From the airport of Barcelona to the city

Public transports from the airport to Barcelona from cheaper to less cheap:

—Bus 46 until plaça Espanya or Paral·lel.

—Renfe trains until Sants Estació or Passeig de Gràcia.

—Metro (see the picture below).

—Aerobús A1 – A2 until plaça Catalunya.

The best spots of Barcelona

If you want to know what to see in this city, these are my tips to you as a local:

Touristic places: Sagrada Família, la Pedrera, la Casa Batlló, el Park Güell, el Palau Güell, the city center (Ramblas-Cathedral-plaça del Rei-Santa Maria del Mar), the mountains of Montjuïc and Tibidabo and the museums (Fundació Miró, MNAC, Muhba, Museu Picasso, Can Framis and Museu de les Cultures del Món).

The real Barcelona: walking the streets around plaça d’Eivissa, plaça de la Vila de Gràcia, carrer Major de Sarrià, plaça d’Osca, or even go to Badalona, Mataró, Vilafranca del Penedès, Vic… Stop in any restaurant at 13-15 h and eat a ‘Menú’ (pay around 10-14 euros).

The city has a free service of Barcelona Wifi for everybody in the main streets, avenues, squares, libraries, markets, etc.

Use the public transport (T-Casual card), is quite cheap. Mind who is next to you in the underground and in the streets, the pickpockets from Barcelona are everywhere.

Welcome to Barcelona!

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Traditional restaurants

The best places in the city to eat local food. The oldest is from 1786:

—Ca l’Estevet (c/ Valldonzella, 46).

—Can Culleretes (c/ Quintana, 5).

—Ca l’Isidre (c/ de les Flors, 12).

—Los Caracoles (c/ Escudellers, 14).

—Set Portes (passeig d’Isabel II, 14).

If you just want to eat ‘tapas’, those delicious and cheap traditional dishes:

—Xamfrà Gaudí (c/ València, 443).

—Bar Electricitat (c/ Sant Carles, 15).

—La Esquinica (passeig de Fabra i Puig, 296).

—La Palma (c/ Palma de Sant Just, 7).

—Sol Soler (plaça del Sol, 21).

And if you would like to taste local sweets like ‘crema catalana’, hot chocolat with ‘churros’, ‘menjar blanc’ and ‘mel i mató’:

—Granja Viader (c/ Xuclà, 4-6).

—Granja Dulcinea (c/ Petritxol, 2).

—La Colmena (plaça de l’Àngel, 12).

—Dolç i Taíno (c/ Lleó, 9).

—La Besnéta (c/ Torrijos, 37). Vegan.

Historical bars

Dalí, Miró, Machín, Carlos Gardel, Federico García Lorca, Georges Orwell, Jean Genet, Georges Moustaki… were clients of these bars:

—London Bar (c/ Nou de la Rambla, 34).

—Bar Marsella (c/ Sant Pau, 65).

—Casa Almirall (c/ Joaquim Costa, 33).

—Bar Muy Buenas (c/ Carme, 63).

—Bar Pastís (c/ Santa Mònica, 4).

Old shops

—Casa Gispert (sweets, food and drink):  c/ Sombrerers, 23.

—Herboristeria del Rei (medicinal plants): c/ Vidre, 1.

—El Rey de la Magia (magic): c/ Princesa, 11.

—Cereria Subirà (candles): c/ Baixada de la Llibreteria, 7.

—Ganiveteria Roca (knives): plaça del Pi, 3.

—El Ingenio (toys): c/ Rauric, 6.

Live music clubs

—Pipa Club (gipsy jazz, blues, balkan): c/ Santa Eulàlia, 21.

—Harlem Jazz Club (jazz, blues, rock, salsa, pop, rap, flamenco): c/ Comtessa de Sobradiel, 8.

—Jazz Si Club (jazz, blues, rock, pop, cuban, flamenco): c/ Requesens, 2.

—Tarantos (flamenco): plaça Reial, 17.

—Jamboree (jazz, blues, rock): plaça Reial, 17.

Day trips from Barcelona

With Renfe trains from Sants Estació:

—Figueres (Dalí museum).

—Girona (for history and art lovers).

—Tarragona (for history and art lovers).

—Vilafranca del Penedès (for wine lovers).

With FGC trains from Espanya metro station:

—Monastery of Montserrat (if you like nature and beautiful landscapes).

Museums

These museums are a must if you visit Barcelona:

—Museu d’Història de Barcelona (plaça del Rei).

—Fundació Miró (parc de Montjuïc).

—Museu de les Cultures del Món (c/ Montcada, 12-14).

—Museu Can Framis (c/ Roc Boronat, 116-126).

—Museu Picasso (c/ Montcada, 15-23).

These galleries are waiting as well for you: Sala Parès, Fundació Vila Casas, Galería Marc Domènech, Galería Joan Prats, Galería H2O…

And maybe some museums that are not very visited, but deserve to be known:

—Museo de las Carrozas Fúnebres (c/ Mare de Déu del Port, 56).

—Centro Interactivo del Pescado (c/ Major, 74, Mercabarna).

—Museo Geológico del Seminario de Barcelona (c/ Diputació, 231).

—Fundación Ramon Pla Armengol (c/ Manila, 43).

—Museo del Perfume (passeig de Gràcia, 39).

Barcino

The Colonia Faventia Julia Augusta Paterna Barcino was founded by the Romans around the year 15 before Jesus Christ on a small hill called Mons Taber. After the barbarian atack of the year 279 after Jesus Christ, the survivors built a new and strong city wall protected by 78 towers. This wall can be seen today in part following these streets: Avinguda de la Catedral, Tapineria, Sots-tinent Navarro, Correu Vell, Avinyó, Banys Nous and Palla. To admire other Roman remains you have to visit two museums: Museu d’Història de la Ciutat de Barcelona (MUHBA) and Museu d’Arqueologia de Catalunya (MAC).

Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages Barcelona was one of the most important cities in the Mediterranean Sea. The craftsmen and the merchants were very active. The medieval city was bigger than the Roman one and included this current areas: Raval, Gothic Quartier, Sant Pere and Santa Caterina quartier and Born. The most important buildings from that time are Drassanes, Pedralbes monastery, the Cathedral, Saló del Tinell (plaça del Rei) and four churches: Sant Pau del Camp, Sants Just i Pastor, Santa Maria del Mar and Santa Maria del Pi. Until 1391 there was an important jewish comunity: you can visit the synagogue in Marlet street, in the heart of the old city, not far from Sant Jaume square.