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© Emons Verlag GmbH All rights reserved © Photographs: Dirk Engelhardt Design: Eva Kraskes, based on a design by Lübekke | Naumann | Thoben Maps : altancicek.design, www.altancicek.de English translation: Kathleen Becker Printing and binding: Firmengruppe APPL – aprinta druck, Wemding Printed in Germany 2014 ISBN 978-3-95451-353-6 For the latest information about emons, subscribe to our free newsletter at www.emons-verlag.de
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Foreword Barcelona … For most visitors this means ticking off points of interest: Sagrada Família, Park Güell, Casa Milà, Montjüic and Barrio Gótico. Ah, and of course the Ramblas, a rather boring boulevard with dozens of fairly similar souvenir shops, which for some reason is also part of the obligatory must-sees. Many don’t even consider that a city with 1.5 million inhabitants might harbour sights beyond Gaudí’s architecture. Others tend to forget that when you travel to Barcelona, you’re not going to Spain, but to Catalunya. Catalunya is different, and the Catalans are not as open as the temperamental Andalusians. It’s the much-vaunted mix of »seny«, good sense, and »rauxa«, chaos, that makes the flair in the big city on the Mediterranean sea so unique and unforgettable. And of course eleven rather good footballers who display their skills in Camp Nou from time to time. However, so much has been said about them that we will leave them out of this particular publication. Instead, our trips lead to small traditional speciality shops in the Old Town where time seems to have stood still (sometimes the service, too, unfortunately …). Some insider places hide right beside sites overrun by tourists, such as a pipe museum in a vintage block of flats or that little herbal store that went on to write cinematic history. And Gaudí too left us rarities that architectural pilgrims don’t know about. Here’s hoping you’ll enjoy your read as much as I enjoyed the research and writing of it! Dirk Engelhardt
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111 Places 1_ The Automatic Metro Line Thirty miles with an empty driver’s cabin | 10
2_ The Banc dels Aliments Food for those who can’t afford any | 12
3_ The Barber Smooth as a baby’s bottom, thanks to real shaving razors | 14
4_ The Bar Bodega Marín No charge for a chat … | 16
5_ Barcelo-Net Your Girl Where can you find the prettiest girls in the city? | 18
6_ The Beach Taking a dip next to the power station | 20
7_ Bingo! Gambling for two euros, coffee and cake included | 22
8_ The Bomb in the Wall A surprise in a rural-ish neighbourhood | 24
9_ The Bus del Barri An alternative for smart spenders | 26
10_ The Cabaret Berlin Nightlife to the taste of the locals | 28
11_ The Cactus Garden An undiscovered gem of prickly beauties | 30
12_ Calle de Sants Europe’s longest shopping mile | 32
13_ Calle Mühlberg Climbing the hill on the escalator | 34
14_ The Capella of Sant Cristòfol Blessing cars in the name of a sacred giant | 36
15_ The Carillón Bells ringing out from the hiding place | 38
16_ Carme Trias Fashion design made in Catalunya | 40
17_ The Cartel d’Epoca Posters with a (hi)story | 42
18_ The Casa dels Entremesos A place of traditional folk culture | 44
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19_ Casanova’s Gallery Homage to Dalí | 46
20_ The Casa Vicencs Gaudí’s first time | 48
21_ The Catamaran Orsom Barcelona from a completely new perspective | 50
22_ Cerería Subirà The oldest shop in town | 52
23_ Chinatown Badalona Hard-nosed trade on the industrial estate | 54
24_ The Clínica Barraquer A clinic in full art deco style | 56
25_ The Colònia Castells A village in the heart of the city | 58
26_ The Comercial de Guarnicionería A shop, a museum, a museum shop? | 60
27_ The Co-working Offices A spot of hot-desking … | 62
28_ The Cyclepath Along the River One of the rare routes with no car traffic | 64
29_ The Delta del Llobregat A nature park on the airport runway | 66
30_ The Dipòsit de les Aigües A modern university library in a former water reservoir | 68
