january-2019

56 / TRAVEL / Barcelona
TRAVEL / 57
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“It didn’t take long
for me to find out that
life in Barcelona revolves
around food”
THINGS TO DO
• Watch a flamenco show or music concert at
the Palau de la Música Catalana, which is
beautiful inside and out (palaumusica.cat).
• To avoid the flocks of tourists, book the first
walking tour of the day (most are for free) and
explore the Barrio Gòtico at its best. Highlights
are the Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, Plaça Reial
and the old Jewish street Sant Domènec del
Call, which has recently been renamed Carrer
de Salomó Ben Adret.
• Visit the stadium of the legendary football club
FC Barcelona or, in short, Barça. However,
never say “Barça” when you mean the city of
Barcelona, lest you want to come across as a
guiri (ignorant tourist).
• The Picasso Museum is the city’s most
famous museum, but just as interesting are
the Fundácio Joan Miró, showing works by
the Catalan artist and more contemporary
surrealists, and the CaixaForum Barcelona,
an odd mashup of a warehouse and a castle
by modernist architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch,
boasting epic seasonal shows loaned from the
world’s most important museums. For shows
see: museupicasso.bcn.cat, fmirobcn.org and
caixaforum.es/barcelona.
• Explore El Poblenou, a district buzzing with
creativity. Highlights are the Design Museum
of Barcelona and Torre Glòries, La Rambla del
Poblenou, and the Palo Alto artistic colony,
which often organises food markets at the
weekend.
URBAN BEACHES
Blessed with a Mediterranean climate, Barcelona has soft winters and
sunny days most of the year, which are probably best enjoyed on the
Barceloneta seafront. Once the home of fishermen, this area now offers
1,100 m of sandy beaches, surf rentals and xiringuitos (beach bars) as the
main attractions for visitors.
Shelter from the sun can be found in Barceloneta’s back streets, where
you’ll walk under a ceiling of drying clothes and eat like a king in the
plethora of traditional bars and restaurants. All-time favourites are Bar
Bitácora and Bar Jai-Ca, where you’ll find reasonably priced tapas and
good vibes, and seafood restaurant Montolio Can Maño. Or follow the
scent of fried fish and find yourself a spot in La Cova Fumada, an oldschool
bodega that is known for its oily pa amb tomàquet (tomato bread)
and the tastiest bombas (breaded potato and meat balls served with aioli
and brava sauces) in town. It’s greasy, but good.
FOODIE HAVEN
It didn’t take long for me to find out that life in Barcelona revolves
around food. Conversations among friends or relatives always seem to
end up with a discussion on what, where and how to eat. I wonder if
there’s a causal relation with the astoundingly high density of restaurants
that, apart from the tourist traps around La Rambla, mostly offer good
quality for a very decent price. A smart option is the three-course menu
del dia, which usually costs between US$12-18 (including a drink), and is
often outstanding.
Whereas the choice in modern international cuisine is increasing,
most restaurants still serve traditional fare, as defined by the many
migrants from other regions in Spain. Worth a try are the Catalan butifarra
(sausage) and arroz negro (black rice), Galician seafood, Andalusian
tapas, Basque pintxos (small snacks) and Asturian meat stews and cheeses.
Streets that are well-known for their food scene are Carrer d’Enric
Granados, a semi-pedestrianised oasis a stone’s throw from Eixample’s
most-visited monuments; the unpretentious Carrer de Blai in Poble-Sec,
which is the place for a midday vermouth and some pintxos; and the
streets around the Santa Caterina market in El Born.
With a vast array of wine and cocktail bars, El Born is famous for its
cosmopolitan nightlife. But, just as interesting, is the wide range of concept
stores, art galleries and local designer shops, where you can find unique,
custom-made pieces by Barcelona’s creatives. El Born’s main shopping
streets are Carrer de la Princesa and Carrer de l’Argenteria. Don’t forget
to browse the little streets for the most special gems.
THE WHOLE PACKAGE
In addition to what I’ve mentioned above, probably one of the
best things about Barcelona is its convenient location – with easy flight
connections to all major European cities – and close proximity to the
Mediterranean Sea and mountains. A while ago, I was having dinner
with a friend who described his day to me: he had woken up early to go
skiing in the Pyrenees, stopped on the way back to take a dip in the sea,
and went shopping in Passeig de Gràcia before meeting me for a relaxed
dinner. All in one day! I expect that it won’t be long before I start telling
people that Barcelona is the best city in the world.
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Robert Harding, Stocksy, Getty Images
Kenya Airways operates flights to Barcelona
via Amsterdam from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta
International Airport.
1. Street light with Catalan colours 2. Interior view of the Sagrada Família 3. Quimet and
Quimet tapas bar 4. Street in the Old City 5. Torre Glòries (formally Torre Agbar) marks
the gateway to Barcelona’s technological district 6. Light and ceiling inside Casa Batlló
7. A paddle board 8. La Boqueria Market 9. A restaurant menu in the Barrio Gòtico