Ben's Barcelona Bible

I. LOGISTICS

A. Transportation

1. From the airport
If you are inclined to use public transportation there is a train that runs from the El Prat airport to downtown every 30 minutes. It takes about 20-30 minutes to get there. However, a cab fare is relatively affordable and efficient at about €20, before surcharges for airport trips and luggage of about €5 kick in.

2. City Center
Barcelona is a very walkable city. Most of the major sights are within a reasonable walking distance of one another. Part of the attraction of the city is just taking a stroll through the streets, imbibing in the culture, and seeing what you come across. That being said, Barcelona has a very comprehensive subway system. At €1.20 per trip (flat rate) is a very good bargain, but if you buy a 10-trip ticket at €5.90 or so, it pays for itself before it is barely halfway complete. Barcelona taxi fares are also among the cheapest anywhere in the Western World on a per mile basis.

B. Money

The official currency of Spain is the euro. At present, €1=US$1.22 and US$1=€0.88. [2008 note: Ha ha ha! Yeah right!] Spain is the cheapest country in the euro zone with the exception of Portgual and Greece. Your best exchange rates are to be found by using ATM’s and withdrawing currency from your home bank account. ATM displays can be accessed in numerous languages including English and Spanish. You should endeavour to minimize your withdrawals, as your bank will assess service fees per transaction, not based on the amount you withdraw. Alternatively, banks will offer a fair exchange rate on hard currency. Credit cards (Visa particularly, Mastercard also, American Express less so) are widely accepted, but should be used only for purchases, never for cash advances, lest your credit rating go to pieces. Carry more than one credit card, as some companies have been known to place holds on accounts if unusual (foreign) transactions take place. All products include VAT (value-added tax, or IVA in Spanish), though meals and hotels may or may not include this in the listed price. Theoretically, foreign nationals can get their VAT refunded on goods as they depart the country, but in practice, you can only obtain this refund if you exceed a certain threshold in one store. Also, please note that in Europe, a comma is used instead of a period to denote decimals, eg. 66 cents is written €0,66.

C. Language

The official language of Barcelona is Catalan, which is essentially a mix of Spanish and French (with some other local dialects mixed in). Written Catalan can be easily discerned if you know Spanish, especially if you know other Romance languages as well. Despite widespead regional pride and a general autonomy of the Catalonian state, most residents of Barcelona also speak Spanish, and many know a passable degree of English. A native Spanish speaker should have absolutely no trouble communicating.

D. Crime

Violent crime is not an issue in Barcelona, which isn’t to say that the usual, sensible precautions shouldn’t be taken (eg. secure your valuables, do not stray down dark alleys, be extra vigilant if alone). Petty street crime, particularly pickpocketing, is your biggest threat, especially in heavily touristed areas.

E. Hours of operation

The traditional Spanish schedule requires some acclimation, but it is truly a breath of fresh air, particularly for Americans used to constant hustle and bustle. Spanish stores traditionally open at 9AM or 10AM, then close at 2PM for a three-hour siesta, then reopen from 5PM to 8PM. While not every store operates on this schedule, do not be surprised to see many doors locked during the siesta. In addition, virtually nothing is open on Sunday as far as shops, so plan accordingly. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day and is taken at the beginning of siesta, while dinner is a smaller, more casual affair that waits for 10PM or so. Bars and clubs open late and stay open late.

II. SIGHTSEEING

A. Modernist architecture

Barcelona was the heart of the modernist architectural movement known as arte nouveau, which took place during the early years of the 20th century. The most famous architect of this movement is Antonio Gaudi, whose works are inescapable during a visit to Barcelona.

1. Gaudi’s houses
Gaudi’s three most well-known residences are the Palau Guell, the Casa Battlo, and the Casa Mila (also known as La Pedrera). All three are located on La Rambla or the nearby Passeig de Gracia, and all three are open to the public. My personal recommendation is to visit Casa Mila, which includes period rooms, an exhibit on Gaudi’s life and works, and a terrace area on the roof. Lines may be long, particularly during the morning hours.

