Our tips for a great
getaway in... Barcelona Spain
“Barcelona, the great enchantress” is how author Robert Hughes describes this city, and it’s easy to see what he means. Great culture, great food, great nightlife, great history and a great climate conspire to give the city a decidedly unfair advantage as a desirable destination. Whether you enjoy sun, beach, art, culture, fashion, design, architecture, cuisine or partying – or any combination of the above – you can find them in this smart, seductive, self-assured city. It’s a place that’s perfect to get pleasantly lost in – and you never know what you might find around the next corner.
bestway to make your kids happy: take them to Papabubble The good news for your kids is that Hansel and Gretel’s cottage does exist, and it’s 100 per cent witch-free. On a winding medieval lane near the port in the old town, you’ll find a paradise of peppermints, barley sugars and fruit drops, with an added twist; you can watch the nimble-fingered craftsmen actually handmake the gourmet sweets they sell, before your very eyes. It’s a show that will leave the little (and not-so-little) ones goggle-eyed and with their mouths watering. Where >Papabubble, calle Ample 28, Barcelona, Tel: +34 932 688 625. view map Website > www.papabubble.com
bestplace for a sundowner: Mirablau As the daylight is turning from scorching to golden, hop on the tram that goes past the swanky houses on Avinguda Tibidabo – the same one that Daniel Sempere hops on in Shadow of the Wind – and get off at the far end. On your right you’ll find Mirablau, site for the most spectacular sundowners in the city. Sip a glass of chilled cava and gaze out over the city below and towards the distant shimmering Mediterranean. The good news is, it’s downhill all the way afterwards.
Where >Mirablau, calle Manuel Arnús 2, Barcelona, Tel: +34 934 188 559. view map
bestbeachside terrace: Ca La Nuri A lazy weekend lunch that lasts all afternoon is one of the great Catalan pleasures – so why not do it in style on the beachside terrace of this spectacular seafood restaurant? Try the melt-in-the-mouth buñuelos de bacalao (cod fritters) at €10.78, followed by grilled sardines €10.18. Prices here include a 10% supplement for dining outside. Where >Ca La Nuri, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 55, Barcelona, Tel: +34 932 213 775. view map Website > www.calanuri.es
bestview: from a cable car! One of the wonderful things about Barcelona is that it’s very easy to get a great view of the city from one of the many hills that surround it. After a morning strolling round the museums of Montjuïc mountain, take the short cut down to the beach – a shortcut that goes above the city... by cable car. It docks in the San Sebastiá Tower just by the beach, home to the Torre d’Alta Mar restaurant, for those who enjoy sky-high dining at sky-high prices. Those who suffer from vertigo need not apply. €7.50 one-way. Where >Telefèric, calle Montjuïc 66, Barcelona, Tel: +34 934 304 716. view map
bestsouvenir: Art Miniatures If you’re looking for a souvenir with a difference, forget the stalls clustered round the Sagrada Família (the amazing church designed by Antoni Gaudi and unfinished to this day) and head down to the Poble Nou district behind the city’s beaches, to Art Miniatures, where you’ll find scale reproductions of all of the city’s most famous landmarks – as well as others not so famous, such as mundane office blocks. The owner, Chema Vidal, is a model maker with 27 years’ experience who painstakingly puts together all his creations by hand. Where >Art Miniatures, Maria-Aguiló 120, Barcelona, Tel: +34 932 212 875. view map Website > www.art-miniatures.com
besttapas: Bar Mut Tapas (which literally means “lids” – the little snacks were formerly given free whenever you ordered a drink, and came on a little plate on top of your glass) aren’t originally a Catalan tradition, but now there are plenty of places in modern Barcelona to get nibbling on tasty little morsels. Steer clear of the overpriced tourist traps on the Ramblas and instead, head for Bar Mut on Pau Claris at Diagonal, with a spectacular wine and cava list and the tastiest chipirones (deep fried baby squid) and navajas (razor clams) in the city. Where >Bar Mut, Pau Claris 192, Barcelona, Tel: +34 932 174 338. view map
Compiled by Garret Cummings
besttrivia
Designed in 1859, Barcelona’s Eixample district (which surrounds the old city) is one of the first planned city extensions in the world. The grid system later served as inspiration for the planners of Manhattan.
The Online Destination Guides are published by INK Publishing on behalf of
bmibaby.
The views expressed in the Online Destination Guides are not
necessarily those held by bmibaby.
No part of these Online Destination
Guides may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or
storing it in any medium by electronic means) without the written permission
of the copyright owner.
