Quick Visit to Spain

[Dor]

What's up? I'm about to embark on a weeklong trip to Spain this weekend. Can any sluts in Spain recommend any bars/restaurants/destinations (not necessarily in that particular order we should visit? I'll be travelling with my girlfriend and 3 others from the States. We are staying in Costa Brava but plan to spent time in Barcelona and the neighboring cities. Thanks in advance.


D

[espasonico]

Hi Dor

I´m living in Madrid but I´m from Barcelona, in fact I´m actually in Barcelona for a couple of days. I think the weather it´s not gonna be very nice this weekend ( they say it´s gonna rain ). The nice thing about Costa Brava is the beach but it´s still a little bit cold for having a sunbath.

There are lots of things to see in Barcelona and not to much in the neighboring cities.

The best thing I can tell you is don´t go to any bar or restaurant where you see foreigners, they are absolutly crap and expensive ( never eat in any Ramblas restaurant !! ).

You should have a walk from Paseo de Gracia ( Gaudi ) to Plaza Cataluña and go down to Ramblas until you get to the sea. Then take a walk to Barceloneta ( good sea-food restaurants there !! specially " El Rincón de la Mary ". Then you can continue walking by the beach until you reach the Port Olympic.

Also you can visit the Montjuic mountain ( inside Barcelona ) and El Pueblo Español.

Don´t miss the Sagrada Familia ( Gaudi ) and you can also take the Barcelona touring bus if you are in a hurry.

[matucha]

Be very caucious at Ramblas, there are lot of people who will try to stop you and ask you for money or something weird. Very often they want to do some kind of trick to rob you. On the other hand it is not that bad, I'm here 7-8 months and so far nothing wrong happend to me, even thogh I was living in the "most dangeros" part of barcelona - Raval. Many times wandering around the bars at the 5am

I didn't care a lot about motjuic, there is one interesting thing - calatrava's tower near the stadium, but the rest... dunno, not for a one day visit.

What I found interesting is area called Forum, it is all modern architecture, not everything is great, but I quite like it. (btw it is very controversial area, there were some massive protests against it).

If you go up on the passeig de gracia and then you cross the diagonal, you get into Gracia quarter, it has very nice atmosphere with several squares, lots of bars and restaurants. It is a bit hidden to normal turists, but in many ways it is better place to go than to the Barri Gotic.

There is one restaurant I liked a lot in the center, it is called La Paradeta and it is near the Parc de ciutadela. Again not very turistic. They serve mariscos (sea food) almost in the fast food way... at the entrance, there is shop-like configuration, where you choose what you want (raw things), say how you want it and then just wait a while to get it cooked... it is quite cheap and tastes great.

You can't drink alcohol in the streets, but it is normal to do it (but it is good to hide it when police comes by). And be carefull not to dfegad in the streets, they could fine you by 300e... no joke.

Enjoy

[espasonico]

Well, Montjuic is an hour vist not a one day visit !!

Gracia it´s a cool place if you are in your 30´s.

[joeq]

I was in Barcelona as a tourist a few years ago. All I can say is do not miss the Gaudi stuff. The Sagrada Familia church- there is nothing like it in the world. And Parc Guell too- very trippy.



Being from New York, I found the pickpockets to be clumsy and amateurish!



I also really enjoyed the Magic Fountain at Montjuic- it might only be running on weekends this time of year.

[Dor]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll be heading out tomorrow for the long flight.