2. Sagrada Familia
The Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family is Gaudi’s grandiose cathedral on the outskirts of the central downtown area. It is a modernist take on a Gothic structure, which creates a curious yet pleasing combination. Originally designed in the early 20th century, the project has remained unfinished for almost one hundred years, with an estimated completion date of thirty years hence. In addition to funding it construction, your ticket gets you entry to an exhibit in the basement as well as a stairclimb up one of the bell towers. Your sightlines are limited from this vantage point, and if the line is long, the trek might not be worthwhile.

3. Parc Guell
Gaudi’s sculpture garden, located in the north area of the city, is a cross between Candyland and Alice in Wonderland. It is perhaps the best example of Gaudi unleashed (and by unleashed, I mean on an acid trip). I don’t know quite how else to describe it besides saying that it is a spectacle worth seeing. The closest metro stop is about a kilometer away, and the walk to the park does inlolve a sizeable uphill section, so consider yourself warned. If you make it there, do ensure you take a walk away from the central plaza, and you’ll see that the rest of the park is designed in a more mellow, subtle, almost Southwestern motif.

B. Museums

1. Fundacion Joan Miro
A museum dedicated to the early 20th century artist Joan Miro is located on Montjuic. It is comprised of a rotating temporary exhibit and a permanent collection. You can purchase tickets to either the temporary exhibit or both, but not the permanent collection separately. The cool thing about Miro, I found, was how he kept certain motifs (the bold primary colors, the swirling black lines and dots) in his artwork throughout his life while applying them to different media, moving from paintings to sculpture and even tapestries. The whole museum should take no more than ninety minutes.

2. Instituto de Picasso
There is a museum displaying a chronology of Picasso’s work in the Old City. Like the Fundacion Miro, it is a museum dedicated to one artist, allowing you to see his stylistic progression over time, but unlike Miro, Picasso’s styles varied greatly depending on the phase of his life, to the point where you can’t believe that one artist was responsible for everything there. This museum also includes a rotating temporary exhibition with a separate admission.

3. Palau Nacional
The national museum of Catalonia is on the side of Montjuic and is dedicated to the ancient and medieval artifacts found in the regional. I did not have time to visit this museum on my trip, so I can’t say much more. Do ensure you check out the dancing fountain at the foot of Montjuic, below the museum. There are several shows nightly, but only during the summer months, so check the schedules. The nearby Mies van der Rohe Pavillion is unremarkable and not worth the price of admission.

C. Montjuic

Montjuic, literally “mountain of the Jews” after a Jewish cemetary was uncovered there, sits right on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It is accessed by a funicular railway that goes part of the way up. From there, an elevated gondola usually runs to the summit, though it was closed for construction when I visited, substituted for by a bus. Montjuic was the site of many of the 1992 Summer Olympic venues, many of which are still present, clustered around the Palau Sant Jordi. The Castel de Montjuic, at the summit, contains a military museum. However, in my humble opinion, the true attraction to Montjuic is the pastoral urban escape it provides, despite being in the heart of the city, as well as the gorgeous vistas from atop the mountain.

D. La Rambla

La Rambla is the main boulevard of Barcelona, bisecting the Old City, and running from Placa de Catalunya to the ocean. It is a true spectacle, with street performers, hawkers, and even bird merchants lining the street. Food and wares in this area tend to be rather overpriced, so look but don’t buy. Just off La Rambla lies an open air food market, with fresh fruits, cheeses, meats, and fish. It’s certainly something we don’t get in the United States. In the vicinity of La Rambla, you will find the original Barcelona Cathedral (a nice enough building but unremarkable as European cathedrals go) and a modern art museum (decent enough, but not like the Reina Sofia in Madrid or the Orsay and Pompidou in Paris). At the top of La Rambla is Barcelona’s main outlet of El Corte Ingles, the omnipresent Spanish department store. People seem to enjoy visiting El Corte Ingles, myself included, but I couldn’t tell you why.

