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EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES

AREA COLOUR CODES

OLD TOWNPAGES 50–65

EIXAMPLEPAGES 66–75

MONTJUÏCPAGES 76–83

FURTHER AFIELDPAGES 84–89

CATALONIAPAGES 90–111

TRAVELLERS’ NEEDSWHERE TO STAYPAGES 114-121

RESTAURANTS, CAFÉS AND BARSPAGES 122-133

SHOPPING IN BARCELONAPAGES 134-135

ENTERTAINMENT IN BARCELONAPAGES 136-137

SPORTS AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIESPAGES 138-139

SURVIVAL GUIDEPRACTICAL INFORMATIONPAGES 142-149

TRAVEL INFORMATIONPAGES 150-155

GENERAL INDEXPAGES 166-172


£10.99

MONTJUÏCPages 76 –83

Street Finder maps 1,2OLD TOWN

Pages 50 –65Street Finder maps 5,6

Barcelona Area by Area

MOST OF THE IMPORTANT SIGHTS in Barcelona lie within the three colour-coded areas shown below.

The Plaça de Catalunya, at the junction of the Old Townand the Eixample, is the natural and traditional hub ofthe city. As it is traversed by most of the bus routesand by several of the Metro and railway lines, it makesan excellent point from which to gain one’s bearingsand at which to begin or finish sightseeing trips. Thereare several places of interest in the city that are outsidethese central areas, but still within easy reach, and theseare described in the Further Afield chapter. The mostspectacular sights of Catalonia’s mountains, coastlineand other cities are described on pages 90 –111.

Old Town

Montjuïc

Use the front and back flaps as bookmarks, and for jotting down notes

EIXAMPLEPages 66 –75

Street Finder maps 3, 4

FURTHER AFIELDPages 84 –89

CATALONIAPages 90 –111

CATALONIA

Eixample

BARCELONA

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BARCELONA

& CATALONIA

E Y E W I T N E S S T R AV E L G U I D E S

Main contributor: ROGER WILLIAMS

BARCELONA

& CATALONIA

CONTENTS

INTRODUCINGBARCELONA AND

CATALONIA

Jaume I, “El Conquistador”,

ruler of Catalonia 1213 –76

One of the many popular cafés in

Barcelona’s redeveloped Old Port

Previous pages: Bench, Parc Güell, Barcelona; Miravet on the Riu Ebre, southern Catalonia

BARCELONAAREA BY AREA

BARCELONA AT AGLANCE 46

PUTTING BARCELONAAND CATALONIAON THE MAP 10

A PORTRAIT OFCATALONIA 14

CATALONIA THROUGHTHE YEAR 30

THE HISTORY OFCATALONIA 36

PROJECT EDITOR Catherine DayART EDITORS Carolyn Hewitson, Marisa Renzullo

EDITORS Elizabeth Atherton, Felicity CroweDESIGNER Suzanne Metcalfe-Megginson

MAP CO-ORDINATOR David PughPICTURE RESEARCH Monica Allende

DTP DESIGNERS Samantha Borland, Lee Redmond, Pamela Shiels

MAIN CONTRIBUTOR

Roger Williams

MAPS

Jane Hanson, Phil Rose, Jennifer Skelley (Lovell Jones Ltd),Gary Bowes, Richard Toomey (ERA-Maptec Ltd)

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Max Alexander, Mike Dunning, Heidi Grassley, Alan Keohane

ILLUSTRATORS

Stephen Conlin, Isidoro González-Adalid Cabezas (Acanto Arquitectura y Urbanismo S.L.), Claire Littlejohn,

Maltings Partnership, John Woodcock

Reproduced by Colourscan, SingaporePrinted and bound by L. Rex Printing Company Limited, China

First published in Great Britain in 1999by Dorling Kindersley Limited80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL

Reprinted with revisions 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005

Copyright 1999, 2005 © Dorling Kindersley Limited, LondonA Penguin Company

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE

REPRODUCED, STORED IN A RETRIEVAL SYSTEM, OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY

FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC, MECHANICAL, PHOTOCOPYING,RECORDING OR OTHERWISE, WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION

OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNER.

A CIP CATALOGUE RECORD IS AVAILABLE FROM THE BRITISH LIBRARY.

ISBN 1 4053 0785 4

The information in everyDK Eyewitness Travel Guide is checked annually.

Every effort has been made to ensure that this book is as up-to-date as possible at the time of going to press. Some details,

however, such as telephone numbers, prices, gallery hangingarrangements and travel information, are liable to change. Thepublishers cannot accept responsibility for any consequences

arising from the use of this book, nor for any material on third-party websites, and cannot guarantee that any website address inthis book will be a suitable source of travel information. We valuethe views and suggestions of our readers highly. Please write to:

Publisher, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides,Dorling Kindersley, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL.

CATALONIA

LLEIDA,ANDORRA,GIRONA,

BARCELONA PROVINCE,TARRAGONA 90

Spectacular stained-glass roof of

the Palau de la Música Catalana

The small, whitewashed town of Cadaqués on the Costa Brava

Pa amb tomàquet – bread rubbed

with tomato, garlic and olive oil

SURVIVAL GUIDE

PRACTICALINFORMATION 142

TRAVEL INFORMATION150

STREET FINDER 156

GENERAL INDEX166

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS173

CATALAN PHRASEBOOK 175

BARCELONA METROAND TRAIN ROUTES

Inside back cover

OLD TOWN 50

EIXAMPLE 66

MONTJUÏC 76

FURTHER AFIELD 84

TRAVELLERS’NEEDS

WHERE TO STAY 114

RESTAURANTS, CAFÉSAND BARS 122

SHOPPING INBARCELONA 134

ENTERTAINMENT INBARCELONA 136

OUTDOORACTIVITIES 138

Barcelona Cathedral,

in the heart of the city’s

extensive and well-preserved

Gothic Quarter

6 1O L D T O W N 6 1B A R C E L O N A A R E A B Y A R E A6 0

Palau de la MúsicaCatalana 0Carrer de Sant Francesc de Paula 2.Map 5 B1. § 93 295 72 00. rUrquinaona. # Sep–Jun: 10am–

3:30pm daily; Jul–Aug: 10am–6pm

daily; and for concerts. & 7 8 every half an hour.

∑ www.palaumusica.org

THIS IS A real palace of music,a Modernista celebration

of tilework, sculpture andglorious stained glass. It is theonly concert hall in Europe litby natural light. Designed byLluís Domènech i Montaner, itwas completed in 1908.Although a few extensionshave been added, the buildingstill retains its original appear-ance. The elaborate red-brickfaçade is hard to appreciatefully in the confines of thenarrow street. It is lined withmosaic-covered pillars toppedby busts of the great com-posers Palestrina, Bach andBeethoven. The large stonesculpture of St George and

other figures at the corner ofthe building portrays anallegory from Catalan folk-song by Miquel Blay.

But it is the interior of thebuilding that is truly inspiring.The auditorium is lit by a hugeinverted dome of stained glassdepicting angelic choristers.The sculptures of composersWagner and Clavé on theproscenium arch that framesthe stage area were designedby Domènech but finished byPau Gargallo. The stunning“Muses of the Palau”, the groupof 18 highly stylized,instrument-playing maidensare the stage’s backdrop.Made of terracotta and trenca-dís (broken pieces of ceramic)they have become the build-ings most admired feature.

The work of Josep AnselmClavé (1824–74) in promoting Catalan song led to the creation of theOrfeó Català choral society in1891, a focus of Catalannationalism and the inspira-tion behind the Palau.

La Llotja qCarrer del Consolat de Mar 2. Map 5 B3. § 93 319 24 12.

r Barceloneta. 8 10am–2pm

Mon–Fri.

LA LLOTJA (meaning commod- ity exchange) was built in

the 1380s as the headquartersof the Consolat de Mar (seep39). It was remodelled inNeo-Classical style in 1771 andhoused the city’s stock ex-change until 1994, the originalGothic hall acting as the maintrading room. It can still beseen through the windows.

The upper floors housed theBarcelona School of Fine Artsfrom 1849 to 1970, attendedby the young Picasso and JoanMiró (see p25). It is nowoccupied by a public libraryand local government offices.

Although the Orfeó is nowbased at the more state-of-the-art L’Auditori in Plaça deles Glòries (see p136), there isa concert at the Palau nearlyevery night; it is the mainvenue for the city’s jazz andguitar festivals and nationaland international symphonyorchestras regularly grace itsflamboyant stage.

The Palau’s new era isbeginning with the completionof the work carried out by thetop local architect OscarTusquets. An undergroundconcert hall and an outdoorsquare for summer concertsare being added, consolidatingthe Palau’s reputation as Barce-lona’s most loved music venue.

PABLO PICASSO IN BARCELONA

Picasso (1881–1973) was 13 when he arrived in Barcelona,where his father, José Ruiz y Blasco, had found workteaching in the city art school situated above the Llotja. Thecity was rich, but it also possessed a large, poor workingclass which was becoming organized and starting to rebel.Shortly after the family’s arrival, a bomb was thrown into aCorpus Christi procession. They settled at No 3 Carrer de la Mercè, a gloomy, five-storeyed house not far from theLlotja. Picasso’s precocious talent gave him admittance tothe upper school, where all the other pupils were aged atleast 20. Here he immediately made friends with anotherartist, Manuel Pallarès Grau, and the two lost their virginityto the whores of Carrer d’Avinyó, who were to inspire LesDemoiselles d’Avignon (1906–7), considered by many artcritics to be the wellspring of modern art. Picasso travelledwith Pallarès to the Catalan’s home town of Horta, wherehe painted some early landscapes, now in the MuseuPicasso. The two remained friends for the rest of their lives.

A wedding service in the Gothic interior of Santa Maria del Mar

Pablo Picasso, Self-Portrait in

charcoal (1899–1900)

Glorious stained-glass dome, Palau de la Música Catalana

El Born wMap 5 B3. r Jaume I.

NAMED AFTER the joustingsessions that once took

place in its central boulevard,El Born is a tiny pocket of theLa Ribera district. The village-like atmosphere of the neigh-bourhood makes it popularwith local residents andyoung urbanites. Trendy bars,fashion and design shops arejuxtaposed with medievalarchitecture. The 14th centurymansions of Carrer Montcadahave remained intact and nowhouse high-calibre galleriesand museums, whilst the tiny,pedestrianised streets andsquares fanning out from theMercat del Born are the centreof the city’s café culture. Thenumerous bars and restaurantsare a magnet for revellers,much to the annoyance of thefull time residents who voicetheir complaints visuallythrough the banners hangingfrom El Born’s balconies.

Museu Picasso eCarrer Montcada 15–23. Map 5 B2.§ 93 319 63 10. r Jaume I.

# 10am–7:30pm Tue–Sat & public

hols, 10am–2:30pm Sun. ¢ 1 Jan,

Good Fri, 1 May, 24 Jun, 25 & 26 Dec.

& 7 ∑ www.museupicasso.bcn.es

ONE OF BARCELONA’S most popular attractions, the

Picasso Museum is housed infive adjoining medieval palaces

on Carrer Montcada: Berenguerd’Aguilar, Baró de Castellet,Meca, Mauri and Finestres.

The museum opened in1963 showing works donatedby Jaime Sabartes, a friend ofPicasso. Following Sabartes’death in 1968, Picasso himselfdonated paintings, includingearly examples. These werecomplemented by graphicworks, left in his will, and 141ceramic pieces given by hiswidow, Jacqueline.

The strength of the 3,000-piece collection are Picasso’searly works. These showhow, even at the ages of 15and 16, he was painting majorworks such as The First Com-munion (1896) and Scienceand Charity (1897). There areonly a few pictures from hisBlue and Rose periods. Themost famous work is hisseries of 44 paintings, LasMeninas, inspired byVelázquez’s masterpiece.

Basílica de SantaMaria del Mar rPl Sta Maria 1. Map 5 B3. § 93 310

23 90. r Jaume I. # 9am–1:30pm

& 4:30– 8pm daily (10am Sun).

THIS BEAUTIFUL building, thecity’s favourite church with

superb acoustics for concerts, isthe only example of a churchentirely in the Catalan Gothicstyle. It took just 55 years tobuild, with money donated bymerchants and shipbuilders.The speed – unrivalled in theMiddle Ages – gave it a unityof style both inside and out.The west front has a 15th-century rose window of theCoronation of the Virgin. Morestained glass, dating from the15th to the 18th centuries, lightsthe wide nave and high aisles.

When the choir and furnish-ings were burned in the CivilWar (see p43), it added to thesense of space and simplicity.

Statue of Poseidon in the

courtyard of La Llotja

B A R C E L O N A A R E A B Y A R E A5 2 O L D T O W N 5 3

THE BARRI GOTIC (Gothic Quarter) is the true heartof Barcelona. The oldest part of the city, it was

the site chosen by the Romans in the reign ofAugustus (27 BC–AD 14) on which to found anew colonia (town), and has been the locationof the city’s administrative buildings ever since.The Roman forum was on the Plaça de SantJaume, where now stand the medieval Palaude la Generalitat, the seat ofCatalonia’s government, and theCasa de la Ciutat, the city’s townhall. Close by are the Gothiccathedral and royal palace,

where Columbus was received byFernando and Isabel on his return fromthe New World in 1492 (see p40).

Street-by-Street: Barri Gòtic

Wax candle,

Cereria

Subirà

. CathedralThe façade andspire are 19th-century additionsto the originalGothic building.Among the artistictreasures inside aremedieval Catalanpaintings 7

To Plaça de Catalunya

Casa de l’ArdiacaBuilt on the Roman city wall,the Gothic-Renaissancearchdeacon’s residencenow houses Barcelona’shistorical archives 1

Palau de laGeneralitat

Catalonia’s seat ofgovernment has

superb Gothicfeatures, such as thechapel and a stair-case to an open-air,arcaded gallery 6

To La Rambla

Casa de la CiutatBarcelona’s town hall was built inthe 14th and 15th centuries. Thefaçade is a Neo-Classical addition.In the entrance hall stands ThreeGypsy Boys by Joan Rebull (1899 –

1981), a 1976 copy of a sculpturehe originally created in 1946 5

KEY

Suggested route

Museu Frederic MarèsThis medieval doorway is from an extensive display of Spanishsculpture – the mainstay of this

museum’s extraordinarily eclecticand high-quality collections 2

Roman city wall

Saló del Tinell

LOCATOR MAP

See Street Finder map 5

. Palau ReialMajor

The 14th-centuryCapella Reial de

Santa Àgata, with a1466 altarpiece, isone of the best sur-

viving sections of the palace 3

Capella Reial deSanta Àgata

Palau del Lloctinent

Plaça del Rei

Museu d’Història de la CiutatHoused in a 14th-century mansion, whichwas moved here in 1931, the museum focuseson Barcelona’s development in the 13th and14th centuries. The foundations of the Romancity can be seen in the basement 4

The Centre Excursionistade Catalunya, housed in a

medieval mansion, displaysRoman columns from the Templeof Augustus, whose site is markedby a millstone in the street outside.

STAR SIGHTS

. Cathedral

. Palau Reial Major0 metres

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Cereria Subiràcandle shop

EIXAMPLE

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Jaume IMetro

MONTJUIC

B A R C E L O N A A R E A B Y A R E A 5 1

Els Quatre Gats café in one of the narrow streets of Barcelona’s Barri Gòtic

KEY

Street-by-Street map pp52 –3

Metro station

Train station

Main bus stop

Tourist information

Parking

O L D T O W N

THE OLD TOWN, traversed by thecity’s most famous avenue, LaRambla, is one of the most ex-

tensive and harmonious medieval citycentres in Europe. The Barri Gòtic(Gothic Quarter) contains the cathedraland ancient royal palace. Adjoining itis La Ribera, full of 14th-century man-sions, one of which is occupied by the

Museu Picasso. This area is boundedby the pleasant Parc de la Ciutadella,which contains the Museu d’Art Modernand the zoo. The revitalized seafrontis a stimulating mix of old and new.Trendy shops and restaurants and afashionable marina contrast with thehistoric shipyards, while reclaimedbeaches flank the new Olympic Port.

SIGHTS AT A GLANCE

Museums and GalleriesMuseu d’Art Contemporani 9Museu d’Art Modern aMuseu Frederic Marès 2Museu de Geologia oMuseu d’Història de la

Ciutat 4Museu Marítim and

Drassanes kMuseu Picasso rMuseu de Zoologia i

Harbour SightsGolondrinas jPort Olímpic dPort Vell g

Streets and DistrictsBarceloneta fCarrer Montcada eLa Rambla 0

El Raval and Barri Xinès 8

ChurchesBasílica de Santa Maria

del Mar wCathedral (pp56 –7) 7

Historic BuildingsCasa de l’Ardiaca 1Casa de la Ciutat 5La Llotja qPalau de la Generalitat 6Palau de la Música Catalana tPalau Reial Major 3

MonumentsArc del Triomf yHomenatge a Picasso pMonument a Colom h

Parks and GardensParc de la Ciutadella uParc Zoològic s

GETTING THEREThe area is well served byMetro lines 1, 3 and 4; Jaume Istation is in the heart of theBarri Gòtic. Many buses passthrough the Plaça de Catalunyaon the edge of the Barri Gòtic.

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H O W T O U S E T H I S G U I D E6

H O W T O U S E T H I S G U I D E

THIS GUIDE has expert recommen-dations and detailed practicalinformation to enrich any visit to

Barcelona and Catalonia. IntroducingBarcelona and Catalonia puts the areain geographical, historical and culturalcontext. Barcelona and Catalonia isa six-chapter guide to important sights:Barcelona at a Glance highlights the

city’s top attractions; Old Town,Eixample and Montjuïc explore Barce-lona’s central districts in more detail;Further Afield views sights outside thecity centre; and Catalonia delves intothe region’s four provinces. Travellers’Needs covers hotels, restaurants andentertainment. The Survival Guideprovides vital practical information.

BARCELONAAND CATALONIAThe region is divided intofive sightseeing areas – thecentral districts of Barcelona,sights outside the centre,and those beyond the city.Each area chapter openswith an introduction and alist of sights covered. Centraldistricts have a Street-by-Street map of a particularlyinteresting part of the area.The sights further afieldhave a regional map.

Each chapter of Barcelonaand Catalonia has a differentcolour-coded thumb tab.

Locator maps show whereyou are in relation to otherparts of Barcelona or Spain.

A suggested route for a walk covers the moreinteresting streets in the area.

A list of star sights recommendsplaces no visitor should miss.

2 Street-by-Street mapThe area shaded pink

on the Area Map is shownhere in greater detail withaccurate drawings of allthe buildings.

Sights at a Glance liststhe area’s key sights(great buildings, artgalleries, museums andchurches) by category.

1Area Map of the citySights are numbered

and located on a map, withMetro stations where help-ful. The sights are alsoshown on the BarcelonaStreet Finder on pp156 –65.

3 Detailed informationon each sight

The sights listed at the startof the section are describedindividually and follow thenumbering on the Area Map.A key to symbols summariz-ing practical information isshown on the back flap.

1 0 91 0 8 C A T A L O N I A C A T A L O N I A

Monestir de Poblet f

THE MONASTERY OF SANTA MARIA DE POBLET is a havenof tranquillity and a resting place of kings. It was

the first and most important of three sister monas-teries, known as the “Cistercian triangle” (see p107),that helped to consolidate power in Catalonia afterit had been recaptured from the Moors by RamonBerenguer IV. In 1835, during the Carlist upheavals,it was plundered and seriously damaged by fire.Restoration of the impressive ruins, largely complete,began in 1930 and monks returned in 1940.

STAR FEATURES

. High Altar Reredos

. Royal Tombs

. Cloisters

VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Off N240, 10 km (6 miles) fromMontblanc. n 977 86 22 91.

Monastery § 977 87 00 89. £ L’Espluga de Francolí, then walk or

taxi. c # 10am–12:30pm, 3–

5:30pm (6pm Jun–Sep) daily. &5 8am daily; 10am, 1pm &

6pm Sun & public hols. 0 ^

1151 Poblet monastery foundedby Ramon Berenguer IV

1336–87 Reign of Pere theCeremonious, who designatesPoblet a royal pantheon

14th century Main cloister finished

1479 Juan II, last kingof Aragón, buried here

1812 Pobletdesecratedby Frenchtroops

1835 Disentailment (p41) ofmonasteries. Poblet ravaged

1940 Monksreturn

1168 Santes Creusfounded – third abbeyin Cistercian triangle

Royal tombs1157 Founding of sister monasteryat Vallbona de les Monges

1196 AlfonsoII is the firstking to beburied here

1788 –1808 Reign ofCarlos IV, who has main

reredos installed

1953 Tombsreconstructed.Royal remainsreturned

TIMELINE

The dormitory isreached by stairs fromthe church. The vast87-m (285-ft) gallerydates from the 18thcentury. Half of it is stillin use by the monks.

The 13th-centuryrefectory is avaulted hall withan octagonalfountain and apulpit.

View of PobletThe abbey, its buildings enclosedby fortified walls that have hardlychanged since the Middle Ages, isin an isolated valley near the RiuFrancolí’s source.

LibraryThe Gothic scriptorium wasconverted into a library inthe 17th century, when theDuke of Cardona donatedhis book collection.

Formerkitchen

Royaldoorway Royal palace

Wine cellar

Museum

ChapterhouseThis perfectly square room,with slender columns, has

tiers of benches for themonks. It is paved

with the tombstonesof 11 abbots who

died between1393 and

1693.

Parlour cloister

Sant Estevecloister

. High Altar ReredosBehind the stone altar, supported by Romanesquecolumns, an impressivealabaster reredos fills theapse. It was carved byDamià Forment in 1527.

. Royal TombsThe tombs in the pantheon ofkings were begun in 1359. In1950 they were reconstructedby the sculptor Frederic Marès.

The Abbey Church,large and unadorned, with

three naves, is a typicalCistercian building.

Baroquechurchfaçade

. CloistersThe evocative, vaulted

cloisters were built in the12th and 13th centuries

and were the centre ofmonastic life. The capitalsare beautifully decorated

with carved scrollwork.

13001100 1500 1700 1900

New sacristy

BUTTERFLIES OF

THE VALL D’ARAN

A huge variety of butter-flies and moths is foundhigh in the valleys andmountains of thePyrenees. The isolatedVall d’Aran is the home ofseveral unique and raresubspecies. The best timeof the year in which tosee the butterflies isbetween May and July.

C A T A L O N I A 9 5C A T A L O N I A9 4

Vall d’Aran 1Lleida N230. c Vielha.

n Vielha (973 64 01 10).

THIS VALLEY OF VALLEYS – aranmeans valley – is a lovely

600-sq km (230-sq mile) havenof forests and meadows filledwith flowers, surrounded bytowering mountain peaks.

The Vall d’Aran was formedby the Riu Garona, which risesin the area and flows out toFrance as the Garonne. Withno proper link to the outsideworld until 1924, when a roadwas built over the BonaiguaPass, the valley was cut offfrom the rest of Spain for mostof the winter. Snow blocks thenarrow pass from Novemberto April, but today access iseasy through the Túnel deVielha from El Pont de Suert.

The fact that the Vall d’Aranfaces north means that it hasa climate similar to that on theAtlantic coast. Many rare wildflowers and butterflies flourishin the perfect conditions thatare created by the shady slopesand damp breezes. It is also a famous habitat for manyspecies of narcissus.

Tiny villages have grown upbeside the Riu Garona, oftenaround Romanesque churches,notably at Bossòst, Salardú,Escunhau and Arties. Thevalley is also ideal for outdoorsports such as skiing and ispopular with walkers.

Vielha 2Lleida. * 2,700. c n Carrer

Sarriulera 10 (973 64 01 10). ( Thu.

_ Festa de Vielha (8 Sep), Feria de

Vielha (8 Oct).

NOW A modern ski resort,the capital of the Vall

d’Aran holds on to its medievalpast. The Romanesque churchof Sant Miquel has an octag-onal bell tower and a superb12th-century crucifix, the MigAran Christ. It formed part of alarger carving representing theDescent from the Cross. TheMuseu de la Vall d’Aran isdevoted to Aranese culture.

E Museu de la Vall d’AranCarrer Major 26. § 973 64 18 15.

# 10am–1pm, 5–8pm Tue– Sat,

10am–1pm Sun. ¢ 1 & 6 Jan, 8 Sep,

8 Oct, 25 & 26 Dec. &∑ www.aran.org

Baqueira-Beret 3Lleida. * 100. c n Baqueira-

Beret (973 63 90 00). _ Romeria de

Nostra Senyora de Montgarri (2 Jul).

THIS EXTENSIVE ski resort, oneof the best in Spain, is

popular with both the publicand the Spanish royal family.There is reliable winter snowcover and a choice of over 40pistes at altitudes from 1,520 mto 2,470 m (4,987 ft to 8,104 ft).

Baqueira and Beret wereseparate mountain villagesbefore skiing became popular,but they have now merged toform a single resort. The Ro-mans took full advantage ofthe thermal springs locatedhere, which are nowadaysappreciated by tired skiers.

Parc Nacionald’Aigüestortes 5Lleida. £ La Pobla de Segur.

c El Pont de Suert, La Pobla de Segur.

n Barruera (973 69 40 00).

THE PRISTINE mountain scen-ery of Catalonia’s only

national park is among themost spectacular to be seenanywhere in the Pyrenees.

Established in 1955, the parkcovers an area of 102 sq km(40 sq miles). Its full title isParc Nacional d’Aigüestortes iEstany de Sant Maurici, namedafter the lake (estany) of SantMaurici in the east and theAigüestortes (literally, twistedwaters) area in the west. Themain village is the mountain

settlement of Espot, on thepark’s eastern edge. Dottedaround the park are waterfallsand the sparkling, clear watersof around 150 lakes and tarnswhich, in an earlier era, werescoured by glaciers to depthsof up to 50 m (164 ft).

The finest scenery is aroundSant Maurici lake, which liesbeneath the twin shards ofthe Serra dels Encantats,(Mountains of the Enchanted).From here, there is a varietyof walks, particularly alongthe string of lakes that leadsnorth to the towering peaksof Agulles d’Amitges. To thesouth is the dramatic vista ofEstany Negre, the highest anddeepest tarn in the park.

Early summer in the lowervalleys is marked by a mass ofpink and red rhododendrons,while later in the year wildlilies bloom in the forests offir, beech and silver birch.

The park is also home to avariety of wildlife. Chamois(also known as izards) live onthe mountain screes and inthe meadows, while beaversand otters can be spotted bythe lakes. Golden eagles neston mountain ledges, andgrouse and capercaillie arefound in the woods.

During the summer thepark is popular with walkers,while in winter, the snow-covered mountains are idealfor cross-country skiing.

Vall de Boí 4Lleida N230. £ La Pobla de Segur.

c El Pont de Suert. n Barruera

(973 69 40 00).

THIS SMALL VALLEY on theedge of the Parc Nacional

d’Aigüestortes is dotted withtiny villages, many of whichare built around magnificentCatalan Romanesque churches.

Dating from the 11th and12th centuries, these churchesare distinguished by their tallbelfries, such as the six-storeybell tower of the Església deSanta Eulàlia at Erill-la-Vall.

The two churches at Taüll,Sant Climent (see p20) andSanta Maria, have superbfrescoes. Between 1919 and1923 the originals were takenfor safekeeping to the MuseuNacional d’Art de Catalunya inBarcelona (see p80). Replicasnow stand in their place. Youcan climb the towers of SantCliment for superb views ofthe surrounding countryside.

Other churches in the areaworth visiting include those atColl, for its fine ironwork,Barruera, and Durro, whichhas another massive bell tower.

At the head of the valley isthe hamlet of Caldes de Boí,popular for its thermal springsand ski facilities. It is also agood base for exploring theParc Nacional d’Aigüestortes,the entrance to which is only5 km (3 miles) from here.

The Vall d’Aran, surrounded by the snow-capped mountains of the Pyrenees

The tall belfry of Sant Climent

church at Taüll in the Vall de Boí

A crystal-clear stream, Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes

Chequered Skipper

(Carterocephalus palemon)

Clouded Apollo

(Parnassins mnemosyne)

Grizzled Skipper (underside)

(Pyrgus malvae) Mig Aran Christ (12th-century),

Sant Miquel church, Vielha

C A T A L O N I A 9 1

A fisherman inspects his nets in Cadaqués on the Costa Brava

Aigüestortes y E. Sant Maurici National Park in the central Pyrenees, in the province of Llerida

Beyond the constant bustle ofBarcelona, Catalonia is essen-tially a rural region, with nolarge cities and few industrialblights. Of the four provinces,all named after their principalcity, Lleida is the largest andleast populated. Among itsjewels are the Romanesquechurches of the Boí valleyand the Aigüestortes National Park.

The province of Girona is blessedwith mountains and sea. This easternend of the Pyrenees has the magicalCerdanya valley and the ancientmonasteries of Ripoll and Sant Joande les Abadesses, as well as medievalvillages and a handsome and too-oftenoverlooked capital city. Its coast, theCosta Brava, is rocky and full of delights.

Barcelona province has itsown coasts; the Maresme tothe north is rather spoiled bythe railway running beside thesea, but the Garraf to the southis more exciting – Sitges is ahighly fashionable spot. Inlandare the Holy Mountain of Mont-serrat (Catalonia’s spiritualheart), the Penedès winelands,

and the country town of Vic. Tarragona, the most southerly of the

provinces, has one of the peninsula’sformer Roman capitals. Here the landrolls more gently, supporting fruit andnut orchards and the monastic com-munities of Poblet and Santes Creus,before falling away towards the ricelands of the Ebre. The coastline is moregentle, too, with long, sandy beaches.

C ATA L O N I A

T HERE IS A wealth of natural beauty in Catalonia’s four

provinces, plus the small Catalan-speaking country of

Andorra. They offer rocky coasts and mountains, fertile plains

and sandy shores. Many who visit don’t stray far from the coast, but

the rewards for venturing further afield ar

LLEIDA • ANDORRA • G IRONABARCELONA PROVINCE • TARRAGONA

Santa Maria, Ripoll

C A T A L O N I A9 2 C A T A L O N I A 9 3

Exploring Catalonia

CATALONIA INCLUDES a long stretch of the Spanish Pyrenees, whose green,

flower-filled valleys hide picturesquevillages with Romanesque churches. TheParc Nacional d’Aigüestortes and Valld’Aran are paradises for naturalists, whileBaqueira-Beret offers skiers reliablesnow. Sun-lovers can choose betweenthe rugged Costa Brava or the long sandystretches of the Costa Daurada. Tarragonais rich in Roman monuments. Inland are themonasteries of Poblet and Santes Creus andthe well-known vineyards of Penedès.

Isolated houses in the countryside

around La Seu d’Urgell

GETTING AROUNDThe motorway from Franceenters eastern Spain at LaJonquera and, fromBarcelona, follows thecoast via Tarragonaand Tortosa. Moremotorways radiatefrom Barcelona. Atunnel near Puigcerdàgives easy access to the Catalan Pyrenees. Buses, more frequent in summer, connect most towns. The mainnorth–south railwayhugs the coast fromBlanes southwards. Otherlines connect Barcelona to Vic, Lleida and Tortosa(see inside back cover).

SEE ALSO

• Where to Stay pp119–21

• Restaurants pp129 –31

SIGHTS AT A GLANCE

Andorra 6Baqueira-Beret 3Besalú wBlanes iCadaqués tCardona aCosta Daurada lDelta de l’Ebre cEmpúries y

Figueres rGirona eLleida dMontblanc gMontserrat pp104 –5 oOlot qParc Nacional

d’Aigüestortes 5Poblet pp108 –9 f

Puigcerdà 8Ripoll 9Santes Creus hSant Joan de les Abadesses 0

La Seu d’Urgell 7Sitges kSolsona sTarragona z

Tortosa xTossa de Mar uVall d’Aran 1Vall de Boí 4Vic pVielha 2Vilafranca del

Penedès j

Vineyards outside Gandesa, west of Tarragona

0 kilometres

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25

15

Church on the

seafront of Sitges

BAQUEIRA-BERET

LA SEU D’URGELL

SOLSONA

LLEIDA

MONTBLANC

TORTOSA

TARRAGONA

SANTES CREUS

MONTSERRAT

VILAFRANCADEL PENEDÈS

SITGES

CARDONA

RIPOLL

GIRONA

BLANES

TOSSA DE MAR

PUIGCERDÀ

SANT JOANDE LESABADESSES

VIC

OLOT BESALÚ

EMPÚRIES

CADAQUÉS

FIGUERES

DELTA DE L’EBRE

POBLET

•

TREMP

• SANT CARLES DE LA RÀPITA

• SALOU

• SABADELL•

MATARÓ

•PALAMÓS

PORTBOU •

• SANT FELIU DE GUÍXOLS

•

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•BARCELONA

•

CAMBRILS

ANDORRA

PARC NACIONALD’AIGÜESTORTES

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The Visitors’ Checklistprovides a summary of thepractical information you willneed to plan your visit.

5 Pictorial MapThis gives an illustrated

overview of the whole region.All the sights covered in thischapter are numbered, andthe network of major roadsis marked. There are alsouseful tips on getting aroundthe region by bus and train.

4 Introduction to CataloniaThe chapter on Catalonia has its own introduction, pro-

viding an overview of the history and character of the region.The area covered is highlighted on the map of Spain shown onpage 91. The chapter explores Catalonia’s rich historical, culturaland natural heritage, from the monasteries of Montserrat andPoblet to Tarragona’s casteller festivals, from the sandy beachesof the Costa Daurada to the snowy peaks of the Pyrenees.

6 Detailed informationon each sight

All the important cities, townsand other places to visit aredescribed individually. Theyare listed in order followingthe numbering given on thePictorial Map. Within eachtown or city there is detailedinformation on importantbuildings and other sights.

7 The top sightsThese are given two

or more full pages. Historicbuildings are dissected toreveal their interiors. Forlarger historic sites, all theimportant buildings arelabelled to help you locatethose that most interest you.

Stars indicate the best featuresand works of art.

H O W T O U S E T H I S G U I D E

I N T R O D U C I N GB A R C E L O N A

A N D C ATA L O N I A

P U T T I N G B A R C E L O N A A N D C ATA L O N I A

O N T H E M A P 10–13

A P O R T R A I T O F C ATA L O N I A 14–29

C ATA L O N I A T H R O U G H T H E Y E A R 30–35

T H E H I S T O RY O F C ATA L O N I A 36–43

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Huelva Seville

Cádiz

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Valladolid

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Badajoz

A Coruña

Santiago deCompostela

N120

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N634 (E70)

N611

N601

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(E80)

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Puertollano

I N T R O D U C I N G B A R C E L O N A A N D C A T A L O N I A1 0

Putting Barcelona and Catalonia on the Map

CATALONIA LIES in the northeastern corner of the Iberian Peninsula and occupies six per cent of Spain.

Barcelona, its capital, lies almost exactly halfway alongits coastline, which in turn stretches a quarter of theway down Spain’s Mediterranean seaboard. Barcelonais the main bridging point to the Catalan-speaking Balearic Islands.

KEY

International airport

Ferry service

Motorway (highway)

Major road

Minor road

Main railway (railroad)

AVE high-speed rail link

Paral.lel any 1930, a portrait of one of Barcelona’s main avenues in 1930 by Emili Bosch Roger (1894 –1980)

Satellite image showing Catalonia

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SERBIA ANDMONTENEGRO

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P U T T I N G B A R C E L O N A A N D C A T A L O N I A O N T H E M A P 1 1

THE CANARY ISLANDS

EUROPE ANDNORTH AFRICA

Catalonia’sFrontiers

Catalonia’s northernborder with France

runs along the crest of thePyrenees and is punctuated byCatalan-speaking Andorra. Itswestern and southern borders

adjoin the Spanish regionsof Aragón and València.

The Canary IslandsThis chain of seven

islands in the Atlanticis 1,150 km (700

miles) southwest ofCádiz and 150 km

(70 miles) off Morocco.

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SET BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS AND THE SEA, which still play an integral part in city life, Barcelona is a rare city, a patch-

work of distinctive districts telling the story of its growth froma medieval core to the 19th-century expansion and today’sultra-modern showpieces. The three main sightseeing areasdescribed in this guide illustrate this startling diversity. Thehill of Montjuïc, abutting the sea, forms the southwestern endof an arc of steep hills that almost completely encloses thecity. It is a district of monumental buildings and open spaces.The Old Town has a superb Gothic heart with a myriad ofnarrow streets twisting among ancient houses. The denselypopulated Eixample, in contrast, is a district of immenselylong, straight streets and superb Modernista architecture.

Barcelona City Centre

MontjuïcThere are wonderfulviews from the top ofthis large hill. Severalof Barcelona’s bestmuseums are here,including the Archaeo-logical Museum (seep80) which displaysthis Roman mosaicexcavated in the city.

KEY

Major sight

Metro station

Train station

Bus stop

Boat boarding point

Cable car

Funicular

Police station

Parking

Tourist information

Church

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0 kilometres

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50CataloniaMuch of Catalonia is mountain-ous, with Barcelona sited on anarrow coastal plain. Sant Perede Galligants (see p21) is oneof many Romanesque churches.

KEY

Barcelona and environs

Motorways (highways)

Other major roads

•

Cadaqués

•

Empuries

•

Tossa de Mar•

Blanes•

Mataró

Old TownThis area includesall the oldestdistricts of Barce-lona and its port,the 18th-centuryfishing “village” ofBarceloneta andthe new watersidedevelopments.This new swingbridge is in theOld Port (see p64).

EixampleThis area covers themost interesting part

of the city’s 19th-century expansion.

Walks along itsstreets will reveal

countless details ofthe Modernista style,

such as this ornatedoorway of Casa

Comalat (see p48) inAvinguda Diagonal.

A P O R T R A I T O F C ATA L O N I A

BARCELONA IS ONE OF THE GREAT Mediterranean cities. Few places

are so redolent with history, few so boldly modern. Animated

and inspired, it is a city that sparkles as much at night-time

as in the full light of day. It is famous for its main avenue, La Rambla,

for its bars, its museums and its enthusiasm for life.

Stunning floral mosaic pillars at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona

Strollers and shoppers on La Rambla enjoying Barcelona’s plentiful winter sunshine

Barcelona is the capital of the auto-nomous region of Catalonia, themost northeasterly corner of Spain,bordering France. The region isdivided into four provinces,named after their provincialcapitals: Barcelona, Girona,Lleida and Tarragona.

The city of Barcelona liesbetween two rivers, the Llobregatand the Besòs, and is backed bythe Collserola hills which rise toa 512-m (1,680-ft) peak at theTibidabo amusement park. Thecity grew up as the industrialsweatshop of Spain, though theshunting yards and seaside ware-houses have now gone. Around fourmillion people live in Barcelona andits suburbs – about half the popula-tion of Catalonia. It is Spain’s secondcity after its old rival, Madrid.

POLITICS AND SOCIETY

Catalonia is governed by theGeneralitat, housed in the Palau de

la Generalitat in the heart of theOld Town and on the site ofthe Roman forum. Theregion’s parliament is loc-

ated in the Parc de la Ciutadella.The city of Barcelona has aseparate administration, and itstown hall, the Casa de la Ciutat,faces the Generalitat across thePlaça de Sant Jaume. Cataloniais developing its own policeforce, which has now takenover from Spain’s nationalpolice in most of Catalonia.

Catalans are conservative and, as inmany other countries, people in ruralareas are more conservative than thosein the cities. For the 23 years sinceFranco’s death, the Generalitat was

I N T R O D U C I N G B A R C E L O N A A N D C A T A L O N I A 1 5

La dama del

paraigua

run by the conservative Convergènciai Unió under the presidency of JordiPujol, while the city council was runby a socialist party. In 2003, however,Catalans elected a socialist Generalitatto power under Pascual Maragall.

Catalans, who have no taste for bull-fighting and whose sedate nationaldance, the sardana, is unruffled bypassion, are a serious, hardworkingpeople. Some would rather be associ-ated with northern Europeans than withother Spaniards, whom they regard asindolent. Part of their complaint againstMadrid has been that, as one of the rich-est regions of Spain, they put more intothe national coffers than they take out.

Two emotions are said to guideCatalans: seny, which means solidcommon sense, and rauxa, a creativechaos. A bourgeois, conservative ele-ment of Barcelona society can be seenat concerts and in pastry shops, but acertain surreal air is often evident, onLa Rambla, for instance, where some-times it seems that anything goes. Thetwo elements are mixed in each per-son, and even the most staid may havethe occasional cop de rauxa, or momentof chaotic ecstasy. Such outbursts areused to explain the more incendiarymoments of Catalonia’s history.

Catalans are not burdened with selfdoubt. The vigour with which theyhave rebuilt parts of their capital sincethe early 1980s shows flair and a firmhand. Places of great sentimentalvalue, such as Barceloneta’s beach-side restaurant shacks, were torndown. Stunning new buildings such as the Museu d’ArtContemporani were put upin the Old Town, and oldbuildings such as the Cafè Zurich, a famousrendezvous for writers,artists and intellectuals onLa Rambla, were restoredwithout hesitation.

LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

A Romance languagesimilar to the old Langued’Oc, or Provençal, onceused in France, Catalan is Catalonia’sofficial language, spoken by someeight million people. It has alwaysbeen a living language and itcontinued to be spoken in the homeeven when it was banned by Franco.Catalans do not think it rude to talk toeach other in Catalan in front of

Poster for a Pedro Almodóvar film

St George’s Day in April – the day for giving books

Street performer

on La Rambla


someone who speaks only Spanish.All public signs and official documentsin Catalonia are in Spanish and Catalan.

If rauxa is responsible for the cre-ative spirit as claimed, then Cataloniahas been blessed with an abundance.Modernisme, led by AntoniGaudí, is the region’s gift toworld architecture. PaintersJoan Miró, Salvador Dalíand Antoni Tàpies wereborn here, while PabloPicasso spent his formativeyears in Barcelona. Designsby Javier Mariscal, creator ofthe 1992 Olympic motifs andCobi, the mascot, furniture byOscar Tusquets and fashion by ToniMiró help make Barcelona a city ofgreat style. Bigas Luna, locally-borndirector of Jamón Jamón, and PedroAlmodóvar, whose film All About MyMother was shot in Barcelona haveraised the area’s profile in the cinema.

Over the last 150 years, some out-standing musicians have emergedfrom Catalonia. The composers IsaacAlbéniz (1860–1909), Enric Granados(1867–1916) and Frederic Mompou(1893–1987) brought music imbuedwith a true Iberian idiom into the clas-sical mainstream. Pau Casals (1876–1973) was considered one of thegreatest of all cellists, and MontserratCaballé and Josep Carreras can fillopera houses anywhere in the world.

Catalans read more booksthan other Spaniards. NewCatalan writing has bur-geoned since the 1970s andthere are many literaryprizes, but few Catalanwriters of any era have beentranslated into English.

WORK AND LEISURE

Catalans stay true to theirtraditions and their families.Sunday lunch is a time to get

together, although even during theweek, most people who can do so re-turn home for lunch. This creates a rushhour four times a day, with a lull in theearly afternoon. Shops close around8pm, and between 6pm and 8pm the

streets are crowded. Dinner or en-tertainment starts around 10pm,but there is increasing pressurefor business hours to conformwith the rest of Europe. Allegiance to the local foot-

ball team, Barça, is a matter ofnational pride for its sup-

porters. Meals out, concerts andthe cinema are popular activities.The week begins quietly but, as

the weekend approaches, streets filland visitors leaving La Rambla atmidnight to go to bed may feel theyare leaving a good party too soon.

Beach at Tossa de Mar on the Costa Brava

Demonstration for Catalan independence

Montserrat Caballé

A P O R T R A I T O F C A T A L O N I A 1 7

FOREIGN INVADERS

Several plants from the New World havemanaged to colonize the bare ground ofthe matollar. The prickly pear, thought tohave been brought back by Christopher

Columbus, produces adelicious fruit which can

be picked only withthickly gloved hands.The rapidly growing

century plant, a native of Mexicowhich has tough, spiny leaves, sendsup a tall flower shoot only when it is10–15 years old, after which it dies.


Spanish broom is a small bush withyellow flowers on slender branches. Theblack seed pods split when dry,scattering the seeds on the ground.

Jerusalem sage,an attractive

shrub which isoften grown in

gardens, has tallstems surrounded bybunches of showyyellow flowers. Itsleaves are greyish-white and woolly.

The century plant’sflower stalk can reach10 m (32 ft).

Rose garlichas roundclusters ofviolet or pinkflowers at theend of a single

stalk. It survivesthe summer as the bulbfamiliar to all cooks.

Flowering shoots of the century plant

Common thyme isa low-growingaromatic herb

which is widelycultivated for usein the kitchen.

The mirror orchid,a small plant whichgrows on grassy sites,is easily distinguishedfrom other orchids bythe brilliant metallic

blue patch insidethe lip, fringed

by brown hairs.

RosemaryAleppopine

Prickly pear

in bloom

Flowers of the Matollar

THE MATOLLAR is the distinctivelandscape of Spain’s eastern

Mediterranean coast. This scrublandrich in wild flowers is the result ofcenturies of woodland clearance,during which the native holm oakwas felled for timber and to provideland for grazing and cultivation. Many

colourful plants have adapted to the extremes ofclimate here. Most flower in spring, when hillsidesare daubed with yellow broom and pink and whitecistuses, and the air is perfumed by aromatic

herbs such as rosemary, lavenderand thyme. Buzzing insects feed onthe abundance of nectar and pollen.

Yellow bee

orchid

WILDLIFE OF THE

MATOLLAR

The animals which live inthe matollar are most oftenseen early in the morning,before the temperature ishigh. Countless insects flyfrom flower to flower,providing a source of foodfor birds. Smaller mammals,such as mice and voles, areactive only at night whenit is cooler and there arefew predators around.


CLIMATE CHARTMost plants found in the matollarcome into bloom in the warm, moistspring. The plantsprotect themselvesfrom losing waterduring the dry sum-mer heat with thickleaves or waxy secretions, or bystoring moisture in bulbs or tubers.

Ladder snakes feed onsmall mammals, birds andinsects. The young areidentified by a black patternlike the rungs of a ladder,but adults are marked withtwo simple stripes.

Scorpions hide underrocks or wood by day.When disturbed,the tail is curledquickly over the body in athreateninggesture. Thesting, lethal tosmall animals, can causesome irritation to humans.

TheDartfordwarbler, askulking bird

which has a darkplumage and a

cocked tail, singsmelodiously during its mat-ing display. Males are morevividly coloured than females.

The swallow-tail butterflyis one of themost conspicuousof the great manyinsects living inthe matollar. Bees,ants and grasshoppers arealso extremely common.

Narrow-leaved cistusexudes a sticky aromatic

gum used in perfumes.

Grey-leaved cistus,growing on sunnysites, has crumpledpetals and brightyellow anthers.

Star clover is a low-growingannual whose fruit developsinto a star-shaped seed head.Its flowers are often pale pink.

Tree heather

The strawberrytree is an evergreen

shrub with glossyserrated leaves.

Its inediblestrawberry-like fruit

turns red when ripe.

Holm oaks are verycommon in easternSpain. The leaves aretough and rubberyto prevent water loss.

J MA J J DNOSAF M

Temperature Rainfall

Temp (ºC)

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Rainfall (mm)

Romanesque Art and Architecture


MONESTIR DE SANTA MARIA DE RIPOLL

The portal of the church of the former Benedictine monasteryat Ripoll is known as “The Ripoll Bible” for its allegoricalcarvings. Although the church was founded in 879 and rebuiltunder Abbot Oliva in 1032, the portal was added only in thelate 12th century. In this fine piece of Romanesque decorationChrist sits above the doorway amid the beasts symbolizingthe Apostles, and the monthly agricultural occupations arerepresented on the doorway pillars. There are seven biblicalfriezes running the length of the wall. The top frieze (seep96) over the tympanum represents the old men of theApocalypse; the others are described in the captions above.

Sant Jaume de Frontanyà (see p96)is a former Augustinian canonry withtypical 11th-century features, such asthe Lombard bands below the roofs of

the three apses. The large octagonalcentral lantern is, however, unusual.

Sant Climent de Taüll, anexemplary church in the Vallde Boí (see p95), was conse-crated in 1123. Its frescoes,including a Christ in Majesty(see p80), are replicas, butthe originals, which are nowin Barcelona, are among thebest in Catalonia.

CATALONIA HAS AN EXCEPTIONAL collection of medieval buildings constructed between the 11th and 13th

centuries in a distinctive local Romanesque style. Thereare more than 2,000 examples, most of them churches.Those in the Pyrenees, which have largely escaped bothattack and modernization, have survived particularlywell. Churches had lofty bell towers, barrel-vaultednaves, rounded arches and imaginative sculpture, aswell as remarkable wall paintings. Some frescoes andfurniture have come to rest in the Museu Nacionald’Art de Catalunya (see p80) in Barcelona, whichhas the largest Romanesque collection in the world.

The storyof Moses

Christ withhistoricalfigures

The story of Solomon

The saints

David and his

musicians

The OldTestament The visions

of Daniel

Plinth withpatterns

• Vielha

• Sort

• La Seu d’Urgell

• Andorra la Vella

Pont de Suert•

Puigcerdà •

Berga •

0 kilometres

0 miles

30

15

THE HISTORICCENTRE

The Museu Episcopal de Vic (see p106) adjacentto the cathedral has an exquisite collection ofRomanesque art. It includes this richly colouredand moving portrayal of the Visitation which wasoriginally an altar decoration in Lluçà monastery.


Sant Cristòfol de Beget(see p97) is a beautifulchurch in a picturesquehamlet hidden deep in avalley. It has a uniquelypreserved interior whichincludes a Romanesquebaptismal font and thisfamous 12th-centurycrucifix – the Majestat.

Sant Pere de Besalú (see p97)is the 12th-century church of an

earlier Benedictine monastery.Stone lions guard this window

over the portal. Inside, the ambu-latory has finely carved capitals.

Sant Pere de Galligants(see p98), a formerBenedictine abbey,

captures the very essenceof Romanesque style. It

has an 11th-centuryportal with a rose window,

three naves and anoctagonal bell tower. The

cloister capitals arecarved with biblical scenes.

It now houses Girona’sarchaeology museum.

Sant Pere deCamprodon (see

p97), consecrated in1169, is a monastery

church in matureRomanesque style

with five square apses.The slightly pointed

barrel vault over thenave hints at the

Gothic style to come.

AREA OF MAJOR

ROMANESQUE INTEREST

Sant Pere de Rodes, situated at600 m (1,968 ft) above sea level, was

a Benedictine monastery. In itschurch’s nave are the pillars of aRoman temple once on this site.Restoration work is in progress.

•

Olot

• Vic

Ripoll

• Sant Feliu de Guíxols

Figueres •

Girona •

•

Roses

BARCELONA


TOWARDS THE END of the 19thcentury a new style of art

and architecture, Modernisme,a variant of Art Nouveau, wasborn in Barcelona. It became a

means of expression for Catalannationalism and counted JosepPuig i Cadafalch, Lluís Domènechi Montaner and, above all, Antoni

Gaudí i Cornet (see p72) among its majorexponents. Barcelona’s Eixample district (seepp66 –75) is full of the highly original build-ings that they created for their wealthy clients.

All aspects ofdecoration in aModernista building,even interior design,were planned by thearchitect. This doorand its tiled sur-round are inGaudí’s 1906Casa Batlló (see p72).

The spiral carriage ramp is an early sign ofGaudí’s predilection for curved lines. He wouldlater exploit this to the full in the wavy façade ofhis masterpiece, the Casa Milà (see p73).

Upper galleriesare richly decoratedwith carved woodand cofferwork.

THE EVOLUTION OF MODERNISME

1865 1895 1910 1925

1883 Gaudí takesover design of

Neo-GothicSagrada Família

(see pp74 –5)

1888 BarcelonaUniversalExhibition givesimpetus toModernisme

1910 Casa Milàcompleted

1926 Gaudídies

1905 Domènech i Montaner builds CasaLleó Morera (see p72). Puig i Cadafalchbuilds Casa Terrades (see p73)

1859 Civil engineerIldefons Cerdà iSunyer submitsproposals forexpansion ofBarcelona

1878 Gaudí graduatesas an architect

1900 Josep Puig iCadafalch builds Casa

Amatller (see p72)

1903 Lluís Domènech iMontaner builds Hospitalde la Santa Creu i deSant Pau (see p73)

1880

Detail of Sagrada Família

1850

Hospital detail

A dramatic cupolacovers the central salon,which rises through threefloors. It is pierced bysmall round holes,inspired by Islamicarchitecture, giving the illusion of stars.

Chimney,

Casa Vicens

Gaudí and Modernisme


Bizarrely decoratedchimneys became one of thetrademarks of Gaudí’s laterwork. They reach a

fantastic extreme onthe gleaming, hump-

backed roof of theCasa Batlló.

Ceramic tilesdecorate the chimneys.

Parabolic arches,used extensively by

Gaudí, beginning inthe Palau Güell, showhis interest in Gothic

architecture. Thesearches form a corridor

in his 1890 Col.legide les Teresianes, a

convent school in thewest of Barcelona.

Escutcheon alludes tothe Catalan coat of arms.

PALAU GÜELLGaudí’s first major building in the centreof the city, on La Rambla (see p59),established his international reputationfor outstanding, original architecture.Built in 1889 for his life-long patron,the industrialist Eusebi Güell, themansion stands on a small plot ofland in a narrow street, making thefaçade difficult to see. Inside, Gaudícreates a sense of space by usingcarved screens, recesses and galleries.

Organic forms inspired the wrought iron around thegates to the palace. Gaudí’s later work teems with wildlife,such as this dragon, covered with brightly coloured tiles,which guards the steps in the Parc Güell.

GAUDÍ’S MATERIALS

Gaudí designed, or collaborated on designs,for almost every known media. He com-bined bare, undecorated materials – wood,rough-hewn stone, rubble and brickwork –with meticulous craftwork in wrought ironand stained glass. Mosaics of ceramic tileswere used to cover his fluid, uneven forms.

Stained-glass window

in the Sagrada Família

Mosaic of ceramic tiles,

Parc Güell (see p88)

Detail of iron gate,

Casa Vicens (see p48)

Tiles on El Capricho in

Comillas, Cantabria

Elaboratewrought ironlamps light thegrand hall.

2 4

Catalan Painting

CATALONIA HAS A FINE, if uneven, painterly tradition. It began where Spanish medieval painting was

born – in the Pyrenees, where Romanesque churcheswere brightened by bold frescoes full of imagination(see pp20 –21). The subsequent Gothic period, whichrepresented Catalonia at the height of its powers, wasfollowed by a long period of lesser artistic achievementuntil the wealth of the 19th century revived the creativespirit. This fostered some of Europe’s great 20th-centurypainters, all of whom, as Catalans, felt a close affinity tothe spirit of Catalonia’s incomparable Romanesque art.

I N T R O D U C I N G B A R C E L O N A A N D C A T A L O N I A

GOTHIC

ONE OF THE first-namedartists in Catalonia was

Ferrer Bassa (1285–1348),court painter to Jaume II.Bassa’s exquisite decoration inthe chapel of the Monastery ofPedralbes (see p87) constitutesthe first-known example ofoil-painted murals, a styleundoubtedly influenced bycontemporary Italian painting.

In sculpture, Catalan Gothicbegins with the work ofMestre Bartomeu (1250–1300),whose extraordinary, Oriental-looking Calvary is in the fineGothic collection of Girona’sMuseu d’Art (see p99).

There are also Gothic col-lections in Vic and Solsona(see p106) and particularlyBarcelona, where the MuseuNacional d’Art de Catalunya(see p80) has the most impres-sive. Important works includethose by Lluís Borrassà (1365–

RENAISSANCE TONEO-CLASSICAL

ARTISTICALLY, Catalonia languished from the 16th

to the 18th century, a perioddominated by great mastersfrom elsewhere in Spain: ElGreco in Toledo, Murillo andZurbarán in Seville, Ribera inValencia, and Velázquez andlater Goya in Madrid. A few

THE 19TH CENTURY

BARCELONA’S ART school opened above La Llotja

(see p60) in 1849 and newpatrons of the arts appearedwith wealth generated by theindustrial revolution. Industryhad, however, already begunto train its own artists. In 1783a school was founded in Olot(see p97) to train designers forlocal textile firms. An OlotSchool of artists developed;its main figures were JosepBerga i Boix (1837–1914)and Joaquim Vayreda i Vila(1843–94), who also foundedthe Art Cristià (Christian Art)workshops which today stillproduce church statuary.