31_ Dos Torres A garden villa of gastronomic delights | 70
32_ La Escocesa Crucible and refuge for emerging graffiti artists | 72
33_ The EspaiSucre A restaurant for pudding only – yummm! | 74
34_ The Fàbrica del Sol Discovering the environment in Catalan | 76
35_ The Farmacia Enrich A masterpiece of Modernist architecture | 78
36_ The Filmoteca An oasis of arthouse cinema in the colourful Raval neighbourhood | 80
37_ Fondo A part of town no-one visits | 82
38_ La Font del Gat An oasis well removed from noise and traffic | 84
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39_ The Forte Piano Hands-on experts in fine sound | 86
40_ The Frankfurt Bars The Barcelonetas adore their Frankfurters | 88
41_ The Freemasons’ Symbols Plenty of history under the arcades | 90
42_ The Funicular de Vallvidrera Catch some alpine air up in the mountain village | 92
43_ The Gallery of Fragrances Exquisite eau-de-toilette and historic vinegar | 94
44_ The Gardens on the Water Tower dog walkers and toddlers splashing in the pool | 96
45_ The Ghosts of the Old Town One spirit even allows himself to be photographed | 98
46_ God’s Hand … actually looks very human | 100
47_ The Guitar Maker A secret craftsman’s workshop tucked in between tourist shops | 102
48_ The Hammam Water Cures Arab style | 104
49_ The Hemp Museum Two in one: architectural highlight and museum | 106
50_ The Herboristeria del Rei The likes of Dustin Hoffmann already stood behind the counter here | 108
51_ The Hostal Where discretion is king | 110
52_ The Hotel Peninsular A location for anyone missing Old Barcelona | 112
53_ The House Lobby The calling card of any house is its entrance foyer | 114
54_ The Inventors Museum Miba In truth, these inventions are far from museum pieces … | 116
55_ The Jardín Jaume Viçens i Vives End of the road for animal sculptures | 118
56_ The Jardin Petra Kelly Not much of a park, but a great viewpoint from Montjüic | 120
57_ Junk Sale for Professionals However, haggling is not the Catalan way | 122
58_ Kagyu Samye Dzong A Buddhist temple in the middle of a residential street | 124
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59_ The King’s Park Rarely open, yet well worth a visit! | 126
60_ The Luxury Loo Do what you’ve gotta do in a clean environment for 50 cent | 128
61_ The Magic Theatre Barcelona’s special bag of tricks | 130
62_ Media TIC From working-class neighbourhood to futuristic media park | 132
63_ The Mercat Sant Antoni Restoring a market | 134
64_ The Metre Column A journey that changed the world | 136
65_ The MNAC Gazing at the dome is free | 138
66_ The Model Railway A station within a station | 140
67_ The Montjüic Cemetery The »other side« of Barcelona | 142
68_ The Moritz Beer for Barcelona – brewed according to German brewing tradition | 144
69_ The Motorbike Park An underground car park without the cars | 146
70_ The Museu d’Autòmats Kids’ entertainment – 100 years ago | 148
71_ The Nao Victoria The first boat to sail around the world | 150
72_ Okupas in the Rambla Raval I live, therefore I am alive | 152
73_ Omnium Delve deeper into the heart of Catalan culture | 154
74_ The Owl At night a huge owl watches over Barcelona | 156
75_ The Palm Reader Past, present and future for 23 euros | 158
76_ The Painting School Naked bodies in style within old walls | 160
77_ The »Parc del Fòrum« Or how to really and truly mess up a strip of coast | 162
78_ Parc Central de Nou Barris One of the city’s rare green spaces | 164
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79_ The Pastelería Hofmann At last – a good pastry place in Barcelona! | 166
80_ The Pavelló Mies van der Rohe Sitting on the Barcelona Chair is banned unfortunately | 168
81_ The Perfume Museum Real treasures in the back room | 170
82_ The Pipa Club Secret bar, concert hall and pipe museum | 172
83_ The Pla de la Garsa Medieval tavern serving Catalan palate-ticklers | 174
84_ The Plaza de Lesseps Art or building site? | 176
85_ The Queviures Murria How much is that monkey in the window …? | 178
86_ Rateros »Elegant dribbling« is the new technique | 180
