BARCELONA: GREAT RESTAURANTS

Next I would like to recommend you some nice restaurants where you will enjoy your meal. These restaurants are located next to the most interesting places in Barcelona I have suggested you in previous posts. In all of theses restaurants either I of friends of mine had lunch.

Sagrada Familía

- El Xuletó

Restaurant - Brasserie specializing in grilled meat, paella and fish.

• Address: C/ Sicilia 263
• Phone: 93 457 52 66

Gothic Quarter and La Rambla

- Els Quatre Gats

A high quality restaurant in a modernist building. Here literary gathering took place where the members were modernist writers at the beginning of the 20th century.

Els Quatre Gats restaurant is located in this modernist building next to El Portal del Angel, in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona

• Address: C/ Montsió 3
• Phone: 933 024 140
• Opening time: from 10am to 1am.
• www.4gats.com

- Merce i Vins

Fantastic restaurant of typical catalan and spanish cuisine, although often there are dishes of other cuisines of the world. There is only menu. It's a small restaurant and very often is full, so it's advisable to book before.

• Address: C/ Amargós 1
• Phone: 93 302 60 56
• Opening time: from 9am to 16pm

- Les Quinze Nits

• Address: Plaza Real, 6
• Phone: 93 317 30 75
• Opening time: 13h - 15:45h and 20:30h a 23:30h (opens every day of the year)

- El Consulado

Typical mediterranean cuisine with a cozy and warm decoration.

Warm look of El Consulado Restaurant

• Address: C/ Nou de la Rambla 95 (Metro L3 Paral·lel)
• Phone: 934 419 828
• Opening time: until 24h (friday and saturday until 1am)

Borne

- Pla de la Garza

Great restaurant specialized in catalan cuisine with a wide variety products of the country (cheese, wine, sausages, and so on) located in an old but restored small palace.

• Address: C/ Assaonadors 13
• Phone: 93 315 24 13
• Fax: 93 268 13 20
• Opening time: from 20h to 1h.
• www.pladelagarsa.com

- La Llar del Filador

Good restaurant specialized in fondues.

• Address: C/ Cortines 13 (Metro L1 Arc de Triomf, Renfe Arc de Triomf)
• Phone: 93 315 24 13 / 676 376 046

- Sikkim

High quality restaurant with a beutiful oriental decoration located next to Born Boulevard.

• Address: C/ Plaza Comercial 1 (Metro L1 Arc de Triomf, Renfe Arc de Triomf)
• Phone: 93 268 43 13
• Opening time: from 20:30h to 01:00 (opens every day of the year)

Les Corts

- Quaranta

Fantastic and cozy italian restaurant where you can enjoy delicious dishes

Restaurant Quaranta in Barcelona

• Address: C/Nicaragua, 141 Local 2 (Pasaje Batista i Roca) (Metro L5 Estació de Sants and L3 Les Corts)
• Phone: 93 419 16 10
• Opening time: 13:00 - 16:00 and 20:30 - 23:00h (closed on sunday)
• Website: www.quaranta.es

Hospitalet de Llobregat

- De Angelis

Large and delicious Pizzas and Pasta dishes.

Restaurant De Angelis in Barcelona

• Address: Carretera de Collblanc, 48 - 08903 - L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (Metro L5 Collblanc)
• Phone: 934480676
• Email: info@restaurantedeangelis.es
• Website:www.restaurantedeangelis.es/

SHOPPING STREETS IN BARCELONA

Barcelona is really a shopping city, a paradise for those who love shopping. In Barcelona you will be able to go shopping walking along fantastic boulevards like Passeig de Gràcia or La Rambla. Apart from fashion stores or exclusive  boutiques, you will enjoy beautiful modernist buildings designed by Antoni Gaudí and a lively atmosphere.

These are the most important shopping streets in Barcelona:

• Passeig de Gràcia
• El Portal de l'Angel, Portaferrissa and Cucurulla streets
• La Rambla and Rambla Catalunya
• Carrer Pelai
• Avinguda Diagonal
• Carrer de Sants

Passeig de Gràcia

If you are searching for exclusive boutiques, then you should go shopping along Passeig de Gràcia, which starts in Plaça Catalunya and ends at Avinguda Diagonal. In addition to buying, you will enjoy the fabulous façades of some of the most impressive modernist buildings in Barcelona, like La Casa Milà or Casa Batlló (designed by Antoni Gaudí).

