Barcelona has hundreds of restaurants catering to all tastes and budgets. Generally speaking food here is good value for money and the cost of eating out compares very favourably with other major European cities. If you’re on a budget, I recommend you do as the locals do and make lunch your main meal. The majority…
Blog
The Nature of Art Nouveau Exhibition at DHUB Barcelona
Last year I told you that the hoardings surrounding the unusual Disseny Hub Barcelona had come down and that I looked forward to finding out more when the centre opened. Well it’s taken nearly two years but the DHUB will finally open on the 14th of December 2014. In fact the DHUB has been partially open…
Enriqueta Martí – The Vampire of the Raval
With a population of approximately 50,000 people, Barcelona’s El Raval neighbourhood has always had a rather dodgy reputation. Despite being the home of one of the world’s most famous food markets (the Boqueria), Barcelona’s grandest theatre (El Liceu) and two of my favourite museums (the MACBA and the Maritime Museum). Not to mention loads of excellent restaurants…
Monument to Francesc Cambó
Born in Verges in 1876, Francesc Cambó was a wealthy conservative politician, lawyer, author, philanthropist and Catalan nationalist. He founded the Regionalist League, was member of the Spanish government, promoted Catalan culture and collected art (a large part of his collection is on display in Barcelona’s MNAC museum). Shortly after the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed in…
Parc de l’Espanya Industrial
A stones throw from Barcelona’s main railway station, the Parc de l’Espanya Industrial is best known for the 12m high dragon sculpture by Andrés Nagel. The sculpture doubles as a childrens’ slide and is commonly used by skaters and BMXers (Note the “BMX or die” slogan spray painted above one of the ramps). The park gets…
El Fossar de les Moreres
In the heart of the Ribera district, the Fossar de Les Moreres is a sombre reminder of Barcelona’s turbulent history. The site has been a burial ground since medieval times and in 1714 citizens who died defending the city during the siege of Barcelona were buried here in a mass grave. Because of this the…
The Encants Vells Flea Market
Barcelona’s Encants Vells, also known as the Mercat de Bellcaire, is one of the oldest flea markets in Europe and dates back to the 14th Century. In 2013 Els Encants relocated to a stunning new purpose built 3 story structure opposite the Agbar Tower. The emblematic mirrored canopy houses 500 stalls; a mixture of junk shop, antiques…
Monument to Doctor Trueta
Josep Trueta Raspall was born in the Poblenou neighbourhood of Barcelona in 1897. He studied medicine at the University of Barcelona and in 1921 started working as an assistant surgeon in the Hospital de la Santa Creus I Sant Pau. By the onset of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 Dr. Trueta had already started…
Barcelona Cable Cars
Barcelona has two cable cars that offer visitors fantastic aerial views of the city and provide easy access to the castle and other attractions on Montjuïc. Barcelona Port Cable Car The Transbordador Aeri del Port (Port Cable Car) was built for the 1929 Barcelona Universal Exposition and links the Barceloneta beach to Montjuïc. The red…
Articket – 50% Discount at Barcelona’s Best Art Museums
Barcelona is a fantastic holiday destination for art lovers. In addition to world-famous architecture and works of public art, the city has excellent museums and art galleries. Most of the museums charge between €5 and €20 per person, and it can soon add up. This is where the Articket Barcelona discount card (aka Barcelona Art Passport)…
Besalú – A Medieval Gem in the Heart of Catalonia
With a population of approximately 2400 people, Besalú makes an interesting and relaxing day trip from Barcelona. As you wander the narrow streets, it’s hard to believe that this now tranquil small town was once an important local capital during the Middle Ages. What to See in Besalú Besalu’s star attraction is, without doubt, the…
Statue of Pau Claris
This bronze statue of Pau Claris was inaugurated in 1880 and originally stood on what is now Via Laietana. It was withdrawn from public display during the Spanish Civil War, as were other monuments to famous Catalan figures such as Dr Bartomeu Robert and Rafael Casanova. In 1977 the statues were restored and reinstated in…
Hay Fever Season in Barcelona
Since moving to Barcelona I have found that I suffer less from hay fever than when I lived in the UK. I believe that this is because Barcelona is a large coastal city and there is generally less airborne pollen than in smaller cities or towns surrounded by countryside. The only time of year that…
Windsurfing in the Bay of Roses – Sant Pere Pescador
Sant Pere Pescador on the the Bay of Roses is one of Spain’s most popular windsurfing venues and a regular feature on the PWA world tour. The wide bay and 5km sandy beach are ideal for windsurfers of all ages and abilities. Prevailing Winds The combination of beautiful scenery, enviable wind stats and cheap flights…
Sir Winston Churchill Monument
Sir Winston Churchill and Barcelona Winston Churchill was undoubtedly one of the most important figures of the 20th Century. His leadership inspired the British people to stand up for freedom during the second world war. Hitler backed Franco and used the Spanish Civil War to perfect techniques which were later used by the Nazis in…
Fernando Botero’s Fat Animal Sculptures
Two of Barcelona’s most photographed sculptures bear the unmistakable hallmark of Colombian artist Fernando Botero. According to Wikipedia the artist’s trademark style is called Boterism and depicts people and animals in “exaggerated volume”. The Cat from the Raval Known locally as either “El Gato del Raval” or “El Gato de Botero” this over-nourished alley-cat was…
Someone’s Knitting Jumpers for the Trees !
