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Barcelona

Barcelona

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Barcelona enjoys a perfect combination of sea, sun and city. It is also one of Spain’s largest cultural repositories, full of architectural feats such as Gaudi’s Sagradra Familia and Casa Batllo. It was the stomping ground of artists including Dali, Picasso and Miro, to name a few. Millions of tourists are attracted to the Catalan capital each year.
 
With ideal proximity to the sea, Barcelona’s culinary delights tend to revolve around fish: seafood paella, grilled langoustines and unctuous tapas of baby eel and squid salads. Food also rises to high art here, with world-renowned chefs like Ferran Adrià opening restaurants across the city.

Find the latest bars, cafes, restaurants and boutiques in the streets and alleys around Via Parallel or sip sherry and absinthe at the always-bustling bar Marsalla. Modern art connoisseurs will appreciate the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, where impromptu street performers and skateboarders gather in the nearby public square. Nearby beaches like Nova Icaria Beach and Mar Bella Beach are crowded but entertaining - both great places to spend the afternoon with a tapas picnic. 

Travel Tips

  1. With so many Barcelona hotels to choose from, it’s better to select the neighbourhood you wish to explore in depth before choosing a hotel. Steer clear of Las Ramblas if you don't want to be in the tourist scrum. Some excellent hotel options that opened in 2010 include the 74-room Ohla Hotel between the Gothic Quarter and L’ Eixample neighbourhoods. Happy hour on its Terrassa rooftop lounge by the swimming pool is a great place to unwind and watch the city glow at sunset.
  2. Now that famous Spanish Chef Ferran Adrià has pulled the shutters on his celebrated El Bulli, he has time to shift his attention to Barcelona. In 2011 Adrià opened Tickets, a regional tapas restaurant with a decidedly modern flare. Though a bit pricey and very difficult to secure a table, this little gem is situated in the heart of Barcelona’s old theatre district, Sant Antoni, an up and coming neighborhood of the city replete with new eateries, boutiques and markets.
  3. As Barcelona’s bar scene shifts and specialises, tiny bars like Morro Fi (Carrer Consell de Cent, 171, near Universitat)
    are springing up to the delight of locals and tourists. Morri Fi takes its inspiration from Barcelona’s ageing fleet of sherry bars, offering sugary cocktails like the red wine and lemonade concoction, Tinta de Verano, and vintage tipples of Spanish sherries. Happy hour here is immensely enjoyable, packed as it is with delectable nibbles and friendly locals.
  4. Finding places to shop in Barcelona is never a challenge. The city is awash with named brands and emerging designers, especially at Santa Eulalia, a historic department store that recently received a facelift by Studio Sofield. Take a coffee break in Santa Eulalia’s garden-ensconced café and sample their fabulous macaroons and Balaguer chocolates.
  5. Before a night out on the town, scrub up at Barcelona’s  5º 1ª (Ronda Universitat, 20). This hip hangout and beauty salon is hidden away in a penthouse in downtown Barcelona and widely regarded by locals as one of the best spots for quick clips and manicures. Beauty treatments are administered while Djs spin Buddha Bar tracks and waitresses circulate with cocktails.

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