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Your Spring Guide to Barcelona
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Photo courtesy of Joan Sánchez Urbano, El País
It’s not just where you’re headed. It’s how you get there.
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Photo by Mathieu Fadelli Carrer Doctor Aigüader 9-11 · Plaça del Mar 1-4 Passeig de Lluís Companys 12 · Carrer L’Almirall Cervera 1
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contents 6
What’s new
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City season
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A day in the city
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Food & Drink
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Culture
_Music
_Festivals
_Art
_Festes & Traditions
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Maps
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Metro map
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Need to know
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Little Black Book
Cover photo by Michaela Xydi
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Ciutat 7 2-4, 08002 Barcelona Tel. 93 451 4486 Enquiries: info@barcelona-metropolitan.com Advertising: ads@barcelona-metropolitan.com 50,000 copies of this guide are distributed every quarter in Barcelona's four- and five-star hotels.
www.barcelona-metropolitan.com
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new in town B-Bar
Located in the lobby of the B Hotel by Plaça Espanya, B-Bar is a relaxed place to escape the city noise and sample some gourmet fresh tapas. You can also splurge on a fine wine from their well-stocked cellar or a more exotic treat from their cocktail bar. Gran Via 391 Tel. 93 552 9500
Tetere
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Jing Jing Yuan brings the ancient Chinese tea ritual to Barcelona in her beautiful tea house, Tetere. Each of these rituals is unique and changes with the season. Reserve a tea ceremony for 1-12 people, or simply drop by and relax with tea and cakes from Tetere’s ample menu of select teas. Saragossa 113 www.tetere.com
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Disparabcn
Discover Barcelona whilst honing your photographic skills. Local photographers Kike del Olmo and Ima Garmendia organise friendly and personalised tours for photographers of all levels. Fancy equipment not essential. www.disparabcn.com
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MAT Bar
Located right at the bottom of the Eixample in an area thriving with bars and clubs, sits a gem: the MAT Bar by Crick and Tommy (who brought us Federal Cafe). It’s got a great vibe, nice wine and cocktails and snacks. Described as a ‘straight-friendly, gay bar’, the space is sleek without being stuffy, with friendly staff and reasonably-priced drinks. Consell de Cent 245 www.matbar.es
Clarés
Enjoy the delicate beauty of Clarés’ design from the comfort of their year-round terrace which overlooks La Casa de Les Punxes. Music from Pavarotti and Piaf to Holiday singing Porter, provide the perfect soundtrack to tasty homemade cakes, crunchy sandwiches or a full meal. Bruc 162-164 www.cafeteriaclares.com Dónde? On? Where? Find the location of these places with our maps on pages 40-44.
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city season
Barcelona revisited Returning to the origins of a twenty year love affair. By Lynn Baiori.
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y first visit to Barcelona was in springtime. I was riding through with a friend, on our way from Oviedo to Granada to see the famous Semana Santa processions and we planned a detour through Barcelona on our way south. The city was gearing up for the Olympics and was continually in the spotlight. A large, civil renewal project was underway, as often happens when a city gets the games. People were talking about Barcelona, though that wasn’t my reason for wanting to come here. Serendipity played a role in our travels. Two weeks before leaving, I ap-
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proached a man at the Campoamor theatre in Oviedo, hoping to scalp a ticket to a sold out show. He was doing the same. I got lucky, with an orchestra seat, centre stage. We met after the concert in the lobby and decided to go for a drink. He pretended not to speak English though I later learned that his English was quite good, so with the best present-tense Spanglish I could chop together I told him about my plans to visit Barcelona and Granada. He wrote his phone number and address on a scrap of card and without reservation invited me and my friend (who he had yet to meet) to stay with him when
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Photo by Michaela Xydi
