(by 1 person)
Tips for your time in Barcelona
This one's for those who want to really enjoy Barcelona without being directed to the tourist-traps, in terms of culture, where to stay and where to go.
Read through this informative selection on nice local hangouts, hip shopping areas, festivals, links, gigs and outdoor films. It's all about "spending time".
Scroll down for the following:
Barcelona Hot Links, Barcelona City festivals, Cool Hangouts, Top Picks of Pre-Club Bars, Short-stay Apartment Jaw-droppers.
Cool Hangouts
Favourites shortlist of cool hangouts in Barcelona
Name: Calle Joaquim Costa
What it is: A street with lots of great new-found trendy bars, notably Betty Ford's and Benidorm.
Features: Lots of skater and hipster Barcelona types, locals mixing with Catalans in their own habitat, as well as many kebab shops.
Open: Thurs-Sun (11pm-late, times vary)
Address: Calle Joaquim Costa (Above and below C/Ferlandina)
Metro: Universitat or Catalunya (L3/L1 etc.)
Name: Passeig del Borne
What it is: Hip little boulevard in el Borne/busy terrace cafés/skatewear and designer boutiques
Features: Museo Picasso next street/Santa Maria del Mar cathedral
Open: Every day
Address: Passeig del Borne
Metro: Jaume I (L4)
Name: Calle Tallers/ Calle Riera Baixa
What it is: Cool streets for alternative shopping; vintage, records, new design
Open: Mon-Sat 10am-9pm (times vary, e.g. C/Riera Baixa closes 2-5pm)
Address: C/Tallers and C/Riera Baixa in Raval
Metro: Liceu (L3)
Name: Mau Mau
What it is: Warehouse/lounge club/cultural centre
Features: Visual arts/film projections/online magazine
Open: Thurs-Sun (11pm-late, times vary)
Address: Calle Fontrodona 33
Metro: Paral.lel (L3)
What it is: A street with lots of great new-found trendy bars, notably Betty Ford's and Benidorm.
Features: Lots of skater and hipster Barcelona types, locals mixing with Catalans in their own habitat, as well as many kebab shops.
Open: Thurs-Sun (11pm-late, times vary)
Address: Calle Joaquim Costa (Above and below C/Ferlandina)
Metro: Universitat or Catalunya (L3/L1 etc.)
Name: Passeig del Borne
What it is: Hip little boulevard in el Borne/busy terrace cafés/skatewear and designer boutiques
Features: Museo Picasso next street/Santa Maria del Mar cathedral
Open: Every day
Address: Passeig del Borne
Metro: Jaume I (L4)
Name: Calle Tallers/ Calle Riera Baixa
What it is: Cool streets for alternative shopping; vintage, records, new design
Open: Mon-Sat 10am-9pm (times vary, e.g. C/Riera Baixa closes 2-5pm)
Address: C/Tallers and C/Riera Baixa in Raval
Metro: Liceu (L3)
Name: Mau Mau
What it is: Warehouse/lounge club/cultural centre
Features: Visual arts/film projections/online magazine
Open: Thurs-Sun (11pm-late, times vary)
Address: Calle Fontrodona 33
Metro: Paral.lel (L3)
Barcelona Hot Links
Barcelona links that are so hot right now
- Barcelona apartment accomodation
- Find your accomodation, with an area guide, pinpoint location map, airport transfer info, cultural info, weather guide included.
- Barcelona cultural with events
- Funny, interesting cultural newsweekly all about Barcelona. Includes events listings for gigs, art, film, etc.
- Barcelona community listings
- The most popular community listings page for Barcelona, with classifieds, jobs, classes, skill swap, travel rideshare and the rest.
- Barcelona good beach guide
- Get familiar with each of Barcelona's beaches with this overview; Where to find the volleyball, the parties, the marina...
- Barcelona gig finder
- Mondo Sonoro have created this easy listings finder for ALL gigs and concerts in Barcelona, along with other major Spanish cities.
- Barcelona useful city page
- Barcelona city council's trendy homepage with handy phonenumbers, video views of the city, Barcelona news, festival, tourism info.
Top Picks of pre-club bars
Trot around the city centre to these hot little pre-club bars:
Flamingo Bar (C/ Pintor y Fortuny)Small, smoky with nice cocktail happy hour and friendly happy and international crowd. Mix of indie, surf and alternative classics. Inexpensive.
Pipe club (C/ de Rauric)
Retro beatnik, very cool lamps and 60's décor, divine glassware, fun chatty crowd. Underground lounge music. Kind of pricey cocktails, but worth it for the décor.
Bar Manolo (C/ de Lancaster)
Dirtily hip, wall projections fo Bruce Lee films/skate videos on the walls. The definitive skaters watering hole, with, by chance, the best bar-dj in Barcelona (60's rock/funk/disco/whatever). Very cheap.
Barcelona City Festivals
Highlights of Barcelona's cultural party calendar
Barcelonians like to make sure there's at least one crazy festival every few weeks to keep happy. Here are some key festival dates and the general idea:
- Three Kings day 6 January:
Aside from Christmas and the alternative Catalan relay of presents with "Caga Tío" in December, Barcelonians also enjoy their gift giving at the start of January. This is Spain's "real" Christmas; celebrated with parades, eating and family activity. - Festa Mallorquina 27-29 January:
Taking place in every square in Gracia, huge bonfires are lit, die down and thousands cook Mallorcan sausage and drink wine, while being entertained by bands and crazy Medieval folk dancers. A participative one. - Festa San Jordi 23 April:
One for the lovers, bookstalls and rose-sellers take over the city to supply demand. Girls receive a rose and boys a book, which is a little questionable these days. The Catalan answer to St.Valentine's Day. - Festa San Joan 24 June:
Celebrated with live music and street parties, the main part of this party seems to be about letting off fireworks. The whole city goes to the beach at night, with a lot of nightlife. And fireworks. - Festival El Grec July and August:
Over the summer, the city's best open-air venues such as Möntjuic and CCCB have a full itinerary of theatre, art, film and music spread across Barcelona. Many are free. - Festa Major de Gracia 15-21 August:
The most famous of Barcelona's neighbourhood parties, this amazing week-long festa features highly decorated, colourful streets, bands and live music every night, eating and street parties till morning. - Festes de la Mercé 24 September:
The biggest party in Barcelona. A long, long line-up of bands, stages and performances all over the city. Castellers, giant puppets, fire parades with dragons, magic, air displays and of course, fireworks. - Read more about Barcelona Neighbourhoods (with a pretty map): http://www.way2stay.com/area-info-Barcelona-en-52.htm
Short-Stay Apartment Jaw-droppers
Who could live in a house like this? You could, next time you visit beautiful Barcelona that is. Let's go through the keyhole...
This popular Born Boutique II apartment is smack in the centre of El Borne and it's very cool. Get your mates or family to rent it and enjoy its unique look (from 45 Euro a night each).http://www.waytostay.com/Barcelona-apartments-en-52-2149.htm
With its centre table à la O-Ren Ishii (Kill Bill), two floors of brilliance including terrace with hot tub and TVs affixed to each bedroom ceiling, the Boutique Spa apartment will surely blow the budget.However it's the best group pad in the city.
http://www.waytostay.com/Barcelona-apartments-en-52-2273.htm
