Escape to Barcelona

by taste2016

ESCAPE TO BARCELONA

Home to the fantastical architecture of Antoni Gaudí, Barcelona is Spain’s second-largest city, with its own language (Catalan) and of course, its own culinary specialties

WHAT TO SEE

The must-see for all visitors to Barcelona is Gaudí’s famed cathedral, Sagrada Familia (sagradafamilia.org, tickets start at €15), with its soaring towers and kaleidoscope stained-glass windows. Book your ticket online to save time on lines. For more Gaudí for free, stop by Park Güell. If you have a bit more cash on hand, be sure to upgrade your ticket for the Sagrada Familia to include a climb up the towers for breathtaking views of the city. Head next to the Museu Picasso (€11, buy these tickets online in advance as well), which houses one of the most extensive collections of art by the legendary artist Pablo Picasso. The posh opera house Gran Teatre del Liceu (liceubarcelona.cat) dates from 1847. Guided tours can be booked through the theater’s website, but the best way to experience it is by attending one of the many operas and concerts scheduled throughout the year.

BUDGET   |    MID-PRICE   |     LUXE

PARK GÜELL

BAR CAÑETE

SAGRADA FAMILIA

TAPAS

STAY

The central Gothic Quarter is
Barcelona’s oldest neighborhood and
the city’s cultural heart. Wander the
labyrinthine streets to find cultural
sites, boutique shops and of course,
mouthwatering food. Hotel Cantón
(hotelcanton-bcn.com, doubles from
$110) is ideally located, minutes from
Las Ramblas, close to Plaça Reial, a
four-minute walk from a metro station,
and less than 15 minutes’ walk from the
beach. Rooms are simple, but stylish
and clean.

EAT & DRINK

Can Culleretes (Carrer d’en
Quintana, 5, Gothic Quarter) is one
of Barcelona’s oldest restaurants,
offering up all the classics: gambas al
ajillo (garlicky shrimp), croquetas,
local ham and wine and suckling pig
with crunchy skin and velvety meat.
Starters are under €10 and mains
mostly under €20. Not far from Las
Ramblas is Bar Cañete (Carrer de la
Unió, 17, Raval), where jacketed
waiters guide eager foodies through
the array of upgraded Catalan classic
tapas (croquetas with lobster, tuna
tartare with caviar), but the real deal
is the lunch special for around €20.
For a bargain beverage, snag a street
beer in Plaça Reial for just €1.50, and
sit at the fountain to sip it.

MUSEU PICASSO

MORRO FI

GRAN BODEGO SALTÓ

STAY

Life in the adjacent neighborhoods of Sant Antoni and Poblesec is young, trendy and seems to revolve around eating and drinking. The perfect place to make as base on a food-focused vacation. At Hotel Brummell (hotelbrummell.com, doubles from $185), a façade dating from 1870 hides a decidedly hip hotel within. Each of the 20 rooms features furniture and artwork by young European designers and artists, and the kitchen offers artisanal coffee, organic and local wines and bites such as Spanish cheeses, Iberian hams and grilled octopus.

EAT & DRINK

Fer el vermut—to sip vermouth and nibble
on tapas—is the distinctly Catalan way of
approaching a meal. Tradition dictates that
it be a pre-lunch aperitif, but the reality is
that locals happily consume vermouth and
tapas all day long. Always order ‘vermut de
la casa’ (house vermouth), but if they don’t
have a specialty, try Vermut Yzaguirre, made
near Barcelona. Morro Fi (Carrer del Consell
de Cent, 171, Sant Antoni) has just a few
stools, and a small selection of tapas—just
enough for a quick aperitif in the afternoon.
Anchovies with olives is a classic tapa here.
Kids and dogs sometimes join in at Bar
Seco (Pg. de Montjuïc, 74, Poblesec), where
sustainable, organic food accompanies craft
beers and local vermouth. Try to snag a table
at their outdoor terrace. Head next to the
bohemian Gran Bodega Saltó (Carrer Blesa
36, Poblesec). Located just off Carrer Blai,
from here you’ll be poised to explore one
of the city’s best tapas-hopping streets. If
you prefer beer to vermouth, check out any
of the 40 microbrews on tap at Cervecería
Abirradero (Carrer de Vila i Vilà, 77,
Poblesec), accompanied by one of the
beer-infused dishes (beermisu anyone?)

PACO MERALGO

LASARTE

STAY

Where else to stay but Barcelona’s Eixample
neighborhood? Nicknamed the “Quadrat
d’Or” (Golden Square) for its concentration
of wealth, its flagship stores and some of the
city’s best restaurants will keep any refined
traveler satisfied. At the chic Monument
Hotel (monument-hotel.com, doubles from
$360), the neo-Gothic exterior gives way to
modern interiors. The sleek lines in guest
rooms are warmed by oak wood floors and
brick walls, and twice-daily maid service is
an unexpected bonus. For a more palatial
feel, reserve a room at the Hotel Palace
(hotelpalacebarcelona.com, doubles from
$400), where baroque furniture and ornate
chandeliers lend an aristocratic feel to every
room, and amenities include a rooftop pool.
The hotel is a mere 10-minute walk from the
famed pedestrian boulevard Las Ramblas.

EAT & DRINK

For tapas, Paco Meralgo (Carrer de Muntaner, 171, Example) offers some of Barcelona’s best. In addition to Catalan specialties, there are dishes that draw their inspiration from across Spain (txangurro—Galician crab, or prawns from the Costa Brava), served in a modern atmosphere. Those staying at the Monument Hotel don’t even have to leave the premises for a premiere meal. At the hotel restaurant, Lasarte, Chef Martin Berasategui has earned three Micehlin stars for his creative international cuisine (scallop with quail egg; Iberian ham with foie gras, oyster, and mustard ice cream; grilled pigeon with galangal), each dish as extraordinary to behold as it is to taste. You can order a la carte, but the €210 tasting menu, comprising five amusebouches followed by 11 courses, comes highly recommended, as do the impeccably matched wines pairings.

 

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