Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide
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Barceloneta. Bathrooms, swimming area, and showers available. Free. Wheelchair-accessible bathing services available June and second half of Sept on holidays and weekends. Open daily July-1st week of Sept 11am-6pm.
PLATJA BARCELONETA
From C. del almirall Cervera to Port Olimpic
BEACH
www.bcn.cat/platges
The most popular (read: crowded) beach in Barcelona, Barceloneta attracts a vibrant mix of visitors, tourists, and brave locals regardless of the weather. In short, good luck finding a place to sunbathe even when there’s no sun to be seen. With three volleyball courts, an outdoor gym, information center, various restaurants, a boardwalk, skating area, ping pong, and a biblioplaya (beach-centric library), Barceloneta offers (nearly) everything but a spot to lay your towel.
Barceloneta or Ciutadella Info center. Book rental. Showers, public restrooms, volleyball courts, ping pong tables, and gym available. Free. Open 24hr.
PLATJA MAR BELLA
From Mar Bella Pier to Bac de la Roda
BEACH
www.bcn.cat/platges
Past the Bogatell naval base, rocky outcroppings provide cover for Barcelona’s only designated portion of nude beach. Past this short stretch of plentiful skin is a gay beach, marked by a rainbow flag flying at the beachside restaurant. Mostly frequented by younger and local people, the two sections provide a perfect place to shed some inhibitions (among other things).
Selva del Mar. Showers, public restrooms, ping pong tables, skating area, and basketball available. Free. Open 24hr.
PLATJA NOVA MAR BELLA
Bac de Roda Pier to Selva de Mar Pier
BEACH
www.bcn.cat/platges
The furthest of all the beaches and consequently the least crowded, Platja Nova Mar Bella is the stomping ground of local youth, teenagers, and students. Still easily accessible by metro, this beach boasts a more relaxing alternative to the tourist-pushing match of Barceloneta, especially on weekends.
Selva de Mar and El Marisme. Showers and public restrooms available. Free. Wheelchair-accessible bathing services available on holidays and weekends during June and second half of Sept. Open daily July-1st week of Sept 11am-6pm.
Parks
PARC DE COLLSEROLA
Crta. de l’Esglèsia, 92
PARK
93 280 35 52 www.parccollserola.net
Just twenty minutes outside the center of Barcelona by train lies the largest metropolitan park in the world. At 84.65sq. km, Parc de Collserola makes Paris’ Bois de Boulogne look like a playground and New York’s Central Park like a grade school shoebox diorama. The park stretches along the Collserola mountain range from the Besos River to the Llobregat River, with Barcelona and the Vallés basin forming its southern and northern boundaries, respectively. Although the park is easily accessible by public transportation, few people from outside of Barcelona and its environs make the short trek, so expect to find all signs and informational material in Catalan.
Collserola isn’t your typical “city park.” The city grid is nowhere to be seen, and there are more than pigeons and squirrels here. The park offers a refreshing dose of fresh air and wildlife that the gridded city misses. Due in part to straddling two distinct climates, the coastal Mediterranean and the more deciduous Euro-Siberian, Collserola shelters a wide range of flora and fauna, including the occasional wild boar. For a greatest hits showcase of the variety that the park has to offer, the trail from Parc del Laberint (Mundet) to Sant Cugat is highly recommended. Besides a relaxing place to birdwatch and improve your classification skills, the park also offers many opportunities for exercise, with a ton of hiking trails and the Carrertera de les Aigües (Water Road), a cycling track that follows the ridge of the mountain range.
For those who do not find never-ending delight in the birds and the bees, the park is littered with places to eat, benches to relax on, and historic pieces of architecture and ruins to mentally digest. History buffs will want to check out the 12th-century Sant Adjutori and Sant Medir, while modernists should be sure to make a stop at the Collserola Tower, a telecommunications tower designed by architect Normal Foster for the 1992 Olympic Games. Although the games have long past, its 10th-floor observation room and unbeatable location on Vilana hill make it an ideal place to look out over all of Barcelona, Montserrat, and, if the day is clear, even the Pyrenees.