we arrived. “Si no estoy en casa cuando lleguéis, os dejaré la llave en el restaurante chino,” he said. I wondered at my good fortune at having met someone who would leave his house-key in a Chinese restaurant for a couple of strangers. We couldn’t have done better if we had fallen in with the mayor. My new friend, Jordi, was the bohemian son of a well-to-do family. He was intelligent, well-educated and humorous. Like many people who I would come to know here, he was progressive thinking and curious about foreign people and new ideas. He made us feel so welcome, as if we had been
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given the key to the city. We were received with such unbridled hospitality, I knew how it must feel to be George Clooney or the Chinese ambassador. He brought us to the Raval after dark. This was before the town council renovations had worked its way to the neighbourhood, before the MACBA was built and the trendy bars opened, when transsexual prostitutes outnumbered college students on the streets at night. It was wonderful! So much so, my travelling companion and I didn’t want to leave. Jordi took us down the Rambles, unmistakable then as now, past the hu9
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city season man statues, and past stalls that in those days sold snakes and rabbits, turtles and doves. I fell in love with the Plaça Catalunya as we sat at the terrace of the Café Zurich. When we stopped at La Font de Les Canalletes, Jordi insisted we take a sip of water. Legend has it, anyone who drinks from this particular fountain is guaranteed to return to Barcelona one day. All very charming, I thought, as I fell to the pressure to drink. But to my earlier, hypochondriacal self, a public fountain was equivalent to a public bath, so I kept my mouth clenched, only letting the smallest molecules of moisture touch my lips. “You will only come back for 15 minutes,” predicted Jordi. That was more than twenty springs ago. I moved to Barcelona soon after that first visit. I have watched its seasons turn, been part of this ancient city as it’s gone through a modern Renaissance. Since the Olympics, each neighbourhood experienced a transformation. Immigration has changed the face of the city as much as urban planning of the previous two decades had done. And Barcelona has responded to these modern upheavals with a progressive eye towards the future. For me, Barcelona will forever be represented as Springtime, a young woman with a band of daisies and honeysuckle in her hair. She is made of the soft pastel col-
ours I associate with the season. With the hopefulness, despite the difficulties of the time, of youth and prosperity, generosity of spirit and growth. It returns with each spring’s celebration of Sant Jordi, a singularly Catalan tradition, when men and women express their affection for one another with the exchange of a rose and a book, appealing to both the heart and the mind. Perhaps it is these qualities that not only attract people to Barcelona, but charm them into staying on. I used to have a dream, many years before imagining I would ever move from my native home. I was flying around the spires of a skyscraper. Not an ordinary tower, something else, something mystical. Like a fountain that quenches more than a physical thirst, this tower was like a beacon, reminding me of something that was still to come. Everything about that first trip to Barcelona was sprinkled with that promise. For me, what brought me here is what keeps me here. Because I believe in magic, the magic of a fountain, the magic of dreams. The magic of this beautiful city. Enjoy your visit. And come back, soon. Lynn Baiori is the senior editor of Barcelona Metropolitan, the city’s magazine in English.
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Picasso Museum. Fons documental del Museu Picasso. Photographer Ronald Stallard
A DAY IN THE CITY AROUND THE OLD TOWN AREAS OF SANT PERE, SANTA CATERINA AND LA RIBERA 6
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Picasso Museum. Fons documental del Museu Picasso. Photographer Ronald Stallard
9:00 Start out with a nice breakfast at El Born, a tiny but very cool bar on the lovely Passeig del Born (left) on the corner with Calders street. Watch the neighbourhood wake up before you (1). 10:00 Head down Calders and get lost in the small streets of the area. You’ll find quirky clothes boutiques and one-off emporiums for unusual gifts for you and your friends (2). 11:15 Just around the corner from the Picasso Museum (main image) is the wonderful Museu Europeu d’Art Modern. Well worth a visit for its stunning collection of modern art. (3).
12:30 Take a break at Parc de la Ciutadella. As well as being one of the city’s biggest parks, it also houses the Zoo de Barcelona (4). 13:30 You’ll be spoilt for lunch
choices in this neighbourhood. From burgers at Pim Pam to sushi at Nakashita via modern Catalan dishes at Cuines Santa-Caterina in the eponymous market, your best bet may be just to wander around and find somewhere that takes your fancy (5, 6, 7).
