of the new suburb, called L'Eixample, or the extension, were laid out in a grid pattern. Catalan modernista (Art Nouveau) architects designed a number of striking buildings in the area around Passeig de Gràcia and Rambla Catalunya.

You'll find the extraordinary Sagrada Familia on the right-hand side of Eixample if you're coming from the old town. This controversial church, unfinished because of the untimely death of its architect, Antoni Gaudí, in 1926, has become the city's most visited monument.

As Barcelona expanded further north, more new neighbourhoods were built. Villages were absorbed within the city boundaries giving rise to districts like the charming Gràcia, Les Corts, Sarrià and Hortà-Guinardò, up in the hills.

The working-class neighbourhood of Sants marks the city's southern boundary and has excellent public transport to the centre.

Green Areas

Montjüic hill, in the southwest of the city, offers many attractions including the Olympic stadium and other facilities used for the 1992 Olympic Games, along with the impressive Fundació Miró. The best way to get to the hill is to take the cable car from the nearby harbour.

Barcelona's other major green area is 550 meter Tibidabo hill to the northwest, with its panoramic views of the city, amusement park on the summit and Torre de Comunicaciones de Collserola (Collserola Communications Tower).

Both Montjüic and Tibidabo offer good sports facilities as well.

The Seaside

The mild Mediterranean climate and calm seas mean you can sail and windsurf all year round from Port Olímpic (Olympic Port). Little boats (golondrinas) leaving from the harbour will take you on a sightseeing tour of the city's waterfront and nearby coastline. The fishing district of Barceloneta offers excellent seafood restaurants. Ultra-modern Maremagnum has busy bars with outdoor terraces, discos, shops and cinemas. You'll also find trendy open-air music bars in Port Olímpic in the summer. Half an hour's journey to the south, Sitges' pretty beaches attract a cosmopolitan crowd. For more peaceful surroundings, head north to one of Costa Brava's deserted coves.

The History

The 1992 Olympic Games turned the world's eye to this age old city that has been, and continues to be, a modern presence in Spain. Barcelona has many districts, giving it the feel of a large, Roman city with an old, gothic atmosphere. As a powerful Mediterranean port and the capital of Catalonia, one of the most dynamic regions of Europe, this rich, historical past is the foundation on which the new city was based. Barcelona's residents are open minded and cosmopolitan, bringing a bohemian flavor to the city, which lies between the mountains and sea.

City Origins

It is often said that Barcelona was given its name from the arrival of the great Hero, Hercules to its coasts. According to the legend, 2000 years before Christ he came from Africa in a nine-boat expedition to colonize. Later Romans arrived in Tarragona, making it their first priority, and giving Barcelona subordinate status. Later in the Visigótico period, this Roman capital par excellence, also had a downward fall.

The Medieval City

After a century of Muslim dominion - a period of intense commercial activity and religious coexistence between Jews, Christians and Muslims - with the arrival of the Christian governors to the city, the Muslim community was forced into a prisoner zone named, The Call . In present day, The Call is located around the streets Palla, Banys Nous, Bisbe and Plaça Sant Jaume . While the Jewish Community controlled culture and commerce in Barcelona, their imprisonment in the ghetto constituted an omen of expulsion and an end to influence. Already, the large city had been named the Condal City, acting as the mighty capital of Old Catalonia. Following the expansionistic interests of Corona de Aragón, Barcelona developed a powerful naval base. Catalano-Aragonese's power extended as far as Sicily, Sardinia, Malta, Naples, Albania, Córcega, Athens and part of Greece. They pioneered, establishing social norms, marine rules and other customs that would later be imitated in other European cities. In the fifteenth century, the Maxima institution of self-government of Catalonia was given an admirable seat in the Palau de la Generalitat . The medieval growth of the city is represented in its gothic architecture, with magnificent works like the cathedral , the churches of Sant Just , and Sant Jaume , and the basilicas of Santa Maria Del Pi and Santa Maria de la Mar.