Baixador de Valividvera for Information Center (S1, S2), Peu de Funicular (S1, S2), Les Planes (S1, S2), La Floresta (S1, S2, S5, S55), or Mundet (L3). Tourist information center, museum, and restaurant near Baixador de Valvidvera entrance. Other museums and restaurants scattered throughout; see website for full listing. Free. Tours daily 10am-2pm. Info center open daily 10am-3pm.
FOOD
Barri Gòtic and Las Ramblas
LA COLMENA
P. de l’Àngel, 12
PASTRY SHOP
933 15 13 56
Directly facing the Plaça l’Angel, pastelería and bombonería La Colmena sweetly greets visitors as they appear bleary-eyed from the labyrinth of the Barri Gòtic and the Catalonian Sun. La Colmena offers a variety of pastries, chocolates, sweets, and hard drinks (of the dessert variety) to take the buzz off a day of continually getting lost. Mirrored walls and marble inlaid floors covered with confectioneries make you feel as if you’ve suddenly walked into an old-time mix between the shop in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the gingerbread house of Hansel and Gretel. Offerings range from the expected—chocolate (€1.30) and truffles (€2)—to those specific to Cataluña, like the pastellitas de l ‘Angel (€1.25), a small and flaky pastry shell with sugary pumpkin filling. If you’re overwhelmed (as you should be), just ask the knowledgeable staff.
Jaume I. La Colmena is at your back after exiting the metro. Sweets €1.30-4. Open daily 9am-9pm.
ESCRIBÀ
La Rambla, 83
DESSERT
93 301 60 27 www.escriba.es
Grab a coffee and ogle the stained-glass peacock or one of the many just as impressive works of art waiting to be devoured in the front display case. With tarts, croissants, cakes, and deceivingly beautiful and life like rings made of caramel, Escribà is waiting to tempt you from every corner of the store. If you’re not in the mood for sweets, select one of their savory dishes, such as the croissant with blue cheese, carmelized apple, and walnuts (€4.50) or the “bikini” bread mold with ham and brie (€3.50).
Liceu. Walk toward Plaça Catalonia. Escribà is almost immediately on the left. Sandwiches €3.50. Salads €3. Menú €5.90. Open Tu-Su 9am-9pm.
VEGETALIA
C. Escudellers, 54
ORGANIC, VEGETARIAN
93313 33 31 www.restaurantesvegetalia.com
Vegetalia delivers delicious organic, natural, and environmentally conscious foods at reasonable prices that will please any customer, no matter the need. Relax at the bar and chat with the friendly, laid-back staff about the ironic history of the Plaça de George Orwell, or experience the square for yourself after ordering at their walk-up window. Try one of their pizzas (€9.50) topped off with the carob vegan chocolate cake (€4.50), or gorge yourself on their daily menú (€10). A range of organic foods, teas, and coffees is located in the back of the store.
Liceu. Walk down Las Ramblas toward the sea. Take a left onto Carrer dels Escudellers and walk for about 5 minutes. Gopal is 3 doors down on the right after entering Plaça George Orwell. Organic store in rear. Appetizers €4-9.90; entrees €6.20-9. Menú €10. Open M 1-4pm and 8-11:30pm, Tu-Sa 8-11:30pm, Su 1-4:30pm, Su 1-4:30pm and 8-11:30pm.
L’ANTIC BOCOI DEL GÒTIC
Baixada de Viladecols, 3
CATALAN
933 10 50 67 www.bocoi.net
Enter the lair of L’Antic Bocoi del Gòtic, where walls of rustic stone are somehow made impressively classy. The restaurant specializes in Catalan cuisine with fresh, seasonal ingredients and prides itself on bringing new ideas to traditional food. The staff recommends their selection of che
eses and their own take on the coques de recapte, a traditional regional dish made of a thin dough with delicious fresh produce and thickly layered meats. This hip joint fills up quickly after opening.
Jaume I. Reservations recommended. Appetizers €7-10, entrees €9-20. Open M-Sa 8:30pm-midnight.