The greens and browns of the Olot landscape artistswere countered by the pale

1425), who painted Tarragonacathedral’s altarpiece, andLluís Dalmau (d. 1463), whovisited Bruges and studiedunder Jan van Eyck. A featureof Catalan Gothic is esgrafiat,a process of gilding haloes,garments and backgrounds,which was favoured by oneof the greatest Catalan Gothicartists, Jaume Huguet (1415–92). His St George and thePrincess seems to capturethe full majesty of a culturedand prosperous nation.

St George and the Princess (late

15th century) by Jaume Huguet

The Gardens at Aranjuez (1907) by Santiago Rusiñol

Procession outside Santa Maria

del Mar (c.1898) by Ramon Casas

of their works can be seen atthe Museu Nacional d’Art deCatalunya alongside Catalo-nia’s only two distinguishedartists of the period – FrancescPla and Antoni Viladomat.

2 5A P O R T R A I T O F C A T A L O N I A

blues and pinks of the SitgesLuminists – Arcadi Mas i Font-devila (1852–1943) and JoanRoig i Soler (1852–1909). Theywere influenced by MariàFortuny, who was born inReus in 1838and had livedin Rome andParis. He wascommissionedby Barcelona’scity council topaint a vastcanvas of theSpanish victoryat Tetuán,Spanish Mor-occo, in which500 Catalanvolunteers hadtaken part. Itis now in the Museu d’ArtModern (see p63).

In 1892, 18 years after thefirst Impressionist exhibitionin Paris, Mas i Fontdevilastaged an exhibition in Sitgesbringing together the OlotSchool and the Luminists. Itwas seen as the first Moder-nista event and featured twoother artists: Santiago Rusiñol(1861–1931) and Ramon Casas(1866 –1932), the toweringfigures of Modernista painting.Rusiñol, the son of a textilemagnate, bought a house inSitges, Cau Ferrat (see p110),which became a Modernistahaunt. Casas, the first man inBarcelona to own a car,drew all the famous peopleof the day (see p63) and alsopainted large, powerful

THE 20TH CENTURY

ALTHOUGH PABLO RUIZ PICASSO

(1881–1973) lived in Bar-celona for only eight years(see p60), they were extremelyformative. His early work wasstrongly influenced by the cityand its surroundings, as canbe seen in the Museu Picasso(see p61), as well as by theleading Catalan artists – land-scape painter Isidre Nonell(1873–1911), Joaquim Mir(1873–1940), and Rusiñol andCasas. He shared their viewthat Paris was essential to anartistic life and soon joined itsCatalan fraternity. Despite aself-imposed exile during theFranco years, he kept in touchwith Catalonia all his life.

Joan Miró (1893–1983) also at-tended the art school. Thrownout for poor draughtsman-ship, he went on to becomeone of the 20th-century’s mostoriginal talents, remarkable forhis playful abstracts.

A sense of play was alsonever far from Salvador Dalí(see p99), whom Miró en-couraged in the way that hehimself had been encouragedby Picasso. Dalí joined themin Paris, where Miró intro-duced him to the Surrealists.Unlike his mentors, Dalí re-mained in Catalonia after theCivil War, and his house inPort Lligat (see p102) is inmany ways his finest creation.

Also to remain was Josep-Maria Sert (1876 –1945). Hewas a more traditional painter,best remembered for vastmurals in Barcelona’s Casa dela Ciutat (see p55), and inRockefeller Center and thedining room of the WaldorfAstoria in New York. Hisstartling work in Vic cathedral(see p106) was burnt out inthe Civil War, but he was ableto repaint it before he died.

Today, Catalonia’s best-known living painter is AntoniTàpies. A modest, uncompro-mising man, he is, like manybefore him, deeply rooted inhis own culture. Though anabstract painter, he often usesthe colours of the Catalan flagand admits to an influence ofRomanesque art. Like Picassoand Miró, he has his ownmuseum (see p72). Otherliving Catalan artists’ work canbe seen at Barcelona’s Museud’Art Contemporani (see p58).

Waiting for Soup (1899) by Isidre Nonell

Lithograph (1948) in Catalan flag

colours by Antoni Tàpies

canvases such as The Chargeand Vile Garroting. Rusiñoland Casas were foundingmembers of Els Quatre Gatscafé (see p63), modelled onLe Chat Noir in Paris.

The Cathedral of the Poor (1897) by Joaquim Mir


Arròs negre (black rice) is Catalonia’s most famous rice dish – atruly inspirational contribution to rice cooking. Originating onthe Costa Brava, it combines rice, squid, monkfish, shellfish, onion,garlic, tomatoes, fish stock, olive oil and the all- important squidink which gives it a wonderful fullness of taste and depth of colour.

CATALONIA’S distinctive cuisine wasfirst described in the Llibre de Sent

Sovè, written in the early 14th century.It incorporates mar i muntanya (seaand mountain) – meats, sausages and

game from inland blended with seafoodand fish from the coast – leading to combin-ations such as chicken with lobster. Saffron,brought by the Arabs, is used in paella, andchocolate, from America, in savoury and

sweet recipes. Classic dishes are based on sauces: allioli(garlic mayonnaise), picada (garlic, nuts, toasted bread,parsley, spices), romesco (toasted nuts, garlic, tomatoes,nyora peppers, bread), samfaina (onion, peppers,tomatoes, garlic, courgettes/zucchini, aubergines/egg-plant), and sofregit (onion, garlic, tomatoes, peppers).

Amanida catalana is a saladthat combines vegetables withcured meat or cheese, or somekind of fish or seafood.

Graellada de marisc consistsof an assortment of grilledshellfish served with allioli(garlic mayonnaise).

Fideus a la cassola is a dishof fideus (a kind of noodle)with red peppers, pork chops orpork fillet and sausages.

The Food of Catalonia

Nyora

peppers

MusselsParsley

Squid

Tomato

Large

prawn

Monkfish

Paella, traditionally cooked onan open fire with rice from theEbre Delta, is made with seafoodon the coast and game inland.

Canelons a la barcelonesaare a type of cannelloni stuffedwith chicken livers and pork,and adored by barcelonins.

Avellanes (hazelnuts) are a major Catalan crop,with tarragonins claiming that those grown in

their province (Tarragona) are the best.They feature in many cakes and sweets but,

most notably, in combination with almonds inthe famous romesco and picada sauces.

Suquet, one of Catalonia’sfamous fish and seafood stews,is made with saffron, wine,tomatoes and potatoes.


Botifarra amb mongetes is a traditional Catalan dish ofgrilled black sausage withharicot (white) beans.

Pollastre rostit amb samfainacombines roast chicken withsamfaina, one of the classicCatalan vegetable medleys.

Llagosta i pollastre is atypical Catalan combinationof lobster with chicken in atomato and hazelnut sauce.

Coca de Sant Joan is a yeastycake topped with candied fruitsand pine nuts always servedon St John’s night (see p31).

Nut sweets,such as ametllesgarrapinyades(almonds coatedin crunchy sugar) were introduced to Spain by theMoors. Torró (turrón) comes in two main varieties:one made from a soft paste of ground almonds; theother hard and studded with whole nuts such as thehazelnut torró from Agramunt in Lleida province.

Fruites confitades (candied fruits) are apopular way of preserving the abundantproduce of the region and are muchused as cake toppings as well as sweets.

Esqueixada is another stronglyflavoured and much lovedCatalan dish. It is a salad ofsalt cod, onion and peppers.

Crema catalana is a rich eggcustard with a golden brownlayer of caramelized sugar ontop. It is served very cold.

Orange

Cherry

Pear

SAUSAGESCatalan sausages, embotits, especially thosefrom the inland town of Vic, are renowned.The white, cooked botifarra contains pork,tripe and pine nuts, while the black varietyuses blood, pork belly and spices. Bulls (frombullit – boiled) consist of various meatsstuffed into pigs’ intestines. Among the curedsausages are the fine-textured llonganisseta,and the long, dry fuet. Pernil is air-cured hamfrom a leg of pork. Salsitxa is thin, rawsausage. Coarser, scarlet xoriço (chorizo) isspiced with paprika and can be sliced andeaten with bread, or cooked in stews.

Botifarra blanca

Botifarra negra

Fuet

Xoriço

Pumpkin

Apple

Ametlles garrapinyadesTorró

d’Agramunt

5


THE OTHER WINES OF CATALONIA

Wine (vi) in Catalonia is negre (red), rosat (pink) or blanc (white). Garnatxa is adessert wine named after the grape it comes from; ranci is a matured white wine.

A tradition, now only practised at local festes or old-style bars, is topour wine into the mouth from a porró (long-spouted wine jug).

There are seven official DO (Denominació de Origen) regions: EMPORDÀ-COSTA BRAVA: light wines from the northeast. They include

vi de l’any, drunk in the year it is produced. Cava is made in Peralada. ALELLA: a tiny region, just north of Barcelona, with good light whites.

PENEDÈS: great reds as well as some whites, with names such as Torresand Codorníu. Visit the wine museum in Vilafranca del Penedès (see p107). CONCA DE BARBERÀ: small quantities of both reds and whites. COSTERS DEL SEGRE: includes the delicious reds from the Raïmat estate.PRIORAT: characterful reds and good whites (Falset) from a pretty regionof small villages west of Tarragona. TARRAGONA AND TERRA ALTA: traditionally hefty wines, but getting lighter.

Freixenet was established by the Sala family in1914 and is now one of the leading cava brands.Their estate is in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, heart ofcava country, and Freixenet’s distinctive blackbottle is recognized throughout the world.

Raïmat, developed by the Raventós family using theChardonnay grape, is considered by many to be the

ultimate cava. Wrested from wasteland, the 3,000-hectare (7,410-acre) Raïmat estate, 14 km

(9 miles) west of Lleida, has its own railway stationand workers’ village and has been declared a “model

agricultural estate” by the Spanish government.

A porró for

drinking wine

A7

N420

N230

N240 C1313

N11

A2

C230

Segre

Ebre

Codorníu, the first wine tobe made using the méthodechampenoise, brought cavainternational renown as oneof the great sparkling wines.

•

Lleida

•

Les BorgesBlanques

C O

T A R R A G O N A

P E N

CAVA IS ONE OF CATALONIA’S most appreciated exports. This rela-

tively inexpensive sparkling wine ismade in the same way as Frenchchampagne, undergoing a secondfermentation in the bottle in which itis sold. It was made commerciallyfrom the mid-19th century and, in

1872, full-scale production was begun by Josep Raventós,head of Codorníu. This famous winery is still run by hisdescendants in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, cava capital of thePenedès wine-producing region. Today cava continues tobe made using local grape varieties – Macabeo, Xarel.loand Parellada – and some pleasant pink cava is alsoproduced. The literal meaning of cava is simply “cellar”.

Cava Country

Cordoníu’s world-

famous cava label

123

6

4


KEY

Main cava districts

BEST PRODUCERS

CodorníuSant Sadurní d’Anoia 1

FreixenetSant Sadurní d’Anoia 2

GramonaSant Sadurní d’Anoia 3

MascaróVilafranca del Penedès 4

RaïmatCosters del Segre 5

Raventós RosellMasquefa 6

The Art Nouveauwinery in Sant Sadurníd’Anoia is Codorníu’sModernista showpiece,designed by Josep Puig iCadafalch in 1906. Thereare 26 km (16 miles) ofcellars on five floors andvisitors are taken roundon a small train.

A rewarding tour can be had by visiting theFreixenet cellars. The company sells more bottlesof cava each year than the French sell champagne.

•

Igualada

•

Sant Sadurníd’Anoia

•

Sabadell

BARCELONA•

•

Vilafranca delPenedès

•

Tàrrega

Montblanc•

Valls•

Reus•

Tarragona•

Terrassa•

•

Masquefa

El Vendrell •

Manresa •

A2

N11

A16

A19

A7

C1411

A7

A7

A2

A18

N240

Llobregat

Besó

s

Gold medals wereawarded to Codorníu

for its cava as early as1888. By 1897 it was

being served atstate functions

instead ofchampagne.

•

Vilanova i la Geltrú

CAVA TIPS

What to buyAs with champagne, the drierthe wine, the higher the price.The driest cavas are brut de brutand brut nature. Brut and sec

are slightly less dry. Sweet semiseco anddulce are best with desserts. Althoughinexpensive compared with the Frenchequivalent, costs do vary, with small, spe-cialist producers commanding high prices.

Visiting a wineryThe main cava producers areopen to the public duringoffice hours (but many close

in August). Sant Sadurní d’Anoia is 45minutes by train from Barcelona’s Santsstation and the most impressive cellars tovisit here are Freixenet’s and Codorníu’s.Vilafranca del Penedès tourist office (seep107) has details of all cava winery visits.

•

Castelldefels

•

Madrid

SPAIN

S T E R S D E L

S E G R E

E D È S

0 kilometres

0 miles

20

20


SPRING

ALMOND BLOSSOM gives wayto cherry and apple as the

earth warms and the meltingsnows swell the rivers. Thefishing season for trout andother freshwater fish starts inlate March. At Easter, familiesget together, often going outof town to visit relatives, or to picnic and search for wildasparagus. May is the bestmonth in which to see wildflowers, which are particularlyspectacular in the Pyrenees.

The feast of Corpus Christi, when carpets of flowers cover the streets

C ATA L O N I A T H R O U G H T H E Y E A R

EACH barri (district) in Barcelona and every town and village in Catalonia has a saint’s day to be

celebrated in an annual festa major.The sardana (see p111)is danced and, on the CostaBrava, havaneres (habaneras)are sung. Food is central to anyevent, and open-air feasts andspecial pastries and cakes fea-ture strongly. Many towns,including Barcelona, have

parades of giants (gegants), big-heads (capgrosses) and dwarfs(nans) – papier-mâché carica-tures of people once linked withlocal trade guilds. Demons and

dragons provide drama. Cata-lans love pyrotechnics, and

the fires at the midsummerRevetlla de Sant Joan are a lavish

incendiary event. Many cel-ebrations often start on theeve of the feast day proper.

Men give women a red

rose on Sant Jordi’s Day

MARCH

Sant Medir (3 Mar). In Bar-celona processions distributesweets in the district of Gràcia,and in Sants a week later.Sant Josep (19 Mar). ManyCatalans are called Josep(often shortened to Pep). Thisis a holiday in Spain, althoughnot in Catalonia. Peoplecelebrate their “name day” –the day of the saint they arenamed after – more than they

celebrate their birthday.Terrassa Jazz Festival (wholeof Mar). Concerts by musiciansfrom all over the world.Setmana Santa (Holy Week)is the week before Easter andis filled with events.

APRIL

Diumenge de Rams (PalmSunday). Palm leaves are bles-sed in church, notably at theSagrada Família in Barcelona.Processions of Roman soldiersturn out in Girona, and viacrucis (passion plays) are puton in several places, notablythe spa town of Sant HilariSacalm, Girona province. Dijous Sant (Maundy Thurs-day), Verges, Girona province.Men dressed as skeletons per-form a death dance (dansa dela mort) thought to date backto times of plague in the 1300s. Pasqua (Easter). On GoodFriday (Divendres Sant) cruci-fixes are carried through thestreets following the Stations ofthe Cross. On Easter Monday

Book stalls set up in Barcelona on

Sant Jordi’s Day, el dia del llibre

MAY

Fira de Sant Ponç (11 May).Ancient celebration around theCarrer de l’Hospital in Barce-lona, once the site of the cityhospital. Aromatic and medi-cinal herbs and honey are sold.Corpus Christi (May/Jun).Flowers are laid in the streetsof Sitges, and in Berga, Barce-lona province, a monsterdragon (la Patum) dancesthrough the town’s streets.

(Dilluns de Pasqua) god-parents buy their godchildrenmona (egg cake), and bakerscompete to make the mostelaborate confections. Sant Jordi (23 Apr). Feast ofSt George, patron saint ofCatalonia, and a day devotedto the memory of Cervantes(see p39), who died on thisday in 1616. Men and boysgive single red roses to theirmothers, wives and girlfriends,who give them books in re-turn. The festival is also knownas el dia del llibre (book day).

C A T A L O N I A T H R O U G H T H E Y E A R 3 1

Sunshine ChartBarcelona is a sunnycity, enjoying clear blueskies for a large part ofthe year and often upto ten hours’ sunshinea day in summer. Inwinter, even though itcan be cold in theshade, the sun is highenough to give it warm-ing power and it can bepleasant to sit outdoorson a sheltered, sunnyterrace or patio.

A team of castellers in action

Holidaymakers at Platja d’Aro, a popular Costa Brava resort

10

8

6

4

2

0

Hours

SUMMER

THE MAJORITY OF Barcelona’sinhabitants live in apart-

ments, so they like to head outof town at weekends, eitherto the coast or the mountains.Motorways (highways) onFriday afternoons and Sundayevenings are best avoided.School holidays are long,starting at the end of Junewhen the sea is warm enoughfor swimming. Crowds throngthe marinas, the aroma ofbarbecued sardines fills theair, and a plethora of summerentertainment provides limit-less options. Many businessesin Barcelona close in August.

JUNE

Festival del Grec (Jun–Jul). Inthis summer arts festival, thereare national and internationalperformances throughoutBarcelona; the main venuesare the Teatre Grec, Mercat deles Flors and Poble Espanyol. Revetlla de Sant Joan (24Jun). St John’s (Midsummer’s)Eve is celebrated with fire-works, especially on Montjuïcin Barcelona. Bonfires are litthroughout Catalonia andlighted torches are broughtdown from the top of MontCanigó, just over the borderin France. Cava – a sparklingwhite wine (see pp28 –9) – isdrunk with a special coca(cake) sprinkled with pine nutsand crystallized fruit (see p27). Castellers (24 Jun). In Valls,Tarragona, a province famousfor its casteller festivals, teamsof men stand on each other’sshoulders hoping to take theprize for building the highesthuman tower (see p107).

Concert season (Jun/Jul).Classical music concerts, heldat different parks in Barcelona,are organized by the InstitutMunicipal de Parcs i Jardins.

JULY

Cantada d’havaneres (firstSun in Jul). Drinking cremat(coffee and rum), musiciansand singers belt out havaneresin towns along the coast, mostfamously at Calella de Pala-frugell on the Costa Brava.

AUGUST

Festa major de Gràcia (oneweek beginning around 15Aug). Each district ofBarcelona hosts its own festain which streets try to outdoeach other in the inventive-ness of their decorations. Thefesta in the old district ofGràcia is the biggest and mostspectacular and incorporatesconcerts, balls, music, compe-titions and street games. Festa major de Sants(around 24 Aug). The bigannual festa in the Santsdistrict of Barcelona. Festa major de Vilafrancadel Penedès (mid-Aug). Thistown’s annual festival is oneof the best places to seecasteller (human tower)competitions (see p107).

Virgen del Carmen (16 Jul).A maritime festival that takesplace around Barcelona’s port.As well as processions, thereare bands playing havaneres. Santa Cristina (24 Jul). Thebiggest festival of Lloret deMar, Costa Brava, when astatue of the Virgin is broughtashore by a decorated flotilla.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

AVERAGE DAILY HOURS OF SUNSHINE


PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

Any Nou (New Year’sDay) 1 Jan Reis Mags (Epiphany)6 Jan Divendres Sant (GoodFriday) Mar/AprDilluns de Pasqua(Easter Monday) Mar/AprFesta del Treball(Labour Day) 1 MaySant Joan (Saint John’sDay) 24 JunAssumpció (AssumptionDay) 15 AugDiada de Catalunya(National Day) 11 Sep La Mercè 24 SepDia de la Hispanitat(Day of the Spanish-speaking nations) 12 Oct Tots Sants (All Saints’Day) 1 Nov Dia de la Constitució(Constitution Day) 6 DecImmaculada Concepció(Immaculate Conception)8 Dec Nadal (Christmas) 25 DecSant Esteve 26 Dec

Rainfall ChartBarcelona experiencesmodest rainfall yearround – just sufficientto maintain the city’sgreen spaces. However,rain tends to fall insudden, but short-lived,torrential downpoursand heavy thunderstorms are a featureof the summer months.Grey, drizzly weatherlasting for days onend is very rare.

Harvesting grapes in autumn with

high hopes for a successful crop

Cattle descending from the Pyrenees at the end of the summer

SEPTEMBER

Diada de Catalunya (11 Sep).Catalonia’s national day marksBarcelona’s fall to Felipe V in1714 (see p41) when the regionlost its autonomy. Politicaldemonstrations convey strongseparatist sentiment. Sardana(see p111) bands and peoplesinging Els segadors (see p40)can be heard and Catalanflags are everywhere. La Mercè (24 Sep). This annualfestival in Barcelona honoursNostra Senyora de la Mercè(Our Lady of Mercy) in a weekof concerts, masses anddances. Look out for the

AUTUMN

THE GRAPE HARVEST (verema)is a highlight of the

autumn, just before the vinesturn red and gold. It is theseason for seeking out mush-rooms which swell the marketstalls. From October huntersset off to bag red-legged part-ridge, migrating ducks andwild boar. Hardier people canbe seen swimming in the searight up until November.

carrefoc – a parade of fire-breathing dragons, giants andmonsters; and the piro musical– fireworks set to music. Sant Miquel (29 Sep). Cele-brations for Barceloneta’spatron saint recall Napoleon’soccupation of Spain (see p41).Bum Bum, a Napoleonicgeneral, parades through thestreets to salvoes of gunfire.There is dancing on the beach.

NOVEMBER

Tots Sants (All Saints’ Day) (1 Nov). Roast chestnuts andsweet potatoes are eaten andthe next day – Dia dels difunts(All Souls’ Day) – people visitthe graves of their relatives.

OCTOBER

Festes de Sarrià i de LesCorts (first Sun in Oct). Eachof these Barcelona districts hasa festival for its patron saint. Dia de la Hispanitat (12 Oct)National holiday to mark thediscovery of America in 1492(see p40), but most Catalans donot celebrate this anniversary.

150

120

90

60

30

0

6

4.5

3

1.5

0

InchesAVERAGE MONTHLY RAINFALL (BARCELONA)


MM

C A T A L O N I A T H R O U G H T H E Y E A R 3 3

Temperature ChartThis chart shows theaverage minimumand maximum dailytemperatures record-ed in Barcelona. Thesunshine in wintercan be deceptive, asdaytime temperaturescan occasionally dipto near freezing.Summer days areconsistently hot. Hatsand a high-factor sunscreen are essential.

A ski resort in the Pyrenees, a popular destination for weekenders

The winter festival of Els Tres Tombs in Vilanova i la Geltrú

WINTER

SKI RESORTS in the Pyrenees are a popular destination

at weekends. Though dayscan be sunny and lunches stilltaken alfresco, the weather isunpredictable and the nightscan be chilly. Christmas is aparticularly delightful time tobe in Barcelona, when thecity vibrates with the spirit ofcelebration and sharing. Craftsand decorations are on sale inthe Feria de Santa Llúcia infront of the Cathedral.

DECEMBER

Nadal and Sant Esteve (25 &26 Dec). Christmas is a timefor people to come together.Traditional Christmas lunchconsists of an escudella (meatstew) followed by turkeystuffed with apples, apricots,prunes, pine nuts and raisins.Revellón (31 Dec). All overSpain on New Year’s Eve ithas become a custom forpeople to eat a grape between

each chime of the midnightbell. To manage the featbrings good luck all year.

JANUARY

Reis Mags (6 Jan). On theeve of the Epiphany the threekings arrive in various guisesthroughout Catalonia givingsweets to children. The maincavalcade in Barcelona isdown by the port.Santa Eulàlia (12 Jan). Thefeast of the ancient patronsaint of Barcelona is celebra-ted in the old town. There is

dancing and many peopledress up as giants. Els Tres Tombs (17 Jan).Horsemen in top hats andtails ride three times throughthe city to honour St Anthony,patron saint of animals. Pelegrí de Tossa (20 & 21Jan), Tossa de Mar. A 40-km(25-mile) pilgrimage markingthe end of the plague; thistown’s biggest annual event.

FEBRUARY

Carnestoltes (Carnival) (Feb/Mar). King Carnival presidesover the pre-Lent celebrations,children wear fancy dress andevery barri (district) inBarcelona puts on a party.Sausage omelettes are eatenon Shrove Tuesday (Dijousgras), and on Ash Wednesday(Dimecres de cendra) a sardineis ceremoniously buried(Enterrament de la sardina).There are big celebrations inPlatja d’Aro on the Costa Bravaand Vilanova on the CostaDaurada. Sitges is the place togo to see the full transvestiteindulgence of the feast. Rally Internacional deCotxes d’Època (around firstSun in Lent). A veteran carrally from Barcelona to Sitges.

86

77

68

59

50

41

32

F°30

25

20

15

10

5

0

C°

AVERAGE DAILY TEMPERATURE (BARCELONA)


Procession of gegants (giants) during the September festival of La Mercé in Barcelona

3 7

Barcelona was not a natural site forhuman settlement. Its port was neg-ligible and its heights, Montjuïc, hadno water. The oldest evidence of manin Catalonia comesrather from other sitesscattered across theregion, notably the dol-mens of the Alt (high)Empordà and passagegraves of the Baix (low)Empordà and Alt Urgell.

In the first millen-nium BC the landsaround Barcelona weresettled by the agrarianLaeitani, while otherparts of Catalonia weresimultaneously colonized by theIberians. The latter were greatbuilders in stone and remains of oneof their settlements are still visible atUllastret on the Costa Brava. Greektraders arrived on the coast around550 BC, founding their first tradingpost at Empúries (Emporion, see p102)near Ullastret. It was the Carthaginiansfrom New Carthage in southern Spainwho put Barcelona on the map. Theynamed the city after Hamil Barca,father of Hannibal who led his armyof elephants from Catalonia over thePyrenees and Alps to attack Rome.

In reprisal, the Romans arrived atEmpúries and began the subjugationof the whole Iberian peninsula. Theywiped out the Carthaginians as well

as the Laeitani andestablished Tarraco(Tarragona, see p110) inthe south of Cataloniaas the imperial capitalof Tarraconensis, one ofthe three administrativeregions of the peninsula.Roman Barcelona can

be seen in the city gatebeside the cathedral,while the 3rd-centurywalls that once en-circled the town lie by

the medieval Royal Palace (see p54).Foundations of the Roman city havebeen excavated in the basement ofthe Museu d’Història de la Ciutat (seep55), and pillars from the Temple ofAugustus can be glimpsed inside theCentre Excursionista de Catalunya(see p53) behind the cathedral.

When the Roman empire collapsed,Visigoths based in Toulouse movedin to fill the vacuum. They had beenvassals of Rome, practised Romanlaw, spoke a similar language and in587 their Aryan king, Reccared, con-verted to the Christianity of Rome.

T H E H I S T O R Y O F C A T A L O N I A

T H E H I S T O RY O F C ATA L O N I A

The Catalans have always been great seafarers, merchants

and industrialists. Since they were united under the House of

Barcelona, their nationhood has been threatened by marriages,

alliances and conflicts with Madrid, and the road to their present

status as a semi-autonomous region within Spain has been marked

by times of power and wealth and troughs of weakness and despair.

2000–1500 BCMegalithic

monuments builtthroughout

Catalonia

500–200 BC Fortified Iberian settlementsat Ullastret. Cyclopean walls of Tarragona

550 BC Greeks establishtrading settlement atEmpúries

1000–500 BC Indo-Europeans invade Terand Llobregat valleys; Iberians settle Montjuïc

230 BCBarcelona

founded byHamil Barca,

father ofHannibal

218 BCRomansarrive atEmpúriesto subju-gate Spain

AD 258 Barcelona city wallsbuilt after a Frankish invasion

Troops fraternizing with local militia in the Baixada de la Llibreteria, Barcelona, during the 1833 –9 Carlist War

AD 531 Visigothsestablished in Barce-lona after fall of Rome

Hannibal

Visigothic Cross

Roman mosaic floor excavated in

Barcelona depicting the Three Graces

TIMELINE

2500 BC 1500 BC 500 BC AD 500

3 8

AD 700 800 1000

TIMELINE

I N T R O D U C I N G B A R C E L O N A A N D C A T A L O N I A

711 NorthAfrican

Muslimsinvade

Spanishmainland

717 Cataloniaoccupied byMuslims

778 Charlemagne, leader ofthe Franks, beginscampaign to drive Moorsfrom Spain

801 Moors ejected. Charlemagnesets up buffer state

878 Guifré el Pelós (Wilfred theHairy), Count of Cerdanya-Urgell,consolidates eastern Pyrenees andgains virtual autonomy. He starts500-year dynasty of Counts ofBarcelona

1008 –46 AbbotOliva builds churchat Ripoll andoversees Benedictinebuilding includingVic and Monserrat

1060 Constitution,Usatges, is drawn up

around the time that theword Catalan is first

recorded

THE MOORS AND

CHARLEMAGNE

The Visigoths establishedtheir capital at Toledo, justsouth of modern Madrid.When King Wirtzia diedin 710, his son, Akhila, issaid to have called on theSaracens from northAfrica for help in claimingthe throne. In 711, withastonishing speed,Muslim and Berber tribesbegan to drive up throughthe Iberian peninsula,reaching Barcelona in717, then Poitiers in France in 732,where they were finally stopped bythe Frankish leader, Charles Martel.

The Muslims made their capital in Córdoba in southern Spain, while theVisigothic nobles found hiding places

in the Pyrenees,from which theyconducted sortiesagainst the invad-ers. They wereaided by CharlesMartel’s grandson,Charles the Great(Charlemagne).In 801 Barcelonawas retaken by theFranks, only to belost and takenagain. The short-ness of the Muslimoccupation leftCatalonia, unlike

the rest of Spain, unmarked by theculture and language of Islam.

THE COUNTS OF BARCELONA

Charlemagne created the HispanicMarc, a buffer state along the Pyrenees,which he entrusted to local lords. The

Charlemagne(742 –814)

Moorishsword

Ramon Berenguer I of

Barcelona (1035 –76)

most powerful figure in the east wasGuifré el Pelós (Wilfred the Hairy),who consolidated the counties ofBarcelona, Cerdanya, Conflent, OsonaUrgell and Girona and founded themonastery of Ripoll (see p96) – elbressol de Catalunya (the cradle ofCatalonia). Guifré died in battle againstthe Moors in 897, but he had started adynasty of Counts of Barcelona whichwas to last, unbroken, for 500 years.

Before the end of the 11th century,under Ramon Berenguer I, Cataloniahad established the first constitutionalgovernment in Europe with a bill ofrights, the Usatges. By the early 12thcentury, under Ramon Berenguer III,Catalonia’s boundaries had pushedsouth past Tarragona. Catalaninfluence also spread north and eastwhen he married Dolça of Provence,linking the two regions and, morelastingly, the principality of Barcelonawas united with its neighbour Aragonin 1137 by the marriage of RamonBerenguer IV and Petronila of Aragon.In 1196 the great monastery of Poblet(see pp108 –9) in Tarragona provincetook the place of Ripoll as thepantheon of Catalan royalty.

900

Page from a 15th-century manuscript of the Llibre del Consolat de Mar

3 93 9

1100 1300 1400

T H E H I S T O R Y O F C A T A L O N I A

1148 Frontierwith Moors

pushed backto Riu Ebre

1137 Barcelonaunited to

neighbouringAragon by

royal marriage

1258 –72 Consolat de Mar,a code of trading practice,

holds sway throughoutthe Mediterranean

1282 Pere el Grantakes Sicily. Hisexploits arerecorded inDesclot’s Chronicles

1287 Conquest of Mallorca under Alfons III

1302– 5 Catalan mercenaries under AdmiralRoger de Flor aid Byzantium against the Turks

1324 Sardinia captured

1347– 8 Black death kills aquarter of the population

1359 Generalitatfounded

1423 Conquestof Naples

MARITIME EXPANISION

Under Jaume I the Conqueror (1213–76),Catalonia began a period of prosperityand expansion. By the end of the 13thcentury the Balearic islands and Sicilyhad been conquered; many of the shipsused in the enterprise were built at thevast Drassanes shipyards in Barcelona(see p65). Catalonia now ruled the seasand the Llibre del Consolat de Mar wasa code of trading practice that heldsway throughout the Mediterranean.Swashbuckling admirals included Rogerde Llúria, who won a definitive victoryover the French fleet in the Bay of Rosesin 1285, and Roger de Flor, leader of abunch of fierce Catalan and Aragonesemercenaries, the Almogàvers. Thesewon battles for both the King of Sicilyand the Byzantine emperor beforeRoger de Flor was murdered in 1305.

During Jaume I’s long reign the Corts(parliament) was established, the citywalls were rebuilt to enclose an areaten times larger than that enclosed bythe old Roman walls, and noble housesarose down the new Carrer Montcada

(see pp 60 –61). LaLlotja (the stock ex-change) was sitedby what was thenthe main port,and thechurch ofSanta Mariadel Mar (seep60) was builtby grateful mer-chants. Under PereIV (1336–87) twogreat halls werebuilt: the RoyalPalace’s Saló delTinell and the Casa de la Ciutat’s Salóde Cent (see pp 54 –5).

Prosperity brought a flowering ofCatalan literature. Jaume I wrote hisown Llibre dels Feits (Book of Deeds),and Pere el Gran’s conquest of Sicilyin 1282 was described in glowing termsin a chronicle of Catalan history writtenby Bernat Desclot around 1285. Thegreat Catalan poet Ramon Lull (1232–1315), born in Mallorca, was the first

to use a vernacularlanguage in religiouswriting. From 1395 anannual poetry compe-tition, the Jocs Florals,was held in the city,attracting the region’stroubadours. In 1450,Joanot Martorell beganwriting his Catalanchivalric epic narrativeTirant lo Blanc, thoughhe died in 1468, 22years before it waspublished. Miguel deCervantes, author ofDon Quijote, describedit as simply “the bestbook in the world”. Wall painting showing Jaume I during his campaign to conquer Mallorca

Jaume I (1213 –76)

Ex voto in the form of

a 15th-century ship

1213 –35 Jaume I(The Conqueror)

takes Mallorca, Ibizaand Formentera

1200


AD 1450 AD 1500 AD 1600 AD 1650

TIMELINE

1479 Fernando IIof Catalonia-

Aragon marriesIsabel of Castile,

uniting all thehouses of Spain

1490 Tirant loBlanc, epic taleof chivalry byMartorell (seep39), publishedin Catalan

1492 Columbusdiscovers Americas.

Barcelona barred fromtrade with the New

World. Jews expelled

1571 Vast fleetsets sail fromBarcelona todefeat theOttomans atsea at Lepanto

1619Spanishcapital

establishedin Madrid

1640 Revolt of theharvesters (segadors)

against Spanishexploitation of Catalanresources during ThirtyYears War with France

1659 Treaty of thePyrenees at end of Thirty

Years War draws newborder with France;

Roussillon ceded to France

The Spanish Inquisition,active from 1478

1494 SupremeCouncil ofAragon bringsCatalonia underCastilian control

AD 1550

FERNANDO AND ISABEL OF CASTILE

Catholic Spain was united in 1479when Fernando II of Catalonia-Aragonmarried Isabel of Castile, a region which

by then had absorbedthe rest of northern

Spain. In 1492they drove the

last of theMoors fromthe penin-sula, then,in a feverof right-eousness,also droveout theJews, who

had large and commercially importantpopulations in Barcelona (see p54) andGirona. This was the same year thatColumbus had set foot in America,returning in triumph to Barcelona withsix Carib Indians (see p56). However,the city lost out when the monopoly onNew World trade was given to Sevilleand Cádiz. Though it still had greatmoments, such as its involvement inthe victory over the Turks at Lepantoin 1571 (see p65), Barcelona went intoa period of decline.

Baptizing Jews during the era of

the Catholic Monarchs

The great siege of Barcelona in 1714 during the War of the Spanish Succession

REVOLTS AND SIEGES

During the Thirty Years War with France(1618–59), Felipe IV forced Barcelona’sCorts to raise an army to fight theFrench, towards whom the Catalansbore no grudge. A viceroy was imposedon the city and unruly Spanish troopswere billeted throughout the region.In June 1640 the population arose, andharvesters (segadors) murdered theviceroy. The Song of the Harvesters isstill sung at Catalan gatherings (seep32). Barcelonathen allied itselfwith France, butwas besiegedand defeated byFelipe. The peaceof 1659 cededCatalan landsnorth of the Pyr-enees to France.

A second con-frontation with Madrid arose during theWar of the Spanish Succession whenEurope’s two dominant royal houses,the Habsburgs and Bourbons, bothlaid claim to the throne. Barcelona,with England as an ally, found itselfon the losing side, supporting theHabsburgs. As a result, it was heavily

Wall tile for a Catalan

trade guild

T H E H I S T O R Y O F C A T A L O N I A 4 1

(see pp104 –5) were sacked and pillaged.They suffered further in 1835 under arepublican government when manywere seen as too rich and powerfuland were dissolved. This was a polit-ically vigorous time, when a minorityof largely rural reactionaries fought arearguard action against the liberalspirit of the century in the Carlist Wars.

THE CATALAN RENAIXENÇA

Barcelona was the first city in Spain toindustrialize, mainly around cottonmanufacture, from imported raw mate-rial from the Americas. It broughtimmigrant workers and a burgeoningpopulation, and in 1854 the city burstout of its medieval walls (see p67).Inland, industrial centres such asTerrassa and Sabadell flourished andcolònies industrials (industrial work-houses) grew up along the riverswhere mills were powered by water.

Just as the wealth of the 14th centuryinspired Catalonia’s first flowering, sothe wealth from industry inspired theRenaixença, a renaissance of Catalanculture. Its literary rallying points wereBonaventura Aribau’s Oda a la patriaand the poems of a young monk, JacintVerdaguer, who won poetry prizes inthe revived Jocs Florals (see p39).

Women joining in the defence of Girona against

the Napoleonic French in 1809

besieged by troops of the incomingBourbon king, Felipe V. The city fellon 11 September 1714, today celebratedas National Day (see p32). Felipe thenproceeded to annul all of Catalonia’sprivileges. Its language was banned,its universities closed and Lleida’sGothic cathedral became a barracks.Felipe tore down the Ribera district ofBarcelona and, in what is now Ciuta-della Park (see p62), built a citadel tokeep an eye on the population.

With the lifting of trade restric-tions with the Americas, Cataloniabegan to recover economically.Progress, however, was inter-rupted by the 1793–95 war withFrance and then by the 1808–14Peninsular War (known in Spainas the War of Independence) whenNapoleon put his brother Josephon the Spanish throne. Barcelonafell in early 1808, but Gironawithstood a seven-month siege.Monasteries, including Montserrat

AD 1750 AD 1850

1714 Barcelona sacked by Felipe V,first Bourbon king. Catalan univer-sities closed. Catalan language banned

1778 Catalonia allowed to trade withthe Americas, bringing new wealth

1808–14 Peninsular War (War ofIndependence): Girona besieged,

Barcelona occupied, Monasteryof Montserrat sacked

1823– 6Frenchoccupy

Catalonia

1833 Aribau’s Oda a la patria published

1833–9First CarlistWar

1835 Monasteries dissolved

1849 Spain’s first railway built to link Barcelona and Mataró

1859 Revival of Jocs Floralspoetry competition feedsRenaissance of Catalan culture.

Poet Bonaventura Carles Aribau i Farriols

AD 1800

Felipe V (1700 –24)

AD 1700

Well-to-do barcelonins selecting from a wide range of

locally produced calico in the early 19th century

AD 1875 AD 1900 AD 1925

TIMELINE


1872 –6 Third andlast Carlist War

1888 UniversalExhibition held in

Parc de la Ciutadella,showing off the new

Modernista style

1893 Anarchistbombs in Liceu

opera housekill 14

1901 LligaRegionalista,new Catalan

party, winselections

1909 Setmana tràgica: violentprotest against Moroccan Wars

1929 International Exhibitionon Montjuïc

1931 Francesc Macià declaresindependence for Catalonia

Universal Exhibition in the Parcde la Ciutadella where FelipeV’s citadel had recently beentorn down. The urban expan-sion (eixample) inland wascarefully ordered under a planby Ildefons Cerdà (see p67) andindustrial barons employedimaginative architects to showoff their wealth, most success-fully Eusebi Güell and AntoniGaudí (see pp22 –3). The de-struction of the monasteries hadleft spaces for sumptuous build-ings such as

the Palau de la MúsicaCatalana (see p61),the Liceu opera houseand La Boqueriamarket (see p135).

Spain’s non-involve-ment in World War Imeant that Catalonia’sModernista architec-ture was unscathed.Barcelona’s place asa showcase city wasconfirmed with the1929 International

Exhibition on Montjuïc, manyof whose buildings still remain.

CIVIL WAR

The Mancomunitat, a localcouncil established in 1914,disappeared on the arrival in1923 of the dictator Primo deRivera, Barcelona’s militarygovernor. In 1931 FrancescMacià declared himself Presi-dent of the Catalan Republic,which lasted three days. Threeyears later Lluís Companyswas arrested and sentencedto 30 years’ imprisonment forattempting to do the same.

A hall of Spanish goods at the 1888 Universal Exhibition

Antoni Gaudí,

Modernisme’s most

creative architect

Carlistsoldiers

CATALANISM AND MODERNISME

The Renaixença produced a newpride in Catalonia, and “Catalanism”was at the heart of the region’s accel-erating move towards autonomy, amove echoed in Galicia and theBasque Country. Interruptions by theCarlist Wars came to an end in 1876and resulted in the restoration of theBourbon monarchy.

The first home-rule party, the Lligade Catalunya, was founded in 1887,and disputes with the central govern-ment continued. It was blamed for theloss of the American colonies, andtherefore lucrativetransatlantic trade,and for involvingSpain in unnecessaryconflict in Morocco.La setmana tràgica(tragic week) of 1909saw the worst of theviolent protests: 116people died and300 were injured.

Meanwhile, on amore cultural andartistic level and toshow off its increas-ing wealth, Barce-lona held in 1888 a Poster for 1929 Exhibition

Primo de Rivera(1870 –1930)

T H E H I S T O R Y O F C A T A L O N I A 4 3

1936 –9 Spanish Civil War.Republican government retreats fromMadrid to Valencia, then Barcelona

1939 50,000 go into exile in France. CatalanPresident Companys executed

1947 Spain declared a monarchywith Franco as regent

1953 US bases welcomed 1960sCosta Bravaleadspackageholidayboom

1975 Franco dies. King Juan Carlos restores Bourbon line

1979 Partialautonomy grantedto Catalonia

1985 Medes Islandsbecome Spain’s first

marine nature reserve

1986 Spain entersEuropean Union

1992 Olympic Games held inBarcelona

AD 1950 AD 1975 AD 2000

Finally, on 16 July 1936, GeneralFrancisco Franco led an army revoltagainst the Republican governmentand the fledgling autonomous states.The government fled Madrid toValencia, then Barcelona. City andcoast were bombed by German air-craft, and shelled by Italian warships.When Barcelona fell three years later,thousands escaped to camps in Franceand thousands, including Companys,were executed in Franco’s reprisals.Catalonia lost all it had gained, and itslanguage was outlawed once more.

The noche negra, the dark night thatfollowed Franco’s victory, left Barce-lona short of resources and largelyneglected by Madrid. The 1960s,however, brought new economicopportunities, and between 1960and 1975 two million Spaniardscame to work in the city. The arrivalof the first tourists to the coastduring that time, to the Costa Bravaand Costa Daurada, changed theface of Spain for ever.

LIFE AFTER FRANCO

Champagne flowed freely inBarcelona’s streets on the news ofFranco’s death in 1975. Democracy

and the monarchy, under the BourbonJuan Carlos, were restored and JordiPujol of the conservative Convergènciai Unió party was elected leader of theGeneralitat, Catalonia’s regional gov-ernment. Catalonia has since won alarge degree of autonomy, includingtax-raising powers.

Pasqual Maragall, Barcelona’s mayoruntil 1997 and the current presidentof Catalonia, steered through theradical shake-up of the city for the1992 Olympic Games. In less than adecade Barcelona changed dram-atically, with a bold new waterfront,inspired urban spaces, new accessroads, and state-of-the-art museumsand galleries.

Opening ceremony, 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games

Refugees on the march in 1939, fleeing towards the Pyrenees to seek asylum in France

Cobi, theOlympicmascot

B A R C E L O N A

A N D C ATA L O N I A

B A R C E L O N A AT A G L A N C E 46–49

O L D T O W N 50–65

E I X A M P L E 66–75

M O N T J U ÏC 76–83

F U R T H E R A F I E L D 84–89

C ATA L O N I A 90–111

B A R C E L O N A A R E A B Y A R E A4 6

Casa Milà (see p73) is the mostavant-garde of all the works ofAntoni Gaudí (see p72).Barcelona has more ArtNouveau buildings than anyother city in the world.

Palau Nacional (see p80), on the hill ofMontjuïc, dominates the monumentalhalls and the fountain-filled avenue builtfor the 1929 International Exhibition. Itnow houses the Museu Nacional d’Art deCatalunya, an exceptional collection ofmedieval art, rich in Romanesque frescoes.

Montjuïc Castle (see p81) is a massive fortificationdating from the 17th century. Sited on the crest of the hillof Montjuïc, it offers panoramic views of the city andport, and forms a sharp contrast to the ultra-modernsports halls built nearby for the 1992 Olympic Games.

La Rambla de Mar crossing the water in the Old Port to the Maremàgnum leisure complex

MONTJUIC(see pp76 –83)

Introducing Barcelona

BARCELONA, one of the Mediterranean’s busiest ports,is more than the capital of Catalonia. In culture,

commerce and sports it not only rivals Madrid, butalso considers itself on a par with the greatest Euro-pean cities. The success of the 1992 Olympic Games,staged in the Parc de Montjuïc, confirmed this to theworld. Although there are plenty of historical monu-ments in the Ciutat Vella (Old Town), Barcelona is bestknown for the scores of buildings in the Eixample leftby the artistic explosion of Modernisme (see pp22 –3)in the decades around 1900. Always open to outsideinfluences because of its location on the coast, nottoo far from the French border, Barcelona continuesto sizzle with creativity: its bars and the public parks

speak more of bold contemporarydesign than of tradition.

Christopher Columbussurveys the waterfrontfrom the top of a 60-m

(200-ft) column (see p65)in the heart of the Port

Vell (Old Port). From thetop, visitors can look

out over the newpromenades and

quays that haverevitalized the area.

0 kilometres

0 miles

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0.5

B A R C E L O N A A T A G L A N C E 4 7

The Sagrada Família(see pp74–5), Gaudí’sunfinished masterpiece,begun in 1882, risesabove the streets of theEixample. Its poly-chrome ceramic mosaicsand sculptural formsinspired by nature aretypical of his work.

Barcelona cathedral (seepp56–7) is a magnificent 14th-century building in the heart of

the Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter).It has 28 side chapels which en-

circle the nave and contain somesplendid Baroque altarpieces.

The keeping of white geese in thecloisters is a centuries-old tradition.

Parc de la Ciutadella (see p62), betweenthe Old Town and the Vila Olímpica, hassomething for everyone. The gardens full ofstatuary offer relaxation, the boating lakeand the zoo are fun, while the two museumswithin its gates cover geology and zoology.

La Rambla (see pp58–9) is the mostfamous street in Spain, alive at allhours of the day and night. A strolldown its length to the seafront, takingin its palatial buildings, shops, cafésand street vendors, makes a perfectintroduction to Barcelona life.

OLD TOWN(see pp50 – 65)

EIXAMPLE(see pp66 –75)

4 8

La Ruta del Modernisme

Casa Lleó MoreraThe first-floor dining room

of this house is one ofBarcelona’s most stunninginteriors. The stained-glasswindows are by Lluís Rigalt

and the eight ceramicmosaic wall panels, depict-ing idyllic country scenes,are by Gaspar Homar o

Casa VicensThis bright, angular, turreted building

by Antoni Gaudí, with ceramic mosaicsand patterned brickwork, shows

Moorish influence. The iron gate andfencing are hallmarks of his work (

Antiga Casa FigueresThe mosaic, stained-glass and wrought irondecoration of this, themost famous of the city’sModernista stores, wascarried out in 1902 byAntoni Ros i Güell. It istoday the elegantPastisseria Escribà 7

B A R C E L O N A A R E A B Y A R E A

Palau Baró de QuadrasBuilt in 1906, this handsome house is byJosep Puig i Cadafalch. The intricate,sculptured frieze above the first floorwindows has close affinities to Spanishearly Renaissance Plateresque style @

THE 50 EXAMPLES of Modernista architecturein Barcelona, mapped here, lie along a

route designed by the city’s tourist office. A Multi-ticket, available from Casa Amatller(see p72), allows you to plan your ownitinerary as time allows and is the best wayto see them. The Casa Lleó Morera, PalauGüell and Palau de la Música Catalana allhave guided tours, and entry is half price atthe selected museums. Many of the otherpremises are shops, cafés and hotels inprivate hands, and often, tantalizingly, theinteriors are not open to the public. Thebest-known sites are described in detailelsewhere in this book.

PLAÇA DE

CATALUNYA

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Palau MacayaFinished in 1901, this elegant

mansion with a grand courtyardwas designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch.

Several artists were employed in its decoration. It is now an exhibition venue $

TIPS FOR WALKERS

Starting point: Palau Güell, but

plan your own order according to

time available. Look out for the

route signs in the pavement.

Length: About 4 km (2.5 miles)

for the walking section 1 to @

excluding deviations to sights well

to the side of the main route.

Time: As it would take several

days to explore all the sights fully,

Multi-tickets are valid for 30 days.

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WHERE TO FIND THE SIGHTS

1 Palau Güell pp22–3

2 Central street lamps, Plaça Reial p59

3 Hotel España p116

4 Hotel Peninsular p116

5 Cafè de l’Òpera

6 Casa Doctor Genové

7 Antiga Casa Figueres

8 Mercat de la Boqueria p135

9 Reial Acadèmia de Ciències i Arts

0 Farmàcia Nadal

q Palau Sabassona (Ateneu Barcelonès)

w Catalana de Gas

e Casa Martí, Els Quatre Gats p63

r Palau de la Música Catalana p61

t Casa Pascual i Pons

y Casa Calvet

u Forns Sarret i de la Concepció

i Cases Rocamora

o Casa Lleó Morera p72

p Casa Amatller p72

a Casa Batlló p72

s Editorial Montaner i Simón (Fundació Antoni Tàpies) p72

d Casa Dolors Calm

f Casa Fargas

g Farmàcia Bolós

h Casa Juncosa

j Casa Josep i Ramon Queraltó

k Bench street lamps by Pere Falqués

l Casa Josefa Villaneuva

z Casa Jaume Forn

x Conservatori Municipal de Música

c Casa Llopis Bofill

v Casa Thomas p69

b Palau Montaner p69

n Casa Milà p73

m Can Serra

, Casa Sayrach / Casa Pérez Samanillo

. Casa Bonaventura Ferrer

/ Casa Fuster

! Casa Comalat

@ Palau Baró de Quadras p69

£ Casa Terrades p73

$ Palau Macaya

% Casa Planells

^ Temple de la Sagrada Famíliapp74–5

& Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau p73

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Els Quatre Gats café in one of the narrow streets of Barcelona’s Barri Gòtic

O L D T O W N

THE OLD TOWN, traversed by thecity’s most famous avenue, LaRambla, is one of the most ex-

tensive medieval city centres in Europe.The Barri Gòtic contains the cathedraland a maze of streets and squares.Across from the Via Laietana, the ElBorn neighbourhood is dominated bythe Santa Maria del Mar church and is

replete with 14th-century mansions.This area is bounded by the leafy Parcde la Ciutadella, home to the city’s zoo.The revitalized seafront is a stimulatingmix of old and new. Trendy shops andrestaurants make up the fashionablemarina, contrasted with the old mar-itime neighbourhood of Barcelonetaand the new Olympic port.

KEY


Metro station

Train station

Main bus stop

Tourist information

Parking

SIGHTS AT A GLANCE

Museums and GalleriesMuseu d’Art Contemporani 8Museu Frederic Marès 2Museu de Geologia aMuseu Marítim and

Drassanes kMuseu Picasso eMuseu de la Xocolata uMuseu de Zoologia p

Harbour SightsGolondrinas jPort Olímpic dPort Vell g

Streets and DistrictsBarceloneta fEl Born wCarrer Montcada tLa Rambla 9El Raval 7

ChurchesBasílica de Santa Maria

del Mar rCathedral (pp56 –7) 6

Historic BuildingsCasa de l’Ardiaca 1Casa de la Ciutat 4La Llotja qMercat del Born yPalau de la Generalitat 5Palau de la Música Catalana 0Palau Reial and Museu

d’Història de la Ciutat 3

MonumentsArc del Triomf iMonument a Colom h

Parks and GardensParc de la Ciutadella oParc Zoològic s

GETTING THEREThe area is well served byMetro lines 1, 3 and 4; Jaume Istation is in the heart of theBarri Gòtic. Many buses passthrough the Plaça de Catalunyaon the edge of the Barri Gòtic.

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THE BARRI GOTIC (Gothic Quarter) is the true heartof Barcelona. The oldest part of the city, it was

the site chosen by the Romans in the reign ofAugustus (27 BC–AD 14) on which to found anew colonia (town), and has been the locationof the city’s administrative buildings ever since.The Roman forum was on the Plaça de SantJaume, where now stand the medieval Palaude la Generalitat, the seat ofCatalonia’s government, and theCasa de la Ciutat, the city’s townhall. Close by are the Gothiccathedral and royal palace,

where Columbus was received byFernando and Isabel on his return fromthe New World in 1492 (see p40).

Street-by-Street: Barri Gòtic

Wax candle,

Cereria

Subirà

. CathedralThe façade andspire are 19th-century additionsto the originalGothic building.Among the artistictreasures inside aremedieval Catalanpaintings 6

To Plaça de Catalunya

Casa de l’ArdiacaBuilt on the Roman city wall,the Gothic-Renaissancearchdeacon’s residencenow houses Barcelona’shistorical archives 1

Palau de laGeneralitat

Catalonia’s seat ofgovernment has

superb Gothicfeatures, such as thechapel and a stair-case to an open-air,arcaded gallery 5

To La Rambla

Casa de la CiutatBarcelona’s town hall was built inthe 14th and 15th centuries. Thefaçade is a Neo-Classical addition.In the entrance hall stands ThreeGypsy Boys by Joan Rebull (1899 –

1981), a 1976 copy of a sculpturehe originally created in 1946 4

KEY

Suggested route

O L D T O W N 5 3

Roman city wall

Saló del Tinell

LOCATOR MAP


. Palau Reial The 14th-century

Capella Reial de Santa Àgata,

with a 1466 altarpiece, is

one of the best surviving sections

of the palace 3

Capella Reial deSanta Àgata

Palau del Lloctinent

Plaça del Rei

The Museu d’Història de la Ciutat features themost extensive subterranean Roman ruins in theworld. Accessed through this 14th-century mansion,visitors can view the streets and squares of RomanBarcelona. The ruins extend underground,through to the exit at the Palau Reial.

The Centre Excursionistade Catalunya, housed in a

medieval mansion, displaysRoman columns from the Templeof Augustus, whose site is markedby a millstone in the street outside.

STAR SIGHTS

. Cathedral

. Palau Reial0 metres

0 yards

100

100

Cereria Subiràcandle shop

EIXAMPLE

OLD TOWN

Jaume IMetro

MONTJUIC

Museu Frederic MarèsThis medieval doorway is from an extensive display of Spanishsculpture – the mainstay of this

museum’s extraordinarily eclecticand high-quality collections 2


Casa de l’Ardiaca 1Carrer de Santa Llúcia 1. Map 5 B2.§ 93 318 11 95. r Jaume I.

# 9am–8pm Mon–Fri, 9am–1pm

Sat. ¢ public hols.

∑ www.bcn.es/arxiu/arxiuhistoric

STANDING BESIDE what wasoriginally the Bishop’s

Gate in the Roman wall isthe Archdeacon’s House.It was built in the 12thcentury, but its presentform dates from around1500 when it was remodel-led, including the additionof a colonnade. In 1870this was extended toform the FlamboyantGothic patio around afountain. The Modernistaarchitect Domènech i Montaner(1850–1923) added the fancifulmarble mailbox, carved withthree swallows and a tortoise,beside the Renaissance portal. Upstairs is the Arxiu Històricde la Ciutat (City Archives).

judges and 18th-century nuns,who lived here until they wereexpelled in 1936. Marès, who

had a small apartmentin the building, openedthis museum in 1948.