You may remember that last year I told you about a series of modified street signs which appeared overnight in Poblenou and turned out to be the work of French artist Clet Abraham. Well last Monday I spotted an unusual new piece of street art in El Parc del Clot. Instead of conventional media such…
Monument to Francesc Macià
Francesc Macià i Llussà was President of the Generalitat de Catalunya from 1932 until his death in 1933. Born in September 1859, Macià grew up in Vilanova i la Geltrú (a medium-sized town approximately 50 kilometres south of Barcelona). After a spell in the Spanish army, he fought for Catalan independence and formed the political…
Joan Miró Welcomes You to Barcelona
In 1968 Joan Miró was commissioned to create a giant mural to welcome visitors arriving at Barcelona airport. The Barcelona-born artist liked the idea so much that he decided to donate three works of art to the city, welcoming visitors arriving by air, land and sea. Joan Mirós Mural at Barcelona Airport The giant mural…
El Pont del Petroli – Badalona
The 275m Pont del Petroli was constructed in the 1960s by the CAMPSA oil company. Originally used for unloading oil tankers, the jetty was abandoned in the 1990s and soon became popular with local SCUBA divers. In 2003 Badalona City Council purchased and refurbished the jetty adding a weather station at the far end. In 2009…
Mahatma Gandhi Gardens and Statue
Many of Barcelona’s streets, squares and parks are named after famous figures from Spanish history. There are also quite a few international names honoured, including Anne Frank, George Orwell, Winston Churchill, John Lennon and Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi Gardens (Jardins de Gandhi) were inaugurated in 2000 by the then-Mayor of Barcelona Joan Clos. The small park…
Joan Miró Park and the Woman & Bird Sculpture
The main attraction at Joan Miró Park is the 22m high Woman and Bird Sculpture (Dona I Ocell). This somewhat phallic tiled statue was constructed in 1983, just a few months before Miro’s death. Although the the main body of the sculpture might look inherently masculine, the vertical black hole on one side indicates that…
The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc
I have to admit that the first time I visited the Magic Fountain, I was pretty sceptical. Let’s face it, an illuminated fountain that changes colour in time to music sounds pretty cheesy! All I can say is forget any preconceived ideas you might have and check it out. The sheer volume of water in…
Laribal Gardens – Montjuïc
The Laribal gardens (Jardines de Laribal) are located on the lower slopes of Montjuic between the MNAC and the Miró foundation. Tranquil and shady, the park is made up of a series of terraces linked by narrow paths and stairways and was designed by Jean Claude Nicolas Forestier and Nicolau M. Rubió Tudurí for the…
Rafael Casanova Monument
Rafael Casanova was the Councillor in Chief of Barcelona during the war of the Spanish succession. He is a Catalan national hero and was wounded defending the city when it fell to Bourbon troops on September 11th 1714. Catalan politicians and public figures lay floral tributes in front of the statute as part of the…
The First ÚS Barcelona Street Art Festival
The ÚS Barcelona urban art festival took place on the site of the old Encants Vells market on February 1st 2014. The event was sponsored by Barcelona city council and the Rebobinart organisation. The idea behind the festival was to make use of a part of the city which is undergoing transformation to promote urban…
MUHBA Via Sepulcral Romana – Roman Burial Ground
The Via Sepulcral Romana dates back to the first century AD. During the period of the Roman Empre cemeteries were built outside the city limits. In this case the tombs lined the road between Barcino (Barcelona) and nearby Sarria. The cemetery was discovered in the 1950s when buildings which had been badly damaged by bombs…
From Argentona to the Castell de Burriac
The 11th Century Castell de Burriac is a small medieval castle with fantastic views of the Maresme Coast, Montseny and Barcelona. The castle is located at the top of Burriac hill at an altitude of 401m. The only way to get there is on foot or by mountain bike. The walk starts on the outskirts…
The “Maja Madrilenya” Fountain
The “Maja Madrilenya” is a 5m high white marble fountain in Plaça Vila de Madrid (just off La Rambla). The statue was unveiled in 1956 and is the work of Catalan sculptor Lluís Montané Molfulleda. So what exactly is a Maja? “Majas” or “Majas Goyescas” date back to 18th century Madrid. At the time women’s…
Barcelona Motorcycle Museum
Unfortunately the Barcelona Motorcycle Museum is no longer open to the public. The museum closed in 2018 and the collection was moved to the museum’s other location in Basella (Lleida). More information here. This small museum in the heart of Barcelona’s Gothic quarter houses a collection of approximately 70 classic motorbikes. The museum’s collection is…