87_ Reial Acadàmia de Medicina A solemn ambience for dissection | 182
88_ The Refugi 307 Dive into the memory of the Civil War | 184
89_ The Rekons Clear water for a mid-day snack attack | 186
90_ The Restaurante Semproniana Great idea for the kids, relaxation for the parents | 188
91_ The Rooftop Terrace Spend the blue hour above the roofs of the Barrio Gótico | 190
92_ The Sant Pau Hospital World Heritage and the prettiest hospital in Catalunya | 192
93_ Skateboarding The four-wheeled board remains trendy | 194
94_ The Spa Temple Relax in an exotic ambience | 196
95_ Stand-up Paddle Surfing Windsurfing without sails, but in good spirits | 198
96_ Street Furniture Monday evening free furniture market on the city’s streets | 200
97_ The Submarine The Catalan hero who built the first U-boat | 202
98_ The Swing School Swing dance is on the rise again in Barcelona | 204
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99_ Tai Chi Shadow boxing in a shadowy park | 206
100_ The Taktika Berri Think Barcelona, think tapas | 208
101_ La Tienda del España Everything for sleuths and amateur detectives | 210
102_ Torre Bellesguard Gaudí’s well-kept secret | 212
103_ The Traffic Lights Two old ladies bring light into the darkness | 214
104_ The Turó de les Tres Creus Panoramic views for romantic sunset rendezvous | 216
105_ The Villa on the Tibidabo An estate to fall in love with | 218
106_ Vitralls J. M. Bonet Windows for the Sagrada Família | 220
107_ The Washing Troughs of Horta The washerwomen in »Cold Water Street« | 222
108_ Woki Organic Market Stylish organic supermarket and fast-food restaurant | 224
109_ Xocoa Barcelona – the secret chocolate capital | 226
110_ Yoga con Gràcia This old factory is on the move – and in English too | 228
111_ Zona Factoría d’Art »In the Zona, everything is in flow« | 230
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1__ The Automatic Metro Line Thirty miles with an empty driver’s cabin Anybody who has ever used the Metro in Barcelona will agree that it ranks among the most modern in Europe. Now it is becoming even more modern: two new lines are being fully automated, meaning there will no longer be train drivers on those trains. They say automation will double safety by excluding human error. Glass walls are being installed along the tracks, their doors only opening when a train stops behind them. Of course everything is supervised by cameras, and if trains are too full, the frequency of journeys will be increased. With the driver’s cabin no longer occupied, passengers will be able to enjoy new perspectives entirely – right out front into the tunnel as it were. Three lines are planned: the L 2/L 9 from the airport via the Mercabarna wholesale market, Eixample, Camp Nou and Plaza Lesseps to Can Zam in the Santa Coloma de Gramenet part of town. The L 10 leads from the Polígon Pratenc via the Zona Franca industrial port, Camp Nou, Plaza Lesseps and Sagrera to Gorg in Badalona. All lines are scheduled to be finished by 2015, unless Barcelona runs out of money due to the financial crisis – at around 6.5 billion euros, costs are substantial. Boasting a length of 47.8 kilometres and 52 stations, the L 2/L 9 will become the longest automated metropolitan system in Europe; come 2020 passenger numbers are forecasted to reach some 165 million per year. Due to Barcelona’s urban density, overground lines are not an option. In order to save space, Sants mainline station was even moved underground 30 years ago. One option being discussed, however, are new tramlines, for instance on the Diagonal. The various soil types of the city make building any new lines a challenge. The latest generation of tunnel diggers are being used, the largest boasting a drill head of 9.4 m/over 30 ft diameter. 10
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Address Completed section: 08027 Barcelona, Sant Andreu, to be visited in the Metro station La Sagrera (line L 1, L 4, L 5, L 10, L 11) | Tip The cheapest way to ride the Metro is with a carnet of ten tickets, which at the time of writing cost 10.30 euros.