The numbers in pink refer to location points on the map on page 15.
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16:00 Visit one of Barcelona’s most
historic and beautiful churches, Santa Maria del Mar (left). Just next to it, you’ll find a memorial to Barcelona’s residents killed in a year-long siege of the city in 1713-14 (8, 9).
17:00 Cool down with a freshlymade Italian ice-cream at Bellamia Heladería (10).
21:00 Treat yourself to supper at Espai Sucre (right), a ‘dessert’ restaurant. If savoury is more your thing, try El Foro, just next door, where big hunks of meat are a speciality (12, 13).
19:00 Head to Plaça Sant Jaume, the heart of the city and location of the local council and regional government (11).
23:00 Finish off your day at La Fianna, a popular and atmospheric bar with extensive wine and cocktail menus to choose from (14).
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Photo by Richard Owens
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food & drink Reviewed: Caelis
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ocated at the Palace Hotel (formerly the Ritz) in a gilded ballroom with huge pendant crystal chandeliers, Caelis is overseen by Romain Fornell, a young chef who got his first star in 2001. You can have yourself a slice of lunchtime luxury for under €40, including two generous glasses of very good FrancoCatalan wines, water and coffee. The menu kicked off with several amuse-bouche: a slate topped with an olive spherico, a ‘lollypop’ of foie and hazelnuts, a couple of macadamia nuts dipped in gold leaf and truffle oil and a crackling ‘pizza’ straw. It was followed by a bowl of salmorejo (the Cordoban cold soup, similar to gazpacho), and a silver skewer threaded
by Tara Stevens, the food expert for Barcelona Metropolitan. She reviews restaurants, writes about local gastronomy and blogs about all things gourmet. For more Barcelona food tips, follow her on Twitter: @ taralstevens with two chunks of monkfish in tempura. Talk about classy. What I enjoyed most about Fornell’s food was that it was interesting, but completely accessible. Caelis may be as posh as Downton’s dowager, but it makes you feel like you’ve entered a bubble where all is well in your world, even if just for a couple of hours. And Fornell’s seriously satisfying food comes with just enough pomp and new wave garnish to make it feel ultra special. Read Tara’s full review at barecelonametropolitan.com/caelis El Palace Hotel Barcelona Gran Via, 668 (Example) Tel. 93 510 1205 www.hotelpalacebarcelona.com
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Les Tres a la Cuina
Photo by Lee Woolcock
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es Tres a la Cuina opened a year and a half ago and has been quietly building a name for itself among local foodlovers for its modern deli concept, based on seasonal ingredients. Inside the inviting space in muted Mediterranean shades, the shelves are stacked with local products, and behind the glass counter are a colourful array of dishes that make choosing impossible. If there were more of a dining room it’s exactly the kind of place you could settle into for hours with a couple of friends and fatten up on some seriously tasty tucker. Most, however, come to take away. 18
The menu changes daily. Today the soups are all about clever flavour combinations such as creamy parsnip with wedges of sharp roast apples, and pumpkin, given depth by peanut butter and freshened with lime and coriander. Chicken braised with mandarins and fennel, a tangy and quite brilliant caramelised garlic and goats’ cheese tart, and a decadently rich pork and beef lasagna. I think you’ll agree it’s a bit more exciting than your average lunchtime fodder.
Carrer Sant Lluís, 35 (Gràcia) Tel. 93 105 4947. Two courses €7.
