Meanderings in Barcelona

Barcelona made me realize that there is a universal poetry to seaside towns. The same crisp breeze, great seafood, and boardwalk charm that mean home to me in California, abound in Barcelona. To be half a world away and find yourself right at home is beguiling, and that makes Barcelona an idyllic vacation spot.

A map with all of the sites mentioned in this post can be found here.

Must-Sees

• Fundació Joan Miró: I am not necessarily a Miró fan under normal circumstances, but you can’t help but be beguiled by huge splashes of playful colors in the airy space of this modern museum. The audio tour is great and well worth the additional fee, as it adds a lot to the museum experience.

• Parc Guell: Gaudi’s whimsical park shouldn’t be missed. We were there on a sunny and mild February day. Locals and tourists alike were sunning themselves on the mosaic benches that make this spot famous. You can grab snacks and sandwiches on the sandy plaza and browse through iridescent tile arcades. Just lovely. Don’t forget to check out Casa Gaudi while you’re at the Parc.

• Casa Batllo: Perhaps the lesser known of the Gaudí properties, Casa Batllo was one of my favorite sites in Barcelona. You can really see how innovative and ingenious Gaudí’s approach to making space livable was. The house tour and audio guide are great – this is a must as far as I’m concerned.

• La Sagrada Familia: Gaudí’s famous unfinished symphony is just that – unfinished. The stained glass and bones of the structure are beautiful, but it is still most-definitely incomplete. You can go up into the spires of the church, but we were not patient enough to wait in a line that was over an hour long in the middle of February. Well worth seeing, but the lean and mean version may be enough.

• La Rambla: Busy into the wee hours of the night, La Rambla is a stroller’s paradise. During the day, there are street performers, artists, stalls full of flowers, newstands and a whole block full of pet stores to tempt the passerby. In the evening, it’s a great place to grab a bite to eat or a cup of coffee. It does tend to get a little rowdy. We stayed right on La Rambla, which was great in February, but might have been a bit crowded and loud in peak season.

• La Boqueria: Every kind of meat, produce, spice or sweet under the Spanish sun can be found in La Boqueria. When we were there, each stall was decorated for Lent, so the market was full of pirates, hula girls, and even Smurfs! We took home smoked paprika, chocolates, and ham made from pigs fed only on acorns. Muy sabroso!

• Museu Picasso: The lines were long and the collection lovely. It’s definitely worth going, but be prepared to be patient to get in.

• Catalan National Museum: Located in Montjuic, the Palau Nacional is worth seeing just for the architecture and the view of the city. The collections are heavy on medieval religious art, but are quite beautiful.

• Tarantos: If you want to get a taste of Flamenco while you’re in Barcelona, Tarantos is a great place to do it. There are three shows a night, but if you pay for the first or second show, you’re allowed to stay through to the end. The entrance fee is reasonable to begin with (~6 Euro), but at 3 for 1, it’s an outstanding deal. We sipped cocktails and enjoyed a fabulous performance. In the last show of the evening, family and friends of the troupe joined them on stage for an informal dance-off – fantastic!

Too Yummy to Miss

• Caelum: This was one of my favorite places in Barcelona; we actually went for a late afternoon snack on two separate occasions because it was so good the first time. The café sells sweets, teas, and aperitifs all made by Spanish nuns. The staff was very nice and the ambiance can’t be beat. The upstairs is a warmly lit café, filled with tables for two, while the downstairs cellar is filled with cozy, candlelit nooks. You can make your selections from sideboards loaded with sweets of every type. I liked the ‘yemas,’ mazapanes, and rompope. c/de la Palla 8, Barri Gotic

• Maoz: The best falafel ever! Warm pita bread with fresh falafel that you can stuff with every kind of pickle, curried garbanzos, and fresh vegetables, and then top it off using the squirt bottles of tahini sauce and yogurt. For about 3.5 Euros, you get a great meal. My only caution is that one a day is probably enough. There is a branch on La Rambla, as well as on C de Ferran.

• Can Majo: We had a fabulous lunch at Can Majo in Barceloneta. The restaurant was full of business people and families enjoying a leisurely meal of seafood over sparkling bottles of cava. Famous for Barcelona's noodle-based version of paella, fideúa, Can Majo provided one of our best meals in Barcelona. c/Almirall Aixada 23, La Barceloneta.

• La Crema Canela: In a pedestrian walkway at the top of Plaça Reial, La Crema Canela is a lovely, warmly lit restaurant. We had a great and affordable dinner there. I ordered a steak with mixed greens and shaved pecorino or manchego on top – fabulous! Just be cautious about watching your belongings if you sit at the outside tables. Although Plaça Reial is very safe for the most part, there are a few folks looking for handouts. An inside table would completely negate the need to worry, and either way, we were fine and the meal was well worth it.

• Vildsvin: We wandered in ‘off the guidebook’ and had late-night tapas at Vildsvin. Chic but comfortable, with rows of cozy tables, it’s easy to have a light bite or a full meal. The cava and oysters were fabulous and the service was good. I would definitely go back

• Cappucino!: This is a chain of small coffee shops throughout Barcelona. There was one across the street from our hotel, which happy discovery was made even better when we realized that a) they’re open until 2am and b) they’ll make you a cappuccino with Bailey’s in a to-go cup – fights jet lag and ensures sweet dreams.