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2__ The Banc dels Aliments Food for those who can’t afford any »It’s actually cheaper for producers to give away food they can’t sell than to destroy it«, says Jordi Peix i Massip, vice president of the Fundació Banc dels Aliments, nearly apologetically. Which is how it ends up at the food bank, serving a good cause. The food bank, a charitable organization, fights hunger in the region, while taking a stance against the waste of foodstuffs. Over the past few years, when the number of unemployed in Spain reached a record high, the amount of food handed out to those in need by the food bank rose too. In 2011, over 10,000 tons of food was distributed to 114,836 people, much of it through organisations such as »Obra Social Maria Luisa de Marilach«. In the US, some 50 percent of food purchased ends up in the bin: the highest figure in the world. In England that number is said to hover between 30 and 40 per cent, still dimensions which defy the imagination. What Peix doesn’t mention is the distrust of many people from Barcelona, who are under the impression the food bank is mainly helping foreigners, leaving the local population in the lurch. Most foodstuffs piling up in the huge warehouse of the Banc dels Aliments near the port are donated directly to the bank by the producers. Nor does the bank have to find the rent for the storage facility, this is paid by the Generalitat de Catalunya. So pallets with cornflakes, toast, tinned olives, filled tortellini and tuna pile up in the warehouse space. Of course there are always the poor who will ask directly at the supermarkets for food that is being thrown away. In the city’s market halls nearly all the fruit sellers have their »regulars«, often penniless pensioners, who they hand the left-over fruit and veg over to at the end of the market day. 12
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Address Calle dels Motors 122, 08040 Barcelona, Zona Franca, tel. 0034/933464404, www.bancdelsaliments.org | Public transport Buses 37 and 109, stop Calle Motors | Opening times Mon – Thu 8am – 5.30pm, Fri 8am – 2pm | Tip Anonymous donations to the Banc dels Aliments may be paid in at any branch of La Caixa de Pensions de Barcelona, the account number is 21000555310201930933.
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3__ The Barber Smooth as a baby’s bottom, thanks to real shaving razors Once learnt, never forgotten – and shaving is something Alfredo Blanc happens to have learned from scratch. Alfredo is one of the few remaining barbers in Barcelona. His shop is situated on the Calle Gran de Gràcia, the main artery of the Gràcia neighbourhood, and in fact he attempts to drown out the traffic noise outside his front door with loud jazz music. The furniture, in shades of dark brown, is basic, the upholstered barber’s chairs comfy. A classic shave costs 15 euros, and there is a lot to it. First the face is prepared for the shave with hot moist towels, then comes a refreshing lotion of mint and eucalyptus. The foam is still applied the old-fashioned way with a shaving brush before Alfredo grabs his classic super sharp cut-throat razor. The hairs have to be soft, only then can they be shaved off the right way, he explains. No worries though, Alfredo, as already mentioned, understands his trade, and if he draws a little blood he knows how to close the wound again very rapidly. The shaving is followed by the application of more hot terryclothes towels, and then some cool ones. Add a relaxing facial massage, a little fine talc, y ya está! One moment! There’s something else. Any nose hair or stray growth on the ears are tackled by Alfredo’s special knives. Every client should leave the salon as if just on the way onto the opera stage. It goes without saying that this kind of masculine pampering feels just great. And considering that most men will spend some 3500 hours shaving facial hair, there’s no harm in letting an expert do it for once. Of course you can have your hair cut or your beard trimmed at the shaving salon too. Prices range between 10 euros for a beard trim and 15 for a haircut – including a café con leche or mineral water. 14
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Address BCN Cuts Barbería, Calle Gran de Gràcia 223, 08012 Barcelona, Gràcia, tel. 0034/936111813 | Public transport Metro L 3, stop Fontana | Opening times Mon – Sat 10am – 8pm | Tip Learn how to glue together mosaics like Gaudí in the Camaleón mosaic workshop, Calle del Penedès 10 (www.mosaicocamaleon.com).