Passeig de Gràcia Shopping Street in Barcelona

El Portal de l'Angel

Around Portal de l’Àngel, Portaferrisa and Cucurulla streets you can find a lot of fashion stores. I recommend walking through this area, especially around its narrow streets belonging to the Gothic Quarter, where there are small shops with their own designs.

Portal de l’Àngel is one of the favorite shopping streets of the citizens of Barcelona

Portaferrissa Street

Portaferrissa street, near the end of El Portal de l'Angel, is a popular shopping street in Barcelona

La Rambla and Rambla Catalunya

La Rambla is not only the most lively street in Barcelona, but also one of the most important shopping streets you can find in this fantastic city, especially near Plaça Catalunya.

La Rambla in Barcelona

Carrer Pelai

Also in the city center, but now next to Plaça Universitat, you can find more shops to buy clothes, especially along Pelai Street.

On the right you can see Pelayo Street, one of the most interesting shopping streets in Barcelona. Walking along this street you will arrive at Plaça Catalunya and La Rambla

Avinguda Diagonal

Besides, from the top of Passeig de Gràcia, where it crosses Avinguda Diagonal (Plaça de Joan Carles I), to Plaça de la Reina Maria Cristina in this avenue, you will find another large shopping area where you will find department stores, shopping arcades, many designer fashion shops and shopping malls like L'Illa Diagonal, El Corte Inglés or Pedralbes Centre.

Avinguda Diagonal in Barcelona near El Corte Inglés and Pedralbes Centre shopping malls

Carrer de Sants

If you prefer to visit another neighbourhood of Barcelona, it would be interesting walking through La Carretera de Sants and Badal. This area is plenty of shops where you can buy shoes and clothes. Besides, La Carretera de Sants begins in Plaça Espanya, next to Montjuïc, where Las Arenas Mall has recently opened its doors.

Carrer de Sants is a really long shopping street in Barcelona

Finally, in addition to the previous Shopping Streets, you can enjoy shopping in one of the several Shopping malls and Outlets in Barcelona like Las Arenas Shopping Mall or Viladecans The Style Outlet.

ANDORRA - VALLNORD: ARINSAL AND ARCALIS

In Andorra there are mainly two large ski domains, which are actually the sum of several ski resorts that have finished growing up linking facilities to form two large areas: Grandvalira and Vallnord.

Recently I spent a weekend in Andorra la Vella and I enjoyed two sunny days. We were truly lucky because these days were lovely while in the previous weekends the weather was cloudy and snowy. The first day we went to Arinsal and the second one we skied in Arcalís.

Vallnord Arinsal

Reaching Arinsal Ski Resort in Andorra is easy because you can drive to the village of Arinsal and park next to cablecar. With the cablecar in 5 minutes you are in the Arinsal Ski Resort.

For me, a beginner in ski, the drawback of Arinsal is that there are few green slopes and these are a bit narrow to go staggering and turn easily.

Ready to start our ski weekend in Andorra Vallnord

On saturday we skied in Arinsal ski resort, belonging to Andorra Vallnord

As you can see the day in Andorra Vallnord Arinsal was lovely

Panoramix restaurant in Arinsal ski resort in Andorra

 Fantastic view from Panoramix restaurant in Arinsal ski resort in Andorra

Inside the restaurant of Arinsal ski resort in Andorra Vallnord

Vallnord Arcalís

In the ski resort of Arcalís I found a fantastic green slope for me wide a moderate slope. Here there is Megaverda slope too, a really long green slope.

However, to reach the area of beginners in Arcalís we have to take a free shuttle bus (every fifteen minutes) from the parking.

Another drawback is that Arcalís is not accessible by cable car, so you have to drive 15 km from La Massana.