It is one of the mostfascinating in thecity, and has an out-standing collectionof Romanesqueand Gothicreligious art. In thecrypt there arestone sculpturesand two completeRomanesqueportals. Exhibitson the three floorsabove range fromclocks, crucifixesand costumes to

antique cameras, pipes,tobacco jars and postcards.There is also an amusementroom full of children’s toys.

Palau Reial &Museu d’Històriade la Ciutat 3Plaça del Rei. Map 5 B2.§ 93 315 11 11. r Jaume I. #Jun–Oct: 10am–8pm Tue–Sat, 10am–

3pm Sun; Nov–May: 10am–2pm,

4–8pm Tue–Sat, 10am–3pm Sun. ¢1 Jan, 1 May, 24 Jun, 25 & 26 Dec.

& 8 by appointment.

THE ROYAL PALACE was theresidence of the count-

kings of Barcelona from itsfoundation in the 13th century.The complex includes the 14th-century Gothic Saló del Tinell,a vast room with arches span-ning 17 m (56 ft). This is whereIsabel and Fernando (see p40)received Columbus after histriumphal return from America.It is also where the Holy Inqui-sition sat, believing the walls

Museu FredericMarès 2Plaça de Sant Iu 5. Map 5 B2.§ 93 310 58 00. r Jaume I.

# 10am–7pm Tue –Sat, 10am–3pm

Sun. ¢ 1 Jan, Good Fri, 1 May,

25 & 26 Dec. & (free Wed after 3pm

& 1st Sun of every month). 7 8 by

appointment.

THE SCULPTOR Frederic Marèsi Deulovol (1893–1991) was

also a traveller and collector,and this museum is a monu-ment to his eclectic taste. Aspart of the Royal Palace, it wasoccupied by 13th-centurybishops, 14th-century countsof Barcelona, 15th-century

BARCELONA’S EARLY JEWISH COMMUNITY

From the 11th to the 13th centuries Jewsdominated Barcelona’s commerce andculture, providing doctors and foundingthe first seat of learning. But in 1243, 354years after they were first documented inthe city, violent anti-Semitism led to theJews being consigned to a ghetto, El Call.Ostensibly to provide protection, theghetto had only one entrance, which led

into the Plaça de Sant Jaume. Jews wereheavily taxed by the monarch, who viewed

them as “royal serfs”; but in return they also receivedprivileges, as they handled most of Catalonia’s lucrative tradewith North Africa. However, official and popular persecutionfinally led to the disappearance of the ghetto in 1401, 91years before Judaism was fully outlawed in Spain (see p40).

Originally there were three synagogues, the main one beingin Carrer Sant Domènec del Call, but only the foundationsare left. A 14th-century Hebrew tablet is embedded in the wallat No. 5 Carrer de Marlet, which reads: “Holy Foundationof Rabbi Samuel Hassardi, for whom life never ends”.

Decorated marble mailbox, Casa de l’Ardiaca

Gothic nave of the Capella de

Santa Àgata, Palau Reial

Virgin, Museu

Frederic Marès

Hebrew tablet

O L D T O W N 5 5

Casa de la Ciutat 4Plaça de Sant Jaume 1. Map 5 A2.§ 93 402 70 00. r Jaume I or

Liceu. # 10am–2pm Sun (12 Feb &

23 Apr: 10am–8pm), or by appoint-

ment (93 402 73 64). 8 7

THE MAGNIFICENT 14th-centurycity hall (ajuntament)

faces the Palau de la Genera-litat. Flanking the entranceare statues of Jaume I (seep39), who granted the cityrights to elect councillors in1249, and Joan Fiveller, wholevied taxes on court membersin the 1500s. Inside is the hugecouncil chamber, the 14th-century Saló de Cent, built forthe city’s 100 councillors. TheSaló de les Cròniques wascommissioned for the 1929International Exhibition anddecorated by Josep-Maria Sert(see p25) with murals of greatevents in Catalan history.

façade, is a statue of Sant Jordi(St George) – the patron saintof Catalonia – and the Dragon.The late Catalan-Gothic court-yard is by Marc Safont (1416).

Among the fine interiors arethe Gothic chapel of SantJordi, also by Safont, and PereBlai’s Italianate Saló de SantJordi. The building is open tothe public only on the saint’sfeast day. At the back, onefloor above street level, liesthe Pati dels Tarongers, theOrange Tree Patio, by PauMateu, which has a bell towerbuilt by Pere Ferrer in 1568.

The Catalan president hasoffices here as well as in theCasa dels Canonges. The twobuildings are connected acrossCarrer del Bisbe by a bridgebuilt in 1928 and modelled onthe Bridge of Sighs in Venice.

The Italianate façade of the Palau

de la Generalitat

The magnificent council chamber, the Saló de Cent, in the Casa de la Ciutat

would move if lies were told. On the right, built into the

Roman city wall, is the royalchapel, the Capella de SantaÀgata, with a painted woodceiling and an altarpiece (1466)by Jaume Huguet (see p24). Itsbell tower is formed by partof a watchtower on the Romanwall. Stairs on the right of thealtar lead to the 16th-centurytower of Martí the Humanist(who reigned from 1396–1410), the last ruler of the500-year dynasty of thecount-kings of Barcelona.From the top of the towerthere are fine views.

The main attraction of theMuseu d’Història liesunderground. Entire streetsand squares of old Barcino are accessible via alift and walkways suspendedover the ruins of RomanBarcelona. The site wasdiscovered when the CasaClariana-Padellàs, the Gothicbuilding from which youenter, was moved here stoneby stone in 1931, asdemonstrated by anextraordinary photo of theoriginal dig towards the endof the exhibit. The water anddrainage systems, baths,homes with mosaic floors,dye works, laundries andeven the old forum nowmake up the most extensiveand complete subterraneanRoman ruins in the world.

Palau de laGeneralitat 5Plaça de Sant Jaume 4. Map 5 A2.

§ 93 402 46 00. r Jaume I.

# 23 Apr (St Jordi’s Day), 2nd & 4th

Sat & Sun of every month: 9:30am–

1:30pm. 7 8 ∑ www.gencat.es

SINCE 1403 the Generalitathas been the seat of the

Catalonian Government. Abovethe entrance, in its Renaissance


THIS COMPACT GOTHIC CATHEDRAL, with aRomanesque chapel (the Capella de

Santa Llúcia) and beautiful cloister, wasbegun in 1298 under Jaume II, on thefoundations of a Roman temple andMoorish mosque. It was not finisheduntil the early 20th century, when thecentral spire was completed. A whitemarble choir screen, sculpted in the16th century, depicts the martyrdomof St Eulàlia, the city’s patron.

Next to the font, a plaque recordsthe baptism of six native

Caribbeans, brought backfrom the Americas byColumbus in 1493.

Barcelona Cathedral 6

Statue of

St Eulàlia

The main façade was not completeduntil 1889, and thecentral spire until 1913.It was based on theoriginal 1408 plans ofthe French architectCharles Galters.

Nave InteriorThe Catalan-style Gothicinterior has a single widenave with 28 side chapels.These are set between thecolumns supporting thevaulted ceiling, whichrises to 26 m (85 ft).

. Choir StallsThe top tier of the beautifullycarved 15th-century stallscontains painted coats ofarms (1518) of severalEuropean kings.

Capella del SantíssimSagrament

This small chapel housesthe 16th-century Christ

of Lepanto crucifix.

The twinoctagonal belltowers datefrom 1386–93.The bellswere installedin this towerin 1545.

5 7O L D T O W N

985 Buildingdestroyed by

the Moors

559 Basilica dedicated toSt Eulàlia and Holy Cross

Plaque of the Caribbeans’ baptism

. CryptIn the crypt, beneaththe main altar, is the

alabaster sarcophagus (1339) of St Eulàlia,

martyred for her beliefsby the Romans during

the 4th century AD.

. CloistersThe fountain, set in a corner

of the Gothic cloisters anddecorated with a statue

of St George,provided

freshwater.

The Sacristy Museum has asmall treasury. Pieces includean 11th-century font, tapestriesand liturgical artifacts.


Plaça de la Seu. Map 5 A2. §93 315 15 54. r Jaume I. @17, 19, 45. # 8am–7:30pm

daily, guided tours 1:30–4:30pm.

& 7 Sacristy Museum #9am–1pm, 4–7pm daily. &Choir # 9am –1pm, 4–7pm

Mon–Fri, 9am–1pm Sat. & 5 numerous services daily.

STAR FEATURES

. Choir Stalls

. Crypt

. CloistersCapella deSanta Llúcia

Porta de Santa Eulàlia,entrance to cloisters

877 St Eulàlia’s remainsbrought here from

Santa Maria del Mar

1046–58 Romanesquecathedral built underRamon Berenguer I

1339 St Eulàlia’s relicstransferred to alabaster

sarcophagus

1257–68Romanesque

Capella de SantaLlúcia built

1298 Gothic cathedral begun under Jaume II

1493Indiansbrought

back fromthe Americasare baptized

1300

1889 Main façade completed,based on plans dating from 1408

by architect Charles Galters

1913 Central spirecompleted

TIMELINE

Capella de Sant BenetThis chapel, dedicated to the

founder of the BenedictineOrder and patron saint ofEurope, houses a magnifi-

cent altarpiece showing The Transfiguration by

Bernat Martorell(1452).

400 1600

4th centuryOriginal Roman(paleo-Christian)basilica built

700 1000 1900


La Rambla 9

THE HISTORIC AVENUE of La Rambla, leading to the sea,is busy around the clock, especially in the evenings

and at weekends. Newsstands, caged bird and flowerstalls, tarot readers, musicians and mime artists throngthe wide, tree-shaded central walkway. Among itsfamous buildings are the Liceu Opera House, the hugeBoqueria food market and some grand mansions.

El Raval 7Map 2 F3. r Catalunya, Liceu.

THE DISTRICT of El Raval liesto the west of La Rambla

and includes the old red-lightarea near the port, which wasonce known as the Barri Xinès(Chinese quarter).

From the 14th century, thecity hospital was in Carrer del’Hospital, which still hasseveral herbal and medicinalshops. Gaudí (see p72) wasbrought here after being fatallyhit by a tram in 1926. Thebuildings now house theBiblioteca de Catalunya(Catalonian Library), but theelegant former dissecting roomhas been fully restored.

Towards the port in CarrerNou de la Rambla is Gaudí’sPalau Güell (see p23). At theend of the street is the city’smost complete Romanesquechurch, the 12th-century SantPau del Camp, where residentFranciscan monks still sing aplainsong mass.

Museu d’ArtContemporani 8Plaça dels Angels 1. Map 2 F2. § 93

412 08 10. r Universitat, Catalunya.

# 11am–7:30pm Mon & Wed–Fri,

10am–8pm Sat, 10am–3pm Sun &

public hols. ¢ 1 Jan, 25 Dec. & 7 8 6pm Wed & Sat, noon Sun.

∑ www.macba.es Centre de Cultura

Contemporània Montalegre 5. § 93

306 41 00. ∑ www.cccb.org

THIS DRAMATIC, glass-frontedbuilding was designed by

the American architect RichardMeier. Its light, airy galleries actas the city’s contemporary artmecca. The permanent collec-tion of predominantly Spanishpainting, sculpture and install-ation from the 1950s onwardsis complemented by temporaryexhibitions from foreign artistssuch as the US painter SusanaSolano and South African pho-tojournalist David Goldblatt.

Next to the MACBA, a re-modelled 18th-century hospicehouses the Centre de CulturaContemporània, a lively artscentre that hosts major artsfestivals and puts on regularshows of cutting edgecontemporary culture.

Exploring La RamblaThe name of this long avenue,also known as Les Rambles,comes from the Arabic ramla,meaning the dried-up bed ofa seasonal river. The 13th-century city wall followed theleft bank of such a river thatflowed from the Collserolahills to the sea. Convents,monasteries and the universitywere built on the other bankin the 16th century. As timepassed, the riverbed wasfilled in and those buildingsdemolished, but they areremembered in the names of

the five consecutive Ramblesthat make up the great avenuebetween the Port Vell andPlaça de Catalunya.

Palau Güell C/ Nou de la Rambla 3–5.Map 2 F3. § 93 317 39 74.

r Liceu. # Mar–Sep: 10am–

6:15pm Mon–Sat; Oct–Feb: 10am–

4:30pm Mon–Fri. ¢ public hols.

& 8 Museu de Cera Pg de laBanca 7. Map 2 F4. § 93 317 26 49.

r Drassanes. # Jul–Sep: 10am–

10pm daily; Oct–Jun: 10am–1:30pm

& 4–7:30pm Mon–Fri, 11am–2pm &

4:30–8:30pm Sat, Sun & public hols.

& 7

The monument to Columbus at the bottom of the tree-lined Rambla

O L D T O W N 5 9

Font de Canaletes 1Saying that someone “drinks thewaters of Canaletes” – from this19th-century fountain – indicates

he or she is from Barcelona.

Palau Moja 3The Baroque

first-floor salonof this Classical

building of 1790 isused for exhibitions.

Mercat de Sant Josep 5Popularly known as “La

Boqueria”, this is Barcelona’smost colourful food market.

Palau de la Virreina 4The first occupant of this great

palace, in 1777, was the virreina(viceroy’s wife) of Spain in Peru.

Reial Acadèmia deCiències i Arts 2

Converted to a theatrein 1910, this buildinghas Barcelona’s firstofficial public clock.

KEY

FGC train station

Metro station

Parking

Church

Plaça de la Boqueria 6This square features a mosaicpavement by Miró (1976) andan Art Deco dragon designedfor a former umbrella shop.

Gran Teatre del Liceu 7The opera house hashad to be restoredtwice after fires –in 1861 and 1994.

Palau Güell 9This Neo-Gothicpalace is con-sidered to be oneof Gaudí’s mostimportant works(see p23).

Plaça Reial 8Barcelona’s most lively square wasbuilt in the 1850s. The Neo-Classicallampposts were designed by Gaudí.

Museu de Cera 0This waxwork museum, in an atmospheric, 19th-century building, contains about 300 exhibits.

0 metres

0 yards

100

100


Palau de la MúsicaCatalana 0Carrer de Sant Francesc de Paula 2.Map 5 B1. § 93 295 72 00. rUrquinaona. # Sep–Jun: 10am–

3:30pm daily; Jul–Aug: 10am–6pm

daily; and for concerts. & 7 8 on

the hour in English. Booking recom-

mended. ∑ www.palaumusica.org

THIS IS A real palace of music,a Modernista celebration

of tilework, sculpture andglorious stained glass. It is theonly concert hall in Europe litby natural light. Designed byLluís Domènech i Montaner, itwas completed in 1908.Although a few extensionshave been added, the buildingstill retains its original appear-ance. The elaborate red-brickfaçade is hard to appreciatefully in the confines of thenarrow street. It is lined withmosaic-covered pillars toppedby busts of the great com-posers Palestrina, Bach andBeethoven. The large stonesculpture of St George and

other figures at the corner ofthe building portrays anallegory from Catalan folk-song by Miquel Blay.

But it is the interior of thebuilding that is truly inspiring.The auditorium is lit by a hugeinverted dome of stained glassdepicting angelic choristers.The sculptures of composersWagner and Clavé on theproscenium arch that framesthe stage area were designedby Domènech but finished byPau Gargallo. The stunning“Muses of the Palau”, the groupof 18 highly stylized,instrument-playing maidensare the stage’s backdrop.Made of terracotta and trenca-dís (broken pieces of ceramic)they have become the build-ings most admired feature.

The work of Josep AnselmClavé (1824–74) in promoting Catalan song led to the creation of theOrfeó Català choral society in1891, a focus of Catalannationalism and the inspira-tion behind the Palau.

La Llotja qCarrer del Consolat de Mar 2. Map 5 B3. § 93 319 24 12 or 90

244 84 48. r Barceloneta. 810am–2pm Mon–Fri.

LA LLOTJA (meaning commod- ity exchange) was built in

the 1380s as the headquartersof the Consolat de Mar (seep39). It was remodelled inNeo-Classical style in 1771 andhoused the city’s stock ex-change until 1994, the originalGothic hall acting as the maintrading room. It can still beseen through the windows.

The upper floors housed theBarcelona School of Fine Artsfrom 1849 to 1970, attendedby the young Picasso and JoanMiró (see p25). It is nowoccupied by a public libraryand local government offices.

Although the Orfeó is nowbased at the more state-of-the-art L’Auditori in Plaça deles Glòries (see p136), there isa concert at the Palau nearlyevery night; it is the mainvenue for the city’s jazz andguitar festivals and nationaland international symphonyorchestras regularly grace itsflamboyant stage.

The Palau’s new era isbeginning with the completionof the work carried out by thetop local architect OscarTusquets. An undergroundconcert hall and an outdoorsquare for summer concertsare being added, consolidatingthe Palau’s reputation as Barce-lona’s most loved music venue.

Glorious stained-glass dome, Palau de la Música Catalana

Statue of Poseidon in the

courtyard of La Llotja

6 1O L D T O W N 6 1

PABLO PICASSO IN BARCELONA

Picasso (1881–1973) was 13 when he arrived in Barcelona,where his father, José Ruiz y Blasco, had found workteaching in the city art school situated above the Llotja. Thecity was rich, but it also possessed a large, poor workingclass which was becoming organized and starting to rebel.Shortly after the family’s arrival, a bomb was thrown into aCorpus Christi procession. They settled at No 3 Carrer de la Mercè, a gloomy, five-storeyed house not far from theLlotja. Picasso’s precocious talent gave him admittance tothe upper school, where all the other pupils were aged atleast 20. Here he immediately made friends with anotherartist, Manuel Pallarès Grau, and the two lost their virginityto the whores of Carrer d’Avinyó, who were to inspire LesDemoiselles d’Avignon (1906–7), considered by many artcritics to be the wellspring of modern art. Picasso travelledwith Pallarès to the Catalan’s home town of Horta, wherehe painted some early landscapes, now in the MuseuPicasso. The two remained friends for the rest of their lives.

A wedding service in the Gothic interior of Santa Maria del Mar

Pablo Picasso, Self-Portrait in

charcoal (1899–1900)

El Born wMap 5 B3. r Jaume I.

NAMED AFTER the joustingsessions that once took

place in its central boulevard,El Born is a tiny pocket of theLa Ribera district. The village-like atmosphere of the neigh-bourhood makes it popularwith local residents andyoung urbanites. Trendy bars,fashion and design shops arejuxtaposed with medievalarchitecture. The 14th centurymansions of Carrer Montcadahave remained intact and nowhouse high-calibre galleriesand museums, whilst the tiny,pedestrianised streets andsquares fanning out from theMercat del Born are the centreof the city’s café culture. Thenumerous bars and restaurantsare a magnet for revellers,much to the annoyance of thefull time residents who voicetheir complaints visuallythrough the banners hangingfrom El Born’s balconies.

Museu Picasso eCarrer Montcada 15–23. Map 5 B2.§ 93 319 63 10. r Jaume I.

# 10am–7:30pm Tue–Sat & public

hols, 10am–2:30pm Sun. ¢ 1 Jan,

Good Fri, 1 May, 24 Jun, 25 & 26 Dec.

& 7 ∑ www.museupicasso.bcn.es

ONE OF BARCELONA’S most popular attractions, the

Picasso Museum is housed infive adjoining medieval palaces

on Carrer Montcada: Berenguerd’Aguilar, Baró de Castellet,Meca, Mauri and Finestres.

The museum opened in1963 showing works donatedby Jaime Sabartes, a friend ofPicasso. Following Sabartes’death in 1968, Picasso himselfdonated paintings, includingearly examples. These werecomplemented by graphicworks, left in his will, and 141ceramic pieces given by hiswidow, Jacqueline.

The strength of the 3,000-piece collection are Picasso’searly works. These showhow, even at the ages of 15and 16, he was painting majorworks such as The First Com-munion (1896) and Scienceand Charity (1897). There areonly a few pictures from hisBlue and Rose periods. Themost famous work is hisseries of 44 paintings, LasMeninas, inspired byVelázquez’s masterpiece.

Basílica de SantaMaria del Mar rPl Sta Maria 1. Map 5 B3. § 93 310

23 90. r Jaume I. # 9am–1:30pm

& 4:30– 8pm daily (10am Sun).

THIS BEAUTIFUL building, thecity’s favourite church with

superb acoustics for concerts, isthe only example of a churchentirely in the Catalan Gothicstyle. It took just 55 years tobuild, with money donated bymerchants and shipbuilders.The speed – unrivalled in theMiddle Ages – gave it a unityof style both inside and out.The west front has a 15th-century rose window of theCoronation of the Virgin. Morestained glass, dating from the15th to the 18th centuries, lightsthe wide nave and high aisles.

When the choir and furnish-ings were burned in the CivilWar (see p43), it added to thesense of space and simplicity.


Arc del Triomf iPasseig Lluís Companys. Map 5 C1.

r Arc de Triomf.

THE MAIN GATEWAY to the 1888Universal Exhibition, which

filled the Parc de la Ciutadella,was designed by Josep Vilasecai Casanovas. It is built of brickin Mudéjar (Spanish Moorish)style, with sculpted allegoriesof crafts, industry and business.The frieze by Josep Reynés onthe main façade represents thecity welcoming foreign visitors.

Carrer Montcada tMap 5 B3. r Jaume I. Museu

Tèxtil i d’Indumentària at No. 12.

§ 93 310 45 16. # 10am–6pm

Tue–Sat, 10am–3pm Sun & public

hols. ¢ 1 & 5 Jan, Good Fri, 1 May,

24 Jun, 25 & 26 Dec. & 7

THE MOST AUTHENTIC medievalstreet in the city is a nar-

row lane, overshadowed bygargoyles and roofs thatalmost touch overhead. TheGothic palaces that line itdate back to Catalonia’sexpansion in the 13th century.Almost all of the buildingswere modified over the years,particularly during the 17thcentury. The only buildingthat retains its original façadeis the Casa Cervelló-Guidiceat No. 25. The Museu Tèxtil i d’Indumentària in PalauMora displays textiles andclothing from the 4th centuryonwards. At No. 22 is the city’sbest-known champagne andcava bar, El Xampanyet.

Mercat del Born yMap 5 C3. r Jaume I, Barceloneta.

THIS COVERED MARKET, with its ornate iron work and

crystal roof, was inspired bythe original Les Halles in Paris and it was Barcelona’sprincipal wholesale marketuntil the early 70s when itoutgrew its location. The streetnames in the vicinity reflectwhat went on in Barcelona’sformer mercantile hub:L’Argenteria was lined withsilversmiths, Flassaders waswhere you went for a weavedblanket and Vidrieria wasonce lit up with glass blowers’torches. A few of theseestablishments remain, but theyare rapidly being replaced bytourist-friendly boutiques.

The market itself has beenthe focus of a fierce debate.When work started in 2002 to convert the space into alibrary, extensive remainsdating from the 1700s werediscovered. The architecturalimportance of the subter-ranean streets and homeswere questioned, but thehistorical significance of the dig sealed the market’s fate asa future museum. In 1714Barcelona fell to French-Spanish forces in the War ofSuccession (see pp40–41), withparticularly heavy losses in El Born, and became anoccupied city. This key eventin Catalonia’s history is remem-bered each year on September11th in flag-waving celebra-tions centred near the market.

Renaissance-style 17th-century

façades lining Carrer Montcada

The pink brick façade of the late

19th-century Arc del Triomf

Museu de laXocolata uComerç 36. Map 5 C2. r Jaume I,

Arc de Triomf. # 10am–7pm Mon,

Wed–Sat, 10am–3pm Sun & pub hols.

¢ 1 Jan, 1 May, 25 & 26 Dec. & 78 by appointment. - ∑ www.museudelaxocolata.com

FOUNDED BY Barcelona’schocolate and pastry-

makers union, this museumtakes you through the historyof one of the most universally-loved foodstuffs: from thediscovery of cocoa in SouthAmerica to the invention of thefirst chocolate machine in

Barcelona. This is ingeniouslyexecuted through old posters,photographs and footage. Thereal thing is displayed in ahomage to the art of the mona.A Catalan invention, this wasa traditional easter cake thatover the centuries evolvedinto an edible sculpture. Everyyear, pastissers compete for themost imaginative piece, decor-ating their chocolate versionsof well-known buildings orfolk figures with jewels,feathers and a cornucopia ofother materials. The museumcafé serves some of best choc-olate temptations in the city.

Parc de laCiutadella oAvda del Marquès de l’Argentera. Map 6 D2. r Barceloneta,

Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica. # 8am–

10:30pm daily. 7

THIS POPULAR PARK has a boat-ing lake, orange groves and

parrots living in the palm trees.It was once the site of a mas-sive star-shaped citadel, builtfor Felipe V between 1715 and1720 following a 13-monthsiege of the city (see p41). Thefortress was intended to house

Display of gowns at the Museu

Tèxtil i d’Indumentària

O L D T O W N 6 3

Museu de Geologia aParc de la Ciutadella. Map 5 C3.§ 93 319 68 95. r Arc de Triomf,

Jaume I. # 10am–2pm Tue–Sun &

public hols (Thu till 6:30pm). ¢ 1Jan, Good Fri, 1 May, 25 & 26 Dec.

& 8 10:30am Sun.

BARCELONA’S OLDEST MUSEUM

opened in 1882, the sameyear the Parc de la Ciutadellabecame a public space. It hasa large collection of fossils andminerals, including specimensfrom Catalonia. Beside it is theHivernacle, a glasshouse byJosep Amargós now used forconcerts, and the Umbracle, abrick and wood conservatoryby the park’s architect, JosepFontseré. Both date from 1884.

Parc Zoològic sParc de la Ciutadella. Map 6 D3.§ 93 225 67 80. r Ciutadella-Vila

Olímpica. # Oct–Feb: 10am–5pm,

Mar: 10am–6:30pm, Apr: 10am–7pm,

May–Sep: 9:30am–7:30pm. & ∑ www.zoobarcelona.com

THIS ZOO was laid out in the1940s to a relatively enlight-

ened design – the animals areseparated by moats instead ofbars. Dolphin and whaleshows are held in one of theaquariums. The zoo is verychild-friendly with pony rides,electric cars and a train. Roig iSoler’s 1885 sculpture by theentrance, The Lady with theUmbrella (see p15), has be-come a symbol of Barcelona.

Ornamental cascade in the Parc de la Ciutadella designed by Josep Fontseré and Antoni Gaudí

soldiers to keep law and order,but was never used for thispurpose. Converted into a pri-son, the citadel became notor-ious during the Napoleonicoccupation (see p41), and,during the 19th-century liberalrepressions, it was hated as asymbol of centralized power.In 1878, under General Prim,whose statue stands in themiddle of the park, the citadelwas pulled down and the parkgiven to the city, to become,in 1888, the venue of theUniversal Exhibition (see p42).Three buildings survived: theGovernor’s Palace, now a school; the chapel; and thearsenal, which continues tobe occupied by the Catalanparliament.

The park offers morecultural and leisure activitiesthan any other in the city andis particularly popular onSunday afternoons whenpeople gather to playinstruments, dance and relax,or visit the museums and zoo.A variety of works by Catalansculptors such as Marès,Arnau, Carbonell, Clarà,Llimona, Gargallo, Dunyacand Fuxà, can be seen in thepark, alongside work bymodern artists such as Tàpiesand Botero.

The gardens in the Plaça deArmes were laid out by theFrench landscape gardener JeanForestier and centre on a cas-cade based around a triumphalarch. It was designed byarchitect Josep Fontseré, withthe help of Antoni Gaudí, thenstill a young student.

Museu de Zoologia pPasseig de Picasso. Map 5 C2.§ 93 319 69 12. r Arc de Triomf

or Jaume I. # 10am–2pm Tue–Sun &

public hols (Thu till 6:30pm). & 7 8 10:30am Sun.

∑ www.museuzoologia.bcn.es

AT THE ENTRANCE to the Parc de la Ciutadella is the

fortress-like Castell dels TresDragons (Castle of the ThreeDragons), named after a playby Frederic Soler that waspopular at the time it was built.

This crenellated brick edificewas built by Lluís Domènech iMontaner for the 1888 Univer-sal Exhibition. His inspirationwas Valencia’s Gothic com-modities exchange. He laterused it as a workshop forModernista design, and it became a focus of the move-ment. It has housed theZoological Museum since 1937.

One of the galleries inside the

spacious Museu de Zoologia


Fishing boat moored in Barceloneta harbour

Port Olímpic dMap 6 F4. r Ciutadella-Vila

Olímpica.

THE MOST DRAMATIC rebuildingfor the 1992 Olympics was

the demolition of the oldindustrial waterfront and thelaying out of 4 km (2 miles) ofpromenade and pristine sandybeaches. Suddenly Barcelonaseemed like a seaside resort.At the heart of the projectwas a 65-ha (160-acre) newestate of 2,000 apartmentsand parks called Nova Icària.The area is still popularlyknown as the Vila Olímpicabecause the buildings originallyhoused the Olympic athletes.

On the sea front there aretwin 44-floor buildings, Spain’stallest skyscrapers, one occu-pied by offices, the other bythe Arts hotel (see p117). Theystand beside the Port Olímpic,which was also built for 1992.This has shops and nightclubs,but the main reasons for visit-ing are two levels of restau-rants around the marina whichhave made it the latest popularplace to eat out. The wonder-ful outdoor setting attractsbusiness people at lunchtimeand pleasure seekers in theevenings and at weekends.

Lunch can be walked offalong the string of beaches thatis edged by a palm-fringedpromenade with cafés. Behindit, the new coastal road headsaround a park that lies beside

the last three beaches,divided by rocky break-waters. Swimming issafe on the gentlysloping, sandy strands.

Barceloneta fMap 5 B5. r Barceloneta.

BARCELONA’S fishing “village”, which lies

on a triangular tongueof land jutting into thesea just below the citycentre, is renowned forits little restaurants andcafés. The area was de-signed in 1753 by thearchitect and militaryengineer Juan Martín deCermeño to rehousepeople made homeless

by the construction, just inland,of the Ciutadella fortress (seep62). Since then it has housedlargely workers and fishermen.Laid out in a grid system withnarrow two- and three-storeyhouses, in which each roomhas a window on the street, thearea has a friendly, intimate air.

In the small Plaça de laBarceloneta, at the centre ofthe district, is the Baroquechurch of Sant Miguel del Port,also by Cermeño. A market isoften held in the square here.

Today, Barceloneta’s fishingfleet is still based in the nearbyMoll del Rellotge (the clockdock), by a small clock tower.On the opposite side of thisharbour is the Torre de SantSebastià, terminus of the cablecar that runs right across theport, via the World TradeCentre, to Montjuïc.

Fashionable yachts at the Port Olímpic over-

looked by Spain’s two tallest skyscrapers

Port Vell gMap 5 A4. r Barceloneta, Drassanes.

Aquàrium § 93 221 74 74. # Oct–-

May: 9:30am–9pm Mon–Fri, 9:30am–

9:30pm Sat & Sun; Jun & Sep: 9:30am –

9:30pm daily; Jul–Aug: 9:30am–11pm

daily. & 7 8 by appointment.

Museu d’Història de Catalunya Plaça

Pau Vila 3. § 93 225 47 00. #10am– 7pm Tue , Thu–Sat, 10am – 8pm

Wed, 10am – 2:30pm Sun & public hols.

& except 1st Sun every month. 7 8 by appointment (93 225 42 44).

BARCELONA’S MARINA is at the foot of La Rambla, just be-

yond the old customs house.This was built in 1902 at thePortal de la Pau, the city’s for-mer maritime entrance. To thesouth, the Moll de Barcelona,with a new World TradeCentre, serves as the passengerpier for visiting liners. In frontof the customs house, La Ram-bla is connected to the yachtclubs on the Moll d’Espanya bya swing bridge and a pedestri-an jetty, known as La Ramblade Mar. The Moll d’Espanyahas a new shopping andrestaurant complex, theMaremàgnum, plus an IMAXcinema and the largest aquar-ium in Europe.

On the shore, the Moll deFusta (Timber Wharf), withterrace cafés, has red structuresinspired by the bridge at Arlespainted by Van Gogh. At theend of the wharf is El Cap deBarcelona (Barcelona Head),a 20-m (66-ft) tall sculpture byPop artist Roy Lichtenstein.

The attractive Sports Marinaon the other side of the Molld’Espanya was once lined withwarehouses. The only one left,

6 5O L D T O W N

A golondrina tour boat departing from the Portal de la Pau

The Columbus Monument lit by

fireworks during La Mercè fiesta

Stained-glass window in the

Museu Marítim

built by Elies Rogent in the1880s, has been given a newlease of life as the Palau deMar. Restaurants provide alfres-co dining, but the building isotherwise given over to theMuseu d’Història de Catalunya.Exhibits on three floors startfrom Lower Palaeolithic timesand continue to the region’sheydays as a maritime powerand industrial pioneer. Thereis a schoolroom from theFranco era and a 1960s mock-up bar and situated outside sitsa reconstructed Roman boat.

Monument aColom hPlaça del Portal de la Pau. Map 2 F4.§ 93 302 52 24. r Drassanes. #Oct–Mar: 10am –1:30pm & 3:30–

6:30pm Mon–Fri, 10am–6:30pm Sat,

Sun & public hols; Apr–May: 10am –

1:30pm & 3:30–7:30pm Mon–Fri,

10am–7:30pm Sat, Sun & public hols;

Jun–Sep: 9am –8:30pm daily. &

THE COLUMBUS monument atthe bottom of La Rambla

was designed by Gaietà Buigasfor the 1888 Universal Exhibi-tion (see p42). At that time Cat-alans considered Columbus tobe Catalan rather than Italian.

The 60-m (200-ft) monumentmarks the spot where Colum-bus stepped ashore in 1493after discovering America,bringing with him six Carib-bean Indians. He was given astate welcome by the CatholicMonarchs in the Saló delTinell (see p54). The Indians’subsequent conversion toChristianity is commemorated

in the cathedral (see pp56 –7).A lift leads to a viewing plat-form at the top of the monu-ment. The bronze statue wasdesigned by Rafael Arché.

Golondrinas jPlaça del Portal de la Pau. Map 2 F5.§ 93 442 31 06. r Drassanes.

Departures: variable (phone for

details). & ∑ www.lasgolondrinas.com

SIGHTSEEING TRIPS around Barcelona’s harbour and to

the Port Olímpic can be madeon golondrinas (“swallows”) –small double-decker boatsthat moor in front of theColumbus Monument at thefoot of La Rambla.

Half-hour tours go out be-neath the castle-topped hill ofMontjuïc towards the industrialport. They usually stop off atthe breakwater, which reachesout to sea from Barceloneta, toallow passengers to disembarkfor a stroll. A one-and-a-halfhour trip takes in Barcelonaharbour, the local beaches andfinally Port Olímpic.

Museu Marítim andDrassanes kAvinguda de les Drassanes. Map 2 F4. § 93 342 99 20.

r Drassanes. # 10am–7pm

Mon–Sun. ¢ 1 & 6 Jan, 25 & 26

Dec. & 7 8 by appointment.

THE GREAT GALLEYS that wereinstrumental in making

Barcelona a major seafaringpower were built in the shedsof the Drassanes (shipyards)that now house the maritime

museum. These royal drydocks are the largest and mostcomplete surviving medievalcomplex of their kind in theworld. They were founded inthe mid-13th century, whendynastic marriages uniting thekingdoms of Sicily and Aragónmeant that better maritimecommunications between thetwo became a priority. Threeof the yards’ four originalcorner towers survive.

Among the vessels to slipfrom the Drassanes’ vaultedhalls was the Real, flagship ofDon Juan of Austria, who ledthe Christian fleet to thefamous victory against theTurks at Lepanto in 1571. Thehighlight of the museum’scollection is a full-scale replicadecorated in red and gold.

The Llibre del Consolat deMar, a book of nautical codesand practice, is a reminderthat Catalonia was once thearbiter of Mediterranean mari-time law (see p39). There arepre-Columbian maps, includ-ing one from 1439 that wasused by Amerigo Vespucci.

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E I X A M P L E

BARCELONA CLAIMS to have the greatest collection of Art Nouveau buildings of any city

in Europe. The style, known inCatalonia as Modernisme, flour-ished after 1854, when it wasdecided to tear down the medievalwalls to allow the city to developinto what had previously been aconstruction-free military zone.

The designs of the civil engi-neer Ildefons Cerdà i Sunyer(1815 –76) were chosen for thenew expansion (eixample)inland. These plans called fora rigid grid system of streets,but at each intersection thecorners were chamfered to allow thebuildings there to overlook the junc-tions or squares. The few exceptions

to this grid system include theDiagonal, a main avenue runningfrom the wealthy area of Pedralbesdown to the sea, and the Hospitalde la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau byModernista architect Domènechi Montaner (1850–1923). He hatedthe grid system and deliberately

angled the hospital to look downthe diagonal Avinguda de Gaudí

towards Antoni Gaudí’s churchof the Sagrada Família, the city’smost spectacular Modernistabuilding (see pp74 –5). The

wealth of Barcelona’s com-mercial elite, and their passionfor all things new, allowed

them to give free rein to the age’s mostinnovative architects in designing theirresidences as well as public buildings.

SIGHTS AT A GLANCE

Museums and GalleriesFundació Antoni Tàpies 2

ChurchesSagrada Família pp74 –5 6

Modernista BuildingsCasa Milà, “La Pedrera” 3Casa Terrades, “Casa de

les Punxes” 4Hospital de la Santa

Creu i de Sant Pau 5Illa de la Discòrdia 1

KEY


Metro station

Train station

Main bus stop

Tourist information

Parking

Nativity façade of the Sagrada Família – the only façade to be more or less completed in Gaudí’s lifetime

CARRER DE TAXDIRT


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GETTING THEREMetro line 3 has stations at either end of thePasseig de Gràcia (Catalunya and Diagonal),and one in the middle, at the Illa de la Dis-còrdia (Passeig de Gràcia). Metro line 5 takesyou straight to the Sagrada Família and Hospitalde Sant Pau (a long walk from other sights). 0 metres

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Street-by-Street: Quadrat d’Or

THE HUNDRED OR SO city blocks centring onthe Passeig de Gràcia are known as the

Quadrat d’Or, “Golden Square”, because theycontain so many of the best Modernistabuildings (see pp22–3). This was the areawithin the Eixample favoured by the wealthy bourgeoisie, who embraced the newartistic and architectural style with enthusiasm,not only for their residences, but also forcommercial buildings. Most remarkable isthe Mansana de la Discòrdia, a single block

with houses by Modernisme’s most illustrious exponents.Many interiors can be visited by the public, revealing afeast of stained glass, ceramics and ornamental ironwork.

Perfumebottle, Museudel Perfum

Passeig de Gràcia, the Eixample’s mainavenue, is a show-case of highlyoriginal buildingsand smart shops.The graceful streetlamps are byPere Falqués(1850–1916).

Vinçon home decorstore (see p135)

Fundació TàpiesTopped by Antoni

Tàpies’ wiresculpture Cloudand Chair, this

1879 building byDomènech i Mon-

taner houses a widevariety of Tàpies’

paintings, graphicsand sculptures 2

. Mansana de laDiscòrdia In this city block, four

of Barcelona’s mostfamous Modernista housesvie for attention. All werecreated between 1900 and1910. This ornate towergraces the Casa Lleó Moreraby Domènech i Montaner 1

Casa Lleó Morera

CasaBatlló

Casa Ramon Mulleras

To Plaça deCatalunya

Casa Amatller

Museu del Perfum

DiagonalMetro

Passeig deGràcia Metro

E I X A M P L E 6 9

Palau Baró deQuadras was designedby Puig i Cadafalch in1904 in a neo-Gothic

style. The ornate façadeis riddled with grotesque

sculptures including this one, which adorns

the doorway.

LOCATOR MAP


Casa Terrades “Les Punxes”Built in red brick with carved stoneornamentation, this 1905 house byPuig i Cadafalch echoes the Gothicbuildings of northern Europe 4

Casa Thomas

To SagradaFamília

. Casa Milà Gaudí put all his architectural daring into this, hismost famous house. The result is a remarkablewave-like façade and a roofscape of chimneysand vents resembling abstract sculptures 3

STAR SIGHTS

. Mansana de la Discòrdia

. Casa Milà

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EIXAMPLE

OLD TOWN

ANTONI GAUDÍ (1852–1926)

Born in Reus (Tarragona) into an artisanfamily, Antoni Gaudí i Cornet was the lead-ing exponent of Catalan Modernisme.After a blacksmith’s apprenticeship, hestudied at Barcelona’s School ofArchitecture. Inspired by a nation-alistic search for a romantic medi-eval past, his work was supremelyoriginal. His first major achievementwas the Casa Vicens (1888) at No. 24Carrer de les Carolines (see p48). Buthis most celebrated building is thechurch of the Sagrada Família (seepp74 –5), to which he devoted his lifefrom 1914. When he had put all hismoney into the project, he went fromhouse to house begging for more. Hewas killed by a tram in 1926 (see p58).

7 2 B A R C E L O N A A R E A B Y A R E A

Extraordinary sculptured and ceramic-encrusted chimneys of Gaudí’s Casa Milà

tour of the exteriors of thesehouses, are available from theCentre del Modernisme.

Beyond the next two housesis Casa Amatller, designed byPuig i Cadafalch in 1898. Itsfaçade, under a stepped gableroof, features a harmoniousblend of Moorish and Gothicwindows. Inside the wrought-iron main doors is a fine stonestaircase beneath a stained-

Mansana de la Discòrdia 1Passeig de Gràcia, between Carrerd’Aragó and Carrer del Consell de Cent.Map 3 A4. r Passeig de Gràcia.

Centre del Modernisme CasaAmatller, Passeig de Gràcia 41. § 93

488 01 39. # 10am–7pm Mon –Sat,

10am–2pm Sun & public hols. 8

BARCELONA’S MOST FAMOUS

group of Modernista (seepp22 –3) buildings illustratesthe wide range of styles usedby the movement’s architects.They lie in an area known asthe Mansana de la Discòrdia(Block of Discord), after thestartling visual argumentbetween them. The three finestwere remodelled in theModernista style from existinghouses early in the 20th cen-tury. No. 35 Passeig de Gràciais Casa Lleó Morera (1902 – 6),the first residential work ofLluís Domènech i Montaner. Ashop was installed in theground floor in 1943, but theModernista interiors upstairsstill exist. Tickets for the Mod-ernista route (see pp48 –9),which offers half price oncertain buildings and a free

glass roof. The building, nowused by the Institut Amatllerd’Art Hispànic, has a beautifulwood-panelled library. Nextdoor is Antoni Gaudí’s CasaBatlló (1904 –1906), the onlyhouse open to the public. Itsfaçade has a fluidity typical ofthe movement, with tiled wallsand curved iron balconiespierced with holes to look likemasks or skulls. The hump-backed, scaly-looking roof isthought to represent a dragon,with St George as a chimney.

Fundació AntoniTàpies 2Carrer d’Aragó 255. Map 3 A1. §93 487 03 15. r Passeig de Gràcia.

# 10am – 8pm Tue–Sun & public hols.

¢ 1 & 6 Jan, 25 & 26 Dec. & 7

ANTONI TAPIES (see p25), bornin 1923, is Barcelona’s

best-known living artist.Inspired by Surrealism, hisabstract work is executed in avariety of materials, includingconcrete and metal (see p68).Difficult to appreciate at first,the exhibits should helpviewers obtain a clearer per-spective of Tàpies’ work,even if there is not enoughhere to gain a full understand-ing. The collection is housedin Barcelona’s first domesticbuilding to be constructedwith iron (1880), designed byDomènech i Montaner for hisbrother’s publishing firm.

Sumptuous interior of the Casa Lleó Morera, Mansana de la Discòrdia

Decorated chimneypot, Casa Vicens

7 37 3E I X A M P L E

Casa Terrades 4Avinguda Diagonal 416. Map 3 B3.

r Diagonal. ¢ to public.

THIS FREE-STANDING, six-sided apartment block

by Modernista architectJosep Puig i Cadafalchgets its nickname, Casade les Punxes (Houseof the Points), from thespires on its six cornerturrets. It was built be-tween 1903 and 1905by convertingthree existinghouses on thesite and wasPuig’s largestwork. It is aneclectic mixtureof medieval andRenaissancestyles. The towers

Hospital de laSanta Creu i de Sant Pau 5Carrer de Sant Antoni Maria Claret 167,08025 Barcelona. Map 4 F1. § 93

291 91 99. r Hospital de Sant Pau.

Grounds # daily; write in advance

for permission to visit pavilions not in

medical use. 7 8 93 488 20 78.

∑ www.hspau.com

LLUIS DOMENECH I MONTANER

began designing a new cityhospital in 1902. His innova-tive scheme consisted of 26attractive Mudéjar-style pavil-ions set in large gardens, ashe believed that patientswould recover better amongfresh air and trees. All theconnecting corridors andservice areas were hiddenunderground. Also believ-ing art and colour to betherapeutic, he decoratedthe pavilions profusely.

The turreted roofs weretiled with ceramics,and the receptionpavilion embellished

with mosaic muralsand sculptures by PauGargallo. After hisdeath, the project wascompleted in 1930 byDomènech’s son, Pere.

The rippled façade of Gaudí’s apartment building, Casa Milà

Statue of the Virgin, Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau

Spire on the main

tower, Casa Terrades

Casa Milà 3Passeig de Gràcia 92. Map 3 B3. §93 484 55 30. r Diagonal. #10am–8pm daily. ¢ 1 & 6 Jan, 25 &

26 Dec. & 8 daily at 4pm in English.

∑ http://obrasocial.caixacatalunya.es

USUALLY CALLED La Pedrera(the Stone Quarry), the

Casa Milà is Gaudí’s greatestcontribution to Barcelona’scivic architecture, and his lastwork before he devotedhimself entirely to the SagradaFamília (see pp74 –5).

Built between 1906–10, LaPedrera departed from estab-lished construction principlesand, as a result, was ridiculedby Barcelona’s intellectuals.

Gaudí designed this eightfloor apartment block aroundtwo circular courtyards. Itfeatures the city’s first under-ground car park. The ironworkbalconies, by Josep MariaJujol, are like seaweed againstthe wave-like walls of whitestone. There are no straightwalls anywhere in the building.

The Milà family had an apart-ment on the first floor, whichnow features a typical Modern-ista interior. The museum, “ElEspai Gaudí”, on the top floor,includes models and explana-tions of Gaudí’s work. Fromhere, visitors can access theextraordinary roof. The sculp-tured ducts and chimneys havesuch a threatening appearancethey are known as espanta-bruixes, or witch-scarers.

and gables are influenced inparticular by the Gothic archi-tecture of northern Europe.However, the deeply carved,floral stone ornamentation ofthe exterior, in combinationwith red brick used as theprincipal building material,are typically Modernista.


EUROPE’S MOST unconventional church, the Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada

Família, is an emblem of a city that likes tothink of itself as individualistic. Crammed with

symbolism inspired by nature and striving fororiginality, it is the greatest work of Gaudí (seepp22–3). In 1883, a year after work had begun

on a Neo-Gothic church on the site, the task of completing itwas given to Gaudí who changed everything, extemporizingas he went along. It became his life’s work and he lived likea recluse on the site for 16 years. He is buried in the crypt.At his death only one tower on the Nativity façade hadbeen completed, but work resumed after the Civil War andseveral more have since been finished to his original plans.Work continues today, financed by public subscription.

A carved

whelk

Sagrada Família 6

The apse was the firstpart of the churchGaudí completed.Stairs lead downfrom here to thecrypt below.

The altar canopy,designed by Gaudí,is still waiting forthe altar.. Passion Façade

This bleak façade was completedin the late 1980s by artist JosepMaria Subirachs. A controversialwork, its sculpted figures areangular and often sinister.

Main entrance

Bell TowersEight of the 12 spires, onefor each apostle, havebeen built. Each is toppedby Venetian mosaics.

Towerwith lift

THE FINISHED CHURCH

Gaudí’s initial ambitions have been scaleddown over the years, but the design

for the completion of the buildingremains impressive. Stillto come is the centraltower, which is to beencircled by four largetowers representing theEvangelists. Four towerson the Glory (south)façade will match theexisting four on thePassion (west) andNativity (east) façades.An ambulatory – likean inside-out cloister –will run round the out-side of the building.

E I X A M P L E 7 5

STAR FEATURES

. Passion Façade

. Nativity Façade

. Crypt


C/ Mallorca 401. Map 4 E3.§ 93 207 30 31. r Sagrada

Família. @ 19, 34, 43, 50, 51, 54.

# Apr–Sep: 9am–8pm; Oct–

Mar: 9am–6pm; daily (25 & 26

Dec: 9am–2pm). ¢ 1 & 6 Jan.

5 numerous services daily. &7 except crypt & towers.

∑ www.sagradafamilia.org

Entrance toCrypt Museum

. CryptThe crypt, where Gaudí is buried,was built by the original architect,Francesc de Paula Villar i Lozano,in 1882. This is where services areheld. On the lower floor a museumtraces the careers of both architectsand the church’s history.

. Nativity FaçadeThe most complete part of Gaudí’s

church, finished in 1904, hasdoorways which represent Faith,Hope and Charity. Scenes of the

Nativity and Christ’s childhood areembellished with symbolism, such asdoves representing the congregation.

Spiral StaircasesSteep stone steps –

400 in each – allowaccess to the towersand upper galleries.

Majestic viewsreward those who

climb or take the lift.

Towerwith lift

NaveIn the nave, which is still under

construction, a forest of flutedpillars will support four galleries

above the side aisles, whileskylights let in natural light.

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The hill finally came into its own asthe site of the 1929 International Fair.With great energy and flair, buildingswere erected all over the north side,with the grand Avinguda de la ReinaMaria Cristina, lined with hugeexhibition halls, leading into itfrom the Plaça d’Espanya. In themiddle of the avenue is the FontMàgica (Magic Fountain), which isregularly illuminated in colour.Above it is the Palau Nacional,home of the city’s historic art collec-tions. The Poble Espanyol is a craftscentre housed in copies of buildingsfrom all over Spain. The last greatsurge of building on Montjuïc wasfor the 1992 Olympic Games, which

left Barcelona with interna-tional-class sports facilities.

M O N T J U Ï C

THE HILL OF MONTJUIC, rising to213 m (699 ft) above the com-mercial port on the south side

of the city, is Barcelona’s biggestrecreation area. Its museums, artgalleries, gardens and nightclubsmake it a popular place in theevenings as well as during the day.

There was probably a Celt-iberian settlement here before theRomans built a temple to Jupiter ontheir Mons Jovis, which may havegiven Montjuïc its name – thoughanother theory suggests that aJewish cemetery on the hill inspiredthe name Mount of the Jews.

The absence of a water supplymeant that there were few build-ings on Montjuïc until the castlewas erected on the top in 1640.

Statue, gardens of

the Palau Nacional

Changing colours of the Font Màgica (Magic Fountain) on the grand avenue leading up to Montjuïc

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GETTING THEREApart from the exhibition hallsnear Espanya Metro station,reaching most of Montjuïc’sattractions on foot involves asteep climb. However, buses13 and 61 will take you up thehill from Plaça d’Espanya. Forthe castle, take the funicularfrom Metro Paral.lel, then thecable car. These run from

9am–7:30/8pm on winterweekends and daily in

summer to 9:30/10pm.

SIGHTS AT A GLANCE

Historic BuildingsCastell de Montjuïc 7

Modern ArchitectureEstadi Olímpic de Montjuïc 8Pavelló Mies van der Rohe 4

Museums and GalleriesFundació Joan Miró 1Museu Arqueològic 2Museu Nacional d’Art de

Catalunya 3

SquaresPlaça d’Espanya 6

Theme ParksPoble Espanyol 5

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Parking


MONTJUIC IS A SPECTACULAR vantage point from which to view the city. It has

a wealth of art galleries and museums, aswell as theatres. Many of the buildings weredesigned for the 1929 International Exhibition,and the 1992 Olympics were held on itssouthern slopes. Montjuïc is approached fromthe Plaça d’Espanya between brick pillarsbased on the campanile of St Mark’s inVenice. They give a foretaste of theeclecticism of building stylesfrom the Palau Nacional,which houses magnificentRomanesque art, to thePoble Espanyol, whichillustrates the architectureof Spain’s regions.

Street-by-Street: Montjuïc

. Museu Nacionald’Art de Catalunya

On show in the PalauNacional (National

Palace), the mainbuilding of the 1929International Exhi-

bition, is Europe’sfinest collection of

Romanesque frescoes.These were a great

source of inspirationfor Joan Miró 3

To Montjuïc castleand Olympic stadium

Pavelló Mies vander RoheThis elegant statueby Georg Kolbestands serenely inthe steel, glass, stoneand onyx pavilionbuilt in the Bauhausstyle as the Germancontribution to the1929 InternationalExhibition 4

. PobleEspanyolContainingreplicas of build-ings from manyregions of Spain, this“village” provides afascinating glimpse ofvernacular styles 5

STAR SIGHTS

. Poble Espanyol

. Museu Nacionald’Art de Catalunya

. Fundació Joan Miró

M O N T J U I C 7 9

MONTJUIC

LOCATOR MAP


Museu ArqueològicThe museum displaysimportant finds fromprehistoric cultures in

Catalonia and the BalearicIslands. The Damad’Evissa, a 4th-centurysculpture, was found inIbiza’s Carthaginiannecropolis 2

Fountains and cascadesdescend in terraces from thePalau Nacional. Below them isthe Font Màgica (Magic Foun-tain). On Thursday to Sundayevenings in summer and Fridayand Saturday evenings inwinter, its jets are programmedto a multi-coloured music andlight show. This marvel ofengineering was built by CarlesBuigas (1898 –1979) for the1929 International Exhibition.

To Plaça d’Espanya

Museu Etnològicdisplays artifactsfrom Oceania,Africa, Asia andLatin America.

Mercat deles Florstheatre(see p136)

. Fundació Joan MiróThis tapestry by Joan Miróhangs in the centre he created

for the study of modern art.In addition to Miró’s works

in various media, themodern building byJosep Lluís Sert is of

architectural interest 1

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building to house a permanentcollection of graphics, paint-ings, sculptures and tapestrieslit by natural light. Miró himselfdonated the works and someof the best pieces on displayinclude his Barcelona Series(1939–44), a set of 50 black-and-white lithographs. Exhibi-tions of other artists’ work arealso held regularly.

Fundació JoanMiró 1

Parc de Montjuïc. Map 1 B3. § 93

329 19 08. r Pl. Espanya then bus

50, or Paral.lel then funicular to

Montjuïc. # Jul–Sep: 10am–8pm

Tue–Sat (till 9:30pm Thu); Oct– Jun:

10am–7pm Tue–Sat (till 9:30pm Thu),

10am–2:30pm Sun & public hols. ¢1 Jan, 25 & 26 Dec. & 7 ∑ www.bcn.fjmiro.es

JOAN MIRÓ (1893–1983) wentto La Llotja’s art school (see

p60), but from 1919 spentmuch time in Paris. Thoughopposed to Franco, hereturned to Spain in 1940 andlived mainly in Mallorca, wherehe died. An admirer of Cata-lan art and Modernisme (seepp22 –3), Miró remained aCatalan painter (see pp24 –5)but invented and developed aSurrealistic style, with vividcolours and fantastical forms.During the 1950s he concen-trated on ceramics.

In 1975, after the return ofdemocracy to Spain, his friend,the architect Josep Lluís Sert,designed this stark, white

Flame in Space and Naked Woman (1932) by Joan Miró

Museu Arqueològic 2

Passeig Santa Madrona 39–41. Map 1B3. § 93 424 65 77. r Espanya,

Poble Sec. # 9:30am–7pm Tue–Sat,

10am–2:30pm Sun & public hols. ¢1 Jan, 25, 26 Dec. & except 11 Feb,

23 Apr, 18 May, 11 & 24 Sep. 7 8∑ www.mac.es

HOUSED IN the 1929 Palace of Graphic Arts, the

museum has artifacts fromprehistory to the Visigothicperiod (AD 415–711). High-lights are finds from the Greco-Roman town of Empúries (seep102), Hellenistic Mallorcanand Visigothic jewellery andIberian silver treasure.

12th-century Christ in Majesty,

Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya

Museu Nacionald’Art de Catalunya 3Parc de Montjuïc, Palau Nacional.Map 1 A2. § 93 622 03 60.

r Espanya. # 10am–7pm Tue–Sat,

10am–2:30pm Sun & public hols.