Reign of Castilla

After the fifteenth century reign of Castilla, Barcelona, Catalonia and the Kingdom of Aragón fell into a deep economic and political depression because of the marriage between Isabel and Fernando (well-known Catholic King). During these years conquest and colonization in America damaged Mediterranean commerce at the height of Turkey's great marine power. The final blow came when Archduke Carlos of Austria, whom Barcelona supported, lost the War of Spanish Succession.

Cultural Renaissance and Modernism

During the industrial revolution and the period of cultural renaissance, the city grew to its maximum splendor. With this came the literary rebirth of the Catalan language and the modernist movement, in which artists and architects alike made the city admired on a worldwide scale. All these movements were led by the industrial bourgeoisie, and influenced by the nationalistic movements of the European continents that resisted the Castellanizadora force. The houses built in the Barcelonian Eixample display architecture from a diverse range of historical influences. Ildefons Cerdà, influenced by local folklore, designed rectangular buildings for the bourgeois. The most well-known and loved artist during this period was Antoni Gaudí, who designed remarkable, modernist works, such as the Sagrada Familia, La Pedrera or Milà House, the Batlló House and the Parc Güell.

Modern Barcelona

During the postwar period and the pro-Franco dictatorship, a political and cultural repression occurred across Spain. Since then, 25 years of democracy has followed, giving Barcelonans the right to vote. Under the mandate of Pasqual Maragall, the city began the construction of infrastructures to lodge the 1992 Olympic Games. Some of these structures are, the Olympic Vila of accentuated modern design, the Anella Olimpica of Montjüic and the Port Olimpic . Barca, the club soccer team, has also been recently competing amongst the best.

Restaurants & Bars

Barcelona's many restaurants and bars offer the best of Catalonia's diverse cuisine. Other Mediterranean countries, like France and Italy, have heavily influenced Catalan cooking, which features lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, seafood, pork and veal.

Catalans love cold meats (embutidos) of all sorts, especially pork sausages (butifarra). The staple dish is butifarra amb mongetes, a stew of pork sausage and white beans. Escudella is a traditional stew made with sausage, chickpeas, pasta and a giant pork meatball. It's generally eaten at Christmas time and followed by crema catalana, a sweet egg custard topped with caramelised sugar that has become a popular dessert throughout Spain., far better than any crème brulé!

Fish is a major part of the diet. Zarzuela is a tasty seafood casserole that originated in Barcelona and spread to other parts of the country. Bacallà a la llauna is cod cooked in a tin dish.

In summer, you can enjoy lighter dishes like escalibada (red peppers mixed with aubergines and onions) and esqueixada (red peppers with cod and onions). Or head for one of the many farmhouse (masía) restaurants on the outskirts of the city and try some traditional dishes. If you're lucky, the restaurant will serve calçotada, a sauce (calçots) made from tender spring onions served on an oven-fired tile, followed by grilled meat.

Catalan dishes are usually accompanied by pan con tomate, country-style bread smeared liberally with ripe tomato, olive oil and salt. Bread and butter is not on the menu.

There are eight different areas in Catalonia that produce good quality wines. The region is famous for its white wines from the Penedes area and cava, sparkling white wines. The quality of red wines, particularly from the Priorato area, has improved in recent years.

Where to Go

You'll find traditional Catalan restaurants along with places featuring regional cuisine from other parts of Spain. There's also a variety of eating places serving Italian, Chinese, North African, Middle Eastern and Mexican dishes along with trendy designer restaurants.

Basque cuisine is served in Irati and Zure Etxea. The old town has quite a few Galician restaurants like the famous Bar Celta, which offers a variety of traditional octopus dishes.

You'll find three famous traditional Catalan restaurants worth visiting in the area around Monumento a Colón (Columbus Monument): Ca l'Isidre, Botafumeiro and Casa Leopoldo.

There's plenty of reasonably-priced seafood restaurants down by the harbour that specialize in paella and the Catalan equivalent, fideuà, based on noodles instead of rice. Arròs negre is a kind of paella cooked in a stock of squid's ink. Can Ramonet and Set Portes are two of the best places for rice dishes in this district.

The seafood restaurants at Port Olímpic (Olympic Port) display their fresh fish in cases by the door and many offer sea views.

There are more seafood restaurants with views in the Maremàgnum, an ultra-modern shopping centre by the harbour, close to the Ramblas.