ARC CAFE
C. Carabassa, 19
FUSION, THAI
9330 52 04 www.arccafe.com
Down the narrow Carrer d’en Carabassa, Arc Cafe is easy to miss. For this reason, it’s a great place to stop in when you’re sick of the fanny packs and sneakers that crowd Las Ramblas—it’s virtually guaranteed to be tourist-and bustle-free. The restaurant boasts a vegetarian-friendly menu that rotates every three months as well as popular Thai nights Th-F (regular menu still available). Luckily, their curries are always available—choose between chicken, bean curd, and jasmine rice (€10.50-11.50)—just be sure to order a mojito with Malibu to cool off (€6) if you’re brave enough to go for spice. Cheaper midday menu also offered daily (€9.60).
Drassanes. Walk toward the Sea on Las Ramblas, take a left onto Carrer de Josep Anselm Clavé. Walk 5 min. and stay on this road as it changes names to Carrer Ample. Take a left onto Carabassa. Arc Cafe on right. Reservations recommended on weekends. Appetizers €4.90-8; entrees €8.50-11.90. Wine €2. Beer €2-3. Open M-Th noon-1am, F-Sa noon-2am.
LES QUINZE NITS
P. Real 6
MEDITERRANEAN
93317 30 75 www.lesquinzenits.com
Despite the restaurant’s white tablecloths, leather chairs, and fabulous view of the Plaça Reial, the line outside of Les Quinzes Nits is enough to make any weary traveler looking for a classier dinner reconsider their priorities. Where else would you woo your most recent roadside romantic acquisition on a backpacker’s budget? Try the duck confit with triaxat and pesto sauce (€10) or the leek pie with tomato and arugula (€6.31). Expect a 30min. wait upon opening, but reportedly the line diminishes around 9pm.
Liceu, walk down Las Ramblas toward the Sea and take a right on C. Ferran, then right onto Passeig Madoz. Restaurant on the left as you enter Plaça Reial . No reservations. Appetizers €3-6; entrees €6-10. Bread €.85. Open daily 1-3:45pm and 8:30-11:30pm.
TUCCO
C. d’Aglà, 6
PASTA
933 01 51 91
True to its name, Tucco “fresh pasta” offers just that—a selection of fresh pastas topped with your choice of sauce and cheese (€4). The limited seating in the teeny store serves as a revolving door for hip, young locals and internationals wandering far off the beaten paths of the Gothic Quarter. If pasta isn’t your thing, a selection of wallet-and veggie-friendly sandwiches, pizzas, desserts, salads, and snacks fill the nutritional void a meal of carbs creates. Don’t expect to sit if you come at mealtime; instead, take your plasticware and hit the road.
Licue. Walk on Las Ramblas toward the water. Take a left onto C. Escudellers. Left onto C. d’Aglà. Pasta €3.95. Pizza from €9. Open M-F 1-11:30pm, Sa 1-6pm.
ELS QUATRE GATS
C. Montsió, 3
CATALAN
93 302 41 40 www.4gats.com
Named after the hostal that served as a vital grounds for the artistic and literary community in Barcelona in the last decade of the 19th century, Els Quatre Gats now attracts the flocks as much for its historic affiliations as for the quality of its offerings. Hand-painted tiles, drawings from the period, and a rustic wooden interior remind patrons of Barcelona’s days of yore, even if the whole shtick is somewhat constructed. The sheer beauty of the Casa Figuras in which the restaurant sits is in itself worth a visit, and considering the prices are not too inflated for the food, the experience is well worth the money.
Catalonia. Face the station from the street and walk to the right corner of the Plaça, by el Corte Ingles. Turn right onto Av. Portal de l’Angel and then take a left onto C. Montsió. Live piano daily 1-4pm. Entrees €13-25.55. Open daily 10am-2am.
CAFE DE L’OPERA
La Rambla, 74
CAFE
93 317 75 85 www.afeoperabcn.com
Beginning in the 18th century as a boarding tavern and later a chocolate shop, the cafe assumed its current form in 1929, adopting the amusing mix of modernist curves, Grecian women, and pastel paint colors that can be seen today. Don’t be fooled by the fancy Parisian facade or the impressive historical pedigree—although famous as a Barcelonan post-opera institution, Cafe l’Opera offers affordable fare and a wide list of beers (including “Cannabis Club”; €3.60, which purportedly tastes like, well, you can guess), wines, drinks, and tapas.