¢ 1 Jan, 1 May, 25 & 26 Dec. & ^7 8 noon (book in advance on 93

622 03 75). ∑ www.mnac.es

THE AUSTERE Palau Nacionalwas built for the 1929 Inter-

national Exhibition, but since1934, it has housed the city’smost important art collection.

The museum has probablythe greatest display of Roman-esque (see pp20 –21) items inthe world, centred around aseries of magnificent 12th-century frescoes. The most re-markable are the wall paintingsfrom Sant Climent de Taüll andSanta Maria de Taüll (see p95).

There is also an expandingGothic collection. Notableartists include the 15th-centurySpanish artists Lluís Dalmauand Jaume Huguet (see p24).

Works by El Greco, Zurbaránand Velázquez are on displayin the Cambó Rooms, a collec-tion of notable Baroque andRenaissance works from allover Europe. The museumhas recently expanded andnow houses the entire body of 20th-century art, furnitureand sculpture previously at the Museu d’Art Modern in theParc de la Ciutadella. Theseadditions will present a rareopportunity to view over amillennium of Catalan art.

8 1M O N T J U I C 8 1

Poble Espanyol 5

Avinguda del Marquès de Comillas.Map 1 A2. § 93 508 63 30.

r Espanya. # 9am–8pm Mon,

9am–2am Tue–Thu, 9am–4am Fri &

Sat, 9am–midnight Sun. & 7 8∑ www.poble-espanyol.com

THE IDEA BEHIND the PobleEspanyol (Spanish Village)

was to illustrate and displaylocal Spanish architecturalstyles and crafts. It was laidout for the 1929 InternationalExhibition, but has proved tobe enduringly popular.

Building styles from all overSpain are illustrated by 116houses, arranged on streetsradiating from a main square

and created by many well-known architects and artistsof the time. The village wasrefurbished at the end of the1980s and is now a favouriteplace to visit for both touristsand native barcelonins.

Resident artisans producecrafts including hand-blownglass, ceramics, Toledo dama-scene and Catalan sandals(espardenyes). The Torres deAvila, which form the mainentrance, have been convertedinto a nightspot, with aninterior by designers AlfredoArribas and Javier Mariscal(see p17). There are also shops,bars and a children’s theatre.

Castell de Montjuïc 7Parc de Montjuïc. Map 1 B5. § 93

329 86 13. r Paral·lel, then funi-

cular & cable car (only Sat & public

hols in winter). Museum # Nov–15

Mar: 9:30am –5pm Tue–Sun; 16

Mar–Oct: 9:30am–8pm. ¢ 1 Jan,

Good Fri, 1 May, 25 & 26 Dec. &

THE SUMMIT of Montjuïc isoccupied by a huge, 18th-

century castle with views overthe port. The first castle wasbuilt in 1640, but destroyedby Felipe V in 1705. The pre-sent star-shaped fortress wasbuilt for the Bourbon family.During the War of Indepen-dence it was taken by Frenchtroops. After the Civil War itbecame a prison and theCatalan leader Lluís Companys(see p43) was executed herein 1940. It is now a militarymuseum displaying ancientweaponry and model castles.

Plaça d’Espanya 6Avinguda de la Gran Via de les CortsCatalanes. Map 1 B1. r Espanya.

THE FOUNTAIN in the middleof this road junction, the

site of public gallows until theywere transferred to Ciutadellain 1715, is by Josep Maria Jujol,one of Gaudí’s followers. Thesculptures are by Miquel Blay.The 1899 bullring to one sideis by Font i Carreras, butCatalans have never taken tobullfighting and the arena wasonce used as a music venue.

On the Montjuïc side of theroundabout is the Avingudade la Reina Maria Cristina.This is flanked by two 47-m(154-ft) high brick campanilesby Ramon Raventós, modelledon the bell towers of St Mark’sin Venice and built as theentrance way to the 1929International Exhibition. Theavenue, lined with exhibitionbuildings, leads up to CarlesBuigas’s illuminated FontMàgica (Magic Fountain) infront of the Palau Nacional.

Pavelló Mies vander Rohe 4

Avinguda del Marquès de Comillas.Map 1 B2. § 93 423 40 16.

r Espanya. @ 50. # 10am–8pm

daily. ¢ 1 Jan, 25 Dec. & free to

under 18s. ∑ www.miesbcn.com

IF THE SIMPLE lines of this glass and polished stone

pavilion look modern today,they must have shocked visi-tors to the 1929 InternationalExhibition. Designed by Lud-wig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969), director of the Bauhausschool, it included his worldfamous Barcelona Chair. Thebuilding was demolished afterthe exhibition, but an exactreplica was built for thecentenary of his birth.

Morning by Georg Kolbe (1877–

1945), Pavelló Mies van der Rohe

Looking down from the Palau

Nacional towards Plaça d’Espanya

Entrance to the Olympic Stadium,

refurbished in 1992

Estadi Olímpic deMontjuïc 8

Passeig Olímpic, S/N. Map 1 A3.§ 93 426 20 89. r Espanya, Poble

Sec. @ 50, 61. # Jun–Sep:

10am–8pm; Oct–May: 10am–6pm;

daily. ¢ 1 Jan, 25 Dec. 7 8

THE ORIGINAL Neo-Classicalfaçade has been preserved

from the stadium built byPere Domènech i Roura for the1936 Olympics, cancelled atthe onset of the Spanish CivilWar. The arena’s capacity wasraised to 70,000 for the 1992Olympics. Nearby are thesteel-and-glass Palau Sant Jordistadium by Japanese architectArata Isozaki, and swimmingpools by Ricard Bofill.

Altar frontal of the 13th century dedicated to the Virgin, Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya


The Neo-Gothic Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor dominating the summit of Tibidabo

F U R T H E R A F I E L Dwest, where the streets climb steeply,are the historic royal palace and

monastery of Pedralbes, andGaudí’s Torre Bellesguard andParc Güell. Beyond, the Serrade Collserola, the city’s closestrural area, is reached by twofuniculars. Tibidabo, the highestpoint, has an amusement park,

the Neo-Gothic church of the Sagrat Corand a nearby steel-and-glass communi-cations tower. It is a popular placeamong barcelonins for a day out.

RADICAL REDEVELOPMENTS throughoutBarcelona in the late 1980s and 1990s have given it a

wealth of new buildings, parksand squares. Sants, the city’smain station, was rebuilt and theneighbouring Parc de l’EspanyaIndustrial and Parc de Joan Mirówere created containing futuris-tic sculpture and architecture. In theeast, close to the revitalized area ofPoblenou, the city now has a newnational theatre and concert hall. In the

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Theme ParksTibidabo 7

SIGHTS AT A GLANCE

Museums and GalleriesMuseu de la Ciència 8Museu del Futbol Club

Barcelona 3

Historic BuildingsMonestir de Pedralbes 5Palau Reial de Pedralbes 4Torre Bellesguard 9

Modern BuildingsTorre de Collserola 6

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Parc de Joan Miró 1

Carrer d’Aragó 1. r Tarragona.

BARCELONA’S 19th-century slaughterhouse (escorxa-

dor) was transformed in the1980s into this unusual park,hence its alternative name, Parcde l’Escorxador.

It is constructed on two levels,the lower of which is devotedto football pitches interspersedwith landscaped sections ofpalms, pines, eucalyptus treesand flowers. The upper level iscompletely paved and is domi-nated by a magnificent 1983sculpture by the Catalan artistJoan Miró (see p25) entitledDona i Ocell (Woman andBird). Standing 22 m (72 ft)high in the middle of a pool,its surface is covered with colourful glazed tiles.

Parc de l’EspanyaIndustrial 2Plaça de Joan Peiró. r Sants-Estació.

THIS MODERN PARK, designedby the Basque architect

Luis Peña Ganchegui, owes itsname to the textile mill thatused to stand on the 5-hectare(12-acre) site.

Laid out in 1986 as part ofBarcelona’s policy to providemore open spaces within thecity, the park has canals and arowing lake – with a Classicalstatue of Neptune at its centre.Tiers of steps rise around thelake like an amphitheatre andon one side a row of ten futur-istic watchtowers dominates theentire area. Their only functionis to serve as public viewingplatforms and lamp standards.

Six contemporary sculptorsare represented in the park,among them Andrés Nagel,whose enormous metal dragonincorporates a children’s slide.

to a design by Francesc Mitjans.An extension was added in1982 and it can now comfort-ably seat 100,000 fans.

The club’s museum, whichdisplays club memorabilia andtrophies on two floors, and hasa souvenir shop, is one of themost popular in Barcelona.There are also paintings andsculptures of famous clubfootballers commissioned forthe Blau-grana Biennial, anexhibition held in celebrationof the club in 1985 and 1987,and others donated by Catalanartists. Blau-grana (blue-burgundy) are the colours ofBarça’s strip. The club’s flagswere used as an expression oflocal nationalist feelings whenthe Catalan flag was bannedduring the Franco dictatorship.

As well as hosting its ownhigh-profile matches (mainlyat weekends), Camp Nou alsoaccommodates affiliated localsoccer clubs and promotesother sports in its sports centre,ice rink and mini-stadium.

Museu del FutbolClub Barcelona 3Avda de Arístides Maillol (7, 9). § 93

496 36 08. r Maria Cristina, Coll-

blanc. # 10am– 6:30pm Mon –Sat,

10am–2pm Sun & public hols. ¢ 1& 6 Jan, 24 Aug, 25 Dec. & 7 8∑ www.fcbarcelona.com

CAMP NOU, Europe’s largest football stadium, is home

to the city’s famous footballclub, Barcelona FC (Barça, as itis known locally). Founded in1899, it is one of the world’srichest soccer clubs, and hasmore than 100,000 members.

The stadium is a magnificent,sweeping structure, built in 1957

Dona i Ocell (1983) by Joan Miró

in the Parc de Joan Miró

View across Camp Nou stadium, prestigious home of the Futbol Club Barcelona

Line of watchtowers in the Parc

de l’Espanya Industrial

BARCELONA V REAL MADRID

Més que un club is the motto of Barcelona FC:“More than a club”. It has above all, however,been a symbol of the struggle of Catalannationalism against the central government inMadrid. To fail to win the league is one thing.To come in behind Real Madrid is acomplete disaster. Each season thebig question is which of the two

teams will win the title. Under the Francoregime in a memorable episode in 1941, Barçawon 3–0 at home. At the return match inMadrid, the crowd was so hostile that the policeand referee “advised” Barça to prevent trouble.Demoralized by the intimidation, they lost 11–1.Loyalty is paramount: one Barça player wholeft to join Real Madrid received death threats.

8 7F U R T H E R A F I E L D 8 7

Palau Reial dePedralbes 4Avda Diagonal 686. r Palau Reial.

Museu de Ceràmica & Museu de

Arts Decoratives § 93 280 50 24.

# 10am– 6pm Tue–Sat, 10am–3pm

Sun & public hols. ¢ 1 Jan, 1 Apr, 1 &

20 May, 24 Jun, 25 & 26 Dec. 7 &8 by appointment.

THE PALACE OF PEDRALBES wasonce the main house on

the estate of Count EusebiGüell. In 1919 he offered it tothe Spanish royal family. Thefirst visit was from Alfonso XIIIin 1926, before which the inte-rior was refurbished and a newthrone, supported by goldenlions, was created for him.

The building was opened tothe public in 1937 and theMuseu de Arts Decoratives in-stalled. Exhibits include periodfurniture from other greathouses in the city and finehousehold items from theMiddle Ages to the present. A genealogical tree traces the500-year dynasty of the count-kings of Barcelona (see p38).

The palace also houses theMuseu de Ceràmica, whichdisplays old Catalan andMoorish pottery and modernceramics, including works byMiró and Picasso (see p80).

The palace gardens are welllaid out with small ponds andpaths. Just behind the gardens,in Avinguda de Pedralbes, isthe entrance to the originalGüell estate. It is guarded by ablack wrought-iron gate, its topforged into a great, open-jaweddragon, and two gate houses,all by Gaudí (see pp22 –3).

Monestir de Santa Maria dePedralbes 5Carrer de Montevideo 14. Thyssen-

Bornemisza Collection Baixada delMonestir 9. § 93 280 14 34.

w Reina Elisenda. # 10am–2pm

Tue–Sun. ¢ public hols. & 8 by

appointment (93 315 11 11).

APPROACHED through an arch in its ancient walls, the

lovely monastery of Pedralbesretains the air of an enclosedcommunity. This is heightenedby the good state of preserva-tion of its furnished kitchens,cells, infirmary and refectory.But the nuns of the Order of

St Clare moved to an adjoiningbuilding back in 1983. Themonastery was founded in1326 by Elisenda de Montcadade Piños, fourth wife of JaumeII of Catalonia and Aragón. Heralabaster tomb lies in the wallbetween the church and thecloister. On the church side hereffigy is dressed in royal robes;on the other, in a nun’s habit.

The most important room inthe monastery is the Capella(chapel) de Sant Miquel, withmurals of the Passion and theLife of the Virgin, both paintedby Ferrer Bassa in 1346, whenElisenda’s niece, FrancescaSaportella, was abbess.

In 1989, some 80 paintingsforming part of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection (mostof which is in Madrid) weredonated to the monastery.They now hang in the formerdormitory and one of QueenElisenda’s rooms. The collec-tion is strong in Italian andSpanish works, with examplesby Fra Angelico, Tiepolo, Lotto,Titian, Canaletto, Veronese,Velázquez and Zurbarán.

Torre de Collserola 6Carretera de Vallvidrera al Tibidabo.§ 93 406 93 54. w Peu del Funi-

cular, then Funicular de Vallvidrera &

bus 211. # 11am–2:30pm,

3:30–7pm Wed–Sat.

¢ 1 & 6 Jan, 25 Dec. & 7 ∑ www.torredecollserola.com

IN A CITY that enjoys thrills, the ultimate ride is offered

by the communications towernear Tibidabo mountain (seep88). A glass-sided lift takesless than two minutes to reach the top of this 288-m(944-ft) tall structure standingon the summit of a 445-m(1,460-ft) hill. The tower wasdesigned by English architectNorman Foster for the 1992Olympic Games. Needle-likein form, it is a tubular steelmast on a concrete pillar,anchored by 12 huge steelcables. There are 13 levels.The top one has an observa-tory with a telescope and apublic viewing platform with

a 360° view of the city, thesea and the mountain chainon which Tibidabo sits.

Madonna of Humility, Monestir de

Santa Maria de Pedralbes

Real Madrid

FC Barcelona


Merry-go-round, Tibidabo

Tibidabo 7Plaça del Tibidabo 3–4. § 93 211 79

42. w Avda Tibidabo, then Tramvia

Blau & Funicular; or Peu del Funicular,

then Funicular & bus 211; or bus 17,

60, 73. Amusement Park # ring to

confirm. ¢ Oct–Apr: Mon–Fri. 7Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor

§ 93 417 56 86. # 10am –8pm

Mon–Fri, 10:30am–7pm Sat,

10:30am–2pm Sun. 7

THE HEIGHTS OF TIBIDABO canbe reached by Barcelona’s

last surviving tram. The name,inspired by Tibidabo’s views ofthe city, comes from the Latintibi dabo (I shall give you) – areference to the Temptation ofChrist when Satan took Him upa mountain and offered Himthe world spread at His feet.

The hugely popular Parcd’Atraccions (Amusement Park,see p137) first opened in 1908.The rides were renovated inthe 1980s. While the old onesretain their charm, the newerones provide the latest invertiginous experiences. Theirlocation at 517 m (1,696 ft)adds to the thrill. Also in thepark is the Museu d’Autòmatsdisplaying automated toys, jukeboxes and slot machines.

Tibidabo is crowned by theTemple Expiatori del SagratCor (Church of the SacredHeart), built with religious zealbut little taste by Enric Sagnierbetween 1902 and 1911. A lifttakes you up to the feet of anenormous figure of Christ.

Just a short bus ride away isanother viewpoint worthvisiting – the Torre deCollserola (see p87).

Museu de laCiència 8Teodor Roviralta, 55. § 93 212 60

50. w Avinguda del Tibidabo.

# 9:30am–8pm Mon–Sun.

∑ www.noumuseudelaciencia.com

THIS SCIENCE museum, dueto be open by 2005, will

be one of the most modern of its kind in Europe. It willoffer hands-on experiences,popular with children,exploring all forms of matterin its five subterraneangalleries. Above ground, alarge garden and play areawill complete the family-friendly experience.

Parc Güell 0Carrer d’Olot. § 93 413 24 00. rLesseps. # Nov–Feb: 10am–6pm;

Mar & Oct: 10am–7pm; Apr & Sep:

10am–8pm; May–Aug: 10am –9pm;

daily. 7 8 Casa-Museu Gaudí §93 219 38 11. # Oct–Mar: 10am –

6pm; Apr–Sep: 10am–8pm; daily. (6

Jan & 26 Dec: 10am–2pm)

¢ 1 Jan, 25 Dec. &

PARC GÜELL is Antoni Gaudí’s(see pp22–3) most colour-

ful creation. He was com-missioned in the 1890s byCount Eusebi Güell to designa garden city on 20 hectares(50 acres). In the event, littleof the grand design for publicbuildings and 60 houses inlandscaped gardens becamereality. What we see todaywas completed between 1910and 1914 and the parkopened in 1922.

Most atmospheric is theRoom of a Hundred Columns,a cavernous market hall of 84crooked pillars, brightened byglass and ceramic mosaics. Upa flight of steps flanked byceramic animals is the Gran

Torre Bellesguard 9Carrer de Bellesguard 16. w Avinguda

del Tibidabo. ¢ closed to public.

BELLESGUARD means “beautiful spot” and

here, half way up theCollserola hills, is theplace chosen by themedieval Catalan kingsas their summer home.Their castle, built in1408, was in particular afavourite residence ofBarcelona’s Martí theHumanist (see p55).

The surrounding districtof Sant Gervasi wasdeveloped in the 19thcentury after the comingof the railway. In 1900Gaudí built the presenthouse on the site of thecastle, which had fallenbadly into ruin. Its castel-lated look and the elon-gated, Gothic-inspiredwindows refer clearly to

Wrought-iron entrance door at

Antoni Gaudí’s Torre Bellesguard

Mosaic-encrusted chimney by Gaudí at

the entrance of the Parc Güell

the original castle. Gaudí keptthe vestiges of its walls in hisstructure. The roof, with awalkway behind the parapet, istopped by a distinctive Gaudítower. Ceramic fish mosaicsby the main door symbolizeCatalonia’s past sea power.

8 9F U R T H E R A F I E L D 8 9

Catalonia’s new National Theatre near the Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes

Plaça Circular, an open spacewith a snaking balcony ofcoloured mosaics, whose con-tours are bordered by a bench,made by Josep Jujol, thatmeasures 152 m (499 ft), saidto be the longest in the world.The view is panoramic.

The two mosaic-decoratedpavilions at the entrance are byGaudí, but the gingerbread-style house where he livedfrom 1906 to 1926, now theCasa-Museu Gaudí, is byFrancesc Berenguer. It containsGaudí furniture and drawings.

Estació del Nord qAvinguda de Vilanova. Map 6 D1.r Arc de Triomf.

ONLY THE 1861 façade over-looking a park and the

grand 1915 entrance remain ofthis former railway station. Therest has been remodelled as asports centre, a police head-quarters, and the city’s busstation. Two elegant, blue-tiledsculptures, Espiral arbrada(Branched Spiral) and Celobert (Open Sky) by BeverleyPepper (1992) sweep throughthe pleasant park. In front of

Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes wGran Via de les Corts Catalanes.Map 4 F5. r Glòries.

THIS WHOLE AREA, where theDiagonal crosses the Gran

Via de les Corts Catalanes, hasrecently been redeveloped asthe city expands northeast-wards and the Diagonal isextended down to the sea,completing the vision of theEixample’s planner IldefonsCerdà (see p67). On the northside, a new shopping centrecontrasts with the EncantsVells flea market (see p135),which sprawls beside thehighway heading north out oftown. It is open 8am–8pmfour days a week, and much

Poblenou eRambla del Poblenou. r Poblenou.

POBLENOU IS the trendy partof town where artists and

photographers have built theirstudios in the defunct ware-houses of the city’s formerindustrial heartland. The areais centred on the Rambla delPoblenou, a quiet avenue ofplane trees which now extendsfrom Avinguda Diagonal downto the sea. Here palm treesback a stretch of sandy beach.

Halfway down the Rambla,at the crossroads with Carrerde Ramon Turró is the Casinode l’Aliança, an historic socialand cultural centre next to agood restaurant and, opposite,El Tio Che, a well-known icecream parlour. A walk aroundthe quiet streets leading fromthe Rambla will reveal a fewprotected pieces of industrialarchitecture, legacies from thetime Barcelona was known as“the Manchester of Spain”.

At the bottom of the Ramblaalong the parallel Carrer delFerrocarril is the pretty, tree-shaded Plaça de Prim with low,whitewashed houses reminis-cent of a small country town.

La Rambla del Poblenou, a good

place for a stroll and a cup of coffee

Blue-tiled sculpture by Beverley Pepper, Parc de l’Estació del Nord

the station, at Avinguda deVilanova 12, is a carefullyrestored building occupied byCatalonia’s power generatingcompany. It was built as apower station in 1897 by thearchitect Pere Falqués. Thoughthe great machinery inside isnot visible, the exterior of thisiron and brick structure isunmistakably Modernista.

of the merchandise of furniture,clothes, and bric-à-brac issimply laid out on the ground.It is busiest early in the day andbartering is all part of the fun.

To the south of the plaça isthe new Teatre Nacional deCatalunya, a vast temple toculture by the Barcelona archi-tect Ricard Bofill. Beside it isthe Auditori de Barcelona, withtwo concert halls by RafaelMoneo which were inaugu-rated in 1999. The Museu de laMúsica (see p69) will probablymove here in mid-2005.


A fisherman inspects his nets in Cadaqués on the Costa Brava

Aigüestortes y E. Sant Maurici National Park in the central Pyrenees, in the province of Lleida

Beyond the constant bustle ofBarcelona, Catalonia is essen-tially a rural region, with nolarge cities and few industrialblights. Of the four provinces,all named after their principalcity, Lleida is the largest andleast populated. Among itsjewels are the Romanesquechurches of the Boí valleyand the Aigüestortes National Park.

The province of Girona is blessedwith mountains and sea. This easternend of the Pyrenees has the magicalCerdanya valley and the ancientmonasteries of Ripoll and Sant Joande les Abadesses, as well as medievalvillages and a handsome and too-oftenoverlooked capital city. Its coast, theCosta Brava, is rocky and full of delights.

Barcelona province has itsown coasts; the Maresme tothe north is rather spoiled bythe railway running beside thesea, but the Garraf to the southis more exciting – Sitges is ahighly fashionable spot. Inlandare the Holy Mountain of Mont-serrat (Catalonia’s spiritualheart), the Penedès winelands,

and the country town of Vic. Tarragona, the most southerly of the

provinces, has one of the peninsula’sformer Roman capitals. Here the landrolls more gently, supporting fruit andnut orchards and the monastic com-munities of Poblet and Santes Creus,before falling away towards the ricelands of the Ebre. The coastline is moregentle, too, with long, sandy beaches.

C ATA L O N I A

T HERE IS A wealth of natural beauty in Catalonia’s four

provinces, plus the small Catalan-speaking country of

Andorra. They offer rocky coasts and mountains, fertile plains

and sandy shores. Many who visit don’t stray far from the coast, but

the rewards for venturing further afield are immense.

LLE IDA • ANDORRA • G IRONABARCELONA PROVINCE • TARRAGONA

Santa Maria, Ripoll

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Exploring Catalonia

CATALONIA INCLUDES a long stretch of the Spanish Pyrenees, whose green,

flower-filled valleys hide picturesquevillages with Romanesque churches. TheParc Nacional d’Aigüestortes and Valld’Aran are paradises for naturalists, whileBaqueira-Beret offers skiers reliablesnow. Sun-lovers can choose betweenthe rugged Costa Brava or the long sandystretches of the Costa Daurada. Tarragonais rich in Roman monuments. Inland are themonasteries of Poblet and Santes Creus andthe well-known vineyards of Penedès.

Isolated houses in the countryside

around La Seu d’Urgell

KEY

Motorway (highway)

Major road

Minor road

Scenic route

River

Viewpoint

GETTING AROUNDThe motorway from Franceenters Spain at La Jonqueraand, from Barcelona,follows the coast viaTarragona and Tortosa.More motorways radiatefrom Barcelona. AsSpain is in theprocess of changing itsroad numbers some ofthese numbers may notcorrespond to new roadsigns. Buses connectmost towns. The mainnorth–south railwayhugs the coast fromBlanes southwards. Otherlines connect Barcelona toVic, Lleida and Tortosa (see inside back cover).

SEE ALSO

• Where to Stay pp119–21

• Restaurants pp129 –31

BAQUEIRA-BERET

LA SEU D’URGELL

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BUTTERFLIES OF

THE VALL D’ARAN

A huge variety of butter-flies and moths is foundhigh in the valleys andmountains of the Pyrenees.The isolated Vall d’Aran isthe home of several uniqueand rare subspecies. Thebest time of the year inwhich to see the butterfliesis between May and July.

C A T A L O N I A9 4

Vall d’Aran 1Lleida N230. c Vielha.

n Vielha (973 64 01 10).

THIS VALLEY OF VALLEYS – aranmeans valley – is a lovely

600-sq km (230-sq mile) havenof forests and meadows filledwith flowers, surrounded bytowering mountain peaks.

The Vall d’Aran was formedby the Riu Garona, which risesin the area and flows out toFrance as the Garonne. Withno proper link to the outsideworld until 1924, when a roadwas built over the BonaiguaPass, the valley was cut offfrom the rest of Spain for mostof the winter. Snow blocks thenarrow pass from Novemberto April, but today access iseasy through the Túnel deVielha from El Pont de Suert.

The fact that the Vall d’Aranfaces north means that it hasa climate similar to that on theAtlantic coast. Many rare wildflowers and butterflies flourishin the perfect conditions thatare created by the shady slopesand damp breezes. It is also a famous habitat for manyspecies of narcissus.

Tiny villages have grown upbeside the Riu Garona, oftenaround Romanesque churches,notably at Bossòst, Salardú,Escunhau and Arties. Thevalley is also ideal for outdoorsports such as skiing and ispopular with walkers.

Vielha 2Lleida. * 2,700. c n Carrer

Sarriulera 10 (973 64 01 10). ( Thu.

_ Festa de Vielha (8 Sep), Feria de

Vielha (8 Oct).

NOW A modern ski resort,the capital of the Vall

d’Aran holds on to its medievalpast. The Romanesque churchof Sant Miquel has an octag-onal bell tower and a superb12th-century crucifix, the MigAran Christ. It formed part of alarger carving representing theDescent from the Cross. TheMuseu de la Vall d’Aran isdevoted to Aranese culture.

E Museu de la Vall d’AranCarrer Major 26. § 973 64 18 15.

# 10am–1pm, 5–8pm Tue– Sat,

11am–2pm Sun. ¢ 1 & 6 Jan, 8 Sep,

8 Oct, 25 & 26 Dec. &∑ www.aran.org

The Vall d’Aran, surrounded by the snow-capped mountains of the Pyrenees

Chequered Skipper

(Carterocephalus palemon)

Clouded Apollo

(Parnassins mnemosyne)

Grizzled Skipper (underside)

(Pyrgus malvae) Mig Aran Christ (12th-century),

Sant Miquel church, Vielha


Baqueira-Beret 3Lleida. * 100. c n Baqueira-

Beret (973 63 90 00). _ Romeria de

Nostra Senyora de Montgarri (2 Jul).

THIS EXTENSIVE ski resort, oneof the best in Spain, is

popular with both the publicand the Spanish royal family.There is reliable winter snowcover and a choice of over 40pistes at altitudes from 1,520 mto 2,470 m (4,987 ft to 8,104 ft).

Baqueira and Beret wereseparate mountain villagesbefore skiing became popular,but they have now merged toform a single resort. The Ro-mans took full advantage ofthe thermal springs locatedhere, which are nowadaysappreciated by tired skiers.

Parc Nacionald’Aigüestortes 5Lleida. £ La Pobla de Segur.

c El Pont de Suert, La Pobla de Segur.

n Barruera (973 69 61 89).

THE PRISTINE mountain scen-ery of Catalonia’s only

national park is among themost spectacular to be seenanywhere in the Pyrenees.

Established in 1955, the parkcovers an area of 102 sq km(40 sq miles). Its full title isParc Nacional d’Aigüestortes iEstany de Sant Maurici, namedafter the lake (estany) of SantMaurici in the east and theAigüestortes (literally, twistedwaters) area in the west. Themain village is the mountain

settlement of Espot, on thepark’s eastern edge. Dottedaround the park are waterfallsand the sparkling, clear watersof around 150 lakes and tarnswhich, in an earlier era, werescoured by glaciers to depthsof up to 50 m (164 ft).

The finest scenery is aroundSant Maurici lake, which liesbeneath the twin shards ofthe Serra dels Encantats,(Mountains of the Enchanted).From here, there is a varietyof walks, particularly alongthe string of lakes that leadsnorth to the towering peaksof Agulles d’Amitges. To thesouth is the dramatic vista ofEstany Negre, the highest anddeepest tarn in the park.

Early summer in the lowervalleys is marked by a mass ofpink and red rhododendrons,while later in the year wildlilies bloom in the forests offir, beech and silver birch.

The park is also home to avariety of wildlife. Chamois(also known as izards) live onthe mountain screes and inthe meadows, while beaversand otters can be spotted bythe lakes. Golden eagles neston mountain ledges, andgrouse and capercaillie arefound in the woods.

During the summer thepark is popular with walkers,while in winter, the snow-covered mountains are idealfor cross-country skiing.

Vall de Boí 4Lleida N230. £ La Pobla de Segur.

c El Pont de Suert. n Barruera

(973 69 40 00).

THIS SMALL VALLEY on theedge of the Parc Nacional

d’Aigüestortes is dotted withtiny villages, many of whichare built around magnificentCatalan Romanesque churches.

Dating from the 11th and12th centuries, these churchesare distinguished by their tallbelfries, such as the six-storeybell tower of the Església deSanta Eulàlia at Erill-la-Vall.

The two churches at Taüll,Sant Climent (see p20) andSanta Maria, have superbfrescoes. Between 1919 and1923 the originals were takenfor safekeeping to the MuseuNacional d’Art de Catalunya inBarcelona (see p80). Replicasnow stand in their place. Youcan climb the towers of SantCliment for superb views ofthe surrounding countryside.

Other churches in the areaworth visiting include those atColl, for its fine ironwork,Barruera, and Durro, whichhas another massive bell tower.

At the head of the valley isthe hamlet of Caldes de Boí,popular for its thermal springsand ski facilities. It is also agood base for exploring theParc Nacional d’Aigüestortes,the entrance to which is only5 km (3 miles) from here.

The tall belfry of Sant Climent

church at Taüll in the Vall de Boí

A crystal-clear stream, Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes

LES QUATRE BARRES

The four red bars on the senyera, theCatalan flag, are said to represent thefour provinces: Barcelona, Girona,Lleida and Tarragona. The designderives from a legend of Guifré elPelós, first Count of Barcelona (see

p38). It relates how he received a callfor help from Charles the Bald, who

was King of the West Franks and grand-son of Charlemagne. Guifré went to hisaid and turned the tide of battle, but wasmortally wounded. As he lay dying,

Charles dipped his fingers in Guifré’s blood and draggedthem across his plain gold shield, giving him a grant of arms.

9 6 C A T A L O N I A

Andorra 6Principality of Andorra. * 65,000.

c Andorra la Vella. n Plaça de la

Rotonda, Andorra la Vella (376 82

7117). ∑ www.andorra.ad

ANDORRA OCCUPIES 464 sq km (179 sq miles) of the

Pyrenees between France andSpain. In 1993, it became fullyindependent and held its firstever democratic elections.Since 1278, it had been anautonomous feudal state underthe jurisdiction of the Spanishbishop of La Seu d’Urgell andthe French Count of Foix (atitle adopted by the Presidentof France). These are still theceremonial joint heads of state.

Andorra’s official languageis Catalan, though French andCastilian are also spoken bymost residents.

For many years Andorra hasbeen a tax-free paradise forshoppers, a fact reflected inthe crowded shops and super-markets of the capital Andorrala Vella. Les Escaldes (near thecapital), as well as Sant Julià deLòria and El Pas de la Casa(the towns nearest the Spanishand French borders), have alsobecome shopping centres.

Most visitors never seeAndorra’s rural charms, whichmatch those of other parts ofthe Pyrenees. The region isexcellent for walkers. One ofthe main routes leads to theCercle de Pessons, a bowlof lakes in the east, and pastRomanesque chapels such asSant Martí at La Cortinada. Inthe north is the picturesqueSorteny valley where traditionalfarmhouses have been con-verted into snug restaurants.

La Seu d’Urgell 7

Lleida. * 13,000. c n Avenida

Valles de Andorra 33 (973 35 15 11).

( Tue & Sat. _ Festa major (last

week of Aug). ∑ www.laseu.org

THIS PYRENEAN TOWN wasmade a bishopric in the

6th century. Feuds betweenthe bishops of Urgell and theCounts of Foix over land,gave rise to Andorra in the13th century. The cathedralhas a Romanesque statue ofSanta Maria d’Urgell. TheMuseu Diocesà contains a10th-century copy of StBeatus of Liébana’s Commen-tary on the Apocalypse.

E Museu DiocesàPlaça del Deganat. § 973 35 32 42.

# Oct–May: noon–1pm Mon–Fri, 11–

1pm Sat & Sun; Jun–Sep: 10am–1pm &

4–7pm Mon–Sat, 10am–1pm Sun. ¢1 Jan, 25 Dec & public hols. & 7

Puigcerdà 8Girona. * 7,000. £ c n Carrer

Querol 1 (972 88 05 42). ( Sun. _Festa de l’Estany (third Sun of Aug);

Festa del Roser (third week of Jul).

∑ www.puigcerda.com

PUIG IS CATALAN for hill. Des-pite sitting on a relatively

small hill compared with theencircling mountains, which

Ripoll 9Girona. * 11,000. £ c n Plaça

del Abat Oliva (972 70 23 51). ( Sat.

_ Festa major (11–12 May), La Llana y

Casament a Pagès (Sun after Festa

major). ∑ www.elripolles.com

ONCE A TINY mountain base from which raids against theMoors were made, Ripoll isnow best known for theMonestir de Santa Maria (seep20), founded in 879. Thetown is called the “cradle ofCatalonia” as the monasterywas the power base of Guifréel Pelós (Wilfred the Hairy),founder of the House ofBarcelona (see p38). He isalso buried here. In the later12th century, the west portalwas decorated with what areregarded as the finest Roman-esque carvings in Spain. Thisand the cloister are the onlyparts of the medieval monas-tery to have survived.

ENVIRONS: In the mountains tothe west is Sant Jaume deFrontanyà (see p20), anothersuperb Romanesque church.

rise to 2,900 m (9,500 ft),Puigcerdà nevertheless has afine view down the beautifulCerdanya valley.

Puigcerdà was founded in1177 by Alfons II as thecapital of Cerdanya, an import-ant agricultural region, whichshares a past and its culturewith the French Cerdagne. TheSpanish enclave of Llívia, anattractive little town with amedieval pharmacy, lies 6 km(3.75 miles) inside France.

Cerdanya is the largestvalley in the Pyrenees. At its edge is the Cadí-Moixerónature reserve (see p138), aplace for ambitious walks.

Portal of Monestir de Santa Maria

Carving, La Seu d’Urgell cathedral

Catalonia’s

national emblem

9 79 7C A T A L O N I A

Olot qGirona. * 28,000. c n Carrer

Hospici 8 (972 26 01 41). ( Mon.

_ Feria de mayo (1 May), Corpus

Christi (Jun), Festa del Tura (8 Sep),

Feria de Sant Lluc (18 Oct).

∑ www.olotweb.info

THIS SMALL MARKET TOWN is atthe centre of a landscape

pockmarked with extinct volcanoes. But it was anearthquake in 1474 thatdestroyed its medieval past.

During the 18th century thetown’s textile industry spawn-ed the “Olot School” of art(see p24): cotton fabrics wereprinted with drawings. In 1783the Public School of Drawingwas founded. Much of theschool’s work, which includespaintings such as JoaquimVayreda’s Les Falgueres, is inthe Museu Comarcal de laGarrotxa. Modernistasculptor Miquel Blay’sdamsels support the balconyat No. 38 Passeig Miquel Blay.

E Museu Comarcal de laGarrotxaCalle Hospici 8. § 972 27 91 30.

# 11am–2pm, 4–7pm Mon, Wed–

Sat, 11am–2pm Sun & public hols.

¢ 1 Jan, 25 Dec. & 7

Besalú wGirona. * 2,000. c n Plaça de la

Llibertat 1 (972 59 12 40). ( Tue.

_ Sant Vicenç (22 Jan), Festa major

(weekend closest to 25 Sep).

AMAGNIFICENT medieval town, with a striking approach

across a fortified bridge overthe Riu Fluvià, Besalú has twofine Romanesque churches:Sant Vicenç and Sant Pere(see p21). The latter is thesole remnant of a Benedictinemonastery founded in 977,but pulled down in 1835leaving a big, empty square.

In 1964 a mikvah, a Jewishritual bath, was discovered bychance. It was built in 1264and is one of only three of thatperiod to survive in Europe.The tourist office has the keysto all the town’s attractions.

To the south, the sky-bluelake of Banyoles, where the1992 Olympic rowing contestswere held, is ideal for picnics.

Sant Joan de lesAbadesses 0Girona. * 3,800. c n Plaça de

Abadia 9 (972 72 05 99). ( Sun.

_ Festa major (second week of Sep).

∑www.santjoandelesabadesses.com

AFINE, 12th-century Gothic bridge arches over the

Riu Ter to this unassumingmarket town, whose mainattraction is its monastery.

Founded in 885, it was agift from Guifré, first count ofBarcelona, to his daughter,the first abbess. The churchhas little decoration exceptfor a wooden calvary, TheDescent from the Cross. Thoughmade in 1150, it looks modern.The figure of a thief on theleft was burnt in the Civil Warand replaced so skilfully thatit is hard to tell it is new. Themuseum has Baroque and

The medieval town of Besalú on the banks of the Riu Fluvià

12th-century calvary, Sant Joan de

les Abadesses monastery

Shop selling llonganisses in the

mountain town of Camprodon

Renaissance altarpieces. ENVIRONS: To the north areCamprodon and Beget, bothwith Romanesque churches(see p21). Camprodon also hassome grand houses, and its

9 8 C A T A L O N I A

Girona eGirona. * 75,000. k £ c n Rambla de la Llibertat 1 (972 22

65 75). ( Tue, Sat. _ El Pedal

(bike race, last fortnight of Sep),

Sant Narcís (29 Oct for a week).

∑ www.ajuntament.gi/turisme

THIS HANDSOME TOWN putson its best face beside the

Riu Onyar, where tall, pastel-coloured buildings rise abovethe water. Behind them, in theold town, the Rambla de laLlibertat is lined with busyshops and street cafés.

The houses were built in the19th century to replace sec-tions of the city wall damagedduring a seven-month siegeby French troops in 1809. Most

Painted houses packed tightly along the bank of the Riu Onyar in Girona

of the rest of the ramparts, firstraised by the Romans, are stillintact and have been turnedinto the Passeig Arqueològic(Archaeological Walk), whichruns right round the city.

The walk’s starting point ison the north side of the town,near the Església de SantPere de Galligants (St Peterof the Cock Crows) (see p21).The church now houses thecity’s archaeological collection.

From here, a narrow streetgoes through the north gate,where huge Roman foundationstones are still visible. Theymark the route of the ViaAugusta, the road which onceran from Tarragona to Rome.The most popular place ofdevotion in the town is the

Església de Sant Feliu. Thechurch, begun in the 14thcentury, was built over thetombs of St Felix and StNarcissus, both patrons of thecity. Next to the high altar areeight Roman sarcophagi.

Despite their name, thenearby Banys Àrabs (ArabBaths), lit by a fine octagonallantern, were built in the late12th century, about 300 yearsafter the Moors had left.

E Centre Bonastruc ÇaPortaCarrer de la Força 8. § 972 21

67 61. # daily. ¢ 1 & 6 Jan, 25 &

26 Dec. & 7This centre charts the history ofJews in Girona. The buildings itoccupies in the maze of alley-ways and steps in the old townwere once part of El Call, theJewish ghetto, which was in-habited by the city’s Jews fromthe late 9th century until theirexpulsion from Spain in 1492.

R CatedralGirona Cathedral’s west face ispure Catalan Baroque, but therest of the building is Gothic.The single nave, built in 1416by Guillem Bofill, possessesthe widest Gothic span in theChristian world. Behind thealtar is a marble throne knownas “Charlemagne’s Chair”. It isnamed after the Frankish king

NEW TOWN

KEY

Parking

GIRONA TOWN CENTRE

Banys Arabs 2Catedral 4Centre Bonastruc Ça Porta 7Església de Sant Feliu 3Església de Sant Pere de

Galligants 1Museu d’Art 5Museu d’Història

de la Ciutat 6

0 metres

0 yards

250

250

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CALL

9 9C A T A L O N I A

Rainy Taxi, a monument in the

garden of the Teatre-Museu Dalí

Tapestry of The Creation

whose troops took Girona in785. In the chancel is a 14th-century jewel-encrusted silverand enamel altarpiece, the bestexample in Catalonia. Amongthe fine Romanesque paintingsand statues in the cathedral’smuseum are a 10th-centuryilluminated copy of St Beatusof Liébana’s Commentary onthe Apocalypse, and a 14th-century statue of the Catalanking, Pere the Ceremonious.

The collection’s most famousitem is a tapestry, called TheCreation, decorated with livelyfigures. The rich colours ofthis large 11th- to 12th-centurywork are well preserved.

E Museu d’ArtPujada de la Catedral 12. § 972 20

95 36. # 10am–7pm Tue –Sat,

10am–2pm Sun. ¢ 1 & 6 Jan, 25 &

26 Dec. & 7 This gallery holds works fromthe Romanesque period to the20th century. The many itemsfrom churches ruined by waror neglect tell of the richnessof church interiors long ago.

Figueres rGirona. * 35,000. £ c n Plaça

del Sol (972 50 31 55). ( Thu. _Santa Creu (3 May), Sant Pere (29 Jun).

∑ www.figueresciutat.com

F IGUERES IS THE market townof the Empordà plain.

Beside the plane-tree-shadedRambla is the former Hotel deParis, now home to theMuseu de Joguets (ToyMuseum). At the bottom ofthe Rambla is a statue ofNarcís Monturiol i Estarriol(1819–95) who, it is said,invented the submarine.

Figueres was the birthplaceof Salvador Dalí, who in 1974turned the town theatre intothe Teatre-Museu Dalí. Underits glass dome are works byDalí and other painters. Themuseum is a monument to Cat-alonia’s most eccentric artist.

ENVIRONS: The Casa-MuseuCastell Gala Dalí, 55 km (35miles) south of Figueres, is themedieval castle Dalí bought inthe 1970s. It contains some ofhis paintings. East of Figueresis the Romanesque monastery,Sant Pere de Rodes (see p21).

E Museu del JoguetC/ Sant Pere 1. § 972 50 45 85.

# Jun–Sep: daily; Oct–May: Tue–

Sun. & 7E Teatre-Museu DalíPl Gala-Salvador Dalí S. § 972 67 75 00.

# Jul–Sep: daily; Oct–Jun: Tue –Sun.

¢ 1 Jan, 25 Dec. & 8 by

appointment. ∑ www.salvador-dali.orgE Casa-Museu Castell Gala DalíC/ Gala Dalí, Púbol (La Pera). § 972 48

86 55. # mid-Mar–Nov: Tue–Sun;

Dec–mid-Mar: only for groups by

E Museu d’Història de la CiutatCarrer de la Força 27. § 972 22

22 29. # Tue–Sun. ¢ 1 & 6 Jan,

25 & 26 Dec.

The city’s history museum isin an 18th-century formerconvent. Recesses where thedecomposing bodies of mem-bers of the Capuchin Orderwere placed can still be seen.Exhibits include old sardana(see p111) instruments.

E Museu del CinemaCarrer Sèquia 1. § 972 41 27 77.

# Tue –Sun. ¢ 1 & 6 Jan, 25 & 26

Dec. & 8 7 Next to Església de Mercadel,this collection includes filmand artifacts from the mid-19thcentury to the present day.

THE ART OF DALÍ

Salvador Dalí i Domènech was born inFigueres in 1904 and mounted his first

exhibition at the age of 15. Afterstudying at the Escuela de BellasArtes in Madrid, and dabbling withCubism, Futurism and Metaphysicalpainting, the young artist embraced

Surrealism in 1929, becoming themovement’s best-known painter. Never

far from controversy, the self-publicist Dalí became famousfor his hallucinatory images – such as Woman-AnimalSymbiosis – which he described as “hand-painted dreamphotographs”. Dalí’s career also included writing and film-making, and established him as one of the 20th century’sgreatest artists. He died in his home town in 1989.

Ceiling fresco in the Wind Palace Room, Teatre-Museu Dalí

C A T A L O N I A

Cadaqués tGirona. * 2,000. c n Carrer

Cotxe 2 (972 25 83 15). ( Mon.

_ Fiesta major de Verano (first week

of Sep), Santa Esperança (18 Dec).

THIS PRETTY resort is over-looked by the Baroque

Església de Santa Maria. Inthe 1960s it was dubbed the“St Tropez of Spain”, due tothe young crowd that soughtout Salvador Dalí in nearbyPort Lligat. For six months ofthe year, from 1930 until hisdeath in 1989, Dalí lived herewith his wife Gala.

Today their much modifiedhouse, which expanded farbeyond their original fisher-man’s cabin, is known as theCasa-Museu Salvador Dalí.Managed by the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation, the museum and its contentsprovide a unique interpret-ation of the artist’s life andinspiration.

E Casa-Museu Salvador DalíPort Lligat. § 972 25 10 15. ` 972

25 10 83. # booking advised &

The old town was foundedby the Greeks in 600 BC as atrading port. It was built onwhat was a small island, and isnow the site of the tiny hamletof Sant Martí de Empúries. In550 BC this was replaced by alarger new town on the shorewhich the Greeks namedEmporion, meaning “tradingplace”. In 218 BC, the Romanslanded at Empúries and builta city next to the new town.

A nearby museum exhibitssome of the site’s finds, butthe best are in Barcelona’sMuseu Arqueològic (see p80).

An excavated Roman pillar in the

ruins of Empúries

Peratallada uGirona. * 150. n C/Unió 3,

Ajuntament de Flacá, Vulpelac (972 64

55 22). _ Feria Peratallada (last week-

end in Apr), Festa Major (6 & 7 Aug),

Medieval Market (first weekend in Oct).

THIS TINY VILLAGE is the mostspectacular of the many

that lie a short inland trip fromthe Costa Brava. Together withPals and Palau Sator it formspart of the ‘Golden Triangle’of medieval villages. Its moun-tain-top position gives somedramatic views of the area. Alabyrinth of cobbled streetswind up to the well-conservedcastle and look out tower,whose written records datefrom the 11th century. Peratall-ada’s counts and kings madedoubly sure of fending offany attackers by constructinga sturdy wall enclosing theentire village that even todaylimits the nucleus fromfurther expansion, ensuring itretains its medieval character.

Looking south along the Costa Brava from Tossa de Mar

Blanes oGirona. * 30,000. £ c n Plaça

de Catalunya 21 (972 33 03 48).

( Mon. _ Santa Ana (26 Jul).

∑ www.blanes.net

THE WORKING PORT of Blaneshas one of the longest

beaches on the Costa Brava.However, the highlight of thetown is the Jardí BotànicMar i Murtra. These gardens,designed by the German KarlFaust in 1928, are spectacu-larly sited above cliffs. Thereare around 7,000 species ofMediterranean and tropicalplants, including African cacti.

O Jardí Botànic Mar i MurtraPg Karl Faust 10. § 972 33 08 26.

# daily. ¢ 1 & 6 Jan, 24 & 25 Dec.

Surrealist decoration on one of the buildings of the Teatre-Museu Dalí in Figueres

Empúries yGirona. c L’Escala. § 972 77 06 03.

# Easter, Jun–Sep: 10am –8pm daily;

Oct–May: 10am–6pm daily. & ruins.

THE EXTENSIVE ruins of thisGreco-Roman town (see

p37) occupy an imposing sitebeside the sea. Three separatesettlements were built betweenthe 7th and 3rd centuries BC:the old town (Palaiapolis); thenew town (Neapolis); and theRoman town.

1 0 2

Tossa de Mar iGirona. * 4,000. c n Avinguda

Pelegrí 25 (972 34 01 08). ( Thu. _Festa de hivern (22 Jan), Festa de estiu

(29 Jun). ∑ www.infotossa.com

AT THE END of a tortuous cor-niche, the Roman town of

Turissa is one of the prettiestalong the Costa Brava. Abovethe modern town is the VilaVella (old town), a protectednational monument. Themedieval walls enclose fisher-men’s cottages, a 14th-centurychurch and countless bars.

The Museu Municipal inthe old town exhibits localarchaeology and modern art.

E Museu MunicipalPlaça Roig y Soler 1. § 972 34 07 09.

# daily in summer. &

C A T A L O N I A

The Costa Brava

THE COSTA BRAVA (“wild coast”) runsfor some 200 km (125 miles) from

Blanes northwards to the region ofEmpordà, which borders France. It is amix of rugged cliffs, pine-backed sandycoves, golden beaches and crowded,modern resorts. The busiest resorts –Lloret de Mar, Tossa de Mar and Platja

d’Aro – are to the south. Sant Feliu deGuíxols and Palamós are still workingtowns behind the summer rush. Justinland there are medieval villages toexplore, such as Peralada, Peratalladaand Pals. Wine, olives and fishingwere the mainstays of the area beforethe tourists came in the 1960s.

Cadaqués retains an air of seclusion as it isaccessible only by a steep road. It has an artyatmosphere and its small, stony beaches arerelatively unspoiled and uncrowded.

L’Estartit is a good base for the IllesMedes, a former pirates’ lair, whichnow form a marine reserve withclear waters perfect for skin diving.

Roses lies at the head of a sweeping bay. Itssandy beach, the longeston the Costa Brava, hasbecome a mecca forlovers of water sports.

L’Escala is a smallresort, popular mainlywith local tourists. Ithas fine beaches and asmall port where fishingnets dry in the sun.

Begur is a hilltop town justinland. It has good viewsof the coast, and small covesare tucked at its feet.

Llafranc, a whitewashedresort, with a promenadeleading to neighbouringCalella, is one of the coast’smost pleasant resorts.

Palamós is a working port withmodern hotels to the south, andsecluded beaches and coves lappedby clear water to the north.

Platja d’Aro’s long and sandybeach is lined with modernhotels. It is one of the mostpopular resorts on the coast.

Tossa de Mar has agolden beach in asmall cove beneaththe fortified old town.

Lloret de Mar has morehotels than anywhere elseon the coast. But there areunspoiled beaches nearby,such as Santa Cristina.

1 0 31 0 3

• Platja d’Aro

•

Sant Feliu de Guixols

•

Tossa de Mar

• Lloret de Mar

•

Blanes

• S’Agaró

• Llafranc

• Begur

• L’Estartit

Illes Medes

• L’Escala

• Roses

• Cadaqués

• Palamós

• Calella de Palafrugell

0 kilometres

0 miles

10

5

1 0 4 C A T A L O N I A

THE “SERRATED MOUNTAIN” (mont serrat), itshighest peak rising to 1,236 m (4,055 ft),

is a superb setting for Catalonia’s holiestplace, the Monastery of Montserrat, whichis surrounded by chapels and hermits’ caves.The monastery was first mentioned in the9th century, enlarged in the 11th century, andin 1409 became independent of Rome. In1811, when the French attacked Cataloniain the War of Independence (see p41), themonastery was destroyed. Rebuilt andrepopulated in 1844, it was a beacon ofCatalan culture during the Franco years.Today Benedictine monks live here. Visitorscan hear the Escolania singing the Salve

Regina y Virolai (the Montserrat hymn) at 1pm and7:10pm every day (Sundays noon only), except in Julyand during the Christmas period, in the basilica.

Monestir de Montserrat p

STAR FEATURES

. Basilica Façade

. Black Virgin

A Benedictinemonk

Plaça de Santa MariaThe focal points of the squareare two wings of the Gothiccloister built in 1477. Themodern monastery façadeis by Francesc Folguera.

The Museum has a collection of19th- and 20th-century Catalanpaintings and many Italian andFrench works. It also displays

liturgical items from the Holy Land.

The Way of the CrossThis path passes 14 statuesrepresenting the Stations ofthe Cross. It begins near thePlaça de l’Abat Oliba.

View of MontserratThe complex includes cafés and a hotel.A second funicular transports visitorsto nature trails above the monastery.

Funicular to the holysite of Santa Cova

Gothic cloister

THE VIRGIN OF MONTSERRAT

The small wooden statue of La Moreneta(the dark maiden) is the soul of Montserrat.It is said to have been made by St Lukeand brought here by St Peter in AD 50.Centuries later, the statue is believed to

have been hidden from the Moors inthe nearby Santa Cova (Holy Cave).Carbon dating suggests, however, thatthe statue was carved around the 12thcentury. In 1881 Montserrat’s BlackVirgin became patroness of Catalonia.

1 0 5C A T A L O N I A

The blackened Virgin of Montserrat


Montserrat (Barcelona province).§ 93 877 77 77. £ Aeri de

Montserrat, then cable car;

Monistrol-Enllaç, then rack railway.

c from Barcelona. Basilica

# Oct–Jun: 7:30am–7:30pm

daily; Jul–Sep: 7:30am–8:15pm

daily. 5 from 9am Mon–Fri,

from 7:30am Sat, from 8am

Sun & religious hols. 8 Museum # 10am– 6pm Mon–

Fri, 9:30am–6:30pm Sat–Sun &

public hols. & 7 8

Cable car to Aeri deMontserrat station

Inner CourtyardOn one side of the courtyardis the baptistry (1902), withsculptures by Carles Collet. A door on the right leadstowards the Black Virgin.

The rack railway, opened in2003, follows the course of ahistoric rail line built in 1880.

Basilica InteriorThe sanctuary in the domedbasilica is adorned by arichly enamelled altar andpaintings by Catalan artists.

. Black VirginLa Moreneta looks down frombehind the altar, protectedbehind glass; her wooden orbprotrudes for pilgrims to touch.

. Basilica FaçadeAgapit and VenanciVallmitjana sculptedChrist and the Apostleson the basilica’s Neo-Renaissance façade.It was built in 1900to replace the Plater-esque façade of theoriginal church,consecrated in 1592.

1 0 6 C A T A L O N I A

Vic aBarcelona. * 32,000. £ c n C/

Ciutat 4 (93 886 20 91). ( Tue & Sat.

_ Mercat del Ram (Sat before Easter),

Sant Miquel (5–15 Jul), Música Viva (3

days mid-Sep), Mercat medieval (6–8

Dec). ∑ www.victurisme.com

MARKET DAYS are the best time to go to this small

country town. This is whenthe excellent local sausages(embotits), for which the areais renowned, are piled high inthe large Gothic Plaça Major,along with other produce from the surrounding plains.

In the 3rd century BC Vicwas the capital of an ancientIberian tribe, the Ausetans. Thetown was then colonized bythe Romans – the remains ofa Roman temple survive today.Since the 6th century the townhas been a bishop’s see. In the11th century, Abbot Oliva com-missioned El Cloquer tower,around which the cathedralwas built in the 18th century.The interior is covered withvast murals by Josep-MariaSert (1876 –1945, see p25).Painted in reds and golds,they represent Biblical scenes.

Adjacent to the cathedral isthe Museu Episcopal de Vic(see p21), which has one ofthe best Romanesque collec-tions in Catalonia. The largedisplay of mainly religious artand relics includes bright,simple murals and woodencarvings from rural churches.Also on display are 11th- and12th-century frescoes andsome superb altar frontals.

Solsona dLleida. * 7,000. c n Carretera de

Bassella 1 (973 48 23 10). ( Tue &

Fri. _ Carnival (Feb), Sant Isidro

(closest weekend to 15 May), Corpus

Christi (May/Jun), Festa major (8–11

Sep). ∑ www.elsolsonesinvita.com

NINE TOWERS and three gate-ways remain of Solsona’s

fortifications. Inside is an anci-ent town of noble mansions.The cathedral houses a beau-tiful black stone Virgin. TheMuseu Diocesà i Comarcalcontains Romanesque paint-ings and the Museu Ganivetshas a fine knife collection.