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Espai Kru
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spai Kru is a fish joint with a raw bar and cocktails. It’s all drool-worthy stuff from the pristine crustacean and shellfish under glass to cooked dishes like sautéed sea cucumbers with confit potatoes and cilantro oil, chunks of lobster doused in garlic, and hake filets squiggled with squid ink and spring onions. My friend chose a gigantic Galician oyster bathed in a pool of sake and ponzu, which she described as ‘fine’. My silky scallop sashimi with a dab of erizo (sea urchin), soy sauce for salt, and delicate sprigs of purple basil for freshness was a thing of beauty. Likewise a ceviche of salmonete (red mullet),
Photo by Richard Owens
spiked with citrus and spice. A pot of mussels were just cooked and plump with a splash of white wine and a whiff of tarragon. Lovely. They also offer a posh version of chip-shop fish— in this case a basket of crunchy breaded turbot that burst open revealing juicy, flaky, snow-white flesh. It was very tasty but it does seem a bit of a waste of such a fancy fish. Frying is, after all, one of those miraculous culinary techniques that makes everything taste good. Still, I can think of worse ways to stay warm. Carrer Lleida, 7 (Poble Sec) Tel. 93 424 81 52 / 93 423 45 70. www.riasdegalicia.com.
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wens
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NEBRASKA - ARGENTINA - WAGYU Avinguda nguda de Sarrià Sarrià, 17 (between Londres y París) 93 430 0003 www www.restaurantargentina.es restaurantargentina es
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Roca Moo
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t’s always a good sign when restaurants recognise the need for a bit of a shake-up, especially on the fine dining circuit where the competition is ferocious and the dining public’s expectations are nothing short of terrifying. So the revamp of Moo at the Hotel Omm in February was a clever move, especially at a time when the world’s financial woes are heralding a return to a less extravagant lifestyle. Food-wise, chef Felip Llufriu continues as head of the fine dining aspect of Roca Moo, but the kitchen has been integrated into the dining room, adding some
fairly spiffy ‘show’ cooking to your dining pleasure. Prices have gone down and now include a new €45 lunch menu that gives you a taste of the Roca genius without the price tag. If you want to go allout, Joan Roca’s 8-course tasting menu is €100 (not including wine) and sees the classics re-imagined: tortilla with Catalan white sausage, pork cannelloni with milk ‘skin’, and sea bass with artichokes and truffles, among other seasonal crowd pleasers.
Hotel Omm, Carrer Rosselló, 265 (Eixample) Tel. 93 445 4000 www.hotelomm.es
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Los Azulejos
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his pretty little space specialising in alta cocina mexicana is all charm and loveliness. The menu is filled with the kind of dishes you want such as tender, spiced pork tacos de chamorro doradito; crunchy tostadas topped with a Yucut谩n veggie ceviche and tapenade; that street food classic of sopecito Azul de cochinita Pibil y foie, carpaccio of tuna with lime, radishes and cilantro; crema de frijol with pico de gallo (a chopped salad of tomatoes, onions and chillies), fish balls in salsa verde and a classic chicken mole from Oaxaca. Four tacos de camar贸n con tocino y epazote was a generous stew of jumbo prawns, onions
and tomatoes, deeply flavoured with paprika and earthy epazote (Mexican hedge mustard) piled on top of warm tortillas, which contrasted nicely with tostada de ceviche de camar贸n y pulpo (prawns and octopus bathed in lime juice). The pato al horno con salsa Jamaica was a tasty sliced duck, cooked perfectly pink and served on a puddle of a sweetish sauce. And the pecho de ternera asado was superb: two stout beef ribs that had been slow roasted in spices until spoon tender and falling from the bone. Carrer Trinitat, 3 (G贸tic) Tel. 93 304 1979 www.losazulejos.es
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
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culture music
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March 20th
Mumford & Sons Sant Jordi Club. From €40 This English folk rock band has a huge international fan base, making it one of Britain’s top bands today. The band’s debut album reached the top of the music charts in multiple countries in 2010, and their second album, Babel Babel, won Album of the Year at this year’s Grammy Awards.
April 14th
Rammstein Sant Jordi Club. From €20 Famous for their pyrotechnic performances and firey props, tickets for this industrial metal band from Germany will sell out quickly, so get them while they’re hot.