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4__ The Bar Bodega Marín No charge for a chat … The Bodega Marín has been around since 1916, and not much has really changed over the past 100 years. Antoni and Tere are the owners of this bar which has been featured in various magazines. Before Antoni and Tere took it on, the place belonged to their parents. Just as in the olden days, you can stop by with your empty wine bottle and have it refilled straight from the barrel. Don’t have an empty bottle? Antoni can sell you a plastic canister. Prices are refreshingly modest: a litre of »negro«, red wine that is, costs 1.45 euros, white wine the same, and a litre of sweet Moscatel wine will set you back only 3.80 euros, the same as a litre of Malaga, made from Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel grapes. All wines are Spanish, including many from Catalunya. The front part of the shop houses the bottled wines, which Tere prices by hand. While they get most of their Tipples from small wineries, you can also buy a bottle of Freixenet. Or how about an »Orujo« brandy from Galicia, weighing in at 50 percent alcohol? However, Antoni tends to recommend »Hierbas« from Menorca. Another very popular choice is the »Mahon« gin, also from Menorca, and particularly suitable for a gin and tonic. The Bodega is a typical neighbourhood spot in the Gràcia district, and because people like to stop for a chat, Tere always prepares a few tapas. The empanadas are available filled with tuna, cheese, spinach and sobrasada sausage, and in order to distinguish them from the outside, Tere gives a different shape to every type. Actually, he’s even tacked a crib sheet onto the tapas counter for customers to check. There are homemade croquettes alongside specialities such as jamon, fuet, queso Manchego or boquerones en vinagre (marinated anchovies). Of course there are also the ubiquitous bocadillos, the filled bread rolls that are filled baguettes really, and in winter a hot caldo broth. 16
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Address Milà i Fontanals 72, 08012 Barcelona, Gràcia, tel. 0034/932133079 | Public transport Metro L 4, stop Joanic | Opening times Mon – Fri 9am – 2pm and 4.30 – 9pm, Sat 9.30am – 3pm | Tip Fancy a film after your aperitivo? Cine Verdi in Gràcia, Calle Verdi 32, shows good movies in the original language, subtitled.
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5__ Barcelo-Net Your Girl Where can you find the prettiest girls in the city? As you might remember from Woody Allen’s »Vicky Cristina Barcelona« or the slightly older »Auberge Espagnole«, Barcelona is full of stunning young ladies, ever ready for a little flirt. They are not just Catalan, but students and other young women from all over the world. But watch out! A »buena chica« is not the same as a »chica buena« – best get a Spanish person to explain the small yet important difference here! It’s not only the many universities, but also the media business that draws pretty girls into the Catalan capital. Countless casting agencies have a wide range to choose from. If you see a conspicuous number of attractive and perfectly styled young women lining the Calle de Verntallat at ten in the morning, smoking, you can be sure another production company is looking for the perfect girl for an advertising campaign. Where else do you find these pretty young women? Everywhere really: in the evenings mainly in the Old Town, in the Gràcia neighbourhood or in the shops and bars of Eixample. But how does flirting work in Barcelona? In truth, things are not much different from the rest of the world, yet bear in mind that men in Barcelona are far less predatory than their southern European reputation suggests. In fact, young women in Barcelona actually appreciate shy men! If you see someone interesting in a bar, try to make eye contact. Don’t worry if your winking results in her casting down her eyes or avoiding your gaze. If this is followed by a smile, she will usually agree to share a drink with you. Sometimes it’s even HER starting the conversation; there’s usually no lack of subjects. As noise levels are often very high in bars and pubs, you’ll automatically get pretty close, as you have to fairly shout into their ear. Any more questions? 18
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Address Seating benches on Rambla Catalunya, level Calle Rossell贸 | Public transport Metro L 3, L 5, L 7, stop Diagonal | Tip Make sure you always remain attentive to the facial expressions and gestures of your counterpart; their hands in particular reveal a lot about the future prospects of the encounter!
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6__ The Beach Taking a dip next to the power station A major city that boasts four kilometres of beach is something special alright. The arguably ugliest section of it is situated north of the Besòs river in the Sant Adrià quarter and is dominated by a former power station, whose three towers reach skywards in what feels a slightly threateningly way. What it does have is a popular »Chiringuito«, as beach bars are called in Spain: the Mac Arena Mar. You’ll meet few tourists here, this being more a spot for the locals. Many sections of beach in Barcelona were only laid out for the Olympic Games in 1992, with sand imported from Africa. Before that the beach area was littered with huts erected by penniless immigrants on the naked ground from corrugated iron. Today they have all gone. South of the Besòs you’ll find a swimming zone in the Parc del Fòrum, which makes up for its lack of sandy beach with a seawater basin. The next one along is the Playa de la Mar Bella, a section which has been taken over by the gay community, amongst them many nudists. Since the recent change in the law it is no longer permitted to walk around Barcelona in a bikini or shirtless. While until recently there were stillquite a few of nudists on Barceloneta Beach, they are now limited to the Mar Bella section. The next one along from Mar Bella is the Playa del Bogatell, which was laid out for the Olympic Games. Continuing further along in the direction of Barceloneta, the Playa de la Nova Icària is situated right next to the Olympic Port with its numerous restaurants and bars. The longest section is occupied by the two beaches of Playa de Sant Sebastià and Playa de la Barceloneta: 1.1 kilometres stretching all the way to the new Hotel W. They are busiest in summer, attracting not only sun worshippers, but also beer vendors, tattoo artists and masseuses. And, sadly, pick-pockets too. 20
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Address 08003 Barcelona, Barceloneta | Public transport Metro L 4, stop Barceloneta | Tip A permanent photographic exhibition along the promenade of Playa de Sant Sebastià beach shows what the »beach« of Barcelona looked like 50 years ago with historical black-and-white images.