E Museu Diocesà i ComarcalPlaça del Palau 1. § 973 48 21 01.

# Tue–Sun. 7 E Museu del GanivetLlobera 14. § 973 48 15 69.

# Tue–Sun. ¢ 25, 26 Dec, 6 Jan.

& 7

Cardona sBarcelona. * 6,000. c n Avinguda

Rastrillo (93 869 27 98). ( Sun. _Carnival (Feb), Festa major (second

Sun of Sep).

THIS 13TH-CENTURY, ruddy-stoned castle of the Dukes

of Cardona, constables to thecrown of Aragón, is set on thetop of a hill. The castle wasrebuilt in the 18th century andis now a luxurious parador(see p114). Beside the castleis an elegant, early 11th-century church, the Esglésiade Sant Vicenç.

The castle gives views ofthe town and of the Muntanyade Sal (Salt Mountain), a hugesalt deposit beside the RiuCardener that has been minedsince Roman times.

Lleida fLleida. * 112,000. £ c n Avda

de Madrid 36 (973 27 09 97). ( Thu

& Sat. _ Sant Anastasi (11 May),

Sant Miquel (29 Sep).

∑ www.lleidatur.es

DOMINATING LLEIDA, the capital of Catalonia’s only

inland province, is La Suda, afort, now in ruins, taken fromthe Moors in 1149. The cathe-dral, founded in 1203, lieswithin the fort’s walls, abovethe town. It was transformedinto barracks by Felipe V in1707. Today it is desolate, butremains imposing, with mag-nificent Gothic windows.

A lift descends from La SeuTwelfth-century altar frontal, Museu Episcopal de Vic

Cardona dominating the surrounding area from its hilltop site

E Museu EpiscopalPlaça Bisbe Oliba, 3. § 93 886 93

60. # Tue–Sun. & 7 8

1 0 71 0 7C A T A L O N I A

Santes Creus jTarragona. * 150. c n Plaça de

Sant Bernard 1 (977 63 83 01). (Sat & Sun. _ Santa Llúcia (13 Dec).

THE TINY VILLAGE of SantesCreus is home to the pret-

tiest of the “Cistercian triangle”

monasteries. The other two,Vallbona de les Monges andPoblet, are nearby. TheMonestir de Santes Creuswas founded in 1150 byRamon Berenguer IV (see p38)during his reconquest ofCatalonia. The Gothic cloistersare decorated with figurativesculptures, a style first permit-ted by Jaume II, who ruledfrom 1291 to 1327. His tombis in the 12th-century churchwhich features a rose window.

R Monestir de Santes Creus§ 977 63 83 29. # Tue –Sun &

public hols. ¢ 1 Jan, 25 Dec. & 78 by appointment.

Vilafranca delPenedès kBarcelona. * 35,000. £ c n Carrer Cort 14 (93 892 12 54).

( Sat. _ Fira de Mayo (2nd week

of May), Festa major (end Aug).∑ www.ajvilafranca.es/turisme

THIS MARKET TOWN is set inthe heart of Penedès, the

main wine-producing region ofCatalonia. The Museu del Vi(Wine Museum) documentsthe history of the area’s winetrade. Local bodegues can bevisited for wine tasting.

Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, thecapital of Spain’s sparklingwine, cava (see pp28 –9), is 8 km (5 miles) to the north.

E Museu del ViPlaça de Jaume I. § 93 890 05 82.

# Tue –Sun & public hols. &

Vella to the Plaça de Sant Joanin the busy, pedestrianizedshopping street that sweepsround the foot of the hill. Thenew cathedral is here, as isthe reconstructed 13th-centurytown hall, the Paeria.

Poblet gSee pp108–9.

Montblanc hTarragona. * 6,000. £ c nAntigua Iglesia de Sant Francesca (977

86 17 33). ( Tue & Fri. _ Festa

major (8–11 Sep).

THE MEDIEVAL grandeur ofMontblanc lives on within

its walls – possibly Catalonia’sfinest piece of military archi-tecture. At the Sant Jordi gateSt George allegedly slew thedragon. The Museu Comarcalde la Conca de Barberà hasdisplays on local crafts.

E Museu Comarcal de la Conca de BarberàCarrer de Josa 6. § 977 86 03 49.

# Tue–Sun & public hols. &

Monestir de Santes Creus, surrounded by poplar and hazel trees

Anxaneta climbing to the top

of a tower of castellers

HUMAN TOWERS

The province of Tarragonais famous for its castellerfestivals, in which teams ofmen stand on each other’sshoulders in an effort tobuild the highest humantower (castell). Configura-tions depend on the num-ber of men who form thebase. Teams wear similarcolours, and often havenames denoting their hometown. The small boy whohas to undertake theperilous climb to the top,where he makes the signof the cross, is called theanxaneta. Castellersassemble in competitionfor Tarragona province’smajor festivals throughoutthe year. In the wine townof Vilafranca del Penedèsthey turn out for SantFèlix (30 August), and inTarragona city for SantaTecla, its festa major on 23September. Rival teams inValls appear on St John’sDay (24 June), but strivefor their best achievementat the end of the tower-building season on StUrsula’s Day (21 October),when teams from all overCatalonia converge on thetown square.

1 0 8 C A T A L O N I A

Monestir de Poblet g

THE MONASTERY OF SANTA MARIA DE POBLET is a havenof tranquillity and a resting place of kings. It was

the first and most important of three sister monas-teries, known as the “Cistercian triangle” (see p107),that helped to consolidate power in Catalonia afterit had been recaptured from the Moors by RamonBerenguer IV. In 1835, during the Carlist upheavals,it was plundered and seriously damaged by fire.Restoration of the impressive ruins, largely complete,began in 1930 and monks returned in 1940.

1150 Poblet monastery foundedby Ramon Berenguer IV

1336–87 Reign of Pere the Ceremonious, whodesignates Poblet a royal pantheon

14th century Main cloister finished

1479 Juan II, last kingof Aragón, buried here

1812 Pobletdesecratedby Frenchtroops

1940 Monksreturn

1175 Founding of sis-ter monastery at Vall-bona de les Monges

Royal tombs1150 Santes Creus founded – third abbeyin Cistercian triangle

1196 AlfonsoII is the firstking to beburied here

1952 Tombsreconstructed.Royal remainsreturned

TIMELINE

The dormitory isreached by stairs fromthe church. The vast87-m (285-ft) gallerydates from the 13thcentury. Half of it is stillin use by the monks.

The 12th-centuryrefectory is avaulted hall withan octagonalfountain and apulpit.

View of PobletThe abbey, its buildings enclosedby fortified walls that have hardlychanged since the Middle Ages, isin an isolated valley near the RiuFrancolí’s source.

LibraryThe Gothic scriptorium wasconverted into a library inthe 17th century, when theDuke of Cardona donatedhis book collection.

Formerkitchen

Royaldoorway Museum

Wine cellar

Museum

13001100 1500 1700 1900

1835 Disentailment (p41) ofmonasteries. Poblet ravaged

1 0 9C A T A L O N I A

STAR FEATURES

. High Altar Reredos

. Royal Tombs

. Cloisters


Off N240, 10 km (6 miles) fromMontblanc. § 977 87 00 89.

£ L’Espluga de Francolí, then

walk or taxi. c # 10am–

12:30pm, 3–5:30pm daily.

¢ 1 Jan, 25 & 26 Dec. & 5 8am daily; 10am, 1pm &

6pm Sun & public hols. 0 ^

ChapterhouseThis perfectly square room,with slender columns, has

tiers of benches for themonks. It is paved

with the tombstonesof 11 abbots who

died between1393 and

1693.

Parlour cloister

Sant Estevecloister

. High Altar ReredosBehind the stone altar, supported by Romanesquecolumns, an impressivealabaster reredos fills theapse. It was carved byDamià Forment in 1527.

. Royal TombsThe tombs in the pantheon ofkings were begun in 1359. In1950 they were reconstructedby the sculptor Frederic Marès.

The Abbey Church,large and unadorned, with

three naves, is a typicalCistercian building.

Baroquechurchfaçade

. CloistersThe evocative, vaulted

cloisters were built in the12th and 13th centuries

and were the centre ofmonastic life. The capitalsare beautifully decorated

with carved scrollwork.

New sacristy

1 1 0 C A T A L O N I A

Sitges lBarcelona. * 20,000. £ c n C/ Sínia Morera 1 (93 894 50 04).

( Thu (in summer). _ Festa major

(22–27 Aug).

THERE ARE NO less than ninebeaches to choose from at

this seaside town. It has areputation as a gay resort butis just as popular withBarceloneses. Lively bars andrestaurants line its main boule-vard, the Passeig Marítim, andthere are many examples ofmodernista architecturescattered amongst the ‘70sapartment blocks. Modernistaartist Santiago Rusiñol (see p25)spent much time here and be-queathed his quirky collectionof ceramics, sculptures, paint-ing and ornate iron-work tothe Museu Cau Ferrat. It liesnext to Sitges’s landmark, the17th century church of SantBartomeu i Santa Tecla.

E Museu Cau Ferrat Carrer Fonollar. § 93 894 03 64.

# Tue –Sun. ¢ public hols. &

of Tarraconensis, the Romansused it as a base for the con-quest of the peninsula in the3rd century BC (see p37).

The avenue of RamblaNova ends abruptly on theclifftop Balcó de Europa, insight of the ruins of theAmfiteatre Romà and theruined 12th-century church ofSanta Maria del Miracle.

Nearby is the Praetorium, a Roman tower that was converted into a palace inmedieval times. It now housesthe Museu de la Romanitat.This displays Roman andmedieval finds, and givesaccess to the cavernouspassageways of the excavatedRoman circus, built in the 1stcentury AD. Next to thePraetorium is the MuseuNacional Arqueològic,containing the most importantcollection of Roman artifacts inCatalonia. It has an extensivecollection of bronze tools andbeautiful mosaics, including a

Port Aventura, south ofTarragona, is one of Europe’slargest theme parks and hasmany exotically-themedattractions, such as Polynesiaand Wild West. Cambrils andSalou to the south are the live-liest resorts – the others arelow-key, family holiday spots.

E Museu Pau CasalsAvinguda Palfuriana 59–61.

§ 977 68 42 76. # Tue –Sun.

G Port AventuraAutovia Salou–Vila-seca. § 977 77

90 00. # mid-Mar–6 Jan. & 7

Palm trees lining the waterfront at Sitges

The remains of the Roman amphitheatre, Tarragona

Costa Daurada zTarragona. £ c Calafell, Sant Vicenç

de Calders, Salou. n Tarragona (977

23 34 15). ∑ www.costadaurada.org

THE LONG. SANDY beaches ofthe Costa Daurada (Golden

Coast) run along the shores ofTarragona provine. El Vendrellis one of the area’s active ports.The Museu Pau Casals in SantSalvador (El Vendrell) is dedi-cated to the famous cellist.

Tarragona xTarragona. * 125,000. ~ £ cn Carrer Fortuny 4 (977 25 07 95).

( Tue & Thu. _ Sant Magí (19

Aug), Santa Tecla (23 Sep).

TARRAGONA IS NOW a major industrial port, but it has

preserved many remnants ofits Roman past. As the capital

1 1 11 1 1C A T A L O N I A

Head of Medusa. Among themost impressive remains arethe huge pre-Roman stoneson which the Roman wall isbuilt. An archaeological walkstretches 1-km (1,100-yd)along the wall.

Behind the wall lies the 12th-century cathedral, built on thesite of a Roman temple. Thisevolved over manycenturies, as seenfrom the blend ofstyles of the exterior.Inside is an alabasteraltarpiece of St Tecla,carved by Pere Joanin 1434. The 13th-century cloister hasGothic vaulting,but the doorway isRomanesque (seepp20 –21).

In the west oftown is a 3rd- to6th-century Chris-tian cemetery (askabout openingtimes in the archaeologicalmuseum). Some of the sar-cophagi were originally usedas pagan tombs.

ENVIRONS: The Aqüeducte deles Ferreres lies just outsidethe city, next to the A7 motor-way. This 2nd-century aque-duct was built to bring waterto the city from the Riu Gaià,30 km (19 miles) to the north.The Arc de Berà, a 1st-century triumphal arch on theVia Augusta, is 20 km (12miles) northeast on the N340.

The bustling, provincial townof Reus lies inland fromTarragona. Although its airportserves the Costa Daurada, it isoften overlooked by holiday-makers. However there is somefine modernista architecture tobe seen here, notably someearly work by Antoni Gaudíwho was born in Reus. ThePere Mata Psychiatric Institutewas designed by Domènech iMontaner before his master-piece, the Hospital de la SantaCreu i de Sant Pau (see p73).

E Museu NacionalArqueològic de TarragonaPlaça del Rei 5. § 977 23 62 09.

# Tue–Sun. & 7 ∑ www.mnat.esE Museu de la RomanitatPlaça del Rei. § 977 24 19 52.

# Tue–Sun. &

THE SARDANA

Catalonia’s national dance is more complicated than itappears. Its success depends on the dancers forming a circleand accurately counting the complicated short- and long-stepskips and jumps, which accounts for their serious faces. Musicis provided by a cobla, an 11-person band consisting of aleader playing a three-holed flute (flabiol) and a little drum(tamborí), five woodwind players and five brass players. Thesardana is performed during most festes and at specialday-long gatherings called aplecs. In Barcelona it is dancedevery Sunday evening at 8 in the Plaça de Sant Jaume.

Delta de L’Ebre vTarragona. £ Aldea. c Deltebre,

Aldea. n Deltebre (977 48 96 79).

∑ www.ebre.com/delta

THE DELTA of the Riu Ebre isa prosperous rice-growing

region and wildlife haven.Some 70 sq km (27 sq miles)have been turned into a naturereserve, the Parc Natural delDelta de L’Ebre. In Deltebrethere is an information centreand an interesting Eco-Museu,with an aquarium containingspecies found in the delta.

The main towns in the areaare Amposta and SantCarles de la Ràpita, both ofwhich serve as good bases forexploring the reserve.

The best places to see thevariety of wildlife are alongthe shore, from the Punta delFangar in the north to thePunta de la Banya in the south.Everywhere is accessible bycar except the Illa de Buda.Flamingoes breed on thisisland and, together with otherwater birds such as heronsand avocets, can be seen fromtourist boats that leave fromRiumar and Deltebre.

E Eco-MuseuCarrer Martí Buera 22. § 977 4896

79. # by appointment. & 7 8

Tortosa cTarragona. * 30,000. n Plaça del

Bimil.lenari (977 51 08 22). ( Mon.

_ Nostra Senyora de la Cinta (1st

week Sep). ∑ www.tortosa.altanet.org

ARUINED CASTLE and medievalwalls are clues to Tortosa’s

historical importance. Sited atthe lowest crossingpoint on the Riu Ebre,it has beenstrategically significantsince Iberian times. TheMoors held the cityfrom the 8th centuryuntil 1148. The oldMoorish castle, knownas La Suda, is all thatremains of theirdefences. It has nowbeen renovated as aparador (see p121).The Moors also builta mosque in Tortosain 914. Its founda-tions were used for

the present cathedral, on whichwork began in 1347. Althoughit was not completed for twocenturies, the style is pureGothic.

Tortosa was badly damagedin 1938–39 during one of thefiercest battles of the Civil War(see p43), when the Ebreformed the front line betweenthe opposing forces.

A group of sardana dancers captured in stone

Ruins of the Palaeo-

Christian Necropolis

T R AV E L L E R S ’N E E D S

W H E R E T O S TAY 114–121

R E S TAU R A N T S , C A F É S A N D B A R S 122–133

S H O P P I N G I N B A R C E L O N A 134–135

E N T E R TA I N M E N T I N B A R C E L O N A 136–137

S P O R T S A N D O U T D O O R AC T I V I T I E S 138–139

HOTEL GRADING ANDFACILITIES

THE DIFFERENT TYPES of hotelin Catalonia are denoted

by the blue plaques near theirdoors. These show a star-ratingwhich reflects the number andrange of facilities availablerather than quality of service.Hotels (H) and hotel-residències(HR) are graded from one tofive stars; motels (M), hostals(Hs ) and hostal-residències Hs R)from one to three stars; andpensions (P), with the simplestaccommodation, have one ortwo stars. Hotels, hostals,pensions and motels haverestaurants that are open tonon-residents. Hotel-residèn-cies and hostal-residències donot have full dining rooms,but some serve breakfast.

1 1 4 T R A V E L L E R S ’ N E E D S

W H E R E T O S TAY

CATALONIA HAS AN unrivalled variety of accommodationto offer visitors. The

Barcelona and Catalonia touristauthorities have complete list-ings of hotels, country housesand camp sites as well as inform-ation on a range of other options.In Barcelona you can stay in the mod-ern luxury of Spain’s highest skyscraper,

while on the coast you can try aself-catering holiday village (effi-ciencies) with all sorts of sportsand entertainments provided.Family-run cases de pagès, whichare stone-built farm or villagehouses or country manors, areCatalonia’s most distinctive alter-

native. Some of the best hotels in everyprice range are listed on pages 116 –21.

PARADORS

THERE ARE seven paradors inCatalonia – at Aiguablava,

Artíes, Cardona, Seu de Urgell,Vic, Vielha and Tortosa. Theyform part of Spain’s chain ofhigh-quality, government-runhotels in historic buildings, orin purpose-built, new buildingsin spectacular settings. Reser-vations for paradors can bemade through the Central deReservas (Madrid), KeytelInternational (London) andMarketing Ahead (New York).

Façade of the Hotel Lloret in Barcelona’s Rambla de Canaletes

prices per person). A doubleroom in a one-star hostal canbe as little as 18 euros a night;one in a five-star hotel will costmore than 150 euros a night.Prices vary according to region,season, day of the week orspecial feature such as a viewor balcony. The prices givenon pages 116–21 are based onmid-season or high (tourist)-season rates. Prices for roomsand meals are usually quotedwithout including VAT (IVA),currently seven per cent.

for a deposit when you book aroom. However, a deposit of20–25 per cent may be leviedfor bookings during peakperiods or for a stay of morethan a few nights. You maylose all or some of it if youcancel at less than a week’snotice. Most hotels will honoura booking only until 8pm. Ifyou are delayed, telephone totell them when to expect you.

When checking in you willbe asked for your passport oridentity card to comply withpolice regulations. It will nor-mally be returned as soon asyour details have been copied.

BOOKING AND CHECK-IN

HOTELS IN BARCELONA can be very busy during the

many trade fairs held all yearround, so booking in advanceis advisable. Off-season inrural Catalonia there is rarelyany need to book ahead, butif you want a room in a busyseason or in a particular hotelit is a good idea to do so.Resort hotels on the CostaBrava often close from autumnto spring. On the warmer CostaDaurada, hotels may have ashorter winter closing period.You will not normally be asked

PRICES AND PAYING

SPANISH LAW requires all hotelsto display their prices at

reception and in every room.As a rule, the higher the star-rating, the greater the price.Rates are almost invariablyquoted per room (but meal

The spacious and comfortable

interior of the parador at Vic

Christmas market in front of the cathedral, Barcelona

Sign for a luxuryfive-star hotel

1 1 5W H E R E T O S T A Y

RURAL ACCOMMODATION

CASES DE PAGÈS are Catalan farmhouses (masies) or

country houses that acceptvisitors. Some do B&B, somean evening meal or full board.Tourist offices have the Guiaresidències-casa de pagès,published by the Generalitatde Catalunya. You can bookdirectly or through Turisverd.

The Associació Fondes deCatalunya is a group of casesfonda (simple country hotels,offering wholesome regionalcuisine). The facility closes fortwo weeks during August, soif you plan to visit Catalonia inthat month, you should make areservation before setting off.

The Xarxa d’Albergs deCatalunya runs youth hostels,which also cater for adults andfamilies, and the Federaciód’Entitats Excursionistes deCatalunya runs mountainrefuges for hikers.

Solid, stone-built architecture typical of traditional Catalan farmhouses

PARADORS

Central de ReservasCalle Requena 3,

28013 Madrid.

§ 91 516 66 66.

` 91 516 66 57/ 66 58.

∑ www.parador.es

KeytelInternational 402 Edgware Road,

London W2 1ED.

§ 020 7402 8182 in UK.

` 020 7616 0317 in UK.

Marketing Ahead381 Park Av. Sth., Suite

718, New York, NY 10016.

§ 800 223 1356 (toll free).

` (212) 686 0271 in NY.

RURALACCOMMODATION

Associació Fondesde Catalunya Ramón Turró 63–65, 2 08005 Barcelona.

§ 902 314 249.

` 93 300 16 58.

∑ www.casafonda.com

Federació d’EntitatsExcursionistes deCatalunyaLa Rambla 41, 1er, 08002Barcelona.§ 93 412 07 77.

` 93 412 63 53.

∑ www.feec.org

Turisverd Plaça Sant Josep Oriol 4,08002 Barcelona.

§ 93 412 69 84.

∑ www.turisverd.com

Xarxa d’Albergs deCatalunyaCarrer Rocafort 116–122,08015 Barcelona.§ 93 483 83 63.

` 93 483 83 50.

∑ www.tujuca.com

SELF-CATERING

The IndividualTravellers’ Spain Bignor, Pulborough,West Sussex RH20 1QD.

§ 08700 780 194.

` 08700 780 190.

CAMPING

Associació de Càmp-ings de BarcelonaGran Via Corts Catalanes608, 3a, 08007 Barcelona.

§ 93 412 59 55.

` 93 302 13 36.

∑

www.campingsbcn.comDISABLEDTRAVELLERS

Federació ECOM Gran Via de les CortsCatalanes 562, principal,2a, 08011 Barcelona.§ 93 451 55 50.

` 93 451 69 04.

∑ www.ecom.es

SPANISH TOURISTOFFICES

UK22–23 Manchester Sq.,London W1U 3PX.§ 020 7486 8077.

∑ www.tourspain.co.uk

US666 Fifth Ave, Floor 35, New York, NY 10103.§ (212) 265 8822.

DIRECTORY

CAMP SITES

CATALONIA HAS over 300 campsites, classified as deluxe

(L), 1-star, 2-star, 3-star, or farm(M, càmpings-masia). All havebasic amenities, guards and asafe. Catalunya Càmpings,published by the Generalitat(see p142), is available fromtourist offices. Many sites in

Barcelona are groupedunder the Associació deCàmpings de Barcelona(which closes for threeweeks in August, so ringin advance). A campingcarnet from your homecamping association canbe used instead of apassport at sites and alsocovers you for third-

party insurance. Camping ispermitted only at official sites.

DISABLED TRAVELLERS

FEW HOTELS are well equippedfor disabled guests, although

some youth hostels are. TheFederació ECOM and Viajes2000 (see p143) will advise onhotels throughout Cataloniafor visitors with special needs.

SELF-CATERING

VILLAS AND apartments let bythe week are plentiful on

the Costa Daurada and CostaBrava. Aparthotels (orhotels-apartament) andresidències-apartamentare a new breed of self-catering accommodation(efficiencies). Rankedfrom one to four stars,each apartment has akitchen, but each com-plex also has a restaurantand often a swimmingpool and other facilities. Gene-ralitat de Catalunya touristoffices (see p142) and mosttravel agents have details of alltypes of villas and apartments.

Holiday (vacation) villages(ciutats de vacances), such asCala Montjoi and Club-HotelGiverola on the Costa Brava,are similar, but accommodationis in bungalows and includessports and entertainments.

Gites de Catalunya are superi-or country houses rented outon a week-by-week basis byTurisverd or The IndividualTravellers’ Spain. Manycases de pagès are also self-catering (run as efficiencies).

Sign for a

camp site

T R A V E L L E R S ’ N E E D S1 1 6

OLD TOWN

HOSTAL D’AVINYO. Map 5 B2. ∑ www.hostalavinyo.com ¡ 28Avinyo 42, 08002. § 93 318 79 45. ` 93 318 68 93.

This simple, recently renovated hotel has a very central position, near PortVell, La Ramblas and the Picasso Museum. Ù μ

HOSTAL FERNANDO. Map 5 A2. ∑ www.barcelona-on-line.es/fernando ¡ 50Ferran 31, 08002. § 93 301 79 93. ` 93 301 79 93.

Situated right in the heart of town, close to restaurants and shops, this hostaloffers basic, clean, good value rooms. Ù 7

HOTEL NERI. Map 5 A2. ∑ www.hotelneri.com ¡¡¡¡ 22Carrer de Sant Server 5, 08002. § 93 304 06 55. ` 93 304 03 37.

This 17th-century former palace in the Barri Gòtic offers an exclusivecombination of history, the avant-garde and glamour. There is internet accessin all rooms, a library, a solarium and a roof terrace. Ù z 0 μ

REMBRANDT. Map 5 A2. ∑ www.hostalrembrant.com ¡ 28 �Carrer de Portaferrissa 23, 08002. § 93 318 10 11. ` 93 318 10 11.

A clean, simple hotel in the Barri Gòtic, popular with students. A tiledcourtyard is a sitting area. Some bedrooms share bathrooms. Ù μ

ESPAÑA. Map 2 F3. ∑ www.hotelespanya.com ¡¡ 80Carrer de Sant Pau 9–11, 08001. § 93 318 17 58. ` 93 317 11 34.

Lluís Domènech i Montaner, the outstanding Modernista architect, designedthis hotel. The bedrooms are all modern. Ù z μ 7 0

HOTEL BANYS ORIENTALS. Map 5 B2. ∑ www.hotelbanysorientals.com ¡¡ 43Argenteria 37, 08003. § 93 268 84 60. ` 93 268 84 61.

Unique in the area, this hotel boasts a mix of designer interiors in an old build-ing. Situated in the popular Born district, it’s great value for money. Ù z 7 0

JARDÍ. Map 5 A2. $ [email protected] ¡¡ 40Plaça Sant Josep Oriol 1 (beside Plaça del Pi), 08002. § 93 301 59 00. ` 93 342 57 33.

A popular hotel overlooking a leafy square. Some bedrooms have beenrenovated and have good views; the others are cheaper. Ù z

LLORET. Map 5 A1. ¡¡ 56Rambla de Canaletes 125, 08002. § 93 317 33 66. ` 93 301 92 83.

There are views of the city from the foyer of this popular hotel near the Plaçade Catalunya – but streetside bedrooms can be noisy. Ù z μ

ATLANTIS. Map 2 F1. ∑ www.hotelatlantis-bcn.com ¡¡¡ 50 �Carrer de Pelai 20, 08001. § 93 318 90 12. ` 93 412 09 14.

This modern, inexpensive hotel is centrally located near the Plaça deCatalunya. The bedrooms have a range of facilities. Ù z μ 7

MESÓN CASTILLA. MAP 2 F1. ∑ www.mesoncastilla.com ¡¡¡ 57 � �Carrer de Valdonzella 5, 08001. § 93 318 21 82. ` 93 412 40 20.

A comfortable hotel, if a little old-fashioned, in a building with a Modernistafaçade near the Casa de la Caritat arts centre. Ù z μ 7

NOUVEL. Map 5 A1. ∑ www.hotelnouvel.com ¡¡¡ 54Carrer de Santa Anna 18–20, 08002. § 93 301 82 74. ` 93 301 83 70.

In a street off La Rambla, near the Plaça de Catalunya, this well managed,old-style hotel is tastefully decorated and furnished. Ù z μ

ORIENTE. Map 2 F3. $ [email protected] ¡¡¡ 142La Rambla 45-47, 08002. § 93 302 25 58. ` 93 412 38 19.

A former Franciscan friary makes a romantic setting for the recently restoredOriente. The cloister has been converted into a ballroom. Ù z μ 0

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Choosing a Hotel

THE HOTELS in this guide have been selected across awide price range for the excellence of their facilities,

location or character. Many have a highly recommendedrestaurant. The chart below first lists hotels in Barcelonaby area, followed by a selection in the rest of Catalonia.For more details on restaurants see pages 126 –131.

W H E R E T O S T A Y 1 1 7

For key to symbols see back flap

PARK HOTEL. Map 5 C3. ∑ www.parkhotelbarcelona.com ¡¡¡ 91 �Avda Marquès de l’Argentera 11, 08003. § 93 319 60 00. ` 93 319 45 19.

A rare gem of 1950s architecture, designed by Antonio Moragas in 1951 and wellpreserved during his son’s award-winning renovations in 1990. Ù z μ 7

SAN AGUSTÍN. Map 2 F3. ∑ www.hotelsa.com ¡¡¡ 75Plaça de Sant Agustí 3, 08001. § 93 318 16 58. ` 93 317 29 28.

An attractive hotel with a pleasant lounge and bar looking across a square.Some bedrooms are decorated with traditional Catalan furniture. Ù z μ 7

COLÓN. Map 5 B2. ∑ www.hotelcolon.es ¡¡¡¡ 145 �Avinguda de la Catedral 7, 08002. § 93 301 14 04. ` 93 317 29 15.

From the Colón’s front windows guests can watch the sardana, thetraditional Catalan folk dance, performed in the Plaça de la Catedral,opposite, on Sunday mornings. Ask for a room with a terrace. Ù z μ 0

HOTEL MONTECARLO. Map 5 A1. ∑ www.montecarlobcn.com ¡¡¡¡ 55 �La Rambla 124, 08002. § 93 412 04 04. ` 93 318 73 23.

This beautiful hotel in the centre of Barcelona occupies a former 19th-centurypalace. The interior is a mixture of classical and modern design. Ù z μ

ARTS. Map 6 E4. ∑ www.harts.es ¡¡¡¡¡ 482 � � �Carrer de la Marina 19–21, 08005. § 93 221 10 00. ` 93 221 10 70.

A modern, super-luxurious beachside hotel at the Port Olímpic in one ofSpain’s tallest buildings. Ù z μ 7 0

LE MERIDIEN. Map 5 A1. ∑ www.meridienbarcelona.com ¡¡¡¡¡ 212 �La Rambla 111, 08002. § 93 318 62 00. ` 93 301 77 76.

An elegant hotel on La Rambla, popular with rock and film stars. It has anenormous presidential suite and a business centre. Ù z μ 7 0

EIXAMPLE

FELIPE II. Map 3 C4. $ [email protected] ¡ 11Carrer de Mallorca 329, 08037. § 93 458 77 58. ` 93 207 21 04.

A basic, clean hotel in an old apartment block in the Eixample, with aparticularly fine antique elevator. Breakfast is not available. Ù μ

GRAN VIA. Map 3 A5. ∑ www.nnhotels.es ¡¡ 53 �Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 642, 08007. § 93 318 19 00. ` 93 318 99 97.

A hotel in a late 19th-century building with an ageing grandeur, north of thePlaça de Catalunya adjoining the Passeig de Gràcia. Ù z μ 7

HOSTAL CIUDAD CONDAL. Map 3 A4. ¡¡ 11 �Carrer de Mallorca 255, 08008. § 93 215 10 40. ` 93 487 04 59.

A modest hostal on one of Eixample’s most elegant streets. Rear rooms on thesecond floor are quieter than those closer to street level. No breakfasts. Ù μ

GRAN HOTEL HAVANA. Map 3 B5. ∑ www.granhotelhavana.com ¡¡¡ 145 �Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 647, 08010. § 93 412 11 15. ` 93 412 26 11.

Stunning light from a central glass atrium floods the avant-garde interior ofthis efficient and friendly hotel. Some rooms have a terrace. The priceincreases significantly on week days. Ù z μ 7 0

PRESTIGE PASEO DE GRACIA. Map 3 B4. ∑ www.prestigehotels.com ¡¡¡ 45Paseo de Gracia 62, 08007. § 93 272 41 80. ` 93 272 41 81.

Zen meets Modernism in this highly-stylised and very tasteful luxury hotelnear Gaudí’s most important buildings. Ù z 7

ALEXANDRA. Map 3 A4. ∑ www.hotel-alexandra.com ¡¡¡¡ 99 �Carrer de Mallorca 251, 08008. § 93 467 71 66. ` 93 488 02 58.

A stylish, modern interior behind a 19th-century façade sets the tone in thishotel, which is well equipped for business meetings. Ù z μ 7 0

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CREDIT CARDSIndicates which credit cards are accepted: AE AmericanExpress; DC Diners Club; MC MasterCard/Access; V VISAPARKINGParking provided by the hotel in a private car park or aprivate garage on the hotel site or very close by. Somehotels charge for use of private parking facilities.SWIMMING POOLHotel pool outdoors unless otherwise stated.GARDENHotel with garden, courtyard or terrace, often providingtables for eating outdoors.

Price categories for a standarddouble room per night, with tax,breakfast and service included:

¡ under 75 euros¡¡ 75–125 euros¡¡¡ 125–200 euros¡¡¡¡ 200–275 euros¡¡¡¡¡ over 275 euros

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CATALUNYA PLAZA. Map 5 A1. ∑ www.h10.es ¡¡¡ 46Plaça de Catalunya 7, 08002. § 93 317 71 71. ` 93 317 78 55.

A city-centre hotel popular with business people. The 19th-century building haslarge sitting rooms decorated with some intricate frescoes. Ù z μ 7 0

CONDES DE BARCELONA. Map 3 A4.∑ www.condesdebarcelona.com ¡¡¡¡ 183 � � �Passeig de Gràcia 73–75, 08008. § 93 467 47 80. ` 93 467 47 85 or 93 467 47 81.

This Modernista hotel has an impressive pentagonal lobby with a marblefloor, illuminated by a skylight. Book well in advance so as not to miss theaesthetic thrill. Ù z μ 7 0

DUCS DE BERGARA. Map 5 A1. ∑ www.hoteles-catalonia.es ¡¡¡¡ 149 � �Carrer de Bergara 11, 08002. § 93 301 51 51. ` 93 317 34 42.

A luxury hotel in an Modernista building, with original halls and stairways,just off the Plaça de Catalunya. It has spacious, well-furnished bedrooms andmodern public rooms. Ù z μ 7 0

CLARIS. Map 3 B4. ∑ www.derbyhotels.es ¡¡¡¡¡ 124 � � �Carrer Pau Claris 150, 08009. § 93 487 62 62. ` 93 215 79 70.

Antique kilims and elegant English and French furniture ornament this hoteloff the Passeig de Gràcia. It occupies the converted Vedruna Palace and has aprivate museum of pre-Columbian art. Ù z μ 7 0

GALLERY. Map 3 A3. ∑ www.galleryhotel.com ¡¡¡¡¡ 110 � �Carrer Rosselló 249, 08008. § 93 415 99 11. ` 93 415 91 84.

A modern, efficient, comfortable hotel which is well situated and retains thepersonal atmosphere of a family-run business. An attractive terrace-gardenrestaurant leads into a public garden. Rooms are soundproofed.Ù z μ 7 0

GRAN HOTEL CALDERÓN. Map 3 A5. ∑ www.nh-hotels.com ¡¡¡¡ 253 � � �Rambla de Catalunya 26, 08007. § 93 301 00 00. ` 93 412 41 93.

A modern hotel near the Plaça de Catalunya with spacious, comfortable rooms,indoor and rooftop pools, and a good restaurant. Ù z μ 7

MAJESTIC. Map 3 A4. ∑ www.hotelmajestic.es ¡¡¡¡¡ 303 � � �Passeig de Gràcia 68, 08007. § 93 488 17 17. ` 93 488 18 80.

A hotel in Neo-Classical style in a chic street (adjoining the Carrer de València).The bedrooms are well equipped and soundproofed. Ù z μ 7 0

RITZ. MAP 3 B5. ∑ www.ritzbcn.com ¡¡¡¡¡ 122 � �Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 668, 08010. § 93 510 11 30. ` 93 318 01 48.

The most elegant of Barcelona’s grand hotels, recently refurbished.The large, luxurious bedrooms are decorated in classic style.Ù z μ 0

FURTHER AFIELD

LES CORTS: Gran Derby. ∑ www.derbyhotels.es ¡¡¡ 41 � � �Carrer de Loreto 28, 08029. § 93 322 20 62. ` 93 419 68 20.

Attractive suites are the only accommodation offered here. There is norestaurant; guests may dine in the Hotel Derby over the road. Ù z μ

PEDRALBES: Princesa Sofía Intercontinental. ¡¡¡¡¡ 500 � � �Plaça de Pius XII 4, 08028. § 93 508 10 00. ∑ www.barcelona-intercontinental.comA vast, luxury hotel decorated in marble, wood and bronze, with arestaurant, bar, and facilities for conferences. Rooms are cheaper onweekends and in summer. Ù z μ 7 0

SARRIA-SANT GERVASI: Rekor’d. ∑ www.hotelrekord.com ¡¡¡ 15 �Carrer de Muntaner 352, 08021. § 93 200 19 53. ` 93 414 50 84.

A small, modern hotel oriented towards business travellers in the uptownshopping area. Large rooms with office space. Some with mini-gym. Ù z μ 0

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CATALONIA

ANDORRA LA VELLA: Andorra Park Hotel. ∑ www.hotansa.ad ¡¡¡ 40 � � �Les Canals 24 (Andorra). § 376 87 77 77. ` 376 82 09 83.

One of Andorra’s most luxurious hotels, it is modern and built into a steep,wooded hillside. It has a library, a swimming pool hewn out of rock, and isbeside a department store. Ù μ 0

ARTIES: Parador Don Gaspar de Portolà. ∑ www.parador.es ¡¡¡ 57 � � �Ctra a Baqueira-Beret, 25599 (Lleida). § 973 64 08 01. ` 973 64 10 01.

A modern, warm, comfortable parador, near the Vall d’Aran ski resorts, idealfor après-ski rest. Beside it is a medieval chapel. Ù μ 7 0

AVINYONET DE PUIGVENTÓS: Mas Pau. ∑ www.maspau.com ¡¡ 20 � � �Despoblado, 17742 (Girona). § 972 54 61 54. ` 972 54 63 26.

A beautiful hotel in a 16th-century house, surrounded by wooded farmland.The bedrooms and suites open onto a garden. Ù z μ 7 0 ¢ 7 Jan–15 Mar.

BAQUEIRA-BERET: Royal Tanau. ∑ www.solmelia.com ¡¡¡¡ 30 � � �Carretera de Beret, 25598 (Lleida). § 973 64 44 46. ` 973 64 43 44.

A luxurious hotel in the Tanau skiing area, with a ski lift to the pistes. It has full après-ski facilities and apartments as well as rooms. Ù μ 7 0¢ May–Nov.

BEGUR: Aigua Blava. ∑ www.aiguablava.com ¡¡¡ 85 � � �Platja de Fornells, 17255 (Girona). § 972 62 20 58. ` 972 62 45 62.

A charming hotel on a small beach in an attractive spot on the Costa Brava. Ithas marvellous sea views. Ù z μ ¢ mid-Nov–mid-Feb.

BEUDA: Can Felicià. ∑ www.canfelicia.com ¡¡ 6 � � �Segueró, 17851 (Girona). § 972 59 05 23. ` 972 59 05 23.

Beautiful views make this charming, rural hotel in a former school a goodplace to stay. Simple, pleasing decor. Price includes home-cooked dinners. Ù

BOLVIR DE CERDANYA: Torre del Remei. ∑ www.relaischateaux.com ¡¡¡¡ 11 � � �Camí Reial, 17539 (Girona). § 972 14 01 82. ` 972 14 04 49.

An Art Nouveau mansion with a large garden has become a refined hotel fullof comforts, such as video players (VCRs) in bedrooms. Ù z μ 0

CADAQUÉS: Misty. ¡¡ 11 � � �Carretera Nova Port Lligat, 17488 (Girona). § 972 25 89 62. ` 972 15 90 90.

Three houses and a swimming pool surrounded by gardens make up this app-ealing hotel, one of the most unusual on the Costa Brava. Ù μ ¢ Jan–15 Mar.

CARDONA: Parador de Cardona. ∑ www.parador.es ¡¡¡ 54 � �Castell s/n (Cardona, Barcelona). § 93 869 12 75. ` 93 869 16 36.

This luxurious converted medieval castle dominates Cardona and has lovelyviews from its hillside setting. It has a fine Catalan restaurant. Ù z μ 7 0

CASTELLDEFELS: Gran Hotel Rey Don Jaime. ∑ www.grup-soteras.com ¡¡¡ 220 � � �Avinguda del Hotel 22, 08860 (Barcelona). § 93 665 13 00. ` 93 664 51 51.

This Mediterranean-style hotel has arches and white-washed walls. It is on ahilltop giving views over the coast. Ù z μ 7 0

CASTELLÓ D’EMPÚRIES: Allioli. ¡¡ 42 � � �Urbanització Castell Nou, 17486 (Girona). § 972 25 03 00. ` 972 25 03 00.

A 17th-century Catalan farmhouse, just off the main Roses–Figueres road. Therestaurant is popular for Sunday lunch among the locals. Ù z μ 7 0 ¢ Jan.

L’ESPLUGA DE FRANCOLÍ: Hostal del Senglar. ∑ www.hostaldelsenglar.com ¡ 40 � � �Pl de Montserrat Canals 1, 43440 (Tarragona). § 977 87 01 21. ` 977 87 01 27.

A three-storey, whitewashed hotel with a garden. A menu of delicious dishestraditional to the area is served in the restaurant. Ù μ 7 0

L’ESPLUGA DE FRANCOLÍ: Masia del Cadet. $ [email protected] ¡¡ 12 � � �Les Masies de Poblet, 43449 (Tarragona). § 977 87 08 69. ` 977 87 04 96.

An inexpensive hotel near the monastery of Poblet in a tastefully renovated,15th-century house. The bedrooms are austere and quiet. Traditional Catalanfood is served in the restaurant. Ù μ 7

LA GARRIGA: Blancafort. ∑ www.balnearioblancafort.com ¡¡ 56 � � �Carrer Banys 59, 08530 (Barcelona). § 93 871 46 00. ` 93 871 57 50.

A 19th-century hotel in a relaxing spa town near Barcelona. There are simplebedrooms and games facilities in the lounges. Ù z μ 7

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LA GARRIGA: La Garriga. ∑ www.termes.com ¡¡¡ 22 � � �Carrer Banys 23, 08530 (Barcelona). § 93 871 70 86. ` 93 871 78 87.

Affluent people from Barcelona have been taking the waters here since 1876.Children under 12 years old are not admitted to the hotel. Ù z μ 7 0

GRANOLLERS: Fonda Europa. ¡¡ 7Carrer Anselm Clavé 1, 08400 (Barcelona). § 93 870 03 12. ` 93 870 79 01.

This small hotel has been an inn for travellers since 1714. The bedrooms areon the second floor and are decorated in Art Deco style. Ù z μ 0

LLORET DE MAR: Santa Marta. ∑ www.hstamarta.com ¡¡¡¡ 78 � � �Platja Santa Cristina, 17310 (Girona). § 972 36 49 04. ` 972 36 92 80.

This hotel has tennis courts and other sporting facilities. It is set in a pinewood that extends down to a cove. Ù z μ 7 0 ¢ mid-Dec–1 Feb.

MONTSENY: Sant Bernat. ∑ www.husa.es ¡¡¡ 20 � � �Finca El Cot, Carretera de Santa María de Palautordera a Seva, Km 20.7, 08460(Barcelona). § 93 847 30 11. ` 93 847 32 20.

A big country house in the Serra de Montseny, with a façade cloaked ingreenery. There are beautiful grounds with lawns and a pond. Ù μ 0

PERAMOLA: Can Boix de Peramola. ∑ www.lugaresdivinos.com/p75.htm ¡¡ 41 � � �Afueras, 25790 (Lleida). § 973 47 02 66. ` 973 47 02 81.

This good-value, family-run hotel has rooms and apartments convenient forwalking in the Pyrenean foothills. Ù z μ 7 0 ¢ mid-Jan–mid-Feb, 1–15 Nov.

S’AGARÓ: Hostal de la Gavina. ∑ www.lagavina.com ¡¡¡¡¡ 74 � � �Plaça de la Rosaleda, 17248 (Girona). § 972 32 11 00. ` 972 32 15 73.

This elegant Mediterranean-style beach mansion is set in its own exclusive estate,with beautiful gardens and a sea water pool. Ù z μ 0 ¢ 15 Oct–Holy Week.

SA TUNA (BEGUR): Hotel Sa Tuna. ∑ www.hostalsatuna.com ¡¡ 5 �Platja Sa Tuna, 17255 (Girona). § & ` 972 62 21 98.

A simple, white-washed, small hotel on one of the Costa Brava’s prettiestcoves. Recent improvements by the grandson of the original owner have addedto its charms. Rooms with own terrace overlooking the bay. Ù 0 ¢ Oct–Mar.

SANTA CRISTINA D’ARO: Mas Torrellas. ¡¡ 17 � � �Carretera Sta Cristina-Platja d’Aro, 17246 (Girona). § 972 83 75 26. ` 972 83 75 27.

An 18th-century country house hotel. Its most comfortable bedroom is in adistinctive yellow tower, built at a later date. Ù z μ 0 ¢ 1 Nov–1 Mar.

SANTA PAU: Cal Sastre. ∑ www.calsastre.com ¡¡ 10 �Cases Noves 1, 17811 (Girona). § 972 68 01 32. ` 972 68 04 81.

This 18th-century rural house has been converted into a comfortable hotel. Ù μ 0 ¢ end Jun–mid-Feb.

SANT PERE DE RIBES: Els Sumidors. ∑ www.sumidors.com ¡¡ 9 � � �Carretera de Vilafranca Km 2.4, 08810 (Barcelona). § & ` 93 896 20 61.

On the slope of a hill, with views across the Penedès wine region, this rustic18th-century house has atmosphere and charm, but few luxuries. Ù 0

LA SEU D’URGELL: Parador de La Seu d’Urgell. ∑ www.parador.es ¡¡¡ 80 � � �Carrer Sant Domènec 6, 25700 (Lleida). § 973 35 20 00. ` 973 35 23 09.

Only the cloister, now used as the lounge, remains of a convent thatoccupied this site close to the 12th-century cathedral of La Seu. The diningroom and indoor swimming pool have glass ceilings. Ù z 7 0 μ

LA SEU D’URGELL: El Castell. ∑ www.hotelelcastell.com ¡¡¡¡ 38 � � �Carretera N260, Km 229, 25700 (Lleida). § 973 35 07 04. ` 973 35 15 74.

This sumptuous hotel is a low, modern building beneath the medieval castleof Seu d’Urgell. There are impressive views across the mountains of El Cadíand the ski slopes of Andorra are nearby. Ù z μ 0

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SITGES: La Santa María. ∑ www.lasantamaria.com ¡ 57 � �Passeig Ribera 52, 08870 (Barcelona). § 93 894 09 99. ` 93 894 78 71.

A cheery, modern hotel hidden behind an older moulded- plaster frontage.The restaurant has tables on the seafront. Ù z μ 7 0 ¢ 15 Dec–15 Feb.

SITGES: Romàntic. ∑ www.hotelromantic.com ¡¡ 70 �Sant Isidre 33, 08870 (Barcelona). § 93 894 83 75. ` 93 894 81 67.

Well-known in Sitges, this memorable hotel lives up to its name. Bedrooms aresimple, but attractively decorated with antiques and paintings. A gloriouslyshady garden is perfect for breakfast, and evening cocktails. Ù ¢ 1 Nov–1 Apr.

SITGES: Capri Veracruz. $ [email protected] ¡¡¡ 64 � �Avinguda de Sofia 13–15, 08870 (Barcelona). § 93 811 02 67. ` 93 894 51 88.

Built in the 1950s near the beach, in one of the quieter parts of Sitges, this hotelhas simple bedrooms, a family atmosphere and a games room. Ù z μ 7

SITGES: San Sebastián Playa. ∑ www.hotelsansebastian.com ¡¡¡¡ 51 � � �Carrer Port Alegre 53, 08870 (Barcelona). § 93 894 86 76. ` 93 894 04 30.

This new hotel on the beach near the old part of town has attentive staff andcomfortable bedrooms, as well as a restaurant and meeting rooms. Ù z μ 7

TARRAGONA: Lauria. ∑ www.hlauria.es ¡ 72 � � �Rambla Nova 20, 43004. § 977 23 67 12. ` 977 23 67 00.

A modern, functional hotel in the town centre and close to the sea, with anelegant entrance under balustraded stone stairs. Ù z μ

TAVÉRNOLES: El Banús. ∑ www.elbanus.com ¡¡¡¡ 3 � � �El Banús, 08519 (Barcelona). § 93 812 20 91. ` 93 888 70 12.

A small farmhouse, furnished with Banús family heirlooms, offering apartmentswith kitchens. The price here is for a weekend stay for four people. ¢ Nov–Mar.

TAVERTET: El Jufré. ¡ 8 �Tavertet, 08511 (Barcelona). § & ` 93 856 51 67.

This converted farmhouse with stunning mountain views has been in the samefamily for over 800 years. Warm, comfortable rooms have replaced the animalquarters. A perfect base for walking and exploring Osona. Ù ¢ 22 Dec–9 Jan.

TORRENT: Mas de Torrent. ∑ www.mastorrent.com ¡¡¡¡¡ 39 � � �Afueras, 17123 (Girona). § 972 30 32 92. ` 972 30 32 93.

A superbly converted, 18th-century country house in large, terraced gardens.It has magnificent views. Ù z μ 7 0

TORTOSA: Parador Castillo de la Zuda. ∑ www.parador.es ¡¡ 72 � � �Castillo de la Zuda, 43500 (Tarragona). § 977 44 44 50. ` 977 44 44 58.

A medieval Moorish castle makes a superb hilltop parador with views of thetown and valley of the Riu Ebre. Swimming pool in summer only. Ù z μ 0

TREDÒS: Hotel de Tredòs. ∑ www.hoteldetredos.com ¡¡ 45 � �Carretera a Baqueira-Beret, 25598 (Lleida). § 973 64 40 14. ` 973 64 43 00.

Skiers and mountain walkers find this hotel in the Vall d’Aran good value. Itis built of stone and slate in the local style. Ù μ 7 0 ¢ Oct, Nov & May, Jun.

VIC: Parador de Turismo de Vic. ∑ www.parador.es ¡¡ 39 � � �Paratge Bac de Sau, 08500 (Barcelona). § 93 812 23 23. ` 93 812 23 68.

This recently refurbished and comfortable parador, 14 km (9 miles) from Vic,has magnificent views over the Sau reservoir. A peaceful retreat amid pineforests and dramatic rock formations. Swimming pool in summer. Ù z μ 7

VIELHA (VIELLA): Parador Valle de Arán. ∑ www.parador.es ¡¡¡ 118 � � �Carretera Pont de Suert, 25530 (Lleida). § 973 64 01 00. ` 973 64 11 00.

This modern parador has a semicircular lounge dominated by a largewindow from which there are magnificent mountain views. Ù z μ 7 0

VILADRAU: Hostal de la Glòria. $ [email protected] ¡¡ 23 � � �Carrer Torreventosa 12, 17406 (Girona). § 93 884 90 34. ` 93 884 94 65.

A hotel with a family atmosphere in a traditional Catalan house above theSerra de Montseny. It is full of copper pots.Ù μ 0 ¢ three weeks at Christmas.

VILANOVA I LA GELTRÚ: César. ∑ www.hotelcesar.net ¡¡ 36 � �Carrer Isaac Peral 8, 08800 (Barcelona). § 93 815 11 25. ` 93 815 67 19.

This hotel, near the Ribes Roges beach, is owned by two sisters who paygreat attention to detail, from the furniture and the fabrics in the bedroomsto the well-known restaurant. Ù z μ 0 7

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EATING OUT remains both acommon practice and one of the convivial joys

of life in Catalonia. Catalans areproud of their regional cuisineand expect to eat well in restau-rants, not only at celebratorydinners, but also at work-daymeal breaks or at family Sunday lunchesout. Country restaurants in particular are packed on Sundays. Barcelona has

an unusually large number ofrestaurants. From the sophis-ticated feast to the simpletapa, fresh ingredients areusually in evidence asCatalans tend to despise con-venience food. The restau-rants and cafés listed on pages

126–33 have been selected for their foodand atmosphere. Pages 26 –7 and 124–5illustrate some of Catalonia’s best dishes.

Wall tile advertising a

Barcelona restaurant

Bodegues are bars that specialize

in wines and do not serve food

RESTAURANTS AND BARS

BARCELONA AND Catalonia possess some of Spain’s

best restaurants, testifying tothe quality of Catalan cooking,but the cheapest and quickestplaces to eat are the bars andcafés that serve tapes (tapas).Some bars, however, especiallypubs (late-opening bars forsocializing) do not serve food.

Family-run bars i restaurants,hostals and fondes – old Cat-alan words for the varioustypes of inn – serve inexpen-sive, sit-down meals. Xirin-guitos are beachside bars that are open only during the busy summer season.

Most restaurants close oneday a week, some for lunchor dinner only, and most foran annual holiday. They alsoclose on some public holidays.The main closing times of therestaurants on pages 126 – 31are listed at the end of eachentry. Always check the open-ing times, however, whenphoning to book a table.

EATING HOURS

CATALANS, in common with other Spaniards, often eat

a light breakfast (el esmorzar)of biscuits or toast with butterand jam and cafè ambllet (milky coffee),then follow with asecond breakfast orsnack between 10 and11am, perhaps in acafé. This may consistof a croissant, or anentrepà (sandwich)with sausage, ham orcheese, or a slice ofthe ubiquitous truitade patates (potatoomelette). Fruit juice,coffee or beer are theusual accompaniments.

From about 1pm onwards,people will stop in the barsfor a beer or an aperitivo withtapas. By 2pm those who canwill have arrived home fromwork for dinar (lunch), whichis the main meal of the day.Others will choose to havelunch in a restaurant.

The cafés, salons de te (tearooms) and pastisseries (pastryshops) fill up by about 5:30 or

HOW TO DRESS

AJACKET AND TIE are rarelyrequired, but Catalans

dress smartly, especially for cityrestaurants. Day dress is casualin beach resorts, but shorts arefrowned on in the evenings.

Eating out at Barcelona’s Port Olímpic, a busy venue all year round

R E S TAU R A N T S , C A F É S A N D B A R S

6pm for el berenar (tea) ofsandwiches, pastries or cakes,with coffee, tea or fruit juice.Snacks such as xurros (fried,sugar-coated batter sticks) canalso be bought from stalls.

By 7pm, bars are crowdedwith people having tapas

with sherry, wine or beer.In Catalonia el sopar

(dinner or supper),begins at about 9pm.However, restaurantssometimes begin serv-ing earlier for tourists.In summer, however,families and groups offriends often do not sitdown to dinner untilas late as 11pm. Atweekend lunch times,

especially in the summer, youwill often find that restaurantsare filled by large and noisyfamily gatherings.

Decoration,

Barcelona bar

R E S T A U R A N T S , C A F É S A N D B A R S 1 2 3

Outdoor tables at a cafeteria in Cadaqués on the Costa Brava

PRICES AND PAYING

IF YOU ORDER from la cartain a restaurant, your bill can

soar way above the price ofthe menú del dia, especially ifyou order pricey items, suchas fresh seafood, fish or ibéricoham. If there is an expensivefish such as sole or swordfishon the menu at a bargainprice, it may be frozen. Seabass and other popular fishand shellfish, such as largeprawns, lobster and crab, aregenerally priced by weight.

El compte (the bill) does notusually include service charges,but may include a small covercharge. Menu prices do notinclude seven per cent VAT(IVA), which is usually addedwhen the bill is calculated.Clients rarely tip waiters morethan five per cent, often justrounding up the bill.

Cheques are rarely used inrestaurants. Traveller’s chequesare usually accepted, but youmight not be given change.The major credit cards andinternational direct debitcards are now accepted inmost restaurants. However,do not expect to pay bycredit card in smaller eatingor drinking places like tapasbars, cafés, village hostalsroadside pubs or bodegues.

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS

SINCE RESTAURANTS are rarelydesigned for wheelchairs,

phone in advance (or ask thehotel staff to call) to check onaccess to tables and toilets.

Interior of Set Portes restaurant

(see p127), Port Vell, Barcelona

Las Torres de Ávila (see p137), a

distinctive Barcelona bar

WINE CHOICES

DRY FINO WINES are perfect with shellfish, sausage,

olives, soups and most firstcourses. Main dishes are oftenaccompanied by wines fromPenedès or Terra Alta (see p28)in Catalonia, or from Spain’sother wine areas such as Rioja,Ribera del Duero and Navarra.Oloroso wines are often drunkas a digestif. Cava (see pp28 –9)is popular for Sunday lunch.