April 26th
Sophie Hunger Sala Apolo. From €17 Switzerland is home to Sophie Hunger, a band whose innovative style is hard to classify under one genre. Thanks to the variety of instruments used such as harmonica, electric gui-
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tar and piano, the group has a unique sound that combines jazz, folk and rock and is often compared to Fiona Apple or P.J. Harvey.
May 7th
Imagine Dragons La [2] de Apolo. From €20 Named one of “2012’s Brightest New Stars” by Billboard Magazine, this indie rock group from Las Vegas, Nevada, offers uplifting lyrics with some seriously catchy melodies.
May 22nd
One Direction Pavelló Olimpic de Badalona. From €35 Melting every teenage girl’s heart, this English-Irish boy band based in London is famous for their pop rock songs, like “Take Me Home,” that have topped the charts internationally. 29
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classical music
March 21st-27th
Madama Butterfly, Teatre del Liceu. From €13 Become entranced by the music of Puccini’s most popular opera, Madama Butterfly, which tells the harrowing love story of a Japanese geisha.
March 13th-May18th
Opera y Flamenco, Palau de la Música Catalana. From €51 Witness sensual choreography accompanied by famous opera arias. Opera y Flamenco is a beautiful fusion of lyric and dance.
April 2nd
Arcadi Volodos, Palau de la Música Catalana. From €97 Arcadi Volodos, a world-renowned Russian pianist, is known for his magical ability to achieve textures and colour through his technique. He will be performing works by Braham and Schumann.
April 12th-14th
Verdi’s Requiem, L’Auditori. From €39 L’Auditori hosts the OBC as they perform Verdi’s emotionally-charged Requiem, which he composed as a memoir for the death of composer Alessandro Manzoni.
April 20th-May 2nd
Das Rheingold, Teatre del Liceu. From €12 Experience Richard Wagner’s opera, Das Rheingold, the prologue of the tetralogy Der Ring des Nibelungen, which explores the destructive nature of power and greed.
May 12th
Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra in Barcelona, Auditori de Barcelona. From €27 The Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra will perform works by Respighi, Farkas, Haydn, Dvořák, Kovats and Brahms at L’Auditori in Barcelona.
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festivals
February 20th to June 14th
Guitar Festival BCN www.theproject.es The festival will present 40 concerts at various venues around Barcelona, featuring internationally-respected artists like Eels and Ron Sexsmith, as well as more local legends such as Rammstein, Standstill and DelafĂŠ y las Flores Azules.
May 17th to 25th
Screen Festival www.screen-barcelona.com Screen Festival is a celebration of both
professionals and aficionados of contemporary film, video and new media. Enjoy the festival as well as lovely Barcelona as it will be presented in various venues around the city.
May 20th
La Tamborinada Parc Ciutadella Barcelona welcomes the 35th edition of La Tamborinada festival for children and families. With no admission fee, enjoy endless activities including parades, treasure hunts, theatre and a circus in the park.
May 22nd to 26th
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Primavera Sound www.primaverasound.com The long-awaited Primavera Sound festival is back this year with a lineup as diverse as ever. The festival headlines include Blur and features major groups such as Phoenix, The Postal Service, Fiona Apple, Band of Horses (pictured left), Animal Collective, Wu Tang Clan and many more.
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his fantastic restaurant and lounge is located at the top of the Rambla de Raval just a short walk from the MACBA art gallery. Whether you’re looking for lunch or dinner, they provide a wide range of Spanish dishes and tapas that are made with traditional Mediterranean recipes, using fresh and exciting ingredients.
Thre emen course u of the day a incr t an edi €10 ble .50
If you prefer to eat ‘al fresco’, they have a great terrace situated on the Rambla de Raval so you can relax and watch the world go by. Inside they have a fresh new vibe making it a great place to meet up with friends for cocktails. It also has private rooms available for groups and couples. The friendly and attentive service is what really makes this restaurant stand out. It is open every day, with the kitchen open till midnight and the cocktail lounge until 3am. www.facebook.com/restaurantebarraval 104 Carrer Hospital 08001 Barcelona Tel. 93 329 8277
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art
Old is New
Francisco Godia Foundation www.fundacionfgodia.org Fifty works by twenty-four artists from different generations, styles and techniques are presented together in a synthesis of historic and contemporary art, bringing to Barcelona a sense of the displays once featured at the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Until May 13th.
