Backstreet Barcelona
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his review of Barcelona is not a typical one, as I am hoping to include as little of the stereotypical Barcelona tourist attractions as possible. The more hard-core tourists amongst the Boar’s audience may read this and shake their head- and whilst the Gaudi attractions and museums of Barcelona are exquisite and the city has a rich history, the real Barcelona is nestled in the maze of its backstreets. Alleyways with intriguing names like Carrer del Tigre (Tiger Street) hide hidden cafes, gorgeous markets and striking street art. I would recommend a Catalan dictionary and a good map, because if you are doing Barcelona right, you should be getting very lost.
photo: Samantha Hopps
To start on a negative note, Barcelona’s accommodation is notoriously expensive. My boyfriend and I agreed that we would go for the most basic hotel possible as we would be out exploring for the majority of the day. Unfortunately, I learnt the hard way that cheap hotels in central Barcelona are absolutely disgusting. Let’s just say that our stay at the hotel Pension Miami near the Metro stop Universitat ended up in me having a pretty nasty allergic reaction to bed bugs. Ironically, the hotel was on the Carrer de la Verge as I was on the verge of tears after a few nights there.
I would recommend either finding a cheaper hotel in the suburbs and buying a metro pass, or investing in a nice hostel near the beach. Pension Miami’s one positive feature was its location- the intricate backstreets to the left of the famous La Rambla.
Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia Basilica, the famous cathedral in South West Barcelona, boasts a level of ethereal beauty that many of Europe’s more traditional buildings cannot match.
However, the backstreet tour of Barcelona calls for something a bit off of the beaten track. I stumbled upon the Parc de la Ciutadella by chance and thought I had entered an offshoot of Versailles. Filled with locals playing ping pong and picnicking in the sun; its proximity to the beach makes it an ideal detour after a bit of swimming.
I would recommend a Catalan dictionary and a good map, because if you are doing Barcelona right, you should be getting very lost
The park is home to a stunning fountain designed by Josep Fontserè, with additions from his student at the time, Gaudi, and the fabulous Barcelona Zoo, which prides itself on its commitment to conservation and research. Built in the late 19th century, the zoo is filled with old architecture, and a wide array of animals in fantastic enclosures. It was refreshing to see commitment to animal welfare in Barcelona, which until recently was infamous for the wild animals on sale in market stalls on La Rambla.
photo: Samantha Hopps
If you’re not going to Barcelona with the primary aim of eating and drinking to excess, you have got your priorities wrong. Avoid eating anywhere remotely touristy- the best bars and restaurants are in the back streets, and with a little exploring you can find some fantastic places. I found that avoiding English menus and struggling with Catalan was the best way to avoid overpriced, bad food. The best tapas can be found in tiny restaurants, filled with old men playing cards and drinking bottles of rioja, at half the price of anywhere near the beach or on La Rambla.
I avoided the huge and expensive clubs of Barcelona in favour of a bar crawl instead. I loved the cheap drinks at Oddland, which can be found at Joaquin Costa, 52 Ciutat Vella. The owner is a Charlie Sheen lookalike who for some reason or another ended up giving my boyfriend a cigar. The women’s toilet is also one of the most beautiful, kitsch places I have ever been.
I would recommend researching if there are any festivals underway during your visit to Barcelona. My trip coincided with the colourful and obscure La Merce, a celebration of the Virgin of Grace whom in 1687 delivered the city from a plague of locusts. I was constantly stumbling upon parts of the festival, including a Concert of Asian Music and a mile long wine tasting festival.
This city is what you make of it, and I believe that every person’s visit should be completely unique – Enjoy!
photo: Maurizio Costanzo / Flickr
Comments (3)
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It’s nice to read about someone who went to Barcelona and knew where she was, namely Catalonia and not Spain.
“The best tapas can be found in tiny restaurants, filled with old men
playing cards and drinking bottles of rioja, at half the price of
anywhere near the beach or on La Rambla”
Tapas is not something original Catalan and can be a tourist-trap if you don’t choose the right place. Rioja is not a local Catalan wine, much better from the Penedès area near Barcelona.
And of course, all tourists should avoid sangria. This is a vulgarity that only ignorant tourists drink in Barcelona because they thing this is something typical, when in fact it is not.
Also pls avoid any flamenco show in Barcelona. This is music from Andalusia in Southern Spain and a real tourist-trap. In Barcelona we are not even Spanish, we are Catalan, we have a different language, culture and identity and most of us want to be an independent nation.
Thanks for the feedback 🙂