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7__ Bingo! Gambling for two euros, coffee and cake included The gamble-happy Catalans have a bingo hall in nearly every neighbourhood. While the stakes are only two euros, you will usually have to show your ID at the entrance, which is duly registered, before the door to the bingo hall is opened up. The halls are furbished in a kind of plushy Las Vegas style, the compère (always a woman by the way) enjoying pride of place on a tribune next to the bingo balls machine. For the most part, the customers occupying the tables with a sunk screen broadcasting the draw are seniors passing the time here. The game is the 90-ball game: every bingo card bears three horizontal and nine vertical columns. Before each game, uniformed hostesses ply the hall selling the bingo cards. When the game starts the murmur of voices in the hall stops at once, and everyone listens to the compère reading out the numbers in a bored voice. This is an ideal exercise for learning numbers in Spanish, as Barcelona’s bingo halls have not yet succumbed to speaking Catalan: all numbers are announced in Spanish. You have to be quick here though! Those who have completed a line of numbers on their bingo card call out »Linea« and receive a small prize. Those who were able to mark all the numbers call out »bingo!« and receive a trophy and the big prize, which might be 200 or even 300 euros. In order to entice players into the bingo halls, the promoters offer spectacularly cheap mini meals or cake spreads that you may consume without taking part in a single game. From time to time there are also raffles, where you can win household appliances or gift baskets. Bingo! 22
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Address Bingo Gran Via, Gran Via Corts Catalanes 642, 08007 Barcelona, Eixample, tel. 0034/933011449 | Public transport Metro L 2, L 3 and L 4, stop Paseo de GrĂ cia | Tip Those who prefer to go for the big winnings should buy a ticket for the famous Christmas lottery (200 euros), where over 2.5 billion euros are given away.
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8__ The Bomb in the Wall A surprise in a rural-ish neighbourhood The Calle Gran de Sant Andreu represents the main shopping drag of the former village of Sant Andreu. While still situated outside Barcelona 100 years ago, Sant Andreu today forms part of the Catalan capital. However, it has clung on to its village vibe. The hot issue concerning the locals at the moment is the planned remodelling of the historic centre: in order to create green spaces, the authorities want to tear down some streets lined with old houses. The inhabitants of Sant Andreu however are standing firm, every third house sporting placards with »Salvem el Casc Antic de Sant Andreu« (Save the Historic Heart of Sant Andreu). People who live here are proud of their autonomous part of town, which, with its streets lined by orange trees and low-rise modernist residential houses still exudes the idyll of a long-forgotten Catalunya. The siesta between 2pm and 5pm is adhered to more strictly than elsewhere, with nearly all shops closed during that time. The first floor of the house on the corner of Calle Sòcrates and Calle Gran de Sant Andreu still bears a reminder of the insurrection that took place on 22 September 1842, when General Prim protested against the government, too liberal for his liking, and against conscription: the object stuck in the wall is actually a bomb! This is only one of many that rained down on Barcelona that day. The bombing was ordered by Colonel Joaquín Baldomero Fernández-Espartero. He had most cannons positioned at Montjüic, where they may be seen to this day. However, it is rather improbable that a bomb flew the ten kilometres to Sant Andreu from Montjüic. In any case a bomb rocked this residential house to its foundations. When it was completely renovated a few years later, in art nouveau style, workers found the bomb and mounted it on the corner of the house. 24
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Address Calle Sòcrates/Calle Gran de Sant Andreu, 08030 Barcelona, Sant Andreu | Public transport Metro L 1, stop Sant Andreu | Tip On Calle de Grau, at the other end of Calle Gran de Sant Andreu, you will find a few small houses with little gardens. One of them, at house number 41, harbours illustrious miniatures, reproducing a few of Barcelona’s plazas in naive style.
