Getting your Chocolate Hit in Barcelona

Chocolate and Barcelona may not seem like an obvious pairing, but chocolate addicts will be pleased to know that there is s long history of chocolate-making in Catalunya, and local chocolate makers are some of the most respected in Europe.

When people think Spanish chocolate they generally think chocolate con churros: a cup of think dark drinking chocolate accompanied by thin, tube-like donuts. Although popular in Madrid, they are hard to find in Barcelona (especially outside the winter months) except at the emblematic Café de la Opera (Las Ramblas 74), a fin de siècle café that generally has them all year round. Instead you could opt for a suizo—a wicked cup of steaming chocolate or a Cacaolat, a light hot chocolate that comes in a bottle. Both are sold at the charming Granja Viader (C/ d'En Xuclá 4).

Barcelona’s vibrant design scene has made a happy marriage with chocolate making. For the funkiest packaging try Xocoa (shops all over the city) and for the most exquisite elaboration, head to Bubó in the hip Born neighbourhood (C / Caputxes 10).

Further afield in the upscale residential neighbourhood of Sarriá, world-renowned pastry and chocolate maker Oriol Balaguer has a minimalist chocolate boutique (Plaça Sant Gregori Taumaturg 2) where products are displayed with the reverence of fine jewellery (with prices almost to match). More down to earth is the Museu de Xocolata (Plaça Pons I Clerch, S/N, also in El Born) where you can find out all about the history of chocolate in Spain, and enjoy a treat in the museum’s café after the visit

Eating Tapas in Barcelona

Most people come to Spain with the idea that paella and tapas is available everywhere. This is only partly true; many purists would argue that the only place to eat paella is Valencia - where the dish was invented – and without doubt the great tapas capitals are in the south.

That said, there are bars in Barcelona that serve great tapas, albeit spread out over the city as opposed the ‘tapas streets’ that are a feature of many other Spanish cities. Here are a few of my favourites:

• Cervecería Catalana, Mallorca, 236 - This hectically busy, buzzing place tempts you in with a bar laden mountains of deep fried seafood, grilled gambas (prawns) and classic tapas concoctions such as Russian salad and patatas bravas.


• Taller de Tapas, Placa Sant Josep Oriol, 9 - For some of the best Barcelona food including tapas for the novice, this is one the best bets. You can order from a menu (as opposed to pointing and shouting) and if still in doubt the multilingual staff with guide you through it. Although it may look slightly touristy the tapas served here is actually of very high quality.


• Euskal Etxea, Placeta Montcada, 1-3 - Pintxos, or the Basque-style of tapas are on offer here. Pintxos are bite-sized snacks generally served on a small round on bread, held together with a toothpick. Help yourself but don’t throw the toothpicks away- the bar staff uses them to tally up your bill.


• Bodega La Palma, La Palma de Sant Just, 7 - Not tapas exactly but torrades, the Catalan version. Here you’ll find pa amb tomàquet (rustic bread topped with tomato pulp) topped with all sorts of local cheese and charcuterie.

Day Trips from Barcelona

As wonderful as the city of Barcelona is, sometimes you need to escape the crowds, especially as the tourist season reaches full swing. Here are a few suggestions for getting out of the Ciudad Condal on public transport.

About 30 minutes south of the city, Sitges is one of the most popular beach resorts, and not only with the international gay community. Fine stretches of sand, a pretty whitewashed old town and plenty of good bars and restaurants make Sitges and ideal place for families as well. Trains leave about every half hour from Sants and Pg de Gràcia stations.

Montserrat is an incredible mountain made of rock that eerily looms up over the Catalan countryside. Walking here is incredible but natural assets aside the Montserrat is also deemed the ‘spiritual heart of Catalonia’. An enormous monastery is nestled on its upper peeks, where people come to pay respects to La Moreneta, or the black effigy of the Virgin Mary, which dates from the 12th century. There are regular trains from Espanya station to the foot of the mountain, from where you can take either a funicular or cable car to the top (for the latter make sure you disembark at the ‘Montserrat Aeri’ station).

Collserolla is an expansive, natural park that cradles Barcelona over gently rolling hills. One of the most popular routes, particularly for cyclists, is the Carretera de les Aigües that you can reach by getting off at the Peu de Funicular station on the FGC train network.

The Catalan Valentine

It’s coming up to one of the most the most magical days in Barcelona. Locally, it’s simply known as ‘La Diada de Saint Jordi’, internationally as ‘International Book Day’ and casually as the ‘Catalan St. Valentine’s’. The truth is that all are pretty much correct. But first a bit of background.

Saint Jordi (or George) is the patron Saint of Catalunya and his designated Saint’s day is April 23rd. By a happy coincidence, this is also the day Shakespeare and Miguel Cervantes (writer of the classic Spanish epic Don Quixote) died.