On sunday we went to Arcalís ski resort and it was a lovely day too

Arcalís ski resort in Andorra Vallnord

A break in the restaurant of Arcalís in Andorra Vallnord

A last picture before going to the restaurant of Arcalís ski resort in Andorra

Other ski resorts in Andorra where you can ski or enjoy a snowshoes activity are:

• Grandvalira (Pas de la Casa - Grau Roig) (www.grandvalira.com)
• Vallnord (Pal - Arinsal - Arcalis) (www.vallnord.com)
• Naturlandia (www.naturlandia.ad)

You can find more pictures of Andorra clicking on the following links:

• Andorra and La Seu d'Urgell
• Andorra Grandvalira Grau Roi Ski Resort
• Andorra Vallnord Arinsal and Pal Ski Resorts

Finally, if you liked these landscapes, clicking on the next links you will find links to other fantastic places in the Pyrenees of Catalonia and France, like:

- Catalonia:

• Aigüestortes National Park and La Vall de Boí
• Aigüestortes and Llac de Sant Maurici National Park
• Vall de Núria and  Santuari de Núria
• Castellar de N'Hug and Fonts del Llobregat
• Vall de Camprodon
• Camprodon, Ripoll and Setcases
• Medieval village of Beget
• Olot and Vall de'n Bas
• Port del Comte
• Puigcerdà

- France:

• Medieval village of Collioure
• Carcassonne
• Canal du Midi and Pays Cathare
• Gorges de la Fou and Coustouges
• Villefranche de Conflent

BARCELONA: LA RAMBLA

La Rambla is one of the most lively and nice places to walk along in Barcelona. Walking along this boulevard is the best way to go from Plaça Catalunya to the Port Vell and the beach.

Artists, interesting buildings, florist's and kiosks give a colourful and bright look to this boulevard, which is also a perfect starting poing to discover two beautiful medieval districts in Barcelona: the Gothic Quarter and El Raval.

Star sights along La Rambla:

• Plaça Catalunya
• Canaletes Fountain
• Liceu Grand Theatre
• Mercat de la Boqueria
• Pla de L'Os
• La Plaça Reial (Royal Square)
• Palau Güell designed by Antoni Gaudí
• Monument to Columbus

Plaça Catalunya

Red flowers in Plaça Catalunya in Barcelona

Plaça Catalunya in Barcelona is usually crowded

Canaletes Fountain

Next to Canaletes fountain supporters of FC Barcelona celebrate the victories of their team

La Rambla

La Rambla is a really lively boulevard in Barcelona. There is always a lot of people walking along

There are some florist's along La Rambla in Barcelona

Tourists near a florist's in La Rambla

Many artists amuse the tourists along La Rambla in Barcelona

As well as florist's and artists, there are also many newspaper kiosks and drinks and ice-cream stands

Liceu Grand Theatre

Next to La Rambla is El Liceu, the most important theatre in Barcelona

Main staircase of Liceu theatre in Barcelona

Mercat de la Boqueria (Boqueria Market)

Main entrance to La Boqueria in Barcelona

Modernist detail of La Boqueria in Barcelona

Fresh fruit in La Boqueria

These peaches have a delicious look

Pla de L'Os

Work of Art of Joan Mirò on La Rambla in Barcelona

La Plaça Reial

Next to La Rambla is the Plaça Reial (Royal Square), a really lively place daylight and at night

A detail of the fountain in the middle of Royal Square

Palau Güell

Dome of the central hall of El Palau Güell in Barcelona

Coming back to La Rambla

La Rambla near the marina of Barcelona

Monument to Columbus at the end of La Rambla. The marina begins there

Below you have some fashion stores you can find in La Rambla:

• Casas Internacional (La Rambla, 125) 
• Desigual (La Rambla, 136 and 140) 
• Felgar (La Rambla, 132)
• Casa Gimeno (La Rambla, 100)

Beside La Rambla, in the old city of Barcelona you can also visit other beautiful places:

• Cathedral of Barcelona 
• Church of Santa Maria del Mar
• Plaça del Pi and Santa Maria del Pi
• Plaça del Rei
• Sant Felip Neri Square and Church
• Plaça de Sant Just and Sant Just i Pastor church
• Barcino Roman City
• Santa Anna Church

• El Portal de L'Angel (Shopping street)
• Call Jueu (Jewish Quarter)
• Born-La Ribera district
• Sant Pere de les Puelles church
• Carrer Petritxol

Finally, clicking on the next link you will find links to more beautiful and interesting places of Barcelona.

BARCELONA - GAUDI: PABELLONS GÜELL

Fantasy and technical innovation come together in the former gatehouses of the Güell Estate, on Barcelona’s Avinguda Pedralbes. The beauty and colour of the buildings don’t eclipse the main protagonist of the ensemble: the giant mythological dragon from the Garden of the Hesperides, a synthesis of Gaudí’s symbolism and craftsmanship.