SMOKING

IN FINE RESTAURANTS customersare offered cigars with their

coffee and brandy. Manypeople in Spain smoke andvery few restaurants have no-smoking areas or tables.

READING THE MENU

ASIDE FROM TAPAS, perhapsthe cheapest eating op-

tions in Catalan restaurantsare the fixed-price plats com-binats and the menú del dia.A plat combinat (meat or fishwith vegetables and, usually,fried potatoes) is offered onlyby cheaper establishments.Most restaurants – but not all –offer an inexpensive, fixed-price menú del dia, normallyof three courses, but withlittle choice. Some gourmetrestaurants offer a menú dedegustació consisting of achoice of six or seven of thehead chef’s special dishes.

The Catalan word for menuis la carta. It starts with sopes(soups), amanides (salads),entremesos (hors d’oeuvres),ous i truites (eggs and ome-lettes) and verdures i llegums(vegetable dishes).

Main courses are peix imarisc (fish and shellfish) andcarns i aus (meat andpoultry). Daily specials arechalked on a board or clippedto menus. Paella and otherrice dishes may be served asthe first course. A useful ruleis to follow rice with meat, orstart with fuet or secallona (twopopular types of sausage) orsalad and follow with paella.

Desserts are called postres.All restaurants offer fresh fruit,but otherwise the range ofpostres is often limited – per-haps the famous crema cata-lana (crème brûlée), or flam(crème caramel) and natillas(custard). Gourmet restaurantshave more creative choices.

Vegetarians are rather poorly catered for. Some vegetable,

salad and egg dishes will bevegetarian, but may containpieces of ham or fish, so askbefore you order.

All eating places welcomechildren and will serve smallportions if requested.


A Glossary of Typical Dishes

CATALAN CUISINE AT ITS BEST, using fresh food, is known as cuina de mercat

(market cuisine) and there is nowherebetter to see produce laid out than atBarcelona’s Boqueria market (see p135).

Peppers glisten, fish sparkle and no meatis wasted – even cock’s combs are sold forthe pot. Olives come in all sorts of varieties.

Spring brings calçot onions and broad (fava) beans, whilestrawberries, from Easter onwards, are eaten with cava.In autumn 30 varieties of mushroom spill across the stalls.

Olives

TAPES (TAPAS – SNACKS)

Bar-hopping around Barcelonais a delightful way to spendan evening, and a good wayto try the many local disheslaid out on the counters.Anxoves: anchovies.Escopinyes: cockles.Bunyols de bacallà: salt codfritters.Calamars a la romana: friedsquid rings.Pa amb tomàquet: breadrubbed with tomato, garlic andolive oil – a good filler.Panadons d’espinacs: smallspinach pasties or pies.Patatas bravas: potato chunksin spicy tomato sauce.Pernil: ham – leg of porkseasoned and hung to dry.Pescaditos: small fried fish.Popets: baby octopus.Truita: omelette. Truita de patates: traditionalpotato and onion omelette.

traditional hotpot; the meatand vegetables (carn i olla)are served as a main course. Gaspatxo: a clear, cold soupwith added raw vegetables.Sopa de farigola: thyme soup.Sopa de bolets: mushroomsoup.

MAIN DISHES

Methods of cooking are: a labrasa (over open flames);bullit (boiled); cremat (crisp

fried or caramelized);estofat (stewed); farcit(stuffed); al forn (inthe oven); a la graella/planxa (cooked on agriddle, pan-fried orbarbecued); a la pedra(on a hot stone).

PEIX I MARISCOS(FISH ANDSHELLFISH)

Allipebre d’anguiles:spicy eel stew. Anfós al forn: baked

stuffed grouper. Calamars farcits: squidstuffed with pork, tomatoesand onions.Cassola de peix: fishcasserole.Congre amb pèsols: congereel with peas.Escamarlans bullits: boiledDublin Bay prawns.Gambes a la planxa: prawnscooked on a griddle.Graellada de peix: mixedseafood grill. Llagosta a la brasa: lobstercooked over open flames. Llagostins amb maionesa:king prawns and mayonnaise.Llobarro al forn a rodanxes:baked, sliced sea bass.Lluç a la planxa: hakecooked on a griddle.Molls a la brasa: red mulletcooked over open flames.Orada a la sal: giltheadbream baked in salt, which isremoved on serving.Paella valenciana: paellawith chicken and seafood.Rap a l’all cremat: anglerfish with crisped garlic.Romesco de peix: seafoodwith the famous romescosauce (see p26). Tarragona’smaster romesco makerscompete each summer.Sarsuela: fish, shellfish andspices, everything goes into

Pa amb tomàquet (bread with

tomato), often served with ham

Produce at La Boqueria, Barcelona’s huge

covered market on La Rambla

Cargols a la llauna: snails ina spicy sauce.Empedrat: salad of salt codand white beans.Escalivada: char-grilled orroasted aubergines (eggplant)and peppers, all drizzled witholive oil. Espinacs a la catalana:spinach with pine nuts, raisinsand ham; sometimes madewith chard (bledes).Esqueixada: raw salt codsalad (see p27).Faves a la catalana: a broad(fava) bean stew of black pud-ding, bacon, onion and garlic.Fideus: noodles, usuallyserved with fish and meat.Garotes: raw sea urchins, fromthe Costa Brava, eaten withbread, garlic or spring onions.Musclos: mussels.Ous remenats ambcamasecs: scrambled eggswith wild mushrooms.Pa de fetge: liver pâté.Sardines escabetxades:pickled sardines.Xató: salt cod and tuna saladwith romesco sauce (see p26).

ENTRANTS (STARTERS)

These are often unusual dishesand two may be enough for ameal. Some may appear asmain courses. Amanida catalana: Catalanmixed salad (see p26). Arròs negre: black rice (seep26). Can be a main course.

SOPES (SOUPS)

Caldereta de llagosta: spinylobster soup.Escudella i carn d’olla: theliquid from Catalonia’s

1 2 5

CAÇA (GAME)

Although the hunting seasonis from October to February,some game is available allyear round, especially rabbit. Becada amb coc: woodcockin a bread roll. Civet de llebre: jugged hare.Conill a la brasa amb allioli:

rabbit with garlicmayonnaise. Conill amb cargols:

rabbit withsnails.Conill ambxocolata:rabbit with

garlic, liver,almonds, friedbread, chocolateand old wine.Estofat de porcsenglar amb

bolets: wild boar casserolewith wild mushrooms.Guatlles amb salsa demagrana: quail inpomegranate sauce.Perdiu: partridge.Perdius amb farcellets de col: partridge withcabbage dumplings.

VERDURES (VEGETABLES)

Albergínies: aubergines(eggplant). Bledes: chard.Bolets: mushrooms.Calçots: leek-sized greenonions, roasted on an open fireand dipped in a spicy tomatosauce. A spring-time specialityof the Tarragona region.Carbassó arrebossat:battered courgettes (zucchini).Carxofes: artichokes.Julivert: parsley.Mongetes tendres i patates:

R E S T A U R A N T S , C A F É S A N D B A R S

the pot that gives its name toa light Spanish opera.Sèpia amb pèsols: cuttlefishwith peas.Suquet de peix: Catalonia’sprincipal fish stew, made withvarious fish, tomatoes, peppers,potatoes and almonds.Verats a la brasa: mackerelcooked over open flames.

CARN (MEAT)

Ànec amb naps: duck withturnips, ideally the “black”turnips of the Empordàregion; also sometimes servedwith pears (ànec amb peres).Boles de picolat: meatballs intomato sauce. Meatballs withcuttlefish (sèpia) is classic mari muntanya food (see p26).Botifarra amb mongetes:sausage and beans (see p27). Bou a l’adoba: beef casserole.Costelles a la brasa amballioli: flame-roast lamb cut-lets with garlic mayonnaise. Costelles de cabritrostides: roast goatkid cutlets.Cuixa de xai alforn: roast legof lamb.Estofat debou: beef stewwith sausages,potatoes, herbs and sometimes alittle chocolate.Estofat dequaresma: afilling Lenten vegetable stew.Freginat: calf’s liver withonions.Fricandó: braised veal withwild mushrooms. Llom de porc: pork chops. Oca amb peres: goose withpears – traditional villagefestival fare.Niu: a huge fish and meat stew from Palafrugell, CostaBrava, with pigeon, cuttlefish,cod tripe, pig’s trotters, eggand garlic mayonnaise.Peus de porc a la llauna:pig’s trotters in a spicy sauce.Pollastre amb samfaina:chicken with samfaina (see p26).Pota i tripa: lamb’s trotters and tripe. Tripa a la catalana: tripe insofregit (see p26) and winewith pine nuts and almonds.Xai amb pèsols: lamb with peas.

French beans and potatoes.Pastanagues: carrots.Pebrots: red peppers.

POSTRES (DESSERTS)

Although pastisseria (pastries)and dolços (sweets) are verypopular in Catalonia, dessertsin restaurants are generallyuneventful. The choice maybe simply ice cream or fruit:apple (poma), peach (préssec),banana (plàtan), orange(taronja), grapes (raïm).Crema catalana: rich eggcustard (see p27).Figues amb aniset: figs inanise.Flam: crème caramel. Formatge: cheese. There islittle local cheese. Gelat: ice cream.Meli Mató: fresh goat’scheese, eaten with honey.Menjar blanc: an almondblancmange.Peres amb vi negre: pears inred wine.Postre de músic: a bowl ofmixed nuts and dried fruit,once given as a reward toitinerant musicians. Recuit: curdled sheep’s (orcow’s) milk in a small pot.

Barcelona’s cheese and honey market (see p135) in the Plaça del Pi

Mel i mató – a traditional dessert

of soft cheese served with honey

Aubergines (eggplant) andpeppers, used in abundance

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OLD TOWN

CAN CULLERETES. Map 5 A2. ¡ � �Carrer d’En Quintana 5. § 93 317 30 22.

The city’s oldest restaurant, established in 1786, serves traditional Catalandishes such as peix variat (a seafood medley). ¢ Sun D, Mon & 4 weeks in Jul. z 7

EGIPTE. Map 5 A2. ¡ � � �La Rambla 79. § 93 317 74 80.

This popular, lively place with a good-value menu serves Mediterraneanspecialities. z 7

FONDA SENYOR PARELLADA. Map 5 B3. ¡ �Carrer de l’Argenteria 37. § 93 310 50 94.

With wooden benches and old chandeliers, this atmospheric restaurant is agreat choice for authentic Catalan cuisine. z 7

ORGANIC. Map 2 F3. ¡ �Calle Junta de Comerç. § 93 301 09 02.

A friendly and spacious new restaurant with a well-priced buffet of food madeexclusively with fresh, organic ingredients. Good vegetarian food with Italianand Indian influences. Live jazz at the weekends. z 7

PLA DE LA GARSA. Map 5 B2. ¡¡ � �Carrer dels Assaonadors 13. § 93 315 24 13.

This pretty restaurant, once the stables of a medieval palace, offers anexceptional-value lunch menu. Wide choice of quality pâtés and cheeses atnight, and an interesting range of red wines. ¢ 24 Dec, L. z

LES QUINZE NITS. Map 5 A3. ¡ � � �Plaça Reial 6. § 93 317 30 75.

Conveniently located, this attractive restaurant draws a young crowd andoffers good Catalan dishes at reasonable prices. z 7 ¢ 24 Dec D & 25 Dec.

ROMESCO. Map 2 F3. ¡ � �Carrer de Sant Pau 28. § 93 318 93 81.

A popular spot just off La Rambla with home-style cooking, a livelyatmosphere and unbeatable prices. The house speciality is frijoles (a Cubandish of rice, black beans, fried banana and eggs). ¢ Sun; Aug & public hols.

LA VERONICA. Map 5 A3. ¡ � �Carrer d’Avinyó 30. § 93 412 11 22.

Functional but fun, this trendy spot has delicious pizzes (pizzas) which changeaccording to season. Hot soups in winter, chilled soups in summer. Livelyterrace day and night. z 7 ¢ Mon.

AGUA. Map 6 D4. ¡¡ � �Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 30. § 93 225 12 72.

A fashionable place to eat, this designer restaurant on the beach offers a widerange of rice dishes, Mediterranean food and an appealing terrace. z 7

AGUT. Map 5 A3. ¡ � �Carrer d’En Gignàs 16. § 93 315 17 09.

Painters used to exchange their artwork for a hearty Catalan meal here.Specialities include aubergine (eggplant) terrine and steaks. ¢ Sun D, Mon;

Aug. z 7

CA L’ESTEVET. Map 2 F1. ¡¡ � �Carrer de Valldonzella 46. § 93 302 41 86.

A traditional, welcoming restaurant decorated with the original tiles andcustomers’ paintings. The ebullient owner will guide you with the starters. Trythe roast shoulder of young goat. ¢ Sun, 2 weeks in Aug & public hols. z 7

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Choosing a Restaurant

THE RESTAURANTS in this guide have been selected acrossa wide range of price categories for their good value,

exceptional food and interesting location. The chart belowlists restaurants in Barcelona by area; those in the FurtherAfield section are listed under their respective districts; andrestaurants in the rest of Catalonia are arranged by town.

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CAFÈ DE L’ACADÈMIA. Map 5 B3. ¡¡ � � �Carrer de Lledó 1. § 93 315 00 26.

This attractive restaurant gives a new interpretation to traditional Catalan cooking.Modern paintings combine with ancient stone walls. ¢ Sat, Sun & public hols. z 7

CAL PEP. Map 5 B3. ¡¡ � �Plaça de les Olles 8. § 93 310 79 61.

According to some seafood fanatics, Pep’s peixet fregit (fried fish) is the best in theworld. ¢ Sun, Mon L, public hols, Easter, Aug, 24–26 Dec. z

LOS CARACOLES. Map 5 A3. ¡¡ � �Carrer dels Escudellers 14. § 93 302 31 85.

Los Caracoles is Spanish for snails, and the snail-shaped bread is a tasty reminder.Serves excellent, simple dishes such as paella and spit-roasted chicken. z 7

EL SALÓN. Map 5 B3. ∑ ¡¡ �Carrer de l’Hostal d’En Sol 6–8. § 93 315 21 59.

A refreshingly different restaurant/bar with a great atmosphere. Its eclectic menuis Mediterranean with a little Oriental charm. ¢ Sun, 2 weeks in Aug & public hols. z

SET PORTES. Map 5 B3. ¡¡ �Passeig de Isabel II 14. § 93 319 29 50.

This lavishly decorated restaurant is reminiscent of an elegant Parisian café. Itserves 11 types of paella, and delicious home-made cannelloni. z 7

AMAYA. Map 5 A1. ¡¡¡¡ � � � �La Rambla 20-24. § 93 302 10 37.

This classic, popular Basque-Catalan restaurant offers a good selection of tapasat the bar and half-portions of many dishes that appear on the large menu. z

CAN MAJÓ. Map 5 B5. ¡¡¡ � � �Carrer de l'Almirall Aixada 23. § 93 221 54 55.

This renowned seafood restaurant in Barceloneta serves great rice dishes such asshellfish paella and suquet (a delicious fish and potato stew). ¢ Sun D, Mon. z 7

CARBALLEIRA. Map 5 B3. ¡¡¡¡ �Carrer Reina Cristina 3. § 93 310 10 06.

The first Galician seafood restaurant in Barcelona, and one of the best. A greatplace for superior lunchtime tapas at the bar. ¢ Sun D, Mon, public hols D. z 7

REIAL CLUB MARÍTIM DE BARCELONA. Map 5 A4. ¡¡¡ � �Moll d’Espanya. § 93 221 62 56.

A classic nautical club restaurant with spectacular views of the port. Theelaborate cuisine includes dishes such as aubergine (eggplant) terrine with goat’scheese, and gilthead with apples and a cider sauce. ¢ Sun D, 24–25 Dec. z

TALAIA MAR. Map 6 E5. ¡¡¡¡ � �Anexo Torre Mapfre, Carrer de la Marina 16. § 93 221 90 90.

This stunning, sleek restaurant by the Port Olímpic marina offers wonderful food.You can order half portions (pica-pica) of most dishes. z 7 ¢ Mon.

EIXAMPLE

BILBAO. Map 3 B2. ¡¡ � �Carrer del Perill 33. § 93 458 96 24.

A classic, bustling restaurant where little has changed since it opened in theearly 1950s. Traditional seasonal Catalan home cooking. The wine list includesmore than 30 types of cava (see pp28 –9). ¢ Sun, & public hols; Aug . z 7

EL TRAGALUZ. Map 3 A3. ¡¡ � � � �Passatge de la Concepció 5. § 93 487 06 21.

Two different dining concepts are on offer here: a sushi bar and a restaurantserving Mediterranean cuisine. The logo is by Javier Mariscal (see p17). z 7

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TAPAS BARIn addition to the main dining room, there is a barserving tapas and racions (larger portions).

FIXED-PRICE MENUA good-value, fixed-price menu is offered at lunch ordinner, or both, usually with three courses.

GOOD WINE LISTDenotes a wide range of good wines, or a morespecialized selection of local wines.OUTDOOR TABLESFacilities for eating outdoors – on a terrace or in agarden or courtyard – often with a good view.

Price categories for a three-course evening meal for one,including a half-bottle ofhouse wine, tax and service:

¡ under 20 euros

¡¡ 20–35 euros

¡¡¡ 35–50 euros

¡¡¡¡ over 50 euros

TENORIO. Map 3 A2. ¡¡ �Paseo de Gracia 37. § 93 272 05 92.

A smart and reasonably priced designer restaurant, serving a mixture of modernMediterranean and typical Catalan food. Outside tables in the summer. z 7

ROIG ROBÍ. Map 3 A2. ¡¡¡¡ � � �Carrer de Sèneca 20. § 93 218 92 22, 93 217 97 38.

Small, intimate restaurant offering authentic Catalan cuisine, with a lovelyinterior courtyard for summer. The terrines, fresh salads and any of the rice orseafood dishes are excellent. ¢ Sat L, Sun, 2 weeks in Aug & public hols. z

FURTHER AFIELD

EIXAMPLE ESQUERRA: Chicoa. ¡¡ �Carrer d'Aribau 73. § 93 453 11 23.

A haven for lovers of salt cod, with more than ten different preparations of thecelebrated bacallà on offer. As well as other seafood and meat dishes, there isa good Penedès rosé house wine. ¢ Mon D, Sun; Aug & public hols. z 7

EIXAMPLE ESQUERRA: Jaume de Provença. ¡¡¡¡ � �Carrer de Provença 88. § 93 430 00 29.

The chef’s original and creative Catalan cuisine has established his restaurant asamong the city’s finest. Despite the business-like decor the food is excellent andthe service attentive. ¢ Sun D, Mon D; Aug. z 7

GRÀCIA: Envalira. Map 3 B1. ¡¡ �Plaça del Sol 13. § 93 218 58 13.

Some would claim this family-run restaurant is the only place to sampleCatalonia’s famous rice dishes. The most unusual is arròs a la milanesa. Theyalso serve individual paellas – a rarity. ¢ Sun D, Mon, Easter, Christmas; Aug. z 7

GRÀCIA: Giardinetto Notte. Map 3 A2. ¡¡¡ � �Carrer Granada del Penedès 22. § 93 218 75 36.

Mediterranean and Italian dishes are served in this romantic setting. Try thehome-made pasta with a bottle of Catalan wine. ¢ Sat L, Sun & public hols; Aug. z

GRÀCIA: Ot. Map 3 C2. ¡¡¡ � �Carrer Torres 25. § 93 284 77 52.

Very small (eight tables). The customer has no choice here but is guaranteed agourmet experience, thanks to the cooking of its New Generation Catalan chefs.Booking essential. ¢ Sat L, Sun & public hols; 3 weeks in Aug, 1 week in Dec. z

GRÀCIA: Botafumeiro. Map 3 A2. ¡¡¡¡ � �Carrer Gran de Gràcia 81. § 93 218 42 30.

Fine seafood and Galician specialities are served in this stylish restaurant.Mouthwatering desserts and an extensive wine list. ¢ 3 weeks in Aug. z 7

PEDRALBES: Neichel. ¡¡¡¡ � �Beltrán i Rózpide 1–5. § 93 203 84 08.

European haute cuisine with Catalan touches is served in one of the city’smost prestigious establishments. It has an excellent selection of cheeses andover 300 wine labels. ¢ Sun, Mon; Aug & public hols. z

POBLENOU: Els Pescadors. ¡¡¡ � �Plaça de Prim 1. § 93 225 20 18.

Once a fisherman’s tavern, this restaurant serves fish fresh from the quayside,excellent a la llauna (baked), especially llobarro (sea bass) or dorada (bream).Seasonal game and over 150 wines. ¢ Holy Week, 24–26 Dec, 31 Dec–1 Jan. z 7

SANT GERVASI: La Balsa. ¡¡ � � �Carrer de la Infanta Isabel 4. § 93 211 50 48.

As well as exquisite Catalan and international cuisine, including an excellentgoose liver starter, there are great views from the terrace of this restaurant.¢ Sun & Mon L; Holy Week, 25 & 26 Dec; Aug L.

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¡¡ 20–35 euros

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SANTS: Peixerot. ¡¡¡ �Torre Catalunya, Carrer de Tarragona 177. § 93 424 69 69.

First-class seafood predominates in this modern restaurant. Great rice dishesand shellfish – serves pica-pica (half portions). ¢ Sun D, Aug. z

TIBIDABO: El Asador de Aranda. ¡¡ � �Avinguda del Tibidabo 31. § 93 417 01 15.

At the foot of Tibidabo, in a striking Modernista house, this very Castilianrestaurant is a carnivore’s dream: lamb roasted in a wood-burning oven is thespeciality. Excellent wine list. ¢ Sun D, public hols D. z 7

TIBIDABO: La Venta. ¡¡ � �Plaça Doctor Andreu. § 93 212 64 55.

An attractive restaurant at the foot of Tibidabo. Its glass-covered terraces, withviews of the city, are open in summer and provide a bright, greenhouse settingin winter. Seasonal and Catalan-French cuisine. ¢ Sun; 1 Jan, 25 Dec. z 7

CATALONIA

ALTAFULLA: Faristol. ¡¡ � �Carrer de Sant Martí 5 (Tarragona). § 977 65 00 77.

Wine was once made in this delightful, 18th-century house, now decorated withantiques. Try the superb chocolate mousse. ¢ Oct–May: Mon–Thu, Jun–15 Sep: L.

ANDORRA LA VELLA: Borda Estevet. ¡¡¡ � �Carretera de la Comella 2 (Andorra). § (00–376) 86 40 26.

This old country house, decorated in rustic style, is still used for the traditionalpractice of drying the tobacco that is grown nearby. Ask for the meat a lallosa (brought to you on a hot slate). z 7 ¢ 1 Jan.

ARENYS DE MAR: Hispania. ¡¡¡ �Carrer Real 54, Carretera NII (Barcelona). § 93 791 04 57.

Authentic Catalan cuisine which has won accolades from near and far. Theclassic clam suquet, similar to a fricassee, and the crema catalana (a richcaramel custard) are both delicious. ¢ Sun D, Tue, Easter & Oct. z 7

ARTIES: Casa Irene. ¡¡¡ � � �Hotel Valarties, Carrer Major 3 (Lleida). § 973 64 43 64.

Located in a picturesque village, this restaurant offers wonderful, French-influenced food and three menús de desgustació. ¢ Mon, Tue L. z 7

BEGUR: La Pizzeta. ¡ � �Ventura i Sabater 2 (Girona). § 972 62 38 84.

It is essential to book in this popular alternative pizzeria in an elegant villagehouse. It also serves unusual salads, pasta and grilled meat. Ideal for families.Interesting wines. ¢ Tue, 9 Dec–Mar. 7

BERGA: Sala. ¡¡¡ �Passeig de la Pau 27 (Barcelona). § 93 821 11 85.

Classic Catalan dishes are offered here, many of which feature mushrooms.Game is available in season. ¢ Sun D, Mon. z

BOLVIR DE CERDANYA: Torre del Remei. ¡¡¡¡ � � �Camí Reial (Girona). § 972 14 01 82.

This stunning palace surrounded by gardens has been impeccably restored andnow houses an elegant restaurant and hotel. Superb gourmet dishes and greatwine selection. z 7

CALAFELL PLATJA: Giorgio. ¡¡ � � �Carrer Ángel Guimerá 4 (Tarragona). § 977 69 11 59.

Delicious Italian food, served on a terrace overlooking the sea. The lasagne andrisotto with white truffle are legendary. 7 # Fri–Sun & public hols; daily in summer.

CAMBRILS: Joan Gatell-Casa Gatell. ¡¡¡ � � �Passeig Miramar 26, Cambrils Port (Tarragona). § 977 36 00 57.

This restaurant is known for its seafood. The rice dishes, shellfish and lobstercasserole are all first class. ¢ Sun D, Mon & mid-Dec–mid-Jan, 1–15 May. z

FALSET: El Cairat. ¡¡ �Carrer Nou 3 (Tarragona). § 977 83 04 81.

One of the best restaurants in the Priorat wine-growing region. Creativelyadapted local dishes include salt cod with aubergines (eggplant) and meatballswith wild mushrooms. Excellent local wines. ¢ Sun D, Mon, Tue–Fri D. z

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FIGUERES: Emporda. ¡¡¡¡ � � �Hotel Empordà, Carretera NII (Girona). § 972 50 05 62.

Gourmets congregate here to enjoy the legacy of chef Jaime Subirós’ cuisine.The fresh broad beans (fava beans) with mint and the salt cod with a garlicmousseline are both exquisite. Delightful terrace for dining in summer. z 7

LA FLORESTA: Casa Blava. ¡ � � �Avinguda de Montserrat 1 (Barcelona). § 93 674 93 51.

Paellas are cooked here on open log fires. Also grilled meats and calçots inseason (large spring onions grilled and served with a delicious sauce). Gardenfor children. Very close to Barcelona. ¢ Mon, Sun D.

GIRONA: Cal Ros. ¡¡ � �Cort Reial 9. § 972 21 73 79.

Typical Catalan food and other regional specialities are available at veryreasonable prices in this old, charming, establishment. z 7 ¢ Mon, Sun D.

GIRONA: El Celler de Can Roca. ¡¡¡¡ � �Carretera Taialá 40. § 972 22 21 57.

The capital’s best restaurant, where Juan Roca creates dishes such as lambstuffed with sweetbreads and cinnamon. ¢ Sun & Mon, 1–15 Jul, 25 Dec. z 7

LLEIDA: Forn del Nastasi. ¡¡ � �Carrer Salmeron 10. § 973 23 45 10.

Excellent regional cuisine including chargrilled vegetables (escalivada) andsnails a la llauna (oven-baked). ¢ Sun D, Mon & 1st two weeks in Aug. z 7

LLORET DE MAR: El Trull. ¡¡ � � �Ronda Europa, Cala Canyellas (Girona). § 972 36 49 28.

Rustic dining room serving grilled lobster which you can choose from theaquarium. The arrosat (noodles with seafood) are also good. z 7

MARTINET: Boix. ¡¡ � � �Carretera N260 km264 (Lleida). § 973 51 50 50.

A famous Catalan restaurant, located on the banks of the Riu Segre, servingroast leg of lamb so tender you can eat it with a spoon. z 7

MONT-RAS: La Cuina de Can Pipes. ¡¡¡¡ � � �Barri Canyellas (Girona). § 972 30 66 77.

This elegant, 18th-century farmhouse serves exquisite regional dishes. Try thetournedo de foie. Booking essential. ¢ start of Feb; two weeks in Oct. z 7

PERALADA: Castell de Peralada. ¡¡¡ � � �Casino Castell de Peralada (Girona), C/ San Joan. § 972 53 81 25.

Dine in the incomparable medieval setting of this castle and try any of thedishes of the Empordà region and the castle’s own house wine. z ¢ Mon, Tue

PERATALLADA: Bonay. ¡¡ � �Plaça de les Voltes 13 (Girona). § 972 63 40 34.

A timeless restaurant in an attractive village. The succulent dishes include ocaamb naps (goose with turnips). ¢ Mon. z 7

PLATJA D’ARO: Aradi. ¡¡Carretera de Palamós (Girona). § 972 81 73 76.

Located at the heart of the village, less than 100m from the beach, thisrestaurant offers a selection of traditional Catalan dishes with an emphasis onseafood and fresh produce. 7

PORRERA: Lo Teatret. ¡¡ � �Carrer del Onze de Setembre 4 (Tarragona). § 977 82 81 95.

This restaurant in the former village theatre serves traditional dishes with amodern touch: enjoy salt cod, herring, lamb or wild-mushroom cannelloni.Priorat wines – difficult to find in other parts of Catalonia. ¢ Mon. z

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¡¡ 20–35 euros

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REUS: El Pa Torrat. ¡¡ �Avinguda Reus 24, Castellvell del Camp (Tarragona). § 977 85 52 12.

Home cooked dishes such as roast rabbit with allioli (garlic mayonnaise) andstuffed squid. ¢ Sun D, Mon D, Tue; last two weeks Aug & 22 Dec–6 Jan. z 7

ROSES: El Bulli. ¡¡¡¡ � � �Cala Montjoi (Girona). § 972 15 04 57.

Considered by many to be one of Spain’s best restaurants and perhaps one ofEurope’s most beautiful. Expensive, but worth it. Booking essential. ¢ Oct–Mar.

SANT CARLES DE LA RÀPITA: Miami Can Pons. ¡¡¡ � �Avinguda Constitució nr. 37 (Tarragona). § 977 74 05 51.

Good-quality Catalan cooking is served here by the Pons family. Seafood, thesuquet and the crema catalana are specialities. Playground. z ¢ 3 weeks in Jan.

SANT CELONI: El Racó de Can Fabes. ¡¡¡¡ � �Carrer de Sant Joan 6 (Barcelona). § 93 867 28 51.

Santi Santamaría is considered one of Spain’s best chefs and this delightfulcountry restaurant is a gastronomic paradise. The seasonal menu uses freshregional produce. ¢ Sun D & Mon. z 7

SANT FELIU DE GUÍXOLS: Can Toni. ¡¡ � � �Carrer Garrofers 54 (Girona). § 972 32 10 26.

Enjoy the traditional cooking of the Empordà region here. Many dishesinclude mushrooms when in season (September–March). ¢ Mon. z 7

SANT SADURNÍ D’ANOIA: El Mirador de les Caves. ¡¡Carretera Sant Sadurní-Ordal Km 4, Subirats (Barcelona). § 93 899 31 78

The duck with a foie gras and truffle sauce is one of the superb dishes servedhere. ¢ Sun D & Mon D, 2 weeks in Aug, 2 weeks at Christmas. z 7

LA SEU D’URGELL: El Castell. ¡¡¡¡ � �Carretera N260 Km 229 (Lleida). § 973 35 07 04.

At the foot of La Seu d’Urgell castle, surrounded by beautiful countryside, liesthis idyllic hotel-restaurant serving modern Catalan cuisine. The wine list willdelight the most sophisticated wine lovers. z 7

SITGES: Al Fresco. ¡¡ � �Pau Barrabeitg 4 (Barcelona). § 93 894 06 00.

Mediterranean and Oriental cuisines are expertly combined here. Superbdesserts. ¢ Mon & Tue in winter, 19 Dec–26 Jan.

SITGES: EL Velero. ¡¡ � � �Passeig de la Ribera 38 (Barcelona). § 93 894 20 51.

A seaside restaurant whose imaginative creations include sole fillets on a bedof mushrooms topped with crab sauce, and lobster with a chickpea sauce.¢ Sun D, Mon (in winter), Mon & Tue L (in summer); 23 Dec–1 Jan. z 7

TARRAGONA: El Merlot. ¡¡¡ � � �Carrer Caballers 6. § 977 22 06 52.

Situated in the old part of town, this restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine,with specialities including game in season and home-made desserts. ¢ Sun D,

Mon. z

TAVERTET: Can Baumes. ¡ � � � �Calle de Abajo 2. § 93 856 52 07.

Family-run restaurant serving traditional Catalan dishes such as canelones deboletes (mushroom canneloni) and rabbit. ¢ Mon, 22 Dec–22 Jan. z 7

VALLS: Masia Bou. ¡¡ � � �Carretera Lleida Km 21, 5 (Tarragona). § 977 60 04 27.

Many interesting dishes are on offer, but the speciality is calçotadas (onionscharred over embers, with romesco sauce – see p26). ¢ Tue in summer. z 7

VIC: Ca L’U. ¡¡ � �Plaça Santa Teresa 4 (Barcelona). § 93 886 35 04.

Archetypal market-town restaurant serving wholesome stews and game. Famedfor its sole with prawns. Saturday market-day breakfasts, such as pigs’ trottersand bean stews, are not for the faint-hearted. ¢ Sun D & Mon; 24–25 Dec. z 7

VIC: Floriac. ¡¡ � � �Carretera Manresa-Vic N141 Km 39, 5, Collsuspina (Barcelona). § 93 743 02 25.

16th-century masia (farmhouse) serving quality regional cuisine and excellentgame dishes when available. Check winter opening. ¢ 2 weeks Feb, 2 weeks Jul.

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OLD TOWN

BAR RA: Map 2 F2 � �

Plaça de la Garduña 1. § 93 301 41 63.

A small bar/restaurant behind La Boqueria market serving delicious food andnatural juices. Good value set lunch. # 9am–2am Mon–Sat, 9am–6pm Sun.

BOADAS: Map 5 A1 �

Carrer dels Tallers 1. § 93 318 88 26.

Barcelona’s oldest and most atmospheric cocktail bar is run by MariaDolors Boadas, daughter of the Cuban-Catalan founder. Slick waitersmix heady potions – try a mojito. # noon–2am Mon–Wed, noon–3am Thu-Sat.

BODEGA LA PALMA: Map 5 B3 � �

Carrer de la Palma de Sant Just 7. § 93 315 06 56.

A well restored bodega (wine cellar), where wine from barrels is servedin ceramic pitchers. Excellent truites and pa amb tomàquet (see p124).Bustling at breakfast time. # 8am–3:30pm & 7–10pm Mon–Sat. ¢ Sun; Aug.

CAFÉ EL BOSC DE LES FADES: Map 2 F4 � �

Pasaje de Banca 7. § 93 317 26 49.

An imaginatively decorated café/bar, resembling a nymph’s woodlandgrotto. # Mon–Wed 10:30am–1am, Fri–Sat 11am–3am, Sun 11am–1am. 7

CAFÉ SCHILLING. Map 2 F3 � � �

Calle Ferrán 23. § 93 317 67 87.

Although the speciality of this café is its coffee, great snacks are alsoserved. Art and photography are on display. # 10am–3am daily.

CAFÉ ZURICH: Map 5 A1 � � �

Plaça de Catalunya 1. § 93 317 91 53.

Reopened in 1998 as a replica of the legendary café demolished tobuild El Triangle commercial centre, it is rapidly reclaiming its status asa landmark and meeting place. # May–Oct: 8am–1am; Nov–Apr: 8am–11pm.

CASTELLS: Map 5 A1 � � �

Plaça Bonsuccés 1. § 93 302 10 54.

A friendly, bustling, local bar that has been in the same family since the19th century. Fresh, home-made tapas. Busy on nights when Barça haswon a match. # 8am–1am Mon–Thu (2:30am Fri & Sat). ¢ Sun; Jul.

GRANJA M VIADER: Map 5 A1 �

Carrer d’En Xuclà 4–6. § 93 318 34 86.

The oldest granja (milk bar) in Barcelona, where Cacaolat (chocolatedrink) was invented. Suizos (hot chocolate topped with cream), mel i mató(see p125) and crema catalana (see p27) are among its fattening delights.# 9am–1:45pm & 5–8:45pm. ¢ Mon am, Sun, 1 week in Aug & public hols.

IRATI: Map 5 A2 � � �

Carrer del Cardenal Casañas, nr 15–17. § 93 302 30 84.One of the first in a new wave of bars in Barcelona, serving genuineBasque pinchos (tapas). Great fun. # noon–midnight daily. ¢ 25 Dec, 1 Jan.

JAMBOREE: Map 5 A3 � � �

Plaça Reial 17. § 93 319 17 89.

Once a convent, this establishment is now one of the best jazz clubs intown, with a busy programme of national and international musicians.Disco from 12:30am. # 10:30pm–5am.

LA PLATA: Map 5 A3 � �

Carrer de la Mercè 28. § 93 315 10 09.

With its oak barrel decorations, this is a recommended stop in a streetwell known for its tapas bars. The bar prepares simple and authentictapas such as fried sardines and anchovies with tomato and onion salad.# 9am–4pm & 6–10pm.

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Cafés and Bars

THIS SECTION LISTS the best and most colourful cafés and bars in Barcelona, including both the traditional

and the new and fashionable. Most cafés serve a smallselection of alcoholic drinks as well as soft drinks, andmost bars offer coffee, so customers will nearly alwaysfind something to their liking in any establishment. B

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TAPASTapas are small snacks that may be either hot or cold and are charged for individually,allowing customers to choose as many or few as they like. A ració is a larger portion.REGIONAL OR THEMEDBarcelona has many bars themed either on different regions of Spain or on other countries. NIGHTCLUBMost nightclubs and discos are open until 5 or 6am and charge entry fees. OUTDOOR TABLESIn Barcelona, outdoor tables are usually on the pavement in a street or square, but cafésand bars at the Port Olímpic, Maremàgnum and Port Vell often have terraces with sea views. LIVE MUSICThis is played regularly, each venue indicated having its own schedule. T

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KASPARO: Map 5 A1 � � �

Plaça de Vicenç Martorell 4. § 93 302 20 72.

Interesting sandwiches and snacks are served all day long at this popularbar. Sit in the sun or enjoy the shade under the arches of this quiet squarejust behind Plaça Catalunya. # 9am–midnight (10pm in winter). ¢ Jan.

LAIE: Map 3 B5 � �

Carrer de Pau Claris, 85. § 93 302 73 10.

A café/restaurant with an adjacent bookshop, Laie has live jazz someevenings from March to May. # 9am–1am. ¢ Sun.

PASTIS: Map 2 F4 � � �

Carrer de Santa Mónica 4. § 93 318 79 80.

An atmospheric French bar that forms part of the history of this onceseedy end of La Rambla. Pastis and live music on Sundays andTuesdays. # 7:30pm–2:30am Sun–Thu (3:30am Fri & Sat).

EL VASO DE ORO: Map 5 C4 � �

Carrer de Balboa 6. § 93 319 30 98.

More a Madrileño concept than Catalan, this classic cerveseria (beer-cellar) hidden behind the waterfront in Barceloneta serves draught beerin three sizes and delicious seafood tapas. The crush at the barcontributes to the atmosphere. # 9am–midnight. ¢ Sep.

EL XAMPANYET: Map 5 B3 � �

Carrer de Montcada 22. § 93 319 70 03.

Famous for its xampanyet (sparkling wine) and anchovies, this is theperfect spot in which to relax after visiting the Picasso Museum a fewdoors away. One of the prettiest bars around, it is decorated with originalceramic tiles. # noon–4pm & 6:30–11:30pm. ¢ Sun eve, Mon & Aug.

EIXAMPLE

LA BODEGUETA: Map 3 A3 � � � �

Rambla de Catalunya 100. § 93 215 48 94.

A smoky wine bar full of character and atmosphere – something of anoasis in the middle of the elegant Eixample district. # 7am–1:30am.

BRACAFÉ: Map 3 B5 � �

Carrer de Casp 2. § 93 302 30 82.

Seriously good coffee in a classic, bustling café. Opened in 1932, itsstylish interior has remained intact. Enjoy people-watching from theattractive covered terrace. # 6:30am–10pm Mon–Sat, 8:30am–10pm Sun.

FURTHER AFIELD

ANTILLA BARCELONA � �

Carrer de Arago 141-143. § 93 451 21 51.

This club specializes in the salsa and offers dance classes. Live musicSunday, Wednesday and Thursday. # 10:30pm–4am (5:30am Fri & Sat).

KITTY O’SHEA’S � �

Carrer de la Nau Santa Maria 5–7. § 93 280 36 75.

The first of Barcelona’s various Irish pubs. The unpromisingsurroundings belie the authentic decor and atmosphere within.Delicious Irish beef and Sunday brunch. Charming staff. # noon–2:30am.

SOL SOLER: Map 3 B1 � � �

Calle Planeta 13. § 93 217 44 40.

On Gràcia’s most popular square, this is a tapas bar with a difference:the tapas are tasty and unusual and the decor attractive, with marbletables and mirrors. # noon–2am daily.

interesting old stores such as bakeries, herbalists and pharma-cies – some displaying beautifulModernista frontages. For thosewho enjoy the hustle and bustleof small crowded streets, the BarriGòtic, in the heart of the city, has something for everyone.Particularly interesting are theantiques dealers and the storesspecializing in traditional craftssuch as carnival masks, ceramicsand handmade espadrilles.

ACITY WITH impeccable style,Barcelona is where you’ll

find the best in Catalan,Spanish and international design.For those in search of fashion, a good place to begin a tour of Barcelona is on the streetsaround the Passeig de Gràcia,which make up the most impor-tant shopping area, and wherecrowds browse among the well-known fashion and design stores.In this area there are also many


Some of the beautifully displayed

confectionery at Escribà

range of goods. As they areon the outskirts of the city –south along the Gran Viatowards the airport, and on theAvinguda Meridiana to thenorth – a car is the best wayto reach them.

The galeries (fashion malls),built mostly during the affluent1980s, are hugely popular.Bulevard Rosa on thePasseig de Gràcia has hun-dreds of stores selling clothesand accessories. On theAvinguda Diagonal is L’Illa, a large, lively shopping mallcontaining chain stores aswell as specialist retailers.

Contribuciones. Many storesoffer traditional, fine-qualitytailoring skills and CalzadosE Solé, which is situated in theOld Town, specializes in classichandmade shoes and boots.

DEPARTMENT STORESAND ‘GALERIES’

THE BRANCH of El CorteInglés, Spain’s largest

department store chain, onPlaça Catalunya is a Barcelonalandmark and a handy placeto find everything under oneroof, including plug adaptorsand services like key-cutting.Other branches are locatedaround the city. Barcelona’shypermarkets also sell a wide

FASHION

INTERNATIONAL fashion labels are found alongside clothes

by young designers on andaround the Passeig de Gràcia.Adolfo Domínguez stocksclassically styled clothes formen and women; ArmandBasi sells quality leisure andsportswear; and discount de-signer fashion is available at

Menswear department in Adolfo Domínguez

A Modernista

shop window

S H O P P I N G I N B A R C E L O N A

SPECIALITY STORES

AWALK AROUND Barcelona canreveal a wonderful choice

of stores selling traditional craftitems and handmade goodsthat in most places have nowbeen largely replaced by theproduction line. La Caixa deFang has a good variety ofCatalan and Spanish ceramics,among them traditional Catalancooking pots and colourfultiles. L’Estanc has everythingfor the smoker, including thebest Havana cigars. La ManualAlpargatera is an old shoestore that specializes in Catalan-style espadrilles. These arehandmade on the premises andcome in all colours. The city’soldest store, Cereria Subirà(see pp52 –3), sells candles in every imaginable form.

FOOD AND DRINK

BARCELONA’S pastry shops are sights in themselves and,

with its displays of chocolatesculptures, no pastisseria ismore enticing or spectacularthan Escribà. Other foodstores also have a great dealof character, none more sothan Colmado Quílez in theEixample. This wonderful oldplace stocks a huge range ofhams, cheeses and preserves,in addition to a comprehensiveselection of Spanish and for-eign wines and spirits.

S H O P P I N G I N B A R C E L O N A 1 3 5

Mouthwatering fruit stalls in La Boqueria market

The stylishly sparse display of

furniture at Vinçon

the Eixample, while the BarriGòtic – especially the Carrerde la Palla and Carrer del Pi –is the best place to browsearound small but fascinatingantiques shops. As well asfine furniture and old dolls,L’Arca de l’Avia sells antiquesilks and lace, all of whichare set out in pretty displays.

DESIGN, ART ANDANTIQUES

IF YOU ARE interested in mod-ern design, or just looking

for gifts, you should pay a visitto Vinçon, the city’s famousdesign emporium. Situated on the Passeig de Gràcia, ithas everything for the home,including beautiful fabricsand furniture. A must is BD-Ediciones de Diseño, whichhas the feel of an art gallery.Housed in a building designedby Domènech i Montaner, thestore has furniture based ondesigns by Gaudí and CharlesRennie Mackintosh, and sellswonderful contemporaryfurniture and accessories.

Most of the commercial artand print galleries are foundon Carrer Consell de Cent, in

FOOD AND DRINK

Colmado QuílezRambla de Catalunya 63.

Map 3 A4.

§ 93 215 23 56.

Escribà PastisseriesLa Rambla 83. Map 2 F4.

§ 93 301 60 27.

Gran Via de les Corts

Catalanes 546. Map 2 E1.

§ 93 454 75 35.

DEPARTMENT

STORES AND

‘GALERIES’

Bulevard RosaPasseig de Gràcia 55.

Map 3 A4.

§ 93 378 91 91.

El Corte InglésAvinguda Diagonal 617–19.

§ 93 366 71 00.

(one of several branches.)

L’IllaAvinguda Diagonal 545–57.

§ 93 444 00 00.

FASHION

Adolfo DomínguezP de Gràcia 89. Map 3 A3.

§ 93 215 13 39.

Armand BasiPasseig de Gràcia 49.

Map 3 A3.

§ 93 215 14 21.

Calzados E SoléCarrer Ample 7. Map 5 A3.

§ 93 301 69 84

ContribucionesRiera de Sant Miquel 30.

Map 3 A2.

§ 93 218 71 40.

SPECIALITYSTORES

La Caixa de FangC/ Freneria 1. Map 5 B2.

§ 93 315 17 04.

Cereria SubiràBajada Llibreteria 7.

Map5 B2.§ 93 315 26 06.

L’EstancVia Laietana 4. Map 5 B3.

§ 93 310 10 34.

La ManualAlpargateraC/ d’Avinyó 7. Map 5 A3.

§ 93 301 01 72.

DESIGN, ARTAND ANTIQUES

L’Arca de l’AviaCarrer dels Banys Nous 20.

Map 5 A2.

§ 93 302 15 98.

BD-Ediciones deDiseñoCarrer de Mallorca 291.

Map 3 B4.

§ 93 458 69 09.

VinçonP de Gràcia 96. Map 3 B3.

§ 93 215 60 50.

BOOKS ANDNEWSPAPERS

CrisolRambla de Catalunya 81.

Map 3 A4.

§ 93 215 27 20.

MARKETS

La BoqueriaLa Rambla 101. Map 5 A2.

Encants VellsC/ Dos de Maig, P de les

Glòries. Map 4 F5.

DIRECTORY

MARKETS

NO-ONE SHOULD miss thechance to look around La

Boqueria on La Rambla, oneof the most spectacular foodmarkets in Europe. Antiquesare sold in the Plaça Nova onThursdays, and cheese, honeyand sweets in the Plaça del Pion the first and third Friday,Saturday and Sunday of eachmonth. On Sunday morningscoin and stamp stalls are setup in the Plaça Reial. Thecity’s traditional flea market,Encants Vells (see p89), takesplace on Mondays, Wednes-days, Fridays and Saturdaysjust north of the Plaça de lesGlòries Catalanes.

BOOKS AND NEWSPAPERS

MOST CITY-CENTRE newsstands sell English-

language newspapers, but thebest stocks of foreign papersand magazines are at FNAC atL’Illa and at Crisol, whichalso sells books, videos, CDsand photographic equipment.

FEW CITIES CAN MATCH the vitalityof Barcelona, and nowhereis this more evident than in

its live arts scene. The stunningPalau de la Música Catalana andthe new Auditori de Barcelonahave keen and critical audi-ences. They host some of theworld’s greatest classical mu-sicians, including MontserratCaballé and Josep (José) Carreras,both of whom are barcelonins.

Equally dynamic are the many excitingcontemporary theatre and dance

companies performing year roundat indoor and outdoor venues.

Modern music fans are wellprovided for at numerous rock,live jazz and salsa clubs, not tomention the buskers on LaRambla or in the squares of theBarri Gòtic. A tradition of old

Barcelona that continues to thriveis its brash, glittering dance halls.

E N T E R TA I N M E N T I N B A R C E L O N A

Outrageous stage show at one of Barcelona’s many clubs

The magnificent interior of the

Palau de la Música Catalana

ENTERTAINMENT GUIDES

THE MOST COMPLETE guide towhat’s going on each week

in Barcelona is the Guía delOcio, out every Thursday. Itincludes a cinema listingssection. The Friday El Paísand La Vanguardia also haveentertainments supplements.

although tickets for manytheatres can also be boughtfrom branches of the Caixa deCatalunya and La Caixasavings banks, or from ServiCaixa machines (see p146).Tickets for the Grec festivalare sold at tourist offices.

undiminished. Restorationwas completed in 1999, andthe Liceu is now back inoperation at full-octave level.

Busker in the

Barri Gòtic

THEATRE AND DANCE

WORTH SEEING are Catalancontemporary theatre

groups such as Els Comediantsor La Cubana whose originalstyle combines a thrillingmélange of theatre, music,mime and elements from tradi-tional Mediterranean fiestas.

The Mercat de les Flors (seep79), a converted formerflower market in Montjuïc, isan exciting theatre presentinghigh-quality productions of classic and modern playsin Catalan. The new TeatreNacional de Catalunya (seep89), next to the Auditori deBarcelona, is another fineshowcase for Catalan drama.

The main venue forclassical ballet is the Liceuopera house. There are alsomany contemporary dancecompanies and regular per-formances are staged at theMercat de les Flors in Montjuïc.

CLASSICAL MUSIC

BARCELONA’S Modernista Palau de la Música Cata-

lana (see p61) is one of theworld’s most beautiful concerthalls, with its stunning interiordecor and world-renownedacoustic. Also inspiring is theAuditori de Barcelona, open-ed in 1999 to give the city twomodern halls for large-scaleand chamber concerts. Itsreputation was considerablybolstered when it became thehome of the OrquestraSimfònica de Barcelona.

Musical life suffered a set-back when the Liceu operahouse burned down in 1994.Fortunately, the city hadenough credit in the bank ofoperatic excellence to ensurethat its reputation remained

SEASONS AND TICKETS

THEATRE AND concert seasonsfor the main venues run

from September to June, withlimited programmes at othertimes. The city’s varied menuof entertainments reflects itsrich multi-cultural artistic heri-tage. In summer the city hoststhe Festival del Grec (see p31),a showcase of internationalmusic, theatre and dance, heldat open-air venues. There isalso a wide variety of concertsto choose from during Septem-ber’s Festa de la Mercè (seep32). The simplest way to gettheatre and concert tickets isto buy them at the box office,


Auditorium of the Teatre Nacional

de Catalunya

Packed house at the gigantic Camp Nou stadium

CAFÉS, BARS AND CLUBS

AMONG BARCELONA’S most famous modern sights are

the hi-tech designer bars builtin the prosperous 1980s, forexample the Mirablau, whichlooks over the city. TheTorres de Ávila, in the PobleEspanyol (see p81), is theheight of post-Modernism.Otto Zutz has regular DJs andthe less chic but still funApolo has live music. LaPaloma is a fine dance hallcomplete with a 1904 interiorand its own orchestra.

Two of the best-known barsare in the old city: Boadas for

cocktails and El Xampanyet(see p132–3) for sparkling wineand tapas. El Bosc de la Fadesis the café of the waxmuseum and is imaginativelydecorated like a fairy’swoodland grotto.

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Auditori deBarcelonaCarrer de Lepant 150.

Map 6 E1.

§ 93 247 93 00.

Palau de la MúsicaCatalanaCarrer de Sant Francesc

de Paula 2. Map 5 B1.

§ 93 295 72 00.

THEATRE ANDDANCE

LiceuLa Rambla 51–59.

Map 2 F3.

§ 93 485 99 00.

Mercat de les FlorsCarrer de Lleida 59.

Map 1 B3.

§ 93 426 18 75.

Teatre Nacional de CatalunyaPlaça de les Arts 1.

Map 4 F5.

§ 93 306 57 00.

CAFÉS, BARSAND CLUBS

ApoloCarrer Nou de la

Rambla 113. Map 2 E3.

§ 93 441 40 01.

BoadasCarrer dels Tallers 1.

Map 5 A1.

§ 93 318 88 26.

El Bosc de les FadesPasaje de Banca 7.

§ 93 317 26 49.

MirablauPlaça Doctor Andreu.

§ 93 418 58 79.

Otto ZutzCarrer de Lincoln 15.

Map 3 A1.

§ 93 238 07 22.

La PalomaCarrer del Tigre 27.

Map 2 F1.

§ 93 301 68 97.

Torres de ÁvilaPoble Espanyol, Avinguda

del Marqués de Comillas.

Map 1 A1.

§ 93 424 93 09.

El XampanyetCarrer Montcada 22.

Map 5 B2.

§ 93 319 70 03.

ROCK, JAZZ ANDWORLD MUSIC

Antilla BarcelonaCarrer de Aragó 141–143.

§ 93 451 21 51.

JamboreePlaça Reial 17.

Map 5 A3.

§ 93 301 75 64.

Harlem Jazz ClubCarrer de la Comtessa

de Sobradiel 8.

§ 93 310 07 55.

RazzmatazzCarrer dels Almogàvers

122. Map 6 F2.

§ 93 320 82 00.

AMUSEMENTPARK

Tibidabo§ 93 211 79 42.

SPORTS

FC BarcelonaCamp Nou, Avinguda

Aristides Maillol.

§ 93 496 36 00.

DIRECTORY

SPORTS

THE UNDOUBTED kings ofsport in Catalonia are FC

Barcelona, known as Barça.They have the largest footballstadium in Europe, Camp Nou,and a fanatical following (seep87). Barcelona also has ahigh-ranking basketball team.

AMUSEMENT PARK

IN SUMMER, Barcelona’s giant amusement park on the

summit of Tibidabo (see p88)is usually open till the earlyhours at weekends, but alsobusy on other days. It is evenmore fun if you travel thereby tram, funicular or cable car.

ROCK, JAZZ ANDWORLD MUSIC

BIG NAMES like David Byrne and Paul McCartney have

performed at Razzmatazz. Insummer, festivals and open-air concerts are held aroundthe city. Jazz venues includethe Harlem Jazz Club andJamboree, and salsa fans will enjoy a quick slink downto Antilla Barcelona.

1 3 7E N T E R T A I N M E N T I N B A R C E L O N A


Sports and Outdoor Activities

FROM THE MOUNTAINS to the sea, Catalonia provides allmanner of terrain for enjoying the outdoor life. The

hot summer months can be filled with water activities,from fishing to white-water rafting, while skiers head forthe hills with the first snowfalls of winter. Nature loverswill find spectacular wildlife habitats, while Barcelonacity offers beaches and numerous sports facilities.

CITY FACILITIES

BARCELONA HAS AROUND 30municipal pools (piscines

municipales), including thePiscines Bernat Picornellnext to the Estadi Olímpicand Palau Sant Jordi sportsstadia on Montjuïc. The poolswere the venue for the 1992Olympic swimming events.The Estadi Olímpic is anathletics stadium and is oftenused for concerts. The PalauSant Jordi is used for indoorsports, as well as musical andrecreational activities. Tennisfans are well provided forand the Centre Muni-cipal de Tennis Valld’Hebron caters foryounger players too.Ice-skating can be funand the Pista de Geldel FC Barcelonaoffers skate rental andruns an ice hockeyschool. Golf courseswithin easy reach of Barce-lona are Golf Sant Cugat andGolf El Prat. There are severalriding stables, and the EscolaHípica at Sant Cugat allowsday outings over the Collserolahills. Cycle shops hire by thehour, half day and full day.Un Cotxe Menys organizescycle tours around Barcelona.

BIRD-WATCHING

BIRD LIFE in Cataloniais a huge attraction

for dedicated bird-watchers. Northern Euro-pean visitors in particular

will be thrilled by thesight of hoopoes, bee-eaters, golden oriolesand pratincoles. Twomajor wetland areas,

where migratory birds includeflamingoes, are Delta de l’Ebre(see p111), south of Tarragona,with a visitor centre in Del-tebre, and Aiguamolls del’Empordà around Sant PerePescador in the Bay of Roses.Both are easy to get to, andtheir visitor centres supplybinoculars and guide services.

An angler’s paradise – fishing for

trout amid spectacular scenery

FIELD SPORTS

SEA FISHING is free, but a permit (un permís) is re-

quired for river fishing. Permitscan usually be obtainedthrough local tourist offices.