A red rose, the symbol of the dragon-slayer’s bravery, has traditionally been given to girlfriends, mothers and female lovers on this day. But back in the 1920s, a local bookseller decided to get a bit of leverage out of the literary connection to the date, and soon women retaliated their gift of a rose with one of a book to their boyfriends/fathers/lovers.

Given all this activity, UNESCO then stepped in and declared April 23rd the ‘International Day of the Book’ though its certainly not celebrated with as much zeal anywhere as it is in Barcelona.
From early morning onwards, rose sellers set up stalls along the streets, washing them in vivid red colour, and the distinctive red and gold striped Catalan flag waves everywhere.

Booksellers also set up stalls, particularly along the Las Ramblas and the Passeig de Gràcia. Most of all, and particularly in the early evening, people just come out to enjoy their city, lovers to give each other their special gifts and whole families revelling in the warm, dappled light of Barcelona in the springtime.

Barcelona’s Outdoor Sculpture

Many visitors to Barcelona are struck by the quality and quantity of its outdoor sculpture. As you wander around, you may think that nearly every square, park or boulevard boasts a striking piece of artwork. And you are right.

As part of the regeneration process for the 1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona’s city council acquired a sizable collection of sculpture from local and international artists. It was part of the criteria of giving the city a much-needed facelift without causing major structural changes. And it worked! These bright, thought-provoking elements have become as much a feature of Barcelona’s urban landscape as its 19th century architecture.

Perhaps the most famous work of public art in the city is the ‘Barcelona Head’, a vivid, cartoon-like face by the late trailblazer of the Pop Art movement Roy Lichtenstein (it lives in front of Port Vell marina). In front of the Ciutadella Park, Antoni Tapiés, Catalunya’s greatest living artist, pays homage to Picasso with a thought-provoking composition of copper, glass and water.

Up in the park of Montjuïc, a group of girls performing the sardana (Catalunya’s national dance) have appeared in countless holiday snaps. Over on the Rambla del Raval, a rotund, copper cat by Columbian artist Fernando Botero has become a landmark and meeting place on this popular boulevard. Another piece of art that serves this purpose is Rebecca Horn’s ‘Homenaje a Barceloneta’. Consisting of four, stacked metal cubes, the work is inspired by the box- like chiringuitos (or beach bars) that used to line this part of the coast, and were bulldozed to make way for the sand that the sculpture now stands on.

Saving Money on Museums in Barcelona

Recently, Barcelona’s city hall, together with some of the city’s top museums, made the excellent decision of throwing their doors open for free on Sunday afternoons after 3pm. These include the Picasso Museum the most visited in the city, the Museu d'Història de la Ciutat which has some stunning relics of Roman Barcelona and, one of my personal favourites, the Frederic Marès museum a quirky collection of everything from Romanesque icons to Victoriana.

But there are other ways to save cash on the city’s great cultural palaces. The Articket, available from the ticket office of all participating museums, saves an enormous amount as it let you into seven of the city’s top attractions (including Gaudí’s masterpiece La Pedrera) for 22€. Another option, which is probably better for those who want to diversify their sightseeing beyond museums, is the Barcelona Card.

You can pick on up at any Tourist Office in the city though I would suggest buying it at the one at Barcelona’s airport. That way, you’ll be able to start saving straight away as free train travel from the airport to the city centre is just one of the many advantages this card offers. Others include big discounts (25-50%) at the city’s main sites and some shops and restaurants. At a starting price of 27 € (for 2 days) you can save a small fortune.

Staying in Barcelona: Family accommodation

Choosing what area of Barcelona to stay in for your holiday or vacation and selecting the best accommodation type can make things sometimes confusing and overwhelming. If you also have a family to think about, this can make things even more complex. So looking at the accommodation types and your choice in Barcelona:

Hotels: If you are staying for 1-3 days then a hotel simply might be your best bet. A hotel in a reasonable area and standard and you will be easily all set for your short stay. With a family room you will have enough space for the short stay and since only for a few days, eating out or in the hotel restaurant should be okay. A price aggregator such as www.activehotels.com can be a good starting point.


Holiday and vacation apartments: For stays which are longer than 3 days and if you are as a family or large groups, a holiday rentals in Gava could well be your best bet. A short-term rental apartments normally means a lot more space and self catering facilities - with a kitchen included. For anyone with kids, this can mean being able to feed them the foods they actually like and the chance to save on food costs with several mouths to feed. If you do not ant to cook then you still of course have the option to eat out.

Camping: In the city of Barcelona itself, there are not really any great camping options. If you love camping though and do not mind to go outside of the city, there are numerous camping areas and these include the likes of Camping Tres Estrellas in Gavá.