Liceu. On La Rambla when walking toward the water. Credit card only over €20. Other/ miscellaneous hard info. Tapas €2-4. Sandwiches €3-6.70. Specials €10.50-13. Open daily 8:30am-2:30am.
TRAVEL BAR
C. de Boqueria, 27
BAR
93342 52 52 www.travelbar.com
Predictably, this bar unabashedly caters to travelers. Unpredictably, it’s a fantastic outside-the-hostel resource for people on the road, whether to meet fellow backpackers, chow down on a cheap meal, watch the game on the big screen, indulge in free internet, or browse their collection of travel books. Empty pockets? Stop in at 8pm for their €1 meals and to peruse their community bulletin board for deals on tours, rentals, and flamenco dance lessons. Older readers take note: complete with an endorsement from MTV, this place seems to cater almost exclusively to the college crowd. Menu is uncreative, overpriced, and downright cruel to vegetarians, but luckily it’s near many delicious (and cheap) culinary alternatives.
Liceu. Exit and walk down C. de Boqueria. Bar on the left. Tapas €2-3. Entrees €6-12. 50. Beer €3-5. €1 meals nightly at 8pm. 10% charge to sit on terrace. Open daily 12:30pm-11:30pm.
La Ribera
EL XAMPANYET
C. de Montcada, 22
TAPAS
933 19 70 03
The cup doeseth overfloweth, with sheepskin wine bags, an overwhelming selection of cava, and crunchy old locals spilling out the door and onto the street at all hours. Inside is a museum of casks, blackened bottles, and kitschy bottle openers displayed against a handpainted ceramic tile background. We recommend you try their cask-fresh cerveza (€3.50) or their house wine xampanyet (€2), and pad your stomach with some of their delicious tapas (€1.10-12.50).
Jaume I. Walk down C. de la Princesa and take a right onto C. de Montcada, towards the Museu Picaso. Xampanyet is on the right before reaching Plaçeta Montcada. Tapas €1.10-12.50. Beer €3.50. Wine and cava from €2. Open Tu-Sa noon-4pm and 7-11pm, Su noon-4pm.
PETRA
C. dels Sombrerers, 13
RESTAURANT
93 319 99 99
With dark wood, stained glass, art nouveau prints, menus decaled onto wine bottles, and chandeliers made of silverware, Petra will have you expecting a high price for its eccentricity. Luckily, the bohemian feel is matched by bohemian prices. Pastas like the delicious gnocchi with blue cheese and asparagus (€5.15) and entrees (€7.85) are nice on the wallet.
Jaume I. Walk on C. Princesa and take a right onto C. del Pou de la Cadena. Take an immediate left onto C. de la Barra de Ferro and a right onto C. dels Banys Vells. Petra is located where C. dels Banys Vells terminates at C. dels Sombrerers. Menú €6.50. Appetizers €4.85-7.05; entrees €7.85. Open Tu-Sa 1:30-4pm and 9-11:30pm, Su 1:30-4pm.
LA BÁSCULA
C. dels Flassanders, 30
VEGETARIAN
93 319 98 66
A working cooperative that serves cheap vegetarian sandwiches, empanadas, and salads. Doors serve as tables and a mixture of art, environmentally-friendly sodas, and protest flyers hanging up around the walls set this restaurant apart from the rest. Though discretely robed in the same antique exterior as more expensive places, Báscula provides a cheaper alternative to the upscale eateries in other stone hideaways surrounding Ribera. Hours and seating availability may change as the restaurant fights for its right to serve in-house, but
takeout is available no matter the outcome.
Jaume I. Walk down C. de la Princesa and take a right onto C. dels Flassanders. Entrees and salads €7-9. Sandwiches €4-4.50. Piadinas €6. Open W-Su 1-11pm.
HOFMANN PASTISSERIA
C. dels Flassaders, 44
PASTRY SHOP
932 68 82 21 www.hofmann-bcn.com
Pastry school meets storefront in this Seussian mindbender in a French countryside setting. Artisans work on delectable goods in clear view on the mindbending spiral staircase above, while glass cases and wooden cabinets filled with adorable gelatos (€3.50), precious marmalade jars (€8), and a selection of not-so-sickeningly-cute-but-utterly-delectable tarts and cakes wait below. For breakfast, try a coffee and one of the fresh croissants.