The Noguera Pallaresa andSegre are fine trout fishingrivers and the season runsfrom mid-March to the end ofAugust. The game-huntingseason is generally from October to March. Short leasesand permits can be obtainedfrom the Patrimonio Naturalin Barcelona or from a localhunting association (associacióde caça). Travel agentsspecializing in hunting andfishing breaks will also readilyorganize licences.

Paragliding above the Vall d’Aran in the eastern Pyrenees

Griffon vulture

AIRBORNE ACTIVITIES

CATALONIA HAS several small airports where planes can

be hired and parachute jumpsmade. One of the best knownflying clubs is Aeroclub inSabadell. Paragliding ispopular from any high spotand Free Evolució offers allkinds of adventure sports forgroups of 10–12 people, in-cluding bungee jumping andballooning, as an exciting alter-native way to see the sights.

The best times to visit are earlymorning and evening. ThePyrenees are home to manyraptors, including short-toed,golden and Bonelli eagles, andEgyptian, griffon and beardedvultures. The Parc Natural delCadí-Moixeró (see p96), inthe foothills of the Pyrenees,has a visitor centre in Bagà.Look out for alpine choughs,wallcreepers and peregrinefalcons, as well as black wood-peckers in the wooded areas.

HIKING

ALL THE NATIONAL PARKS andreserves publish maps and

walking suggestions. Goodareas close to Barcelona arethe Collserola hills and thechestnut woods of Montseny.Long-distance GR (GranRecorrido) footpaths criss-crossCatalonia and the walking

good spot for scuba diving.The best place is around theprotected Illes Medes (seep103), from the resort ofL’Estartit. There are also divingschools around Cadaqués andCap Begur, notably at Calellade Palafrugell, launchingpoint for the Illes Ullastres.

The town of Sort on the RiuNoguera Pallaresa is a centrefor exciting water sports suchas white-water rafting, canoe-ing, kayaking and cave diving.Bookings for these and otheradventure activities can bemade through Yetiemotionsor Espot Esquí Parc.

S P O R T S A N D O U T D O O R A C T I V I T I E S 1 3 9

Aeroclub de Sabadell§ 93 710 19 52.

Aiguamolls de l’Empordà § 972 45 42 22.

ACEM (Associació Cata-lana d’Estacions d’Esquíi Activitats de Muntanya)§ 93 416 01 94.

Centre Excursionista de Catalunya§ 93 315 23 11.

Centre Municipal deTennis Vall d’Hebron§ 93 427 65 00.

Centre Municipal deVela Port Olímpic§ 93 225 79 40.

Un Cotxe Menys§ 93 268 21 05.

Delta de l’Ebre § 977 48 96 79.

Escola Hípica§ 93 589 89 89.

Espot Esquí Parc§ 97 362 4058.

Estadi Olímpic/Palau Sant Jordi§ 93 426 20 89.

Free Evolució§ 93 363 23 50.

Golf El Prat§ 93 379 02 78.

Golf Sant Cugat§ 93 674 39 08.

Llibreria Quera§ 93 318 07 43.

Parc Nacionald’Aigüestortes § 973 62 40 36.

Parc Natural delCadí-Moixeró § 93 824 41 51.

Patrimonio Natural§ 93 567 42 00.

Piscines Bernat Picornell§ 93 423 40 41.

Pista de Gel del FC Barcelona§ 93 496 36 30.

Teletiempo§ 807 17 03 08 (Barcelona);807 17 03 65 (Spain).

Yetiemotions§ 97 362 22 01 (office); or63 082 75 36.

DIRECTORY

possibilities in the ParcNacional d’Aigüestortes (seep95) and the Pyrenees are par-ticularly good, with mountainrefuges (see p115) for serioushikers. Walkers can obtaininformation from the CentreExcursionista de Catalunya(see p53). The LlibreriaQuera, in Carrer de Petritxol(No. 2) in Barcelona’s BarriGòtic, is the best bookshop formaps and guidebooks.

All the usual rules apply tothose setting off to explore thewilderness – check weatherforecasts, wear appropriateclothing, take adequateprovisions and let someoneknow where you are going.

WATER SPORTS

THERE ARE AROUND 40 marinasalong Catalonia’s 580 km

(360 miles) of coast, and avery wide range of watersportsand activities is available. InBarcelona itself, the CentreMunicipal de Vela PortOlímpic gives sailing lessonsand has a variety of craft. TheCosta Brava has long been a

WINTER SPORTS

THE PYRENEES offer great winter skiing just two or

three hours’ drive from Barce-lona and at weekends theresorts fill up with city crowds.There are some 20 ski areas.La Molina is good for begin-ners and Baqueira-Beret (seep95) is where Spain’s royalfamily skis. Puigcerdà (see p96)in the Cerdanya is a good basefor downhill and nordic skiing

within reach of 15 skistations in Catalonia,Andorra and France.The Associació Cata-lana d’Estacionsd’Esquí i Activitatsde Muntanya (ACEM)supplies resort details,while Teletiempo, aweather hotline, pro-vides information oncurrent weather con-ditions. In Barcelona,a dry ski slope hasbeen installed besidethe Piscines BernatPicornell on Montjuïc.

Skiing at one of the many ski stations in the

Pyrenees within easy reach of Barcelona

Shooting the rapids on the white waters of the Noguera Pallaresa

S U RV I VA LG U I D E

P R A C T I C A L I N F O R M AT I O N 142–149

T R AV E L I N F O R M AT I O N 150–155

S U R V I V A L G U I D E1 4 2

CATALONIA has an excellent tourist infrastructure and Barcelona is particularly

well organized for visitors. Thereare tourist offices in every townand all offer help in finding accom-modation, restaurants and activ-ities in their area. Larger officesusually have a wealth of leafletsin several languages. August isSpain’s main vacation month.

Many businesses close for thewhole month and roads are verybusy at the beginning and end ofthis period. At any time of year,try to find out in advance if yourvisit will coincide with local festes(fiestas). Although these are attrac-tions, they often entail widespreadclosures. It is a good idea to planleisurely lunches, as most ofCatalonia stops from 2pm to 4pm.

P R A C T I C A L I N F O R M AT I O N

MANNERS

CATALANS GREET and say goodbye to

strangers at bus stops, in lifts,in shops and in other publicplaces. They shake handswhen introduced and when-ever they meet. Women usu-ally kiss on both cheeks whenthey meet, and friends andfamily members of both sexesmay kiss or embrace briefly.

LANGUAGE

THOUGH CATALAN is the lang-uage spoken by native

Catalans, Catalonia is a biling-ual country where people alsospeak castellano (Spanish). Ifyou respond in Spanishto a question or greet-ing made in Catalan,the speaker will auto-matically switch toSpanish. All officialsigns and documentsare in both languages.However, as Barcelonain particular regardsitself as truly cosmo-politan, most touristliterature is also inEnglish and French.

VISAS AND PASSPORTS

VISAS ARE NOT required fortourists who are citizens of

specified countries includingthe EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein,Norway, the USA, Canada,Australia and New Zealand.

TOURIST INFORMATION

BARCELONA HAS three main oficines de turisme pro-

viding information on the city,its attractions, transport and

OPENING HOURS

MOST MUSEUMS and monu-ments close on Mondays.

On other days they generallyopen from 10am to 2pm and,in some cases, reopen from 4or 5pm to 8pm. Churches mayonly be opened for services.In smaller towns it is commonfor churches, castles and othersights to be kept locked. The

Turisme de Catalunya’s Barcelona office

However it is always best tocheck visa requirementsbefore travelling.

Spanish embassies supply a list of the other countries in the non-visa category.Tourists from these countriesmay stay 90 days within acontinuous 180-day period.The Oficina d’estrangers deBarcelona (a local govern-ment office) deals with visaextensions. Proof of employ-ment, study schedules, or

sufficient funds forliving are needed for a long stay.

TAX-FREE GOODSAND CUSTOMSINFORMATION

NON-EU RESIDENTS

can reclaim IVA(VAT) on single itemsworth over 90 eurosbought in shopsdisplaying a “Tax-freefor Tourists” sign.(Food, drink, cars,motorbikes, tobacco

and medicines areexempt.) You pay thefull price and ask the

sales assistant for a formulari(tax exemption form), whichyou ask customs to stamp asyou leave Spain (this must bewithin six months of thepurchase). You receive therefund by mail or on yourcredit card account. Banco Ex-terior branches at Barcelonaairport will give refunds oncompleted formularis.

No parking

sign

places to stay and eat, all runby Turisme de Barcelona.

A fourth office, in the Passeigde Gràcia, run by Turisme deCatalunya, a department ofthe Generalitat (Catalonia’sgovernment), provides infor-mation on the rest of theregion. Other major townshave tourist offices providinginformation published by theGeneralitat and the province’slocal administration (patronat).

There is a Spanish NationalTourist Office in the followingEnglish-speaking cities: NewYork, Chicago, Miami, LosAngeles, London and Toronto.

In Barcelona during thesummer, pairs of young infor-mation officers, known as RedJackets and generally English-speaking, provide touristinformation in the streets ofthe Barri Gòtic, La Ramblaand the Passeig de Gràcia.

Sign to a town hall

A “closed” sign

Boats in Barcelona’s Port Olímpic with the hill of Montjuïc in the background

Sign for a

tourist office

P R A C T I C A L I N F O R M A T I O N 1 4 3

CONSULATES

AustraliaGran Via de Carles III 98, 9°,08028 Barcelona.§ 93 490 90 13.

CanadaCalle Elisenda de Pinós 10,08034 Barcelona.§ 93 204 27 00.

IrelandGran Via de Carles III 94, 10°-2nª,08028 Barcelona.§ 93 491 50 21.

United KingdomAvinguda Diagonal 477, 13°08036 Barcelona.§ 93 366 62 00.

United StatesPasseig de la Reina Elisenda 23,08034 Barcelona.§ 93 280 22 27.

TOURIST OFFICES

Turisme de BarcelonaPlaça de Catalunya 17, subterrani, 08002 Barcelona.§ 807 11 72 22.

C/Ciutat 2 (Ajuntament), 08002 Barcelona.§ 010.

Estació Sants, Pl Països Catalans,08014 Barcelona.§ 807 11 72 22.

Turisme de CatalunyaPalau Robert, Pg de Gràcia 107,08008 Barcelona.§ 93 238 40 00

DISABLED

Servi-COCEMFECalle Eugenio Salazar 2,28002 Madrid.§ 91 413 80 01.

Viajes 2000Paseo de la Castellana 228-230,28046 Madrid.§ 91 323 10 29.

YOUTH/STUDENT

Unlimited YouthStudent Travel &ViatgetecaCarrer Rocafort 116 –122, 08015 Barcelona.§ 93 483 83 78.

DIRECTORY

STUDENT INFORMATION

HOLDERS OF THE InternationalStudent Identity Card

(ISIC) are entitled to benefits,such as discounts on traveland reduced entrance chargesto museums and galleries. In-formation is available from allnational student organizationsand, in Barcelona, fromViatgeteca, which sells theinternational student card andyouth hostel cards. UnlimitedYouth Student Travelspecializes in student travel.

CONVERSION CHART

Imperial to metric1 inch = 2.54 centimetres1 foot = 30 centimetres1 mile = 1.6 kilometres1 ounce = 28 grams1 pound = 454 grams1 pint = 0.6 litre1 gallon = 4.6 litres

Metric to imperial1 millimetre = 0.04 inch1 centimetre = 0.4 inch1 metre = 3 feet 3 inches1 kilometre = 0.6 mile1 gram = 0.04 ounce1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds1 litre = 1.8 pints

ELECTRICAL ADAPTORS

SPAIN’S ELECTRICITY supply is220 volts, but the 125-volt

system still operates in someold buildings. Plugs for bothhave two round pins. A three-tier standard travel converterenables you to use appliancesfrom abroad on both supplies.Heating appliances should beused only on 220 volts.

key (la clau), available to visi-tors on request, will be with acaretaker, kept at the town hall(ajuntament), or perhaps withthe owners of the local bar.Admission is charged for mostmuseums and monuments.On Sundays, museumadmission is often free.

Students enjoy reduced admission fees to many museums and galleries

FACILITIES FORTHE DISABLED

CATALONIA’S association for the disabled, the Federació

ECOM (see p115), has hotel listsand travel advice for the whole

region. Spain’s nation-al association,

COCEMFE, hasa tour com-pany, Servi-COCEMFE,that publishesguide booksto facilities inSpain and willhelp planvacations.

Tourist offices and the socialservices departments of townhalls supply information onlocal facilities. A travel agency,Viajes 2000, specializes invacations for disabled people.

SPANISH TIME

SPAIN IS ONE HOUR ahead of Greenwich Mean Time

(GMT) in winter (l’hivern) andtwo hours in summer (l’estiu),and uses the 24-hour clock.La matinada is the small hours,el matí (morning) lasts untilabout 1pm, while migdia (mid-day) is from 1 to 4pm. La tardais the afternoon, el vespre theevening and la nit the night.

COCEMFE sign for

disabled access

1 4 4 S U R V I V A L G U I D E

Personal Security and Health

IN CATALONIA, as in most parts of western Europe, ruralareas are quite safe, while towns and cities warrant

more care. Keep cards and money in a belt, don’t leavevaluables in your car and avoid poorly lit areas at night.If you feel ill, there will always be a local farmàcia(pharmacy) open. In Spain, pharmacists prescribe as wellas advise. Report lost documents to your consulate (seep143) and to the Policia Nacional at the local comissaria(police station). Emergency numbers are listed opposite.

IN AN EMERGENCY

THE NEW NATIONAL telephonenumber throughout Spain

for all emergency services is112. After dialling, ask forpolicia (police), bombers (firebrigade) or ambulància(ambulance). Local numbersfor the individual emergencyservices (opposite) still alsoapply. Outside Barcelona, thelargely voluntary Creu Roja(Red Cross) often responds to112 (or other) emergencycalls for ambulances.

Ambulances take admissionsto hospital urgències (accidentand emergency) departments.

private cover may be neededfor emergency hospital care.

For non-emergencies, afarmacèutic (pharmacist) canadvise and, at times, prescribewithout a doctor’s consultation.The farmàcia sign is anilluminated green or red cross.The addresses of those open atnight or at weekends are listedin all pharmacy windows.

Front of a high-street farmàcia

(pharmacy) in Catalonia

Red Cross ambulance sign

Accident and Emergency sign

PERSONAL SECURITY

AS IN MOST EUROPEAN cities, pickpocketing in Barcelona

is on the rise so it is wise totake sensible precautions whenout and about, especially iftravelling during peak season.Always be vigilant with hand-bags, wallets and cameras,especially in crowds, at majortourists attractions, and cafésand bars. In particular, keep aneye on your bag at outdoorcafés, as luggage has beenknown to disappear. One ofthe more common tricks issomeone distracting your atten-tion by alerting you to a “stain”

POLICE IN CATALONIA

I N SPAIN, POLICE services areorganized into three forces:

the Guàrdia Civil (paramilitaryCivil Guard), in olive-green,

Policia Nacional Mosso d’Esquadra Guàrdia Urbana

on your clothing (this happensa lot in the Metro) or carnationsellers that deftly empty yourwallet when you are trying topay them. Never leave valu-ables in your car and be awareof people hanging around cashdispenser machines as creditcard frauds are also on theincrease, especially along thecoast. Barcelona is generallysafe for walking although it isadvisable to avoid the BarriXinès area at night. It should beremembered, however, thatviolent crime and muggings in Barcelona are rare.

MEDICAL TREATMENT

ANY EU NATIONAL who falls illin Spain is entitled to

social security cover. To claimmedical treatment, UK citizensmust obtain Form E111 from apost office or GP surgery priorto travelling. Not all treatmentsare covered by Form E111, soit is a good idea to arrange pri-vate medical insurance as well.

For private medical care inSpain ask at a tourist office,or at your consulate or hotelfor the name and number of adoctor – if necessary, onewho speaks English. Visitorsfrom the US should makesure their insurance coversmedical care abroad. Ifpayment is needed at the timeof treatment, ask for anitemized bill. Some insurancecompanies will ask for anofficial translation. Extra

1 4 5

Fire engine showing the Barcelona fire service emergency number

OUTDOOR HAZARDS

CATALONIA’S HOT summers,are ideal for forest fires;

extinguish cigarettes and takeempty bottles away with you.

If climbing or hill-walkinggo properly equipped and letsomeone know your route.Do not enter a vedat de caça(hunting reserve) or camíparticular (private driveway).

EMERGENCY SERVICES

Police (Policia)

Fire Brigade (Bombers)

Ambulance (Ambulància)

§ 112 (national number).

Police (local numbers)§ 091 – Policia Nacional092 – Guàrdia Urbana (Barcelona,Lleida, Girona, Tarragona).§ 93 344 13 00 – TouristGuàrdia Urbana office in LaRambla, Barcelona.

Fire Brigade (local numbers)

§ 080 (Barcelona), 085 (Lleida,

Girona, Tarragona).

Ambulance (local numbers)§ 061 (Barcelona), use 112,(national number) elsewhere.

DIRECTORY

LEGAL ASSISTANCE

SOME HOLIDAY insurancepolicies cover legal costs

and provide a help-line youcan call for assistance.

If you are arrested, you havethe right to telephone yourconsulate (see p143), whichshould have a list of bilinguallawyers. The Col.legi d’Advo-cats (Lawyers’ Association) canguide you on getting legal ad-vice or representation.

If you need an interpreter,ask your consulate or look inthe Pàgines Grogues (YellowPages) telephone directoryunder Traductors (Translators)or Intèrprets (Interpreters).Traductors oficials or juratsare qualified to translate legalor official documents.

A patrol car of the Guàrdia Urbana

PUBLIC CONVENIENCES

PUBLIC CONVENIENCES are rarein Catalonia. Most people

simply walk into a bar, café,department storeor hotel and askfor els serveis or ellavabo (in Catalan),or los servicios orlos aseos (in Span-ish). On motor-ways (highways),there are toilets atservice stations.Women may haveto ask for la clau(the key). Alwayscarry toilet tissuewith you, as it isoften not provided.

P R A C T I C A L I N F O R M A T I O N

A patrol car of the Policia Nacional

An ambulance displaying the Barcelona 061

emergency number

polices mainly borders, airportsand rural areas; the PoliciaNacional, in blue, deals withmajor crime in larger townsand national security, as well asimmigration; and the GuàrdiaUrbana, also in blue, dealswith traffic regulation and thepolicing of local communities.

But in Barcelona and othermajor towns the Guàrdia Civiland the Policía Nacional arebeing replaced by an autono-mous Catalan police force, theMossos d’Esquadra. Mosttourists however are likely tobe dealing with the GuàrdiaUrbana who, during peakseason, set up a special,multilingual tourist service in acaravan in the Plaça Reial todeal with pickpocketing andpetty crime. Most otherGuàrdia Urbana policestations, at least in the old city,provide the forms you need tofill out when reporting a crimein your own language.

PERSONAL PROPERTY

REPORT A LOSS or theft straight away to the

Guàrdia Urbana, as manyinsurance companies give you only 24 hours. You mustmake a denúncia (writtenstatement) to the police andget a copy for your insurers.

Your consulate can replace amissing passport, but cannotprovide financial assistance,even in emergencies.


Banking and Local Currency

YOU MAY ENTER SPAIN with an unlimited amount ofmoney, but if you intend to export more than 6,000

euros, you should declare it. Traveller’s cheques may beexchanged at banks, bureaux de change (canvi inCatalan, cambio in Spanish), some hotels and someshops. Banks generally offer the best exchange rates.The cheapest exchange rate may be offered on yourcredit or direct debit card, which may be used in cashdispensers displaying the appropriate sign.

BANKING HOURS

AS A RULE of thumb, banks in Catalonia are open from

8am to 2pm on weekdays.Some open until 1pm on Sat-urdays, but most are closedon Saturdays from July to Sep-tember. Branches of some ofthe larger banks in the centreof Barcelona are beginning toextend their weekday open-ing hours, but this is not yet awidespread practice.

CASH DISPENSERS

IF YOUR CARD is linked to your home bank account,

you can use it with your PINto withdraw money from cashdispensers. Nearly all takeVISA or MasterCard (Access).Cards with a Cirrus orMaestro logo can also bewidely used to withdrawmoney from cash machines.

When you enter your PIN,instructions are displayed inCatalan, Spanish, English,French and German. Manydispensers are inside buildingsthese days, and to gain accesscustomers must run their cardsthrough a door-entry system.

CHEQUES AND CARDS

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUES can bepurchased at American

Express (AmEx), Travelex oryour bank. All are accepted inSpain. If you exchange AmExcheques at an AmEx office,commission is not charged.Banks require 24 hours’ noticeto cash cheques larger than3,000 euros. If you draw morethan 600 euros on traveller’scheques, you may be asked toshow the purchase certificate.

The most widely acceptedcard in Spain is the VISA card,although MasterCard(Access)/Eurocard andAmerican Express are alsouseful currency. The majorbanks will allow cashwithdrawals on credit cards.All cash dispensers acceptmost foreign cards, althoughcommission depends on yourown bank. More and morecash machines are nowclosed at night, particularly in the old city.

When you pay with a card,cashiers will usually pass itthrough a card readingmachine. In shops you willalways be asked foradditional photo ID. Asleaving your passport in thehotel safe is preferable, makesure you have an alternativeoriginal document on hand(photocopies will rarely do)such as a driver’s license.Cards are not accepted insome smaller bars andrestaurants, so check first.

FOREIGN BANKS

Barclays BankRonda de la Universitat 27,08007 Barcelona.§ 93 301 52 08.

CitibankPaseo de Gracia 7, 08007Barcelona.§ 93 344 17 00.

LOST CARDS ANDTRAVELLER’S CHEQUES

American ExpressPaseo de Gracia 101, 08007Barcelona.§ 93 415 23 71.

Diners Club§ 901 10 10 11.

MasterCard (Access)§ 900 97 12 31 (toll free).

Travelex§ 900 94 89 71 (toll free).

VISA§ 900 99 12 16 (toll free).

DIRECTORY

Bureau de change

Caixes d’estalvi/Cajas deahorro (savings banks) alsoexchange money. They openfrom 8:30am to 2pm on week-days, and on Thursdays alsofrom 4:30pm to 7:45pm. Theyhave a highly visible profile,actively supporting the artsand good public works.

CHANGING MONEY

MOST BANKS have a foreign exchange desk signed

Canvi/Cambio or Monedaestrangera/extranjera. Alwaystake your passport as ID toeffect any transaction.

You can draw up to 450euros on major credit cards ata bank. Several US and UKbanks have branches in Barcelona, including Citibankand Barclays. If you bankwith them, you can cash acheque there.

A bureau de change,indicated by the sign Canvi/Cambio, or the sign“Change”, will invariablycharge higher rates of com-mission than a bank, but willoften remain open after hours.

24-hour Servi Caixa cash

dispenser (see p136)


CoinsThe euro has eight coin denominations: 2 eurosand 1 euro (silver and gold); 50 cents, 20 centsand 10 cents (gold); and 5 cents, 2 cents and 1cent (bronze). The reverse (number) side ofeuros are the same in all Euro-zone countries,but the front is different in each state.

THE EURO

INTRODUCTION OF the singleEuropean currency, the

euro, has taken place in 12 ofthe 15 member states of theEU. Austria, Belgium, Finland,France, Germany, Greece, Ire-land, Italy, Luxembourg, The

Netherlands, Portugal andSpain chose to join the newcurrency; the UK, Denmarkand Sweden stayed out, withan option to review the deci-sion. The euro was introducedon 1 January 1999, but only forbanking purposes. Notes andcoins came into circulation on

1 January 2002. After a transi-tion period allowing the useof both national currencies andthe euro, Spain’s own currency,the peseta, was completelyphased out by March 2002.All euro notes and coins canbe used anywhere within theparticipating member states.

Bank NotesEuro bank notes have seven denom-inations. The 5-euro note (grey incolour) is the smallest, followed bythe 10-euro note (pink), 20-euronote (blue), 50-euro note (orange),100-euro note (green), 200-euronote (yellow) and 500-euro note(purple). All notes show the 12 stars of the European Union.

200 euros

100 euros

500 euros

20 euros

10 euros

5 euros

5 cents 2 cents 1 cent

50 cents 20 cents 10 cents2 euros 1 euro

50 euros

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PUBLIC TELEPHONES, run by the Spanishtelecommunications company Telefón-

ica, are easy to find and operate with acard or coins, but international calls havea high charge. The postal service, Correos,is identified by a crown insignia in red orwhite on a yellow background. Regis-tered mail and telegrams can be sent from

all Correos offices. These also sell stamps, but it is moreusual, and quicker, to buy them from estancs (tobac-conists). There are no public phones in Correos offices.

USING A COIN AND CARD TELEPHONE

Logo of the Spanish telecom system

USEFUL SPANISH DIALLING CODES

• When calling within a city, within a province,or to call another province, dial the entirenumber. The province is indicated by theinitial digits: Barcelona numbers start with 93,Lleida 973, Girona 972 and Tarragona 977.

• To make an international call, dial 00,followed by the country code, the area codeand the number.

• Country codes are: UK 44; Eire 353; France33; US and Canada 1; Australia 61; NewZealand 64. It may be necessary to omit theinitial digit of the destination’s area code.

• For operator/directory service, dial 11818.

• For international directory enquiries, dial1008 for EU countries and 1005 for therest of the world.

• To make a reversed-charge (collect) callwithin the EU, dial 900 99 00 followed bythe country code; to the US or Canada,dial 900 99 00 followed by 11 or 15 res-pectively. Numbers for other countriesare in the A-K telephone directory underComunicaciones Internacionales.

• To report technical faults, dial 1002.• The speaking clock is on 093, the weather

on 807 17 03 08, wake-up calls on 096.

TELEPHONING

AS WELL AS PUBLIC telephone boxes (cabines), bars

often have payphones. Bothtypes take coins. There is ahigh minimum connectioncharge, especially for inter-national calls, so it is best toensure that you have plenty ofchange ready. Phonecards area more convenient option andcan be bought at estancs andnewsstands. In addition, somephones are equipped withelectronic multilingualinstruction displays.

Calls can also be made fromlocutoris (public telephoneoffices) and paid for after-wards. The cheapest officesare those away from the citycentre. Private ones, whichare often located in shops, are usually much pricier.

The charges for internationalcalls are divided into fourbands: EU countries; non-EUEuropean countries and Northwest Africa; North andSouth America; and the rest ofthe world. With the exceptionof local calls, using thetelephone system can beexpensive, especially if callingfrom a hotel, which may adda high surcharge. A call froma cabina or a locutori costs asmuch as 35 per cent more

1Lift the receiver, and wait forthe dialling tone and for the

display to show Inserte monedas otarjeta.

3Key in the number firmly, butnot too fast – Spanish phones

prefer you to pause betweendigits.

2 Insert either coins (monedas)or a card (tarjeta).

4As you press the digits, thenumber you are dialling will

appear on the display. You willalso be able to see how muchmoney or how many units areleft and when to insert morecoins.

Standard issue

postage stamp

Communications

Spanish phonecard

5When your call isfinished, replace the

receiver. The phonecardwill then re-emergeautomatically or any excesscoins will be returned.


than a call made from aprivate telephone.

Reversed-charge (collect)calls made to EU countriesmay be dialled directly, butmost others must be madethrough the operator.

Spain abolished provincialarea codes in 1998, so the fullnumber, including the initial9, must always be dialled,even from within the area.

TELEVISION AND RADIO

CATALANS HAVE a choice of watching TV3 in Catalan

run by the regional govern-ment, or TVE1 and TVE2,

Spain’s two statetelevision channels.There is a Catalanchannel, Canal 33,which has a highcultural content andthree Spanish inde-pendents: Antena 3,Tele-5 and Canal+(Canal Plus). Aregular foreignlanguage newsservice is providedby Barcelona Tele-visio (BTV). Mostforeign films ontelevision (and in

cinemas) are dubbed. Sub-titled films are listed as V.O.(versión original).

Satellite channels such asCNN, Cinemanía and Eurosportand many other Europeanchannels can be received inCatalonia.

The main radiostations areCatalunya Ràdio,and COM Ràdio,the Spanish stateRadio Nacionalde España, andthe independentstations Radio 2,broadcastingclassical music,and Ser, aSpanish general-interest station. A newsstand on La Rambla in Barcelona

Some of Catalonia’s daily papers Catalan magazines

NEWSPAPERS ANDMAGAZINES

SOME NEWSAGENTS and kiosks in Barcelona city centre

stock periodicals in English.Newspapers in English avail-able on the day of publicationare the International HeraldTribune, the Financial Timesand the Guardian Internation-al. Others can be found a dayafter publication. The Europeannewspaper and popular week-ly news magazines such asTime, Newsweek and TheEconomist are readily available.

The main Catalan-languagenewspapers are Avui and ElPeriódico (the latter alsohaving a Spanish edition). LaVanguardia, in Spanish, ispublished in Barcelona and iswidely respected. The otherSpanish newspapers withlarge circulations are El País,El Mundo and ABC. El Mundo,aimed at young people, tendsto have a lot of news features;El País and ABC are verystrong on international news.

Barcelona’s best weeklylistings magazine for arts,leisure events and eating outis Guía del Ocio, published inSpanish. Lifestyle and sportsmagazines are also popular.

POSTAL SERVICE

CORREOS, Spain’s postal service, is rather slow. It

is better to send any urgent or important post by urgente(express) or certificado (reg-istered) mail, or to use aprivate courier service.

Post can be registered andtelegrams sent from allCorreos offices. However, it ismore convenient to buy stampsfor postcards and letters froman estanc (tobacconist’s).

Postal rates fall into threeprice bands: Spain,Europe and the restof the world. Parcelsmust be weighedand stamped byCorreos and must be securely tied with string, or acharge may be madeat the counter tohave them sealed by a clerk.

Main Correosoffices open from8:30am to 8:30pmfrom Monday toFriday and from 9amto 7pm on Saturday. Branchesin the suburbs and in villagesopen from 9am to 2pm fromMonday to Friday and from9am to 1pm on Saturday.

ADDRESSES

IN CATALAN ADDRESSES the street name is written first, follow-

ed by the building number, thefloor number, and the numberor letter of the apartment. Forexample, C/ Mir 7, 5è-A meansapartment A on floor 5 ofbuilding number 7 in CarrerMir. Carrer is often shortenedto C/. Floor designations are:Baixos (ground floor), Entresol,Principal, 1r, 2n and so on,meaning that 2n is in fact the4th level above the ground.

Catalan mailbox

Some newer buildings use theless complicated designationof Baixos followed 1r, 2n andso on upwards. Postcodes (zipcodes) have five digits; the firsttwo are the province number.

For passengers arrivingfrom Madrid or other Spanishcities, Spain’s domestic flightsare operated by Iberia, its asso-ciated airline, Air Nostrum,Air Europa and Spanair.

The most frequent shuttleservice between Madrid andBarcelona is Iberia’s Pont Aeri(Puente Aéreo). It flies everyquarter of an hour at peaktimes and passengers can buytickets just 15 minutes inadvance using a self-ticketingmachine. The flight takes 50minutes. Other servicesbetween Madrid and

Barcelona areless frequentbut, on thewhole, theirprices tend tobe lower.The majorinternational car

rental companies (see p155)have desks at all three termi-nals of El Prat airport. Gironaairport also has some of themain rental companies on site

T R AV E L I N F O R M AT I O N

CATALONIA’S three main airports –El Prat, Girona and Reus – receiveinternational flights

from all over the globe.While Barcelona’s El Prathandles mainly scheduledservices, Girona and Reusdeal with package holidayflights. Rail networks and toll highwaysradiate from Barcelona to serve the

region’s major towns. Barcelona has awell-developed ringroad (ronda) system,

and a tunnel through theCollserola Hills brings theinland highways right intothe city. Both its Metro andsuburban train links areexcellent but, as much of

Catalonia is mountainous, buses or a carare the only way to see many rural sights.

Spain’s national airline

Duty-free shopping at Barcelona’s

El Prat airport

ARRIVING BY AIR

BARCELONA IS SERVED by manyinternational airlines. The

Spanish national carrier, Iberia,offers daily scheduled flights toBarcelona from all west Euro-pean capitals. It also offersconnections with, but nodirect flights from, easternEurope. Direct flights fromseveral other east Europeancapitals are, however, offeredby other airlines.

AIRPORTINFORMATION

Barcelona El Prat§ 93 298 38 38.

Girona § 972 18 66 00.

Reus § 977 77 98 32.

IBERIA, AIRNOSTRUM

International anddomestic flights§ 902 400 500 (Spain).

Canada§ (800) 772 4642.

UK§ 0845 601 2854.

US§ (800) 772 4642.

OTHER AIRLINES

Air Europa§ 902 401 501 (Spain).

∑ www.air-europa.com

British Airways§ 902 11 13 33 (Spain).

§ 0870 8509850 (UK).

∑www.britishairways.com

Delta Air Lines§ 901 11 69 46 (Spain).

§ (800) 241 41 41 (US).

∑ www.delta.com

EasyJet§ 902 29 99 92 (Spain).

§ 0870 600 00 00 (UK).

∑ www.easyjet.com

Ryanair§ 08712 460000 (UK).

∑ www.ryanair.com

Spanair§ 902 13 14 15 (Spain).

∑ www.spanair.com

SEA TRAVEL

Atlas Cruises andTours§ (800) 942 3301 (US).

∑ www.atlastravelweb.com

Costa Cruises§ 93 487 56 85 (Spain).

∑ www.costacruceros.es

Grimaldi Group§ 90 240 12 00 (Spain).

Thomson Cruises§ 0870 550 2562 (UK).

TRAVEL TO THEBALEARICISLANDS

Buquebus§ 902 414 242 (Spain).

Trasmediterránea§ 902 45 46 45 (Spain).

§ 020 7491 4968 (UK).

DIRECTORY

British Airways offers dailyflights to Barcelona, fromHeathrow and Gatwick andfour flights a week fromBirmingham. EasyJet flies fromGatwick, Stansted, Luton,Bristol, Newcastle and Liver-pool, while Iberia offers adirect service from Manchester.Ryanair flies to Girona andReus from Stansted, an airportwith links to many UK regionalairports. Delta Air Linesoffers direct flights to Barcelonafrom the US. Iberia operates acomprehensive service fromboth the US and Canada,offering regularflights fromMontreal viaMadrid. Noairlines operatedirect flightsbetween Spainand Australia.

Catalonia’s other two inter-national airports handle charterflights: Girona serves the CostaBrava, and Reus, near Tarra-gona, the Costa Daurada.

Sign for the shuttle service

linking Barcelona and Madrid

1 5 0 S U R V I V A L G U I D E

AIR FARES

AIR FARES to Barcelona and thecoastal resorts vary

through the year, dependingon demand. They are generallyhighest during the summermonths. Special deals, particu-larly for weekend city breaksin Barcelona, are oftenavailable in the winter and mayinclude a number of nights ata hotel. Christmas and Easterflights are almost always book-ed up well in advance.

Charter flights from the UKto Girona and Reus can bevery cheap, but tend to beless reliable, and often fly atunsociable hours.

Flying between Barcelonaand other cities in Spain is anexpensive way to travelcompared with other options.

EL PRAT AIRPORT, BARCELONABarcelona’s airport is currently being modified and is 12 km(7 miles) from the city centre. Terminal A handles internationalarrivals and foreign airlines’ departures. Terminals B and C arefor departures on Spanish airlines and arrivals from EuropeanUnion countries. Trains to the Plaça de Catalunya in the citycentre leave every 30 minutes. A shuttle bus, the Aerobus,departs for the Plaça de Catalunya every 12 minutes. A taxiwill take about 15 minutes and cost around 20.

KEY

Departures

Arrivals

Public access

Check-in

Customs

Passport control

Passengers only

Restricted access

FIRST FLOOR

GROUND FLOOR

Car rental

Car rental

Meeting point

Car rental

Terminal C

Terminal B

Terminal A

Bank

Bank

Bank

Bank

Trasmediterránea car ferry to the Balearic Islands in Barcelona harbour

SEA TRAVEL

IN 1998 THE Grimaldi Groupestablished a new scheduled

ferry service between Genoaand Barcelona. US travel com-pany Atlas Cruises and Toursoffers transatlantic cruises be-tween the US and Barcelona,as well as cruises around theMediterranean. Costa Cruisesoffers Mediterranean cruisesstarting in Barcelona, whileThomson Cruises, in the UK,has cruises calling at Barcelona,but starting out from Mallorca.

TRAVEL TO THE BALEARICISLANDS

BARCELONA IS THE main city onthe Spanish mainland from

which to reach the BalearicIslands. Flights are run byIberia, Air Europa and Spanair;a passenger hydrofoil (a kindof catamaran) service, whichtakes three hours, by Buque-bus; and car ferry crossings,which take about eight hours,by Trasmediterránea. It iswise to book in advance,especially in summer.

and cars can be delivered toReus from nearby Tarragona.There will also be local firmsoffering tempting deals, butread the small print carefully.

1 5 1T R A V E L I N F O R M A T I O N

THERE ARE TWO PROVIDERS of rail servicesin Catalonia. The Spanish national

RENFE (Red Nacional de FerrocarrilesEspañoles) operates Spain’s inter-cityservices including first-class Talgo andAVE trains and some of Barcelona’scommuter services (rodalies). The Catalangovernment’s FGC (Ferrocarrils de laGeneralitat de Catalunya) runs somesuburban trains in Barcelona and somespecial-interest services in Catalonia’s

provinces. Barcelona also has the Metro, an efficientcity-wide network of underground (subway) trains.

ARRIVING BY TRAIN

THERE ARE DIRECT internationaltrain services to Barcelona

from several European citiesincluding Paris, Montpellier,Geneva, Zurich andMilan. Long trainjourneys can bemade more bear-able by booking asleeping compart-ment on an over-night train. Thisoption is onlyavailable on directservices. All trainsentering the eastern side ofSpain from France go throughPort Bou/Cerbère or La Tourde Carol on the Franco-Spanishborder. Travelling to Barcelonafrom departure points notoffering a direct service maymean picking up a connectionhere. Most international trainsarrive at Sants, Estació deFrança or Passeig de Gràciamainline stations, all locatedin the centre of Barcelona.

Services to Barcelona fromother cities in Spain are fastand frequent. From Madrid,Seville, Málaga, A Coruña orVigo there is a service calledAuto-Express which allowsyou to take your car with you.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Information (BarcelonaLocal Council)§ 010.

RENFE Information andCredit Card Bookings§ 902 24 02 02 (national).

§ 902 24 34 02 (international).

∑ www.renfe.es

Secretaria General de JuventudYoung People’s Tourist Office,

Carrer de Calàbria, 147.§ 93 483 83 83.

FGC Information§ 93 205 15 15.

TMB Information§ 93 298 70 00 or 012.

DIRECTORY

BUYING TRAIN TICKETS

TICKETS FOR TALGO, AVE,inter-city and international

trains and for other llargrecorregut (long-distance)travel by train may be boughtat any of the major RENFErailway stations from thetaquilla (ticket office). Theyare also sold by travel agents,plus a booking fee. Ticketscan be purchased in advanceon the RENFE website.During the peak months (Julyto September), many of themost popular inter-city routes,particularly to the coasts, arebooked up weeks in advance,so it's worth planning ahead.You can also reserve ticketsby phone. They are held for48 hours (up to two hoursbefore the train leaves) andcan be collected at main

Metro and FGC

rail services sign

EXPLORINGCATALONIA BYTRAIN

CATALONIA HAS a net-work of regional

trains (regionals)covering the whole ofCatalunya and run byRENFE. There are threetypes – the CatalunyaExprés linking the maintowns with few stops

in between, and the Regionaland Delta trains which takelonger and stop frequently. Ahigh-speed Euromed servicefrom Barcelona to Tarragona(continuing south to Castelló,

València and Alacant/Alicante) leaves fromSants station.

FGC (Ferrocarrilsde la Generalitat deCatalunya) is anetwork of suburbantrains run by theCatalan governmentin and around Bar-celona. FGC also runs

some other special services,such as Spain’s only rack rail-way (cog railroad) from Ribesde Freser (see inside back cov-er) to Núria in the Pyrenees.It also runs the cable cars and funiculars at theMonastery of Mont-serrat (see pp104 –5)and at Vallvidrera, aswell as severalhistoric steam trainsand an electric trainfor tourists andenthusiasts. Detailsare available at theFGC station at Plaçade Catalunya or bycalling the FGCnumber listed above.

Travelling by Train and Metro

Logo of the Spanish

national rail service

Escalator down to a platform (andana) at

Sants mainline station in Barcelona

Ticket machine for

regionals trains


Ticket machine for

rodalies trains

Automatic ticket barriers at one of Barcelona’s Metro stations

stations. Tickets for local andregional services can bepurchased from stationbooking offices. In somelarger stations,they can alsobe bought from ticketmachines.Tickets forrodalies (localservices) can-not be reserved.A one-way journey is anada and a round trip is anada i tornada.

THE BARCELONA METRO

THERE ARE SIX undergroundMetro lines in Barcelona,

identified bynumber andcolour. Platformsigns distin-guish betweentrains and theirdirection bydisplaying thelast station on

the line. In the street it is easyto spot a Metrostation – lookfor a sign bear-ing a red “M”on a whitediamondbackground.The Metro isusually thequickest way toget around thecity, especially as some ticketsare now valid for the Metroand some FGC lines. A RENFEor FGC sign at a Metro station

BARCELONA TICKETS ANDTRAVELCARDS

VISITORS TO BARCELONA willfind a range of tickets and

money-saving travelcardsavailable to suit their itinerariesand length of stay. Somecover train, bus and Metro.Combined tickets allow trav-ellers to hop from Metro toFGC to bus lines without leav-ing the station to pay again.Tickets are as follows: T-diaand T-mes are for unlimiteddaily and monthly travel res-pectively; the senzill ticket,for one single journey, can beused on Metro, bus and FGC;

the T-10, for tentrips, is for com-bining journeyson Metro, busand FGC in onetrip (there is atime limit of anhour and ahalf); the T-50/30 is for 50journeys in 30

days on Metro, bus and FGC.Details of special tourist travelcards are described on theinside back cover of this guide.

Metro interchange sign showing

where to change to another line

A one-way (single) Metro ticket

for Barcelona’s subway

indicates a RENFE or FGCconnection. Metro trains runfrom 5am to midnight fromMonday to Thursday, from6am to midnight on Sundayand a weekday public holidayand from 5am to 2am onFriday, Saturday and the daybefore a public holiday.

USING A METRO TICKET MACHINE

Credit cardsaccepted bythe machineare listed here.

1Select language:

Catalan/Spanish,English, French.

3a. Insert coins:the coins

accepted arelisted alongside.

Easy-reachlanguage andticket-type but-tons for wheel-chair users.

3b. Insert credit card.

4Collect your ticket and

any change due.

2Select ticket:senzill (single

trip), T-10 (10trips), T-50/30(50 trips in 30days), thenquantity required.

3c. Insertbanknote(s).

Logo ofTransportsMetropoli-tans Urbans(TMB), whichintegrates allservices.

T R A V E L I N F O R M A T I O N 1 5 3

TRAIN FARES

FARES FOR rail travel dependon the speed and quality

of the service. Tickets forTalgo and AVE trains are moreexpensive than local andregional trains. RENFE offersdiscounts to children andpeople over 60, groups of tenand through travel cards onlocal, regional and long-distance trains. Touristsnormally resident outsideSpain are eligible for a touristrailcard, which allows un-limited travel on RENFE trains.

Interrail tickets for thoseunder 26 and Eurodominotickets for those over 26 areavailable to people from EUmember states and ten otherEuropean countries. Theyoffer discounts on rail traveland can be purchased atBarcelona’s Sants and Estacióde França stations. Travelcards, available through theSecretaria General de Juven-tud, are for people under 26,of any nationality, and carry adiscount of up to 40 per centon journeys from any point inSpain to Europe. To purchaseone of these, you will needproof of your age and identity.

SM

DRIVING CONDITIONS in Catalonia vary enormously, from the

dense road network and heavytraffic in and around Barcelona toalmost empty country roads in theprovinces, where villages, and inparticular petrol (gas) stations, canbe far apart. Toll highways (auto-pistes) are fast and free-flowing, but

the ordinary main roads along the coast are usually verybusy at all times of day. For tourists without private cars,joining an organized bus tour is a good way to visitwell-known, but rather more remote, places of interest.

Logo of the National ATESA

car-rental company

TAKING YOUR OWN CAR

AGREEN CARD and a bail bondfrom a motor insurance

company are needed to extendyour comprehensive cover toSpain. In the UK, the RAC, AA and Europ Assistance havesound rescue and recoverypolicies with European cover.

Vehicle registration, insurancedocuments and your driver’slicence must be carried at alltimes. Non-EU citizens shouldobtain an international driver’slicence; in the US, these areavailable through theAAA. You may also beasked for a passport ornational identity cardas extra identification.

A country of originsticker must be dis-played on the rear offoreign vehicles. Alldrivers must carry a red warn-ing triangle, spare light bulbsand a first-aid kit. Failure to doso will incur on-the-spot fines.

are now: 120 km/h (75 mph)on autopistes and autovies (tolland non-toll motorways/high-ways); 90 km/h (56 mph) oncarreteres nacionals (mainroads) and carreteres comar-cals (secondary roads); 40 or50 km/h (30 or 37 mph) inurban areas – look for signs.There are on-the-spot speedingfines of up to 450 euros. Theblood alcohol legal limit is0.5g per litre (0.25 mg per litrein a breath test) – tests arefrequently given and drivers

over the limit are fined.Front and rear seat beltsmust be worn. Ordinaryleaded fuel (benzina),unleaded fuel (ben-

zina sense plom) anddiesel (gas oil) are allavailable everywhereand sold by the litre.

Canvi de sentit (slip or access

road) 300 m (330 yd) ahead

Travelling by Car and Bus

AUTOPISTES

ON TOLL MOTORWAYS (auto-pistes) long-distance tolls

are calculated per kilometre.Over some stretches nearcities a fixed toll is charged.There are three channels atthe peatge (toll booths/plaza):Automàtic has ma-chines for creditcards or the rightcoins; in Manual

ARRIVING BY CAR

MANY PEOPLE drive to Spainvia the French motor-

ways (highways). The mostdirect routes across thePyrenees are the motorwaysthrough Hendaye in the westand La Jonquera in the east.Port Bou is on a scenic coastalroute, while other routes snakeover the top, entering Cataloniavia the Vall d’Aran, Andorra,and Puigcerdà in the Cerdanya.From the UK, car ferries runfrom Plymouth to Santanderand from Portsmouth to Bilbaoin northern Spain.

Barcelona road signs

Speed limit 60

km/h (37 mph)

DRIVING IN CATALONIA

AT JUNCTIONS give way to theright unless directed

otherwise. Left turns across theflow of traffic are indicated bya canvi de sentit sign. Speedlimits for cars without trailers

CAR RENTAL

INTERNATIONAL car rental com-panies, such as Hertz, Avis

and Europcar, as well as someSpanish ones, such as Nation-al ATESA, operate all overCatalonia. You are likely to getbetter deals with internationalcompanies if you arrange a carfrom home. A hire car is uncotxe de lloguer. Catalonia’sthree main airports (see p150)have car rental desks. However,those at Girona and Reus haveirregular opening hours, so ifyou need a car there, it is bestto book in advance and theywill meet your requirements.Avis offers deals in chauffeur-driven cars from major cities. A filling station run by a leading chain with branches throughout Spain


Granollers bus station in Barcelona province

CAR RENTAL

National ATESA § 93 298 34 33 (Barcelona

airport).

§ 902 100 101

Avis§ 902 135 531

Europcar§ 93 298 33 00 (Barcelona

airport).

§ 902 10 50 30

Hertz § 93 298 36 39 (Barcelona

airport).

§ 902 402 405

TOUR BUS OPERATORS

Autocares Julià§ 93 402 69 00.

Eurolines§ 020 7730 8235 in UK.

§ 93 490 40 00 in Barcelona.

Julià Tours§ 93 317 64 54.

Pullmantur§ 93 317 12 97.

BUS STATIONS

Estació del NordCarrer d’Alí Bei 80.

§ 902 26 06 06.

Estació de SantsPlaça del Països Catalans.

§ 93 490 40 00.

TAXIS

Radio Taxis§ 93 433 10 20/357 77 55.

§ 93 300 11 00.

§ 93 420 80 88 (taxis for the

disabled).

DIRECTORYLONG -DISTANCE BUSES

SPAIN’S LARGEST inter-city bus company, Autocares Julià,

is an agent for Eurolines. Thisruns regular services from allover Europe to Sants busstation in Barcelona. Busesfrom towns and cities in Spainarrive at Estació del Nord.

Julià Tours and Pullmanturoffer tours of Barcelona. Anumber of companies run daytrips or longer tours to placesof interest in Catalonia.Turisme de Catalunya (seep143) in Barcelona has detailsof trips to all parts of Cata-lonia; in other towns, localtourist offices will knowabout tours in their provinces.

TAXIS

BARCELONA’S TAXIS are yellowand black, and display a

green light when they are free.Most taxis are metered andshow a minimum fee at thestart of a journey. Rates in-crease after 10pm and at week-ends, although the minimumfee stays the same. In unmeter-ed taxis, such as those in vil-lages, it is best to negotiate aprice for the trip before settingoff. Supplements are chargedfor going to and from theairport and for suitcases. RadioTaxis have cars adapted fordisabled people, but they needto be booked a day ahead.They also have some cars thatwill take up to seven people.

an attendant takes your ticketand money; for Teletac youneed an electronic chip onyour windscreen (windshield).Autopistes have emergencytelephones every 2 km (1.25miles) and service stationsevery 40 km (25 miles).

PARKING

CENTRAL Barcelona has a pay- and-display system, with

charges in force from 9am to2pm and 4pm to 8pm Mondayto Friday and all day Saturday.You can park in blue spacesfor about1–2 eurosper hour.Tickets arevalid for twohours butcan be re-newed. At under-ground car parks (parking lots),lliure means there is space,complet means full. Most areattended, but in automaticones, you pay before returningto your car. Do not park wherethe pavement edge is yellow orwhere there is a private exit(gual). Blue and red signssaying “1–15” or “16–30” meanyou cannot park on those datesin the month on the side of thestreet where the sign is placed.

BUSES IN BARCELONA

AN EXCELLENT way to sightseeis by Bus Turístic. It runs

all year on two routes fromPlaça de Catalunya. A ticket,bought on board, is valid forboth routes and lets you geton and off or change routes as

you please. The main

city buses arewhite andred. You canbuy a singleticket on the

bus, or a T-10 ten-trip ticket at Metro stations,valid for bus, Metro and FGC(see p153). Other combinedtickets are described insidethe back cover. The Nitbusruns nightly from around10pm to 5am; the TombBuscovers the big shoppingstreets from Plaça deCatalunya to Plaça Pius XII;and the Aerobus is an excel-lent service between Plaça deCatalunya and El Prat airport.

Barcelona bus stop

One of Barcelona’s taxis

T R A V E L I N F O R M A T I O N 1 5 5

B A R C E L O N A S T R E E T F I N D E R1 5 6

KEY TO STREET FINDER

Major sight

Place of interest

Other building

Main train station

Local (FGC) train station

Metro station

Main bus stop

Bus station

Golondrina boarding point

Cable car

Funicular station

Taxi rank

Parking

Tourist information

Hospital with A&E unit

Police station

Church

Post office

Railway line (railroad)

One-way street

Pedestrianized street

0 kilometres

0 miles

2

1

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250

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CARLES III

3 4

65

21

AVINGUDA DEL

PARAL .LEL

R O NDA DEL LITORAL

GRAN VIA DE LES CORTS CATALANES GRAN VIA DE LES

RONDADEL

LITORA

L

AVINGU

DA MER

IDIANA

PASSEIG DE

GRACIA

PASSEIG DE

SANTJOAN

AVINGUDA

RONDA DEL GUINARDO

AVINGUDA DIAGONAL

CARRER D'ARAGOCARRER D'ARAGO

PASSEIG DE C

OLOM

GRAN

VIA

DE

GENERALMITRE

TRAVESSERA DE

AVDE

PEDRA LBES

CARRER

DE LA CREU COBERTA

C ARR

ERDE

NUMA

NCIA

AVINGUDA DE ROMA

RONDA DELLA

RAMB

LA

Montjuic

Old Town

Eixample

B A R C E L O N A S T R E E T F I N D E R

THE MAP REFERENCES givenwith the sights, shops and entertainment venues

described in the Barcelona sec-tion of the guide refer to thestreet maps on the followingpages. Map references are alsogiven for Barcelona’s hotels (see

pp116 –21), restaurants (seepp126 –31) and cafés and bars(see pp132 –3). The schematicmap below shows the areas ofthe city covered by the StreetFinder. The symbols for sights,

features and services are listed inthe key at the foot of the page.