Jaume de Laiguana
Palau Robert Passeig de Gràcia, 107 The Government of Catalunya presents the work of Jaume de Laiguana. On display in the palace on the top of Passeig de Gràcia (which also houses the city’s tourist office), the exhibition follows the process and results of this prodi-
gious local artist, and is an homage to beauty in imperfection and the fortune of chance. (see photo above) Until May 26th.
Alberto García-Alix. Autoretrat
La Virreina Centre de la Imatge www.lavirreina.bcn.cat In this exhibition, consisting of about seventy works—including photographs and videos—one of the most important figures in contemporary photography, GarcíaAlix, analyses the autobiographical aspect of his art as it has evolved throughout the course of his career. Part of Spain’s underground movement, García-Alix’s honest account of his passions, addictions and loss documents his personal journey set against the backdrop of post-Francioist Spain. Until May 5th.
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Ten Embarrassed Men (2010). Annika Ström. Taken from ‘Feminism #2: A Performing Archive’
Barcelona Showcase
Casa Batllò www.casabatllo.es Casa Batllò showcases a wide variety of original paintings, drawings, limited edition art and photography on April 27th. View high quality works, created using different mediums and techniques, all while you move within the walls of the magnificent Casa Batllò. 34
Gods and Myths of Antiquity
MNAC (Museum National de Catalunya) www.mnac.cat
The exhibition provides a close-up of the divinities, myths and cults of the inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula from the 5th century BC to the arrival of the Visigoths. Until September 29th.
Tutankhamon. Història d’un descobriment.
Museu Egipci de Barcelona www.fundclos.com/ With its exhibition, Tutankhamon Història d’un descobriment, the Museu Egipci de Barcelona pays homage to the unearthing of King Tutankhamon’s royal tomb. Until May 31st.
Salvador Alibau
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Espai Volart www.fundaciovilacasas.com Celebrating this renowned Catalan artist, the Volart gallery is showcasing the works of Salvador Alibau. His work centres on capturing the weightlessness of material, experimenting with different mediums to express the relationship between man and nature. Until April 21st
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FESTIVALS
Semana Santa March 24th - April 1st
a man gives a rose to his sweetheart and a woman gives her love a book. Books and roses can be bought at stalls all throughout the city, with a special concentration along Les Rambles, Passeig de Gràcia and La Rambla de Catalunya. On this day, you can also take advantage of the rare opening of Barcelona’s magnificent city hall to the public at Plaça de Sant Jaume.
Sant Jordi April 23rd
People all over the world celebrate Earth Day, and Barcelona is no exception. Fira per la Tierra is an annual festival in Barcelona that will be held on April 20th and 21st this year. Located at Parc de la Ciutadella, this fair celebrates Mother Earth with an assortment of activities for the entire family, plus environmentally-friendly products and a variety of fresh food stalls.
Barcelona celebrates the Easter holidays with parades and festivities. The week before Palm Sunday (March 24th) palm is sold along La Rambla de Catalunya. There’s a procession of the Virgin Maria on Good Friday in the Barri Gótic that shows off beautifully decorated floats with sculptures and biblical scenes to recreate the story of Easter. Sant Jordi, also known as El Día de los Amantes, or Lovers’ Day, is Catalunya’s equivalent to Valentine’s Day. The holiday is inspired by the legend of Sant Jordi, who slew a dragon to save a princess, then gave her a rose which grew from the spot where the dragon’s blood was spilled. To commemorate this romantic act of heroism, local tradition dictates that
Earth Day April 22nd
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PLACES MENTIONED IN THIS GUIDE
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SHOPPING Directory CONTI4FASHION Designer clothes shop with top brands–G-star Raw, Franklin & Marshall, Replay, Antony Morato, Gola, Superdry, Cruyff, Bikkembergs, Adidas, Diesel, New Balance–and more.