E. The Port

You can have a nice seaside stroll in Barcelona, down by the port district, which was redeveloped for the 1992 Olympics. Weather permitting, which it should be in June, people will sunbathe on the beach. Swimming is not recommended, due to the proximity of industrial areas. The watrefront is (predictably) where you can find the city’s best seafood restaurants, though they tend to be the city’s most expensive restaurants as well. For a hair-raising journey with some spectacular waterfront views, take the overhead cable car from the World Trade Center by the port to Montjuic (not recommended for acrophobics).

III. DINING

A. What to eat

Barcelona is not the place to dine if you’re looking for traditional Spanish food. Rather, due to its location and the autonomy of the Catalonian regions, Barcelona’s cuisine is much more of what I would call pan-Mediterranean. There are French, Italian, and even Greek influences to complement the Spanish. I can’t say there are any must-try dishes, though an authentic seafood paella (at a restaurant catering to locals, not tourists) may qualify. Rather, try stuff that looks interesting, and as long as the restaurant itself is of sufficient quality, you can’t really go wrong. Do save room for dessert, especially flan and the various pastries.

B. What to drink

Most restaurants will offer several varieties of house wine, which are smooth, easy, drinking wines to accompany your meal. They are distinguished by color – blanco, rose, and tinto. You will want to order the tinto most often, which is a dark red wine. The rose is more of a light red wine than a pink, zinfindel-esque win. If you want to try the blanco, go somewhere besides Spain. You didn’t come to Spain to drink white wine. When buying wine in stores, pass up anything labled tinto (or without a year) as that is generic table wine and not the kind of thing you want to take home. Rioja is the quintessential Spanish wine, akin to Chianti in Tuscany and Shiraz in Australia. You should also have some freshly-prepared sangria, since we can never seem to do it correctly here in the states. Keep in mind that cafes will serve alcoholic beverages in addition to coffee and standard café fare.

C. Where to eat

1. Breakfast
Most Spanish hotels do not include breakfast in the price of the room the way other European hotels are wont to do. If yours does, congratulations – you lucked out! Otherwise, a typical Spanish breakfast consists of a café or chocolate with a croissant a la plancha or churros or some other pastry. It is usually taken in a café. Keep in mind that if you stand or sit at the counter your meal will cost less than if you sat at a table, as no service charge is included. Etiquette is to leave your spare change (no more than €1 per person at absolute most, and more like €0.50) as a tip to the bartender. If you want to start your day with a true sugar high, find somewhere that offers a Xoco Bomba, which is rich chocolate, condensed milk, and whipped cream.

2. Lunch
The day’s biggest meal is lunch and is traditionally served around 2PM. The only restaurant I will single out for you is called Els Quatre Gats, which is where Picasso and his bohemian buddies used to hang out and be brilliant. In addition to being superb food, its three-course prix fixe menu that also includes wine, is one of the city’s best deals at €10.97 plus VAT. Ensure that restaurants include service in the bill (most should), but you should still tip some spare change (no more than 5%). Avoid any restaurants with picture menus, as they likely offer low-quality, overpiced food to tourists. An English language menu is not necessarily a deal killer. If a restaurant is filled with locals, chances are you can get a good meal there. Steer well clear of La Rambla if you want to sample authentic food.

3. Dinner
Dinner tends to be a more casual, relaxed affair than lunch. Many people start their evenings at tapas bars, where you can get single piece canapes and other snack while having a drink. I do not know how the tapas bar etiquette works as far as pricing, ordering, etc., as I was too intimidated to try. The actual meal is a relatively short, simple affair, consisting of something like a platter of assorted cold cuts and cheeses, or a sandwich, or a salad. Any Spanish cured ham is delicious. I also recommend manchego and mahon cheese. Also available are larger portions of tapas, called raciones. Ordering four dishes of raciones, for two people to split, should suffice.