Travel facts
Currency: € Euro.
Visas:
Generally tourists from Europe, USA and the Commonwealth do not require Visas for Spanish holidays. Check out: The Schengen Office
Getting there:
Most visitors to the city arrive by plane into El Prat airport. This is the main airport for Barcelona and is served by most of the worlds airlines plus many `lo-cost` airlines from all over Europe. Hotel Direct recommend you fly to this airport especially if you are on a short visit.
Getting around:
Metro Barcelona,The stations are marked by a red diamond with the letter M in the centre. The stations are generally clean and safe to use but exercise caution at night. Direction is indicated by the station at the end of the line and it covers most but not all of the city. The City also has an excellent tourist bus service (Bus Turistic) that calls at all the major tourist attractions
Tipping:
10-15% is normal in cabs and
restaurants (where a service
charge is usually included in your
bill).
Restaurants
| Irati Taverna Basca Irati Metro: Liceu Cardenal Casanas 17. Tel: 00 34 93 302 3084 Just off the leafy Ramblas, Spain`s most famous street, and its heaving throngs of humanity, you`ll find Irati Taverna Basca, a bastion of authentic cooking. You`ll be greeted by a mile-long bar with belting ambience, piled with pintxas, a smorgasbord of tapas-style bits. You take a plate and munch away, charged by the number of toothpicks you`ve amassed. In the rustic dining room with its half-timbered and brick walls, there`s proper table service. Try dishes like seabass filled with ratatouille, wrapped in a crepe, then grilled and baked. The txacoli wines are poured from above the waiters` heads to aerate properly. Enjoy the show. Nearby Hotels: to Irati Taverna Basca |
| La Fonda La Fonda Metro: Drassanes Escudellers 10. Tel: 00 34 93 301 75 15 In the center of the city and with traditional homemade Catalan food at such good prices, It`s no wonder people have been happy to queue here for years. With a young and cosmopolitan atmosphere, this is the place to dine but please remember, they don`t book tables in advance, but it`s worth the wait. Nearby Hotels: to La Fonda |
| Set Portes Set Portes Metro: Barceloneta Passeig de Isabel II, 14. Tel: 00 34 93 319 30 33 With its late serving hours, bustling atmosphere, and a crowd that cuts across all layers of local life, Set Portes (The Seven Doors) is the Catalan equivalent of a Parisian brasserie. Founded in 1836, the much-loved local institution specializes in paella Parellada, the famous rice dish cooked in open pans with broth and shellfish. They also offer fideua, which is paella made with short, stubby vermicelli pasta, as well as other Catalan classics like sarsuela, a seafood stew reminiscent of bouillabaisse, and fricando, a sauté of veal with wild mushrooms. Finish up with a textbook version of crema catalana, and be sure to come hungry, since portions here are vast. The wry, worldly, teasing waiters in long aprons completely understand the important role they play in creating a memorable meal. Nearby Hotels: to Set Portes |
| Cal Pep Cal Pep Metro: Barceloneta 8 Placa de les olles, 08003 Cal Pep is one of Barcelonans finest tapas bars. Specializing in fresh, seasonal, local produce and a delight for fans of seafood. For the more daring customer you can ignore the extensive menu and ask the waiter to bring you a selection of their finest dishes. So if you are looking for delicious traditional tapas Cal Pep is certainly worth a look. Nearby Hotels: to Cal Pep |
| Alkimia Alkimia Metro: Sagrada Família 79 Indústria, 08025 The Michelin stared Alkimia Barcelona takes classic Spanish dishes and infuses them with a modern edge. Striving to present a dish astonishing to all the senses head chef Jordi Vilà is truly a master of his art. The Alkimia (Alchemy in Spanish) is blazing the trail in the Spanish new wave of gastronomy. Nearby Hotels: to Alkimia |
Bars
| Muebles Ciudad
Muebles Ciudad Metro: Jaume I Calle Ciudad 5. Tel: 00 34 93 317 5989. Muebles Ciudad opened at the end of 2004. Located near the famous Plaza Jaume I and just a few minutes from la Rambla. Muebles Ciudad is a combination between a lunchroom / Restaurant and a chill out bar. Modern design combined with some antique lamps give Muebles Ciudad a cosy look. Excellent place for an after work drink, a private dinner with your partner, or just a relaxed drink with some friends. Nearby Hotels: to Muebles Ciudad | Nakupenda Nakupenda Metro: Barceloneta Avenue Marques de Argentina 7. Tel: 00 34 93 268 0435 Nakupenda means "I love you" in Swahili, and the staff of Nakupenda loves you! The first smoothie/cocktail bar on earth where they also serve a great sandwich. With daily fresh ingredients they manage to make you (almost) anything you wish. In summer served at their terrace at Av. Marques de Argentera, inbetween Barceloneta and the Gothic area (and close to Parque Ciutadella). Fridays and Saturdays you can enjoy their refreshing cocktails until` 03.00h. Definitely worth a visit! Recommended Hotels: to Nakupenda |
| Aurora Metro: Liceu I Calle Aurora 5 Barcaloneta . Tel: 00 34 93 422 30 44. Something of an eccentric, quite possibly cooked up by Lewis Caroll`s twin brother. A bizarre amalgamation of decorative features and a fun-loving, arty party crowd create a quirk-questers heavan, thats open till dawn on weekends. The musics eclectic, cocktails classy and the décors deepest red. Quite an Aurora Nearby Hotels: to Aurora |
| Salsitas Metro: Drassanes Nou De La Rambla 9. Tel: 00 34 93 318 0840. If you`re young, glam and Daddy bought you a BMW for Christmas, you`ll fit right in at Salsitas. Everyone`s a sweetie, so the conversation won`t be taxing. One of those places where you get all dressed up to bop around like a teenager at a school disco, A place to be young, hip & gorgeous Nearby Hotels: to Salsitas |