Eusebi Güell’s desire to extend his family’s holiday home in Barcelona resulted in Antoni Gaudí’s first commission from the man who would become his main patron. Gaudí worked on the project from 1884 to 1887, relandscaping the garden and building the two gatehouses, which were intended to be the caretaker’s house and the stables.

Pabellons Güell designed by Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona

Beautiful wrought-iron gate in the shape of a dragon of Pabellons Güell in Barcelona

Mithological dragon in Pabellons Güell designed by Antoni Gaudí

Pabellons Güell designed by Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona

Güell Estate’s gatehouses have a stone base and brick parabolic arches with bright ceramic decorations in geometric shapes. 

I would like to give you some useful informatión in case you want to visit this building designed by Gaudí:

- Address: Avinguda Pedralbes, 7, Barcelona

- Phone: 933 177 652 / 934 020 243

- Guided Visits: 932 562 504

- Web site: www.rutadelmodernisme.com

- E-mail: cultura-impuqv@bcn.cat

- How to get there:

• Metro L3, stop Palau Reial
• Bus 7, 33, 63, 67, 74, 75 and 78
• Tram T1, T2 and T3, stop Palau Reial
• Barcelona Bus Turístic, stop Palau Reial.

Accessible to people with reduced mobility

Clicking on the next links you will find more pictures of the most important buildings designed by Antoni Gaudí:

• Sagrada Familia
• Park Güell
• Casa Vicens
• Casa Milà (also known as La Pedrera)
• Casa Batlló
• Palau Güell
• Col·legi de les Teresianes
• Casa Calvet
• Torre Bellesguard and Viaduct
• Crypt of the church of Colonia Güell
• El Capricho (built in Comillas, a lovely village in Cantabria)

Besides, other modernist buildings you can visit in Barcelona are:

• Hospital de Sant Pau
• Palau de la Música Catalana
• La Boqueria
• Casa Fuster
• Casa Terrades or "Casa de les Punxes"
• Casa Thomas
• Casa Amatller
• Casa Lleó i Morera
• Casa Martí (Restaurant els Quatre Gats)

Finally, clicking on the next link you will find more links to other beautiful places in Barcelona, among them, more fantastic modernist masterpieces you can see along the Modernist Route.

BARCELONA GAUDI: CASA CALVET

The Casa Calvet de Barcelona (1899) is one of Antoni Gaudí’s earliest buildings and was built by Antoni Gaudí for the textile manufacturer Pere Màrtir Calvet, who set up his business premises on the ground floor and in the basement, and used the upper floors as his private residence. 

The Casa Calvet pays tribute to the baroque Catalan style and was built from stone quarried on Montjuïc, and features splendid wrought ironwork on the balconies. The hall and ground floor are particularly interesting and the latter now houses a restaurant, where you can see the typical Catalan ceiling, granite Solomonic columns and arches with their vine-shaped reliefs.

Casa Calvet designed by Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona

Casa Calvet contains modernist elements, such as the façade which terminates in a curve and the attic balconies, which look like something from a fairy tale

The ground floor of Casa Calvet in Barcelona now houses a restaurant. Columns in the shape of cotton bobbins flank the entrance

Another view of the façade of Casa Calvet, designed by Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona

Balconies of Casa Calvet in Barcelona

Casa Calvet in Barcelona features splendid wrought ironwork on the balconies

Another balcony of Casa Calvet in Barcelona

I would like to give you some useful informatión in case you want to visit this building designed by Gaudí:


- Address: Casp, 48, Barcelona

- How to get there:

• Metro L1 and L4, stop Urquinaona
• Bus 39, 45, 47 and 62

Clicking on the next links you will find more pictures of the most important buildings designed by Antoni Gaudí:

• Sagrada Familia
• Park Güell
• Casa Vicens
• Casa Milà (also known as La Pedrera)
• Casa Batlló
• Palau Güell
• Col·legi de les Teresianes
• Torre Bellesguard and Viaduct
• Pabellons Güell
• Crypt of the church of Colonia Güell
• El Capricho (built in Comillas, a lovely village in Cantabria)

Other fantastic modernist buildings in Barcelona are:

• Hospital de Sant Pau
• Palau de la Música Catalana

Finally, clicking on the next link you will find more links to other beautiful places in Barcelona, among them, more fantastic modernist masterpieces you can see along the Modernist Route.