L'illa shopping center, Diagonal 512, 08006 T. 93 416 1211 www.econti.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/conti.dconti
24 KiLATES4STREETWEAR Located in the Born shopping area, this exclusive streetwear store has become internationally renowned thanks to its exciting design collaborations with many famous brands such as New Balance, Stussy, Reebok, Lacoste, Puma, Asics, Nike, Saucony, Adidas, New Era and more. Definitely worth a look. Comerç 29 T. 93 268 8437 www.24-kts.com
ARTSHOP4ART SUPPLIES Art can be considered to be something synonymous with Barcelona. From the majestic Sagrada Familia cathedral to the splendid artwork of Pablo Picasso, art is found everywhere in the city. When inspiration strikes and you want to create your own masterpiece, the Artshop has everything from a simple watercolour set to a full range of quality art supplies. Calle Sitges 7 T. 93 676 2311 info@artshop-bcn.es
PARRUP4CONCEPT STORE PARRUP brings together the best from local designers, carefully selected unique pieces, limited edition products and finely crafted clothes, jewellery, art and furniture. Why PARRUP? Because we love talented people. Because we want to showcase what they can offer. Because we believe in local economy and production transparency. Nothing more, nothing less. Banys Nous 20 www.parrup.com www.facebook.com/ParrupBarcelona
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Barcelona Segway Glides Tour Glide effortlessly around the city, sightseeing whilst learning about the history, listening to interesting facts, and discovering hidden secrets of Barcelona.
â‚Ź10 OFF WITH THIS ADVERT
www.barcelonasegwayglides.com E. tours@barcelonasegwayglides.com M. +34 678 777 371 T. +34 93 268 9536
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Need to Know BARCELONA: the practical info
EMERGENCY NUMBERS General emergencies Ambulance service (Ambulància) Catalan Police (Mossos d’Esquadra) City Police (Guàrdia Urbana) Fire Service (Bombers)
112
061 088 092 080
IF YOU LOSE YOUR CREDIT CARDS
Visa & Mastercard - 902 192 100 Amex - 902 375 637 Diner’s Club - 93 467 0145
IN THE EVENT OF A CRIME
The most central place to report a crime is the Guàrdia Urbana station at Ramblas 43. Tel. 93 256 2457 (24 hr; English spoken). www.bcn.es/guardiaurbana To get a police report for your insurance you can go to the Mossos d’Esquadra station at Nou de la Rambla 76-80, Raval. Tel. 93 306 2300. You can also fill in a report online: go to the website www. gencat.net/mossos and select ‘Denúncies’ then ‘Denúncies per internet’ (English option available). You will still have to take the completed form to the station to be signed within 72 hours.
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OTHER USEFUL NUMBERS Barcelona general information: 010 National directory enquiries: 11818
LOST PROPERTY
Anything left on public transport or found by police is sent either to the TMB office at Diagonal metro station (top of Passeig de Gràcia) or to the Oficina de Troballes (municipal lost property office) at Pl. Carles Pi i Sunyer 8-10; open Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm. Most items are kept for three months.