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9__ The Bus del Barri An alternative for smart spenders You could call it the »Hop on, but do not hop off!« bus, or a budget-conscious alternative to the big city tour offered by two bus companies leaving from Plaza Catalunya. While their day ticket, allowing as many trips on three routes as you like, costs about 25 euros, the ticket for the »Bus del Barri« on the number 120 will set you back just a little over one euro – as long as you buy a carnet of ten, currently costing 10.30 euros. The ten trips may be used on the Metro, bus or tram within Barcelona. With only nine seats, the »Bus del Barri« is a smaller version of the regular bus. However, usually not even those nine are taken, as the route doesn’t seem to appeal to many passengers, and the bus doesn’t exactly run frequently. However, its compact size enables it to navigate lanes too narrow for the »Hop-on, hop-off« buses. After starting at the Sant Antoni market hall, the itinerary first takes you through the Raval neighbourhood, allowing you to look right into the many small shops, halal butchers, and African hair salons. Once past the Rambla del Raval, the bus travels in the direction of the Columbus statue and from there along Port Vell to the Pla del Palau, where it makes a loop. The route then leads through the busy Via Laietana up to the Cathedral, before the baby bus squeezes itself into the Sant Pere Més Baix, a truly narrow lane. Shortly before the Arc de Triomf, the bus turns into the Calle Commerç, past the chocolate museum. Instead of providing explanations via headset this route allows you to get to know your fellow passengers and the bus driver. Speaking of which, it may happen that passengers taking photos are snapped at by the driver, in Catalan, that »no photos are allowed«, which is nonsense by the way. For a first sample of the Old Town the Bus del Barri is definitely worth a try. 26
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Address First stop Calle Manso, next to Sant Antoni market hall, 08015 Barcelona, Sant Antoni | Opening times Mon – Sat 7am – 9pm once an hour, www.tmb.cat | Tip Free English-language guided walks in small groups through the Old Town (Barrio Gótico and Raval), as well as trips into Catalunya are on offer from the Orange Donuts agency (www.orangedonuttours.com). The tours start at 11am and at 3pm in front of the Cathedral – the guide does of course appreciate a tip at the end.
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10__ The Cabaret Berlin Nightlife to the taste of the locals Before the Cabaret Berlin moved into these premises, this bar used to be a big table dance venue, which was frequently closed down by the authorities. Handy, really, that the new tenants left the relevant furnishings in place. The long bar running through the centre of the entire room resembles a high catwalk, with a guardrail on the ceiling now serving as a curtain rod. Off to the sides are several cosy intimate corner sofas, metal poles for pole-dancing, and plenty of red velvet. On Fridays and Saturdays a cabaret show usually starts around 11.30pm, with a transvestite presenting several routines. While it may occasionally include a cover song by Marlene Dietrich, the show has little to do with cabaret from Berlin. In typical drag queen style, the compère leads the audience through the programme, using plenty of sexual innuendo that will only reveal itself to advanced students of Spanish. You won’t hear any Catalan here, possibly to avoid alienating the audience. Performers use the club’s many poles to suggest or parody a striptease and are visibly enjoying themselves. Often the audience is even more interesting than the stage show, for Cabaret Berlin gathers Barcelona’s night owls: from giggling girl models with their female friends, podgy Catalans dancing beer in hand, to the studiedly good-looking gays in their unbuttoned shirts who start checking out the talent after 2am, you will find everything here. And in contrast to popular clubs such as »La Terrazza« or »Catwalk« in Barceloneta, the average age at Cabaret Berlin is above adolescent. A note of caution regarding the door policy: FC Barcelona t-shirts or similar gear will not be allowed in. If in doubt, more decent dress is more likely to get you in the door. 28