Tapas are often served as an appetizer along with a glass of beer or wine before lunch or dinner. However, you can make tapas into a meal by ordering a selection to share with friends. Lots of informal tapas restaurants are located along Paseo de Gracia and Rambla Cataluña. Traditional tapas are small portions of things like pescaíto frito (mixture of deep-fried Mediterranean fish), patatas bravas (chunks of potato, deep-fried and served with spicy garlic sauce), calamares a la romana (squid rings fried in batter) and boquerones en vinagre (marinated anchovies). Try the following places for tapas: Tapa-Tapa, Ciudad Condal or Moncho's. For bullfighting memorabilia, try Los Toreros on Calle Xuclà, close to the Ramblas.

Recommended & Cool places to eat [by Cristina of the Boiler]

Restaurants

Madrid – Barcelona (Recommended)

Carrer Aragó 282

Tel. 93 2157027

 We love it!!! They don’t accept reservations.

 Flash Flash (Recommended)

Carrer Granada del Penedès 25

Tel. 93 2370990

Restaurant with original 60s decoration. Absolutely COOL!!! You can’t miss it!

Arc Café

Carrer Carabassa 19

Tel. 93 3025204

www.arccafe.com

Good food at good prices. Close to Carrer Avinyó and Las Ramblas.

 Lupino

Carrer Carme 33

Tel. 93 412 3697

Nice decoration, absolutely lounge!!!

Capo

Taquígraf Garriga 171-173

Tel. 93 3210468

Pizza & Pasta. Close to the “Barbara Ann” (60s bar!!).

Soba

Taquígraf Garriga 87-89

Tel. 93 3631347

Japanese restaurant. Close to the “Barbara Ann” (60s bar!!).

La Veronica

Carrer Avinyó 30

Tel. 93 4121122

Pizzas, Pasta and more. Good prices.

Shunka

Carrer Sagristans 5

Tel. 93 4124991

 In my opinion [Cristina], one of the best Japanese restaurants in Barcelona. A bit expensive...

Casa Leopoldo

Carrer San Rafael 24

Tel. 93 4413014

A classic for Spanish food in general...

Salero

Carrer Rec 60

Tel. 93 3198022

Fashion food... at the fashionable quarter of “Born”.

Suzette

Carrer Tallers 69

Tel. 93 3184724

Nice restaurant for a fast lunch... Near Las Ramblas and the record shops.

Mamacafé

Carrer Doctor Dou 10

Tel. 93 301294

Good food at reasonable prices.

 Mandalay Café

Carrer Provença 330

Tel. 93 4586017

Asian food

La Crema Canela

Passatge Madoz 6

Tel. 93 3182744

Close to Plaza Real and Las Ramblas.

Silenus

Carrer Àngels 8

Tel. 93 3022680

Close to Las Ramblas; avant-garde food.

BUDABARcelona

Pau Claris 92

Tel. 93 3184252

Very fashionable... You can meet some famous people here.

Bars

Bar Ramon (Recommended)

Carrer Tamarit (on the corner of Comte Borrell street)

this is just on the corner of MERCAT DE SANT ANTONI

Cool jazz and R&B playing whilst you eat and drink, a meeting place for hip Mods on Friday's. They even have signed guitars from John Lee Hooker and Bo Diddley on the wall.

Barbara Ann (Recommended)

Carrer Taquígraf Garriga 163

The genuine 60s bar since many years in Barcelona. Everybody is welcome!!! Free entry.

Shotwell 69 (Recommended)

Carrer Aviació 6

The genuine 50s bar for many years in Barcelona. Everybody is welcome!!! Free entry.

Santé Café

Carrer Comte d’Urgell 171

Nice bar with good music (soul, funk etc.).

Ginger

Carrer Palma de Sant Just 1

Cool bar, where you can hear jazz, soul... while having drinks. Close to the Cathedral and the City Hall, in the gothic quarter.

The Weather

Barcelona enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with cool winters and hot summers. If it's sun you're after, the best months to go are May, June and September. The heat is at its harshest in July and August, with highs sometimes reaching 37°C (98°F)