CONSULATES
AUSTRALIA: There is currently no Australian consulate here. If advice/help is needed, contact the Madrid embassy: tel. 91 353 6600. www.spain.embassy.gov.au CANADA: Plaça de Catalunya 9, 1º 2ª. Tel. 93 270 3614. www.canadainternational.gc.ca NEW ZEALAND: Travessera de Gràcia 64. Tel. 93 209 0399 www.nzembassy.com REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Gran Via Carles III 94. Tel. 93 491 5021. www.irlanda.es UK: Avda. Diagonal 477. Tel. 902 109 356. www.ukinspain.fco.gov.uk USA: Pg Reina Elisenda 23. Tel. 93 280 2227. www.madrid.usembassy.gov
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EMERGENCY Directory Pharmacy Serra Mandri4chemist The helpful and qualified pharmaceutical staff at this well-known Barcelona chemist can help and advise each client to ensure they get exactly what they need. They also stock a great range of products, including homeopathy, natural medicine, aromatherapy and organic cosmetics. Av. Diagonal 478 Metro: Diagonal (L3, L5) Chemist T. 93 416 1270 Homeopathy T. 93 217 3249 Open every day 9am-10pm
Mary D. McCarthy4DOCTOR Dr. Mary McCarthy, a native English speaker, is an Americantrained doctor for adults with over 20 years of experience in professional, private health care in Barcelona. She is a member of the American College of Physicians and is certified as a Specialist by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Aribau 215 Pral 1ÂŞ FGC Diagonal or GrĂ cia T. 93 200 2924 M. 607 220 040
The British Dental Clinic4DENTIST Dental emergency whilst on holiday? Contact the British Dental Clinic for a fast, efficient solution to your problem, so that you can continue enjoying your holiday in comfort. The British Dental Clinic has a patient-friendly philosophy and a commitment to total oral health. Diagonal 281 Metro: Sagrada Familia (L5) Monumental (L2) T. 93 265 8070 M. 607 332 335 info@thebritishdentalclinic.com www.thebritishdentalclinic.com
Radio Taxi Comtal
RADIO TAXI COMTAL4TAXI Looking for a speedy ride across town? In a rush to get to the airport? Call Radio Taxi Comtal for a 24-hour taxi service with a range of vehicles available, including 5 and 6-seaters. Services available to the airport, city-wide points of interest, viewing points over the city and road trips around Catalunya. Please show this guide for a VIP treatment. T. 93 519 1919 www.radiotaxicomtal.com
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Little Black Book ESSENTIAL ADDRESSES FOR YOUR BARCELONA STAY
PLACES TO BUY CAVA COLMADO QUILEZ: Rambla Catalunya 63, tel. 93 215 87 85 and 93 215 23 56. www.lafuente.es EL CELLER DE LA BOQUERIA: Plaça Sant Josep 15, tel. 902 889 263. www.cellerboqueria.com VINUS I BRINDIS: Various branches including Torrent de l’Olla 147 (Gràcia) and L’illa Commercial Centre, Avinguda Diagonal 557 (Les Corts). www.vinus.com
barcelona cocktails BOADAS: Tallers 1. Tel. 93 318 9592. The classic choice. A popular spot for the famous of times past and present, it looks deceptively unassuming from the outside. They don’t have a menu, so ask for your favourite tipple or seek out the special of the day. SLOW: Paris 186. Tel. 93 368 1455. Not long open, this classy space has already established itself on the Barcelona night scene. Gin and tonics are a speciality, but the selection of original drinks is wide. Club nights and a (practically) all-night kitchen make this the place to stay for more than one drink.
MILANO: Ronda Universitat 35. Tel. 93 481 3327. Mix your cocktails with jazz at this club located just a few minutes from Plaça Catalunya. Each night, you’ll find live music performed in this basement bar, where Campari is the star alcohol attraction.
CAFÉS with terraces As the weather warms up, and before it gets skin-blisteringly hot, it’s the perfect time of year to enjoy café life at its best with a drink in the open air. RAB BAR. Plaça de la Concòrdia 9. Set in a pedestrianised square in the residential area of Les Corts, not too far from the Camp Nou, this is the ideal place for an afternoon stop. SANTA EULALIA. Passeig de Gràcia 93: www.santaeulalia.com. On the top floor of this luxury clothing store, you’ll find a quiet café with a tranquil outdoor space. You’ll forget in an instant that you are minutes from one of Barcelona’s busiest streets. PLAÇA DE LA VIRREINA. Not one café but a trio of them in this leafy Gràcia square where people watching and taking things easier are all but unavoidable.
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