B A R C E L O N A S T R E E T F I N D E R 1 5 7

AAbaixadors, Carrer dels 5B3

Abdó Terradas, Carrer d' 3B2

Agullers, Carrer dels 5B3

Agustí Duran i Sanpere,

Carrer d' 2F2

Alaba, Carrer d' 6F1

Alba, Carrer de l’ 3C2

Albareda, Carrer d’ 2E4

Alcalde de Móstoles,

Carrer de l' 4E1

Alcanar, Carrer d' 5C5

Aldana, Carrer d' 2E3

Alí Bei, Passatge d’ 6F1

Alí Bei, Carrer d’ 5C1

& 6D1–6E1

Alió, Passatge d' 4D3

Allada, Carrer de l’ 5C2

Almirall Aixada,

Carrer de l' 5B5

Almirall Cervera,

Carrer de l' 5B5

Almogàvers, Carrer dels 6D2

Alzina, Carrer d' 3C1

Amadeu Vives, Carrer d’ 5B1

Amargòs, Carrer de N' 5B1

Ample, Carrer 5A3

Amposta, Carrer d' 1A1

Andrea Dòria, Carrer d' 5C4

Àngel, Plaça de l' 5B2

Àngels, Carrer dels 2F2

Àngel Baixeras, Carrer d' 5A3

Anníbal, Carrer d' 1C3

Antic de Sant Joan,

Carrer 5C3

Antiga de Mataró,

Carretera 6E2

Antóni López, Plaça d' 5B3

Antóni Maura, Plaça d' 5B2

Aragó, Carrer d' 3A4

Arai, Carrer de N' 5A3

Arc de Sant Agustí,

Carrer de l' 2F3

Arc del Teatre,

Carrer de l' 2F4

Arcs, Carrer dels 5A2

Argenter, Carrer de l' 5B1

Argenteria, Carrer de l’ 5B2

Argentona, Carrer d' 4D1

Aribau, Carrer d' 2F1

Armada, Plaça de l' 2D5

Arolas, Carrer d'en 5A2

Arq.Sert, Carrer de l’ 6F2

Assaonadors, Carrer dels 5B2

Astúries, Carrer d’ 3B1

Ataülf, Carrer d' 5A3

Atlantida, Carrer de l' 5B5

Aulèstia i Pijoan,

Carrer d’ 3A1

Aurora, Carrer de l' 2E2

Ausiàs Marc, Carrer d’ 5B1

Avinyó, Carrer d' 5A3

BBadia, Carrer de 3B1

Bailèn, Carrer de 3C2

Baix, Carrer de 1C2

Balboa, Carrer de 5C4

Balears, Moll de les 5A5

Balmes, Carrer de 3A1–3A5

Baluard, Carrer del 5C4

Banyoles, Carrer de 3C2

Banys Nous , Carrer de 5A2

Banys Vells, Carrer de 5B2

Barceloneta, Moll de la 5B4

Barceloneta, Plaça de la 5B4

Barceloneta, Platja de la 6D5

Basea, Carrer de 5B3

Beates, Carrer de les 5B2

Benet Mercadé, Carrer de 3A1

Berenguer, Passatge de 4D3

Berga, Carrer de 3A1

Bergara, Carrer de 5A1

Bergnes de las Casas,

Carrer 4E2

Bertrellans, Carrer de 5A1

Bisbe, Carrer del 5B2

Bisbe Laguarda,

Carrer del 2E2

Blai, Carrer de 2D3

Blanqueria, Carrer de la 5C2

Blasco de Garay,

Carrer de 2D3

Blesa, Carrer de 2D4

Bòbila, Carrer de 1C2

Bocabella, Passatge de 4D5

Bofill, Passatge de 4E4

Bogatell, Avinguda del 6E2

Bolívia, Carrer de 6F1

Boltres, Carrer d'En 5A3

Bonavista, Carrer de 3B2

Boné, Passatge de 4E1

Bonsuccés, Carrer del 5A1

Boquer, Carrer d'En 5B2

Boqueria, Carrer de la 5A2

Boqueria, Plaça de la 5A2

Bordeta, Carretera de la 1A1

Boria, Carrer de la 5B2

Bosch, Carrer de 3A2

Bot, Carrer d’En 5A2

Botella, Carrer d'En 2E2

Boters, Carrer dels 5A2

Bou de Sant Pere,

Carrer del 5B1

Bous les Arenes, Plaça 1B1

Bretón de los Herros,

Carrer de 3A1

Bruc, Carrer del 3B3

Brugada, Plaça de 5C5

Bruniquer, Carrer de 3C1

Buenaventura Muñoz,

Carrer de 6D2

CCa l'Alegre de Dalt,

Carrer de 4D1

Cabanes, Carrer de 2E4

Cadena, Carrer de la 2F3

Cadena, Passatge de la 5C4

Calàbria, Carrer de 2D1

Call, Carrer del 5A2

Camprodon, Carrer de 3C3

Camps Elisis,

Passatge dels 3B4

Canadell, Passatge de 4F3

Canó, Carrer del 3B2

Canuda, Carrer de la 5A1

Canvis Nous, Carrer dels 5B3

Capellans, Carrer dels 5A2

Carabassa, Carrer d’En 5A3

Cardenal Casañas,

Carrer del 5A2

Carders, Carrer dels 5C2

Carles Buïgas, Plaça de 1B2

Carlos Ibáñez, Plaça de 2D4

Carme, Carrer del 2E2

Carrera, Carrer de 2E4

Carretes, Carrer de les 2E2

Carsi, Passatge de 4F3

Cartagena, Carrer de 4F1

Casanova, Carrer de 2E1

Cascades, Passeig de les 1A2

Cascades, Plaça de les 1B2

Casp, Carrer de 3B5

Castell, Avinguda del 1B4

Castella, Plaça de 2F1

Castillejos, Carrer de los 4F1

Catalunya, Plaça de 5A1

Catalunya, Rambla de 3A3

Catedral, Avinguda de la 5A2

Cendra, Carrer de la 2E2

Centelles, Passatge de 4F3

Cera, Carrer de la 2E2

Chopin, Carrer de 1A1

Cid, Carrer del 2F4

Cigne, Carrer de 3A1

Circumval.lació,

Passeig de 5C3–6D4

Cirera, Carrer de la 5B2

Ciudad Real, Carrer de 3C2

Ciutat, Carrer de la 5A2

Clip, Passatge de 4E2

Còdols, Carrer dels 5A3

Colom, Passeig de 5A4

Colomines, Carrer de 5B2

Comerç, Carrer del 5C3

Comercial, Carrer de 5C2

Comercial, Plaça de 5C3

Comtal, Carrer de 5A1

Comte d'Urgell,

Carrer del 2E1

Comte Borrell,

Carrer del 2D1

Comte de Salvatierra,

Carrer del 3A2

Comtes, Carrer dels 5B2

Concepció,

Passatge de la 3A3

Concòrdia, Carrer de la 1C2

Congost, Carrer del 3C1

Conradí, Passatge 4D3

Consell de Cent,

Carrer del 3A4

Consolat de Mar,

Carrer del 5B2

Copons, Carrer d'En 5B2

Corders, Carrer dels 5B2

Còrsega, Carrer de 3A3

Cortines, Carrer d'En 5C2

Corts Catalanes,

Gran Via de les 1A1

Cremat, Gran Carrer de 5B2

Creu dels Molers,

Carrer de la 1C3–2D3

Cucurulla, Carrer de 5A2

DDàlia, Carrer de la 1A1

Dante, Plaça de 1C4

Diagonal, Avinguda de 3A2–

3C4 & 4D4–4F5

Diluvi, Carrer del 3B2

Diputació, Carrer de la 3A5

Doctor Aiguader,

Carrer del 5B4

Doctor Joaquim Pou,

Carrer del 2F2

Doctor Pons i Freixas,

Plaça del 6D4

Doctor Rizal, Carrer del 3A2

Doctor Trueta, Carrer del 6E3

Domènech, Carrer de 3B2

Domingo, Passatge de 3A4

Don Carles, Carrer de 6D4

Drassana, Carrer de la 5B5

Drassanes,

Avinguda de les 2F3

Duc de la Victòria,

Carrer del 5A1

Duc de Medinaceli,

Plaça del 5A3

Duran i Bas, Carrer de 5A1

EEgipcíaques,

Carrer de les 2F2

Elisabets, Carrer d' 2F2

Elkano, Carrer d' 2D3

Enamorats, Carrer dels 4E4

Encarnació, Carrer de l' 4D1

Entença, Carrer d' 1C1

Erasme de Janer,

Carrer d' 2E2

Escorial, Carrer de l' 4D2

Escudellers, Carrer dels 5A3

Escudellers,

Passatge dels 5A3

Escudellers Blancs,

Carrer dels 5A2

Escuder, Carrer d' 5B4

Espalter, Carrer d' 2F3

Espanya, Moll d' 5A4

Espanya, Plaça d' 1B1

Esparteria, Carrer de l' 5B3

Espaseria, Carrer de l’ 5B3

Est, Carrer de l' 2F3

Estadi, Avinguda de l' 1A2

Estruc, Carrer d' 5B1

Exposició, Passeig de l' 1C3

FFar, Camí del 1B5

Farell, Carrer del 1A1

Ferlandina, Carrer de 2E1

Ferran, Carrer de 5A2

Ferrer de Blanes,

Carrer de 3B2

Flassaders, Carrer dels 5C2

Floridablanca, Carrer de 1C1

Flors, Carrer de les 2E3

Fonollar, Carrer del 5B2

Font, Carrer de la 2D4

Font, Passatge de 4E4

Font, Plaça de la 5C4

Font Florida, Carrer de la 1A1

Font Honrada,

Carrer de la 1C2

Font-Trobada,

Cami de la 2D4

Fontanella, Carrer de 5A1

Fontrodona, Carrer d'En 2D3

Franca Xica, Carrer de la 1C2

Francesc Cambó,

Avinguda de 5B2

Francesc d'Aranda,

Carrer de 6E2

Francisco Giner,

Carrer de 3B2

Fraternitat, Carrer de la 3B2

Frederic Mompou,

Carrer de 6F3

Freixures, Carrer de les 5B2

Fusina, Carrer de la 5C2

Fusta, Moll de la 5A4

Fusteria, Carrer de la 5B3

Street Finder Index

B A R C E L O N A S T R E E T F I N D E R1 5 8

GGaiolà, Passatge de 4D4

Gal.la Placídia, Plaça de 3A1

Gaudí, Avinguda de 4E3

Gaudí, Plaça de 4E3

Gegants, Carrer dels 5A2

Gelí, Carrer de 5C5

General Álvarez de Castro,

Carrer del 5B2

General Bassos,

Passatge de 6F3

General Castaños,

Carrer de 5B3

Gessamí, Carrer del 1A1

Gignàs, Carrer d'En 5A3

Gimbernat, Carrer dels 1B1

Ginebra, Carrer de 5B4

Giralt el Pellisser,

Carrer d’En 5B2

Girona, Carrer de 3C3

Glòries Catalanes,

Plaça de les 4F5

Gombau, Carrer de 5B2

Goya, Carrer de 3A2

Goya, Plaça de 2F1

Gràcia, Carrer de 3B2

Gràcia, Passeig de 3A2–3A5

Gràcia, Travessera de 3A2

Gran de Gràcia, Carrer 3A2

Granada del Penedès,

Carrer de la 3A2

Grases, Carrer de 1C2

Grassot, Carrer d’En 4D2

Gravina, Carrer de 2F1

Gregal, Moll de 6F5

Guàrdia, Carrer de 2F3

Guàrdia Urbana, C de la 1B2

Guatila, Carrer de la 1A1

Guifré, Carrer de 2F2

Guilleries, Carrer de les 3B1

Guinardó, Ronda del 4E1

Guítert, Carrer de 5C5

HHavana, Carrer de l' 5C5

Hipòlit Lázaro, Carrer d' 4D2

Hispanitat, Plaça de la 4E4

Hort de Sant Pau,

Carrer de l’ 2E3

Hortes, Carrer de les 2D3

Hospital, Carrer de l' 2E2

IIcària, Avinguda d' 6E3

Igualada, Carrer d' 3C2

Indústria, Carrer de la 3C2

Isabel II, Passatge d’ 5B3

Iscle Soler, Carrer d’ 4D3

JJaén, Carrer de 3B1

Jaume Giralt, Carrer de 5C2

Jaume Fabra, Carrer de 1C2

Jaume I, Carrer de 5A2

Jesús, Carrer de 3B2

Joan Blanques, Carrer de 3C2

Joan Casas, Passatge de 4F5

Joan d'Austria, Carrer de 6E1

Joan de Borbó, P de 5B4

Joanic, Plaça d'En 3C1

Joaquim Blume, Carrer de 1B2

Joaquim Pou, Carrer de 5B2

Joaquim Renart,

Passeig de 6D2

Joaquim Ruyra,

Carrer de 4D2

Joaquín Costa, Carrer de 2F2

Jonqueres, Carrer de les 5B1

Josep Anselm Clavé,

Carrer de 5A3

Josep Carner, Passeig de 2E5

Josep Ciurana, Carrer de 4F1

Jovellanos, Carrer de 5A1

Judici, Carrer del 5B5

Julià, Carrer de 1C3

Julià, Passatge de 1C3

Julià Portet, Carrer de 5B1

Julian Romea, Carrer 3A2

Junta del Comerç,

Carrer de 2F3

LLaforja, Carrer de 3A1

Laietana, Via 5B1

Lancaster, Carrer de 2F3

Legalitat, Carrer de la 4D1

Leiva, Carrer de 1B1

Lepant, Carrer de 4E1

Lincoln, Carrer de 3A1

Llançà, Carrer de 1B1

Llàstics, Carrer d’En 5C2

Llavalloll, Passatge de 4D2

Lleialtat, Carrer de la 2E3

Lleida, Carrer de 1B2

Lleó, Carrer del 2F2

Lleona, Carrer de la 5A2

Llibertat, Carrer de la 3B2

Llibertat, Plaça de la 3A1

Llibreteria, Carrer de la 5A2

Llorens i Barba,

Carrer de 4F1

Lluís Companys,

Passeig de 5C2

Lluís Millet, Plaça de 5B1

Llull, Carrer de 6D2

Lluna, Carrer de la 2F2

Louis Braille, Carrer de 5A3

Luis Antúnez, Carrer de 3A2

MMadrozo, Carrer dels 3A1

Magalhäes, Carrer de 1C3

Magdalenes,

Carrer de les 5B1

Maiol, Passatge de 4E4

Malcuinat, Carrer del 5B3

Mallorca, Carrer de 3A4

Manresa, Carrer de 5B3

Manso, Carrer de 2D2

Manuel Ribé, Platja de 5A2

Manufactures,

Passatge de les 5B1

Maquinista, Carrer de la 5B4

Mar, Carrer del 5B5

Mar, Rambla de 5A4

Mare de Déu del Remei,

Carrer de la 1C2

Mare de Déu dels

Desemparats,

Carrer de la 3B2

Margarit, Carrer de 1C3

Maria, Carrer de 3B2

Marià Cubí, Carrer de 3A1

Marina, Carrer de la 4E2–4E5

& 6E1–6E4

Marina, Moll de la 6E5

Marina, Passatge de la 4E1

Mariner, Passatge de 4D3

Mar i Terra, Passatge 2E4

Marítim de Nova Icária,

Passeig 6E4

Marítim del Port Olímpic,

Passeig 6E4

Marquès de Barberà,

Carrer del 2F3

Marquès de Campo Sagrado,

Carrer del 2D2

Marquès de Comillas,

Avinguda del 1A1

Marquès de l'Argentera,

Avinguda del 5B3

Marquès de la Foronda,

Plaça del 1B2

Marquesa, Carrer de la 5C3

Martí, Carrer de 4D1

Martínez de la Rosa,

Carrer de 3B2

Martras, Passatge de 1C3

Mas Casanovas,

Carrer del 4F1

Massanet, Carrer de 5B2

Massens, Carrer de 3C1

Mata, Carrer de 2E4

Mateu, Carrer de 3B1

Meer, Carrer de 5B5

Méndez Núñez,

Carrer de 5C1

Méndez Vigo,

Passatge de 3B4

Mercader, Passatge de 3A3

Mercaders, Carrer dels 5B2

Mercè, Carrer de la 5A3

Meridiana, Avinguda 6D2

Mestrança, Carrer de la 5B5

Metges, Carrer dels 5C2

Mèxic, Carrer de 1B1

Migdia, Passeig del 1A4

Milà i Fontanals,

Carrer de 3C3

Milans, Carrer de 5A3

Milton, Carrer de 3A1

Minerva, Carrer de 3A2

Minici Natal, Passeig de 1A3

Mirador, Plaça del 1C5

Mirallers, Carrer dels 5B3

Miramar, Avinguda de 1B3

Miramar, Carretera de 2D5

Miramar, Passeig de 2D4

Mistral, Avinguda de 1C1

Moianés, Carrer del 1A1

Moles, Carrer de les 5B1

Molí, Camí del 1A5

Molí Antic, Camí del 1A5

Mònec, Carrer d'En 5C1

Monistrol, Carrer de 3C2

Montalegre, Carrer de 2F2

Montanyans,

Avinguda dels 1A2

Montcada, Carrer de 5B3

Montjuïc, Camí de 1C5

Montjuïc, Parc de 1C3

Montjuïc, Passeig de 2D4

Montmany, Carrer de 3C1

Montseny, Carrer del 3B1

Montserrat, Passatge de 2F4

Montsió, Carrer de 5A1

Morabos, Carrer dels 1A1

Moscou, Carrer de 6D4

Mosques, Carrer de les 5B3

Mossèn Jacint Verdaguer,

Plaça de 3C3

Mozart, Carrer de 3B2

Muntaner, Carrer de 2F1

Murillo, Carrer de 2D3

NNacional, Passeig 5B5

Nàpols, Carrer de 4D2–4D5

& 6D1–6D2

Narcis Oller, Plaça de 3A2

Navas, Plaça de las 1C2

Neptú, Carrer de 3A2

Niça, Carrer de 4F1

Nogués, Passatge de 4E2

Nord, Carrer del 1A1

Notariat, Carrer del 2F2

Nou de la Rambla,

Carrer 2D4

Nou Sant Francesc,

Carrer 5A3

Nova, Plaça 5A2

OObradors, Carrer dels 5A3

Ocata, Carrer d' 5C3

Olímpic, Passeig 1A4

Olivera, Carrer de l' 1C2

Olles, Plaça de les 5B3

Om, Carrer de l' 2E3

Or, Carrer de l' 3B1

Oreneta, Carrer d' 3A1

Ortigosa, Carrer de 5B1

PPablo Neruda, Plaça de 4E4

Padilla, Carrer de 4F1

Pagès, Passatge de 4D5

Palau, Carrer del 5A3

Palaudàries, Carrer de 2E4

Palla, Carrer de la 5A2

Pallars, Carrer de 6E2

Palma, Carrer de la 1C3

Palma de Sant Just,

Carrer de la 5B3

Paloma, Carrer de la 2E1

Pamplona, Carrer de 4F5

& 6F1–6F3

Paral.lel, Avinguda del 1B1–

1C2 & 2D2–2F5

Parc, Carrer del 5A3

Pare Eusebi Millan,

Plaça del 1A2

Pare Laínez, Carrer del 4D2

Parlament, Carrer del 2D2

Parlament, Passatge del 2D2

Patriarca, Passatge del 5A1

Pau, Passatge de la 5A3

Pau Claris, Carrer de 3B3

Pedreres, Carrer de les 1C2

Pedró, Plaça del 2E2

Pelai, Carrer de 2F1

Penedès, Carrer del 3B2

Pere Costa, Carrer de 4F1

Pere IV, Carrer de 6E2

Pere Serafí, Carrer del 3B1

Perill, Carrer del 3B2

Perla, Carrer de la 3B1

Permanyer, Passatge de 3B5

Pescadors, Carrer dels 5B5

Pescadors, Moll dels 5A5

Petons, Carrer dels 5C2

Petritxol, Carrer de 5A2

Peu de la Creu,

Carrer del 2F2

Pi i Margall, Carrer de 4D1

Pi, Carrer del 5A2

Pi, Plaça del 5A2

Picasso, Passeig de 5C3

Pintor Fortuny, Carrer del 2F2

Piquer, Carrer de 2D3

Pizarro, Carrer de 5C4

Plata, Carrer de la 5A3

Poeta Boscà, Plaça del 5B4

Poeta Cabanyes,

Carrer del 2D3

Polvorí, Camí del 1A1

Pompeu Gener, Plaça de 5C4

B A R C E L O N A S T R E E T F I N D E R 1 5 9

Portaferrissa,

Carrer de la 5A2

Portal de l'Angel,

Avinguda del 5A1

Portal de la Pau,

Plaça del 2F4

Portal de Santa Madrona,

Carrer del 2F4

Portal Nou, Carrer del 5C2

Prat, Rambla del 3A1

Princep d'Astúries,

Avinguda del 3A1

Princep de Viana,

Carrer del 2E2

Princesa, Carrer de la 5B2

Progrés, Carrer del 3B2

Provença, Carrer de 3A3

Providència,

Carrer de la 4D1

Prunera, Passatge de 1C2

Puig i Xoriguer,

Carrer de 2E4

Puigmartí, Carrer de 3B2

Pujades, Carrer de 6F2

Pujades, Passeig de 6D2

Purissima Concepció,

Carrer de la 1C3

QQuevedo, Carrer de 3C2

RRabí Rubén, Carrer del 1A1

Radas, Carrer de 1C3

Rambla, La 5A1

Ramis, Carrer de 3C2

Ramon Turró, Carrer de 6E3

Ramon y Cajal,

Carrer de 3B2

Raspall, Plaça del 3B2

Ratés, Passatge de 6F1

Rauric, Carrer d'En 5A2

Rec, Carrer del 5C3

Rec Comtal, Carrer del 5C2

Rector Oliveras,

Passatge del 3B4

Regàs, Carrer de 3A1

Regomir, Carrer del 5A3

Reial, Plaça 5A3

Reig i Bonet, Carrer de 4D1

Reina Amàlia,

Carrer de la 2E2

Reina Cristina,

Carrer de la 5B3

Reina Maria Cristina,

Avinguda de la 1B2

Rellotge, Moll del 5B5

Revolució de Setembre

de 1868, Plaça de la 3B1

Ribera, Carrer de la 5C3

Ribes, Carrer de 4E5 & 6D1

Ricart, Carrer de 1C2

Riera Alta, Carrer de la 2E2

Riera Baixa, Carrer de la 2F2

Riera de Sant Miquel,

Carrer de la 3A2

Riereta, Carrer de la 2E2

Ripoll, Carrer de 5B2

Rius i Taulet,

Avinguda de 1B2

Rius i Taulet, Plaça de 3B2

Robador, Carrer d'En 2F3

Robí, Carrer del 3B1

Roca, Carrer d'En 5A2

Rocafort, Carrer de 2D1

Roger de Flor, Carrer de 4D2–

4D5 & 6D1–6D2

Roger de Flor,

Passatge de 4D3

Roger de Llúria,

Carrer de 3B3

Roig, Carrer d’En 2F2

Romans, Carrer de 4D1

Ros de Olano, Carrer de 3B1

Rosa, Carrer de la 5A3

Rosa Sensat, Carrer de 6F3

Rosalía de Castro,

Carrer de 4F2

Roser, Carrer del 2D3

Rosselló, Carrer del 3A3

Rull, Carrer d'En 5A3

SSadurní, Carrer de 2F3

Sagrada Família,

Plaça de la 4D3

Sagristans, Carrer dels 5B2

Salamanca, Carrer de 5C5

Salvà, Carrer de 2D3

Salvador, Carrer del 2E2

Salvador Espriu,

Carrer de 6E4

Sancho de Ávila,

Carrer de 6E1

Sant Agustí, Carrer de 3B3

Sant Agustí, Plaça de 2F3

Sant Agustí Vell,

Plaça de 5C2

Sant Antoni, Ronda del 2E2

Sant Antoni Abat,

Carrer de 2E2

Sant Antoni Maria Claret,

Carrer de 4D2

Sant Benet, Passatge de 5C1

Sant Bertran, Carrer de 2E4

Sant Carles, Carrer de 5B4

Sant Climent, Carrer de 2E2

Sant Cristòfol, Carrer de 3A1

Sant Domènec,

Carrer de 3B2

Sant Domènec del Call,

Carrer de 5A2

Sant Elm, Carrer de 5B5

Sant Erasme, Carrer de 2E2

Sant Ferriol, Carrer de 1A1

Sant Francesc de Paula,

Carrer de 5B1

Sant Fructuós, Carrer de 1A1

Sant Gabriel, Carrer de 3A1

Sant Germà, Carrer de 1A1

Sant Gil, Carrer de 2E2

Sant Honorat, Carrer de 5B2

Sant Isidre, Carrer de 1C3

Sant Jaume, Plaça de 5A2

Sant Jeroni, Carrer de 2F3

Sant Joan, Passeig de 3C2–3C5

& 5C1

Sant Joaquim, Carrer de 3B2

Sant Josep Oriol,

Carrer de 2F3

Sant Lluís, Carrer de 3C1

Sant Marc, Carrer de 3A1

Sant Martí, Carrer de 2E3

Sant Miquel, Baixada de 5A2

Sant Miquel, Carrer de 5B5

Sant Oleguer, Carrer de 2F3

Sant Pacià, Carrer de 2E3

Sant Pau, Carrer de 2E3

Sant Pau, Ronda de 2E2

Sant Paulí de Nola,

Carrer de 1A1

Sant Pere, Passatge de 4E1

Sant Pere, Plaça de 5C1

Sant Pere, Ronda de 5A1

Sant Pere d'Abanto,

Carrer de 1A1

Sant Pere Martir,

Carrer de 3B2

Sant Pere Mes Alt,

Carrer de 5B1

Sant Pere Mes Baix,

Carrer de 5B2

Sant Pere Mitja,

Carrer de 5B1

Sant Rafael, Carrer de 2F3

Sant Ramon, Carrer de 2F3

Sant Roc, Carrer de 1A1

Sant Sebastià, Platja de 5B5

Sant Sever, Carrer de 5A2

Sant Vincenç, Carrer de 2E2

Santa Anna, Carrer de 5A1

Santa Carolina, Carrer de 4F2

Santa Dorotea, Carrer de 1A1

Santa Elena, Carrer de 2E3

Santa Eugènia, Carrer de 3A1

Santa Eulàlia, Carrer de 3C2

Santa Madrona,

Carrer de 2E3

Santa Madrona,

Passeig de 1B3

Santa Magdalena,

Carrer de 3B1

Santa Mònica, Carrer de 2F4

Santa Rosa, Carrer de 3B1

Santa Tecla, Carrer de 3B3

Santa Teresa, Carrer de 3B3

Saragossa, Carrer de 3A1

Sardana, Plaça de la 2D4

Sardenya, Carrer de 4E2–4E5

& 6E1–6E2

Seca, Carrer de la 5B3

Secretari Coloma,

Carrer del 4D1

Sedata, Jardí de la 4D2

Segons Jocs Mediterranis,

Carrer dels 1B2

Seneca, Carrer de 3A2

Sepúlveda, Carrer de 1C1

Serra, Carrer d’En 5A3

Sert, Passatge de 5C1

Sevilla, Carrer de 5B5

Sicília, Carrer de 4D2–4D5

& 6D1

Sidé, Carrer de 5B2

Sils, Carrer de 5A3

Simó, Passatge de 4E3

Simó Oller, Carrer de 5A3

Siracusa, Carrer de 3B2

Sitges, Carrer de les 5A1

Sol, Carrer del 3B1

Sol, Plaça del (Gràcia) 3B1

Sol, Plaça del (Montjuïc) 1B3

Sombrerers, Carrer dels 5B3

Sòria, Carrer de 5C5

Sortidor, Plaça del 2D3

Sota Muralla, Pas de 5B3

Sots-tinent Navarro,

Carrer del 5B2

TTallers, Carrer dels 2F1

Tamarit, Carrer de 1C2

Tànger, Carrer de 6F1

Tantarantana, Carrer d’En 5C2

Tàpies, Carrer de les 2E3

Tapineria, Carrer de la 5B2

Tapioles, Carrer de 2D3

Tarròs, Carrer d'En 5B2

Tasso, Passatge de 4D5

Taxdirt, Carrer de 4E1

Templaris, Carrer dels 5A3

Terol, Carrer de 3B1

Tigre, Carrer del 2E1

Til.lers, Passeig dels 5C2

Topazi, Carrer del 3B1

Tordera, Carrer de 3B2

Torrent de les Flors,

Carrer del 3C1

Torrent de l’Olla,

Carrer del 3B3

Torrent d’en Vidalet,

Carrer del 3C2

Torres, Carrer de 3B2

Torres, Passatge de les 4E3

Torres i Amat, Carrer de 2F1

Torrevella, Carrer de 6D4

Torrijos, Carrer de 3C2

Trafalgar, Carrer de 5C1

Tragí, Carrer de 5B2

Traginers, Plaça dels 5B3

Trelawny, Carrer de 6D4

Tres Pins, Carrer dels 1B4

Tres Senyores,

Carrer de les 3C1

Unió, Carrer de la 2F3

Univers, Plaça de l' 1B1

Universitat, Plaça de la 2F1

Universitat, Ronda de la 2F1

Utset, Passatge d' 4E4

VValència, Carrer de 3A4

Valldonzella, Carrer de 2F1

Vallfogona, Carrer de 3B1

Vallhonrat, Carrer de 1C2

Ventalló, Carrer de 4D2

Venus, Carrer de 3B2

Verdaguer i Callís,

Carrer de 5B1

Verdi, Carrer de 3B1

Vermell, Carrer 5C2

Verntallat, Carrer de 3C1

Viada, Carrer de 3C1

Vicenç Martorell,

Plaça de 5A1

Victòria, Carrer de la 5C1

Vigatans, Carrer del 5B2

Vila de Madrid,

Plaça de la 5A1

Vila i Vilà, Carrer de 2E3

Viladecols, Baixada de 5B2

Viladomat, Carrer de 2D1

Vilafranca, Carrer de 3C1

Vilamarí, Carrer de 1C1

Vilanova, Avinguda de 6D1

Vilaret, Passatge de 4F3

Villarroel, Carrer de 2E1

Villena, Carrer de 6D3

Vinaròs, Carrer de 5C5

Vinyassa,

Passatge de la 6F2

Vinyeta, Passatge de la 2D4

Virtut, Carrer de la 3B1

Vistalegre, Carrer de 2E2

Voluntaris Olímpics,

Plaça dels 6E4

WWellington, Carrer de 6D3

XXaloc, Moll de 6F5

Xiquets de Valls,

Carrer dels 3B2

Xuclà, Carrer d'En 5A1

ZZamora, Carrer de 6F1

2

1

3

4

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1 BA C

BA C

Espanya

Espanya

Rocafort

Avinguda de Miramar

Poble Espanyol Pavelló Mies

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Palau Saint Jordi

Estadi Olímpic

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Museu Arqueològic

Fundació Joan Miró

Palau Nacional (Museu Nacional

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Piscines Bernat Piconell

Castell de Montjuïc

Fira de Barcelona

Mercat de les Flors

Teatre Grec

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PLAÇA DE CARLES BUIGAS

PLAÇA DEL MARQUES DE LA FORONDA

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PLAÇA DE BOUSLES ARENES

PLAÇA D'ESPANYA

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PLAÇA REIAL

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PLAÇA D'ANTONI

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PLAÇA DE SANT AGUSTI

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PLAÇA DE

LES OLLES

Marina Port Vell

Palau de la Virreina

Palau Moja

Palau de la Música Catalana

Arc de Triomf

Museu de Geologia

Museu de Zoologia

Museu Picasso

Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar

Museu Tèxtil

Llotja

Casa de la

Ciutat

Generalitat

Reial Acadèmia

Catedral

Museu Frederic Marès

Palau Reial Major

Museu d'Història

El Corte Ingles

La Mercé

Mercat del Born

Catalunya

Urquinaona

Torre Sant Sebastiá

Barceloneta

Estació de França

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Arc de Triomf

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Aquàrium

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Casa de l'Ardiaca

Palau de Mar

Museu d’Històriade Catalunya

Museu de la Xocolata

Plaça de Catalunya

PASSEIGMARITIM DE NOVA ICARIA

Teatre Nacional de Catalunya

PalauDe

Justicia

Auditoride Barcelone

CentreMunicipalDe Vela

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P A R C D E L A

C I U T A D E L L A

PASSEIG DE JOAQUIM RENART

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Universitat

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Hospital NtraSra del Mar

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General IndexPage numbers in bold refer to main entries

AAddresses 149Adolfo Domínguez (Barcelona) 135Adventure sports 138Aeroclub de Sabadell 139Agua (Barcelona) 126Agut (Barcelona) 126Aïguamolls de l’Empordà 139Air Europa 150Air Nostrum 150Air travel 150–51Airborne activities 138Akhila, King of the Visigoths 38Al Limón Negro (Barcelona) 132Albéniz, Isaac 17Alexandra Hotel (Barcelona) 117Alfonso II, King of Aragón

Monestir de Poblet 108Puigcerdà 96

Alfonso III, King of Aragónconquest of Mallorca 39

Alfonso XIII, King of Spain 87Almodóvar, Pedro 16, 17Almogàvers 39Altafulla

restaurants 129Amargós, Josep 63Amaya (Barcelona) 127Ambulances 144, 145American Express 146Amposta 111Amusement Park 137Andorra 96Andorra la Vella 96

hotels 119restaurants 129

Angelico, Fra 87Antiga Casa Figueres

(Barcelona) 48Antilla Barcelona (Barcelona) 137Antiques shops 135Any Nou (New Year) 32Apolo (Barcelona) 137Aqüeducte de les Ferreres

(Tarragona) 111Arc de Berà (Tarragona) 111Arc del Triomf (Barcelona) 62L’Arca de l’Àvia (Barcelona) 135Archaeological Museum (Barcelona)

see Museu ArqueològicArché, Rafael 65Architecture

Gaudí and Modernisme 22–3Romanesque Art and Architecture 20–21La Ruta del Modernisme 48–9

Arenys de Mar restaurants 129

Aribau, Bonaventura 41Armand Basi (Barcelona) 135Arribas, Alfredo 81Art

Catalan Painting 24–5Romanesque Art and Architecture 20–21stores 135see also Museums and galleries

Art Cristià workshops 24Arties 94


Arts Hotel (Barcelona) 117

Associació de Campings de Barcelona 115

Associació Catalana d’Estacions d’Esquíi Activitats de Muntanya (ACEM) 139

Associació Fondes de Catalunya 115Assumpció (Assumption Day) 32Atlantis Hotel (Barcelona) 116Atlas Cruises and Tours 150Auditori de Barcelona

(Barcelona) 137Augustus, Emperor 52Australian Consulate 143Auto-Express 152Autocares Julià 155Autopistes (motorways/highways)

154 –5Autumn in Catalonia 32Avinyonet de Puigventós

hotels 119Avis 155

BBalaguer 91Balearic Islands

sea travel 150, 151Bank notes 147Banking 146Banyoles 97Banys Orientals Hotel 116Baqueira-Beret 95

hotels 119Bar Ra (Barcelona) 132Barcelona

airport 150 –51cafés and bars 132–3Eixample 67–75entertainment 136 –7festes 30–33Further Afield 85–9hotels 116–18maps 12 –13, 46 –7, 159–65Metro 153Montjuïc 77– 83Old Town 51–65Quadrat d’Or 68–9restaurants 126–8shopping 134–5trains 152

Barcelona, Counts of 38Barcelona Football Club 87, 137

Museu del Futbol Club Barcelona 86

Barceloneta 64Barclays Bank 146Barri Gòtic (Barcelona) 51

Street-by-Street map 52–3Barri Xinès (Barcelona) 58, 144Barruera 95Bars 122, 132–3

designer bars 137Bartomeu, Mestre 24Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar

(Barcelona) 61Bassa, Ferrer 24, 87BD-Ediciones de Diseño

(Barcelona) 135Beaches

Costa Brava 103Costa Daurada 110

Beatus of Liébana, St 96Bed and breakfast 115Beget 97Begur 103


Berenguer, Francesc 89Berga

festes 30restaurants 129

Berga i Boix, Josep 24Besalú 97Beuda

hotels 119Bicycling 138Bilbao (Barcelona) 127Bird-watching 138Black Virgin 105Blai, Pere 55Blanes 102

restaurants 129Blay, Miquel

Museu d’Art Modern (Barcelona) 63Museu Comarcal de la Garrotxa (Olot) 97Palau de la Música Catalana (Barcelona) 61Plaça d’Espanya (Barcelona) 81

Boadas (Barcelona) 132, 137Boats

golondrinas (Barcelona) 65Museu Marítim (Barcelona) 65sailing 139sea travel 150, 151

Bodega La Palma (Barcelona) 132La Bodegueta (Barcelona) 133Bofill, Guillem 98Bofill, Ricard 81, 89Bolvir de Cerdanya


Bonaparte, Joseph 41Bookshops 135La Boqueria (Barcelona) 135El Born 61Borrassà, Lluís 24Bossòst 94Bourbon dynasty

Carlist Wars 42Castell de Montjuïc (Barcelona) 81War of the Spanish Succession 40 – 41

Bracafé (Barcelona) 133British Airways 150Buigas, Carles 79, 81Buigas, Gaietà 65Bulevard Rosa (Barcelona) 135Buquebus 150Buses 155Butterflies of the Vall d’Aran 94

CCa l’Estevet (Barcelona) 126Caballé, Montserrat 17Cadaqués 91, 102

Costa Brava 103hotels 119

Cadí-Moixeró 96Caesar, Julius 102Cafè de l’Acadèmia (Barcelona) 127Café Marès (Barcelona) 132Café Schilling (Barcelona) 132Café Zurich (Barcelona) 132Cafés 132– 3, 137La Caixa de Fang

(Barcelona) 135Cal Pep (Barcelona) 127Cal Ros 130Calafell Platja

restaurants 129

1 6 6 G E N E R A L I N D E X

Caldes de Boí 95Calzados E Solé (Barcelona) 135Cambrils 110

restaurants 129Camp Nou stadium 86Camp sites 115Camprodon 97Can Culleretes (Barcelona) 126Can Majó (Barcelona) 127Canadian Consulate 143Canaletto 87Canary Islands

map 11Cantada d’havaneres 31Los Caracoles (Barcelona) 127Carballeira (Barcelona) 127Cardona 106Cardona, Dukes of 106, 108Carlist Wars (1833–9) 37, 41, 42Carlos IV, King of Spain 108Carnestoltes 33Carnival 33Carrer Montcada (Barcelona) 62Carreras, Josep (José) 17, 136Cars 154 –5Carthage 37Casa de l’Ardiaca (Barcelona) 54

Street-by-Street map 52Casa Battló (Barcelona) 22, 23, 72Casa de la Ciutat (Barcelona) 55

Street-by-Street map 52Casa Leopoldo (Barcelona) 127Casa Lléo Morera (Barcelona) 48

Street-by-Street map 68Casa Milà (Barcelona) 46, 72, 73

Street-by-Street map 69Casa-Museu Castell Gala Dalí

(Figueres) 99Casa-Museu Salvador Dalí

(Cadaqués) 102Casa Terrades (Barcelona) 73

Street-by-Street map 69Casa Vicens (Barcelona) 48Casals, Pau 17

Museu Pau Casals (Sant Salvador) 110

Casas, Ramon 25, 63Procession outside Santa Maria del Mar 24

Cases de Pagès 115Cash dispensers 146Castell de Montjuïc (Barcelona) 46, 81Castell-Platja d’Aro

restaurants 130Castelldefels

hotels 119Casteller festivals 31, 107Castelló d’Empúries

hotels 119Castells (Barcelona) 132Castles

Cardona 106Castell de Montjuïc (Barcelona) 46, 81Torre Bellesguard (Barcelona) 88

Catalan language 16 –17, 142Catalonia 91–111

Catalan painting 24–5history 37– 43hotels 119–21maps 10–11, 13, 92–3Portrait of Catalonia 15–17restaurants 129–31

Catalunya Plaza Hotel (Barcelona) 118The Cathedral of the Poor (Mir) 25

Cathedrals Barcelona 47, 52, 56–7Girona 98–9La Seu d’Urgell 96Lleida 106Tarragona 111Vic 106

Cava Country 28–9Central de Reservas 115Centre d’Art Perrot-Moore

(Cadaqués) 102Centre Bonastruc Ça Porta (Girona) 98Centre de Cultura Contemporania 58Centre Excursionista de Catalunya

(Barcelona) 139Street-by-Street map 53

Centre Municipal de Tennis Vall d’Hebron 139

Centre Municipal de Vela Port Olímpic 139

Cercle de Pessons 96Cerdà i Sunyer, Ildefons 22, 42

Eixample (Barcelona) 67Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes (Barcelona) 89

Cerdanya 96Cereria Subirà (Barcelona) 135Cervantes, Miguel de 39Chagall, Marc 102Charlemagne, Emperor 38, 98–9Charles the Bald, King of the

Franks 96Charles Martel, King of the Franks 38Cheques 123, 146Christmas 32, 33Churches in Barcelona

opening hours 142–3Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar 60Sagrada Família 22, 47, 67, 72, 74–5Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor 85, 88

“Cistercian triangle” 107, 108Citibank 146City Museum (Barcelona) see Museu

d’História de la CiutatClaris Hotel (Barcelona) 118Clavé, Josep Anselm 61Climate 19, 30 –33Climbing, safety 145Clothes

in restaurants 122stores 134, 135

Cloud and Chair (Tàpies) 68Clubs 137Coins 147Coll 95Col.legi de les Teresianes 23Collet, Charles 105Colmado Quílez (Barcelona) 135Colón Hotel (Barcelona) 117Columbus, Christopher 40

Barcelona Cathedral 56Dia de la Hispanitat 32Monument a Colom (Barcelona) 46, 58, 65Palau Reial Major (Barcelona) 54

Communications 148–9Companys, Lluís

arrest and imprisonment 42Castell de Montjuïc (Barcelona) 81execution 43, 81

Concert season (Barcelona) 31Condes de Barcelona Hotel

(Barcelona) 118Consulates 143

Contribuciones (Barcelona) 135Convergència i Unió 16, 43Conversion chart 143Corpus Christi 30El Corte Inglés (Barcelona) 135Les Corts

hotels 118Costa Brava 91, 103Costa Cruises 150Costa Daurada 110Un Cotxe Menys 139Credit cards 123, 146Crime 144–5Crisol (Barcelona) 135Cubelles

hotels 119Currency 146–7Currency exchange 146Cycling 138

DDalí, Gala 99Dalí, Salvador 17, 25, 99

Cadaqués 102Casa-Museu Castell Gala Dalí (Figueres) 99Casa-Museu Salvador Dalí (Cadaqués) 102Centre d’Art Perrot-Moore (Cadaqués) 102Rainy Taxi (Dalí) 99Teatre-Museu Dalí (Figueres) 99

Dalmau, Lluís 24, 80Dance 136, 137

sardana 111, 117Delta Air Lines 150Delta de l’Ebre 111, 139Department stores 134, 135Desclot, Bernard 39Design shops 135Dia de la Constitució 32Dia de la Hispanitat 32Diada de Catalunya 32Dialling codes 148Dijous Sant (Maundy Thursday) 30Dilluns de Pasqua

(Easter Monday) 32Diners Club 146Disabled travellers 143

in hotels 115in restaurants 123

Diumenge de Rams (Palm Sunday) 30Divendres Sant (Good Friday) 32Diving 139Doctors 144Dolça of Provence 38Domènech i Montaner, Lluís

Casa de l’Ardiaca (Barcelona) 54Casa Lleó Morera (Barcelona) 68, 72Fundació Antoni Tàpies (Barcelona) 68, 72Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau (Barcelona) 67, 73Modernisme 22Museu de Zoologia (Barcelona) 62Palau de la Música Catalana (Barcelona) 61

Domènech i Montaner, Pere 73Domènech i Roura, Pere 81Dona i Ocell (Miró) 86Drassanes (Barcelona) 65Ducs de Bergara Hotel (Barcelona) 118Durro 95Dusk on the River Loing (Sisley) 63

1 6 7G E N E R A L I N D E X

EEaster 30, 32EasyJet 150Ebre, Riu 111Eco-Museu (Delta de L’Ebre) 111Efficiencies see Self-cateringEgipte (Barcelona) 126Eixample (Barcelona) 13, 67–75

area map 67cafés and bars 133hotels 117–18Quadrat d’Or: Street-by-Street map 68–9restaurants 127– 8Sagrada Família 74–5

Eixample Esquerra restaurants 128

El Bosc de les Fades (Barcelona) 137El Prat airport (Barcelona) 150–51El Vendrell 110Electrical adaptors 143Elisenda de Montcada de Piños 87Emergencies 144Empúries 37, 102Encants Vells (Barcelona) 135Entertainment 136 –7Erill-la-Vall 95L’Escala 103Escola Hípica 139Escribà Pastisseries (Barcelona) 135Escunhau 94España Hotel (Barcelona) 116L’Espluga de Francolí

hotels 119Estació del Nord

(Barcelona) 89, 155Estació de Sants 155Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc

(Barcelona) 81, 139L’Estanc (Barcelona) 135L’Estartit 103Etiquette 142Eulàlia, St 56, 57Eurocheques 146Eurolines 155Europcar 155European Union 43

FFalqués, Pere 68, 89Falset

restaurants 130Fashion stores 134, 135Faust, Karl 102Federació ECOM 115Federació d’Entitats Excursionistes

de Catalunya 115Felipe II Hotel (Barcelona) 117Felipe IV, King of Spain 40Felipe V, King of Spain

Castell de Montjuïc (Barcelona) 81Diada de Catalunya 32Parc de la Ciutadella (Barcelona) 62La Seu Vella (Lleida) 106War of the Spanish Succession 41

Felix, St 98Fernando II, King of Catalonia-

Aragon 40, 54Ferrer, Pere 55Festa del Treball 32Festa major de Gràcia (Barcelona) 31Festa major de Sants (Barcelona) 31Festa major de Vilafranca del

Penedès 31

Festes 30–33Festes de Sarrià i de Les Corts

(Barcelona) 32Festival del Grec 31Festivals 30–33

casteller 107FGC Information 152Field sports 138Fiestas see FestesFigueres 99

restaurants 130Fira de Sant Ponç (Barcelona) 30Fire Brigade 145Fires, forest 145Fishing 138Fiveller, Joan 55Flags

Les Quatre Barres 96Flame in Space and Naked Woman

(Miró) 80Flor, Roger de 39La Floresta

restaurants 130Flowers of the Matollar 18–19Flying clubs 138Foix, Counts of 96Folguera, Francesc 104Fonda Senyor Parellada

(Barcelona) 126Font de Canaletes (Barcelona) 59Font Màgica (Barcelona) 77

Street-by-Street map 79Fontseré, Josep

Museu de Geologia (Barcelona) 63Parc de la Ciutadella (Barcelona) 62

Food and drink Cava Country 28 –9The Food of Catalonia 26 –7A Glossary of Typical Dishes 124 –5The Other Wines of Catalonia 28stores 134, 135see also Restaurants

Football Barcelona Football Club 87, 137Barcelona v Real Madrid 87Museu del Futbol Club Barcelona (Barcelona) 86

Forest fires 145Forestier, Jean 62Forment, Damià 109Fortuny i Marsal, Marià 25, 63Foster, Norman 87Franco, General Francisco 43Franks 38Free Evolució 139Fundació Antoni Tàpies


Fundació Joan Miró (Barcelona) 80Street-by-Street map 79

G‘Galeries’ 134, 135Galleries see Museums and galleriesGallery Hotel (Barcelona) 118Galters, Charles 56, 57Game hunting 138Gandesa 93Gardens see Parks and gardensThe Gardens at Aranjuez

(Rusiñol) 24Gargallo, Pau 61, 73Garona, Riu 94

Garraf, coast 91La Garriga

hotels 119–20Gas see PetrolGaudí, Antoni 17, 42, 72

Casa Battló (Barcelona) 22, 23, 72Casa Milà (Barcelona) 46, 69, 72, 73Casa Vicens (Barcelona) 48death 58Gaudí and Modernisme 22–3Palau Güell (Barcelona) 22–3Palau Reial de Pedralbes (Barcelona) 87Parc de la Ciutadella (Barcelona) 62Parc Güell (Barcelona) 88 –9Plaça Reial (Barcelona) 59Sagrada Família (Barcelona) 22, 47, 67, 72, 74–5Torre Bellesguard (Barcelona) 88

Generalitat 15, 16, 43Palau de la Generalitat (Barcelona) 55

Geology Museum (Barcelona) seeMuseu de Geologia

George, St 30Girona 91, 98–9

airport 150map 98restaurants 130

Golf 138Golf El Prat 139Golf Sant Cugat 139Golondrinas (Barcelona) 65Gothic art 24Goya, Francisco de 24Gràcia

restaurants 128Gran Hotel Calderón (Barcelona) 118Gran Hotel Havana (Barcelona) 117Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona) 59Gran Via Hotel (Barcelona) 117Granados, Enric 17Granja M Viader (Barcelona) 132Granollers

hotels 120El Greco 24, 80, 110Grimaldi Group 150Grup Aeri 139Güell, Count Eusebi 42

Palau Reial de Pedralbes (Barcelona) 87Parc Güell (Barcelona) 23, 88

Guies del Pirineu 139Guifré el Pelós (Wilfred the Hairy),

Count of Barcelona 38Les Quatre Barres 96Ripoll 96Sant Joan de les Abadesses 97

HHabsburg dynasty 40Hamil Barca 37Hannibal 37Harlem Jazz Club (Barcelona) 137Health 144Hertz 155Highways see MotorwaysHiking 138 –9Hiring cars 154, 155History 37–43Holidays, public 32Holy Week 30Homar, Gaspar 48


Horse riding 138Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant

Pau (Barcelona) 73Hospitals 144Hostal d’Avinyo (Barcelona) 116Hostal Ciudad Condal (Barcelona) 117Hostal Fernando (Barcelona) 116Hotels 114–21

Barcelona 116–18booking and check-in 114Catalonia 119–21disabled travellers 115grading and facilities 114Paradors 114prices and paying 114rural accommodation 115

Huguet, Jaume Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (Barcelona) 80Palau Reial Major (Barcelona) 55St George and the Princess 24

Human towers 107Hunting 138

IIberia 150Iberians 37Ice-skating 138L’Illa (Barcelona) 135Immaculada Concepció 32Individual Travellers’ Spain 115Inquisition 54Insurance

holiday (vacation) 145motor 154

Internacional de Cotxes d’Època 33

International Exhibition (1929) 42Montjuïc 77Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (Barcelona) 80Pavelló Mies van der Rohe (Barcelona) 81Poble Espanyol (Barcelona) 81

Irati (Barcelona) 132Irish Consulate 143Isabel of Castile 40, 54Isozaki, Arata 81IVA see VAT

JJamboree (Barcelona) 132, 137Jardí Botànic Mar i Murtra

(Blanes) 102Jardí Hotel (Barcelona) 116La Jarra (Barcelona) 133Jaume I the Conqueror, King of

Aragón 39, 55Jaume II, King of Aragón 87

Barcelona Cathedral 56, 57court painter 24Monestir de Santes Creus 107

Jazz 137Terrassa Jazz Festival 30

Jews 54Besalú 97Centre Bonastruc Ça Porta (Girona) 98expulsion of 40

Joan, Pere 111Juan, Don of Austria 65Juan II, King of Aragón 108Juan Carlos, King of Spain 43Jujol, Josep Maria 73

Parc Güell (Barcelona) 89

Jujol, Josep Maria (cont.)Plaça d’Espanya (Barcelona) 81

Julià Tours 155

KKasparo (Barcelona) 133Keytel International 115Kitty O’Shea’s (Barcelona) 133Kolbe, Georg 78

Morning 81

LLanguage 16–17, 142Lavatories, public 145Legal assistance 145Lichtenstein, Roy 64Lithograph (Tàpies) 25Llafranc 103Lleida 91, 106–7

restaurants 130Llibreria Quera 139Lliga de Catalunya 42Llimona, Josep 62, 63Llívia 96Lloret de Mar 103

festes 31hotels 120restaurants 130

Lloret Hotel (Barcelona) 116La Llotja (Barcelona) 60Llúria, Roger de 39Lotto, Lorenzo 87Luke, St 105Lull, Ramon 39Luminists 25Luna, Bigas 17

MMacià, Francesc 42Magazines 149Magic Fountain (Barcelona) see Font

MàgicaMajestic Hotel (Barcelona) 118Mancomunitat 42Manners 142Mansana de la Discòrdia


La Manuel Alpargatera (Barcelona) 135Maps

Barcelona 46 –7, 159 –65Barcelona: City Centre 12–13Barcelona: Further Afield 85Barcelona: Quadrat d’Or 68 –9Barri Gòtic (Barcelona) 52–3Canary Islands 11Catalonia 13, 92–3Cava Country 28–9Eixample (Barcelona) 67Europe and North Africa 11Girona 98Montjuïc (Barcelona) 77, 78–9Old Town (Barcelona) 51La Rambla (Barcelona) 59La Ruta del Modernisme 48–9Spain 10 –11

Maragall, Pasqual 16, 43Marès i Deulovol, Frederic 54, 109Maresme, coast 91Mariscal, Javier 17, 81Maritime Museum (Barcelona) see

Museu MarítimMarketing Ahead 115Markets 135

Mercat de San Josep (Barcelona) 59

Martí the Humanist 55, 88Martín de Cermeño, Juan 64Martinet

restaurants 130Martorell, Bernat

The Transfiguration 57Martorell, Joanot 39, 40Mas i Fontdevila, Arcadi 25MasterCard 146Mateu, Pau 55Matollar

Flowers of the Matollar 18–19Wildlife of the Matollar 19

Medi Natural 139Medical treatment 144Meier, Richard 58Las Meninas (Picasso) 61Menus 123, 124–5Mercat del Born 62Mercat de les Flors (Barcelona) 137Mercat de Sant Josep

(Barcelona) 59La Mercè (Barcelona) 32Le Meridien Hotel (Barcelona) 117Mesón Castilla (Barcelona) 116Metro 153Mies van der Rohe, Ludwig

Pavelló Mies van der Rohe (Barcelona) 81

Milà family 73Mir, Joaquim 63

The Cathedral of the Poor 25Mirablau (Barcelona) 137Miró, Joan 25, 17, 78

Barcelona School of Fine Arts 60Dona i Ocell 86Flame in Space and Naked Woman 80Fundació Joan Miró (Barcelona) 79, 80Museu de Ceràmica (Barcelona) 87Parc de Joan Miró (Barcelona) 86Plaça de la Boqueria (Barcelona) 59

Miró, Toni 17Mitjans, Francesc 86Modernisme 17

Eixample (Barcelona) 67Gaudí and Modernisme 22–3Illa de la Discòrdia (Barcelona) 72La Ruta del Modernisme 48–9

Mompou, Frederic 17Monasteries

“Cistercian triangle” 107, 108Monestir de Montserrat 104–5Monestir de Poblet 108–9Monestir de Santa Maria (Ripoll) 20, 96Monestir de Santa Maria de Pedralbes (Barcelona) 87Monestir de Santes Creus 107Sant Joan de les Abadesses 97

Moneo, Rafael 89Money 146–7Mont-Ras

restaurants 130Montblanc 107Montecarlo Hotel (Barcelona) 117Montjuïc (Barcelona) 12, 77– 83

area map 77Street-by-Street map 78–9Castell de Montjuïc 46, 81

Montseny hotels 120

Montserrat 104–5Monturiol i Estarriol, Narcís 99


Monument a Colom (Barcelona) 46, 58, 65

Moors 38, 40Tortosa 111

La Moreneta 105Morning (Kolbe) 81Motor insurance 154Motorways (highways) 154–5Murals, Gothic art 24Murillo, Bartolomé Esteban 24Museums and galleries (general)

admission charges 143opening hours 142

Museums and galleries (individual) Barcelona Cathedral 57Casa-Museu Castell Gala Dalí (Figueres) 99Casa-Museu Salvador Dalí (Cadaqués) 102Castell de Montjuïc (Barcelona) 81Centre d’Art Perrot-Moore (Cadaqués) 102Centre Bonastruc Ça Porta (Girona) 98Eco-Museu (Delta de L’Ebre) 111Fundació Antoni Tàpies (Barcelona) 72Fundació Joan Miró (Barcelona) 79, 80Girona Cathedral 99Monestir de Montserrat 104Museu Arqueològic (Barcelona) 79, 80Museu d’Art (Girona) 99Museu d’Art Contemporani (Barcelona) 58Museu de Arts Decoratives (Barcelona) 87Museu d’Autòmats (Barcelona) 88Museu Cau Ferrat (Sitges) 110Museu Comarcal de la Conca de Barberà (Montblanc) 107Museu Comarcal de la Garrotxa (Olot) 97Museu de Cera (Barcelona) 59Museu de Ceràmica (Barcelona) 87Museu de la Ciència (Barcelona) 88Museu del Cinema (Girona) 99Museu Diocesà (La Seu d’Urgell) 96Museu Diocesà i Comarcal (Solsona) 106Museu Episcopal de Vic 20, 106Museu Etnològic (Barcelona) 79Museu Frederic Marès (Barcelona) 53, 54Museu del Futbol Club Barcelona (Barcelona) 86Museu del Ganivet (Solsona) 106Museu de Geologia (Barcelona) 63Museu d’Història de la Ciutat (Barcelona) 53, 54Museu d’Història de la Ciutat (Girona) 99Museu del Joguet (Figueres) 99Museu de la Romanitat (Tarragona) 110–111Museu Marítim (Barcelona) 65Museu Municipal (Tossa de Mar) 102Museu de la Música (Barcelona) 69Museu Nacional Arqueològic (Tarragona) 111Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (Barcelona) 78, 80Museu Pau Casals (Sant Salvador) 110

Museums and galleries (cont.)Museu Picasso (Barcelona) 61Museu Tèxtil i d’Indumentária (Barcelona) 61Museu de la Vall d’Aran (Vielha) 94Museu del Vi (Vilafranca del Penedès) 107Museu de la Xocolata 62Museu de Zoologia (Barcelona) 63Sagrada Família (Barcelona) 74Teatre-Museu Dalí (Figueres) 99

Music classical music 31, 136, 137Museu de la Música (Barcelona) 69Palau de la Música Catalana (Barcelona) 61rock, jazz and world music 137Terrassa Jazz Festival 30

NNadal (Christmas) 32, 33Nagel, Andrés 86Napoleon I, Emperor 32, 41Narcissus, St 98National ATESA 155National parks

hiking 138–9Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes 95

Newspapers 149stores 135

Noche negra 43Nonell, Isidre 63

Waiting for Soup 25Nouvel Hotel (Barcelona) 116

OOld Town (Barcelona) 13, 51–65

area map 51Barcelona Cathedral 56–7cafés and bars 132–3hotels 116–17La Rambla 58–9restaurants 126–7Street-by-Street: Barri Gòtic 52–3

Oliva, Abbot 38, 106Olot 97Olot School 24, 97Olympic Games (1992) 43

Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc (Barcelona) 81Montjuïc (Barcelona) 77Port Olímpic (Barcelona) 64Torre de Collserola (Barcelona) 87

Opening hours banks 146churches 142museums 142restaurants 122

Oriente Hotel (Barcelona) 116Organic (Barcelona) 126Otto Zutz (Barcelona) 137Outdoor hazards 145

PPainting, Catalan 24–5Palamós 103Palau Baró de Quadras (Barcelona) 48Palau de la Generalitat (Barcelona) 55

Street-by-Street map 52Palau Güell (Barcelona) 22–3, 59Palau Macaya (Barcelona) 59Palau Moja (Barcelona) 59Palau de la Música Catalana

(Barcelona) 60, 137

Palau Nacional (Barcelona) 46, 78, 80Palau Reial (Barcelona) 54–5

Street-by-Street map 53Palau Reial de Pedralbes

(Barcelona) 87Palau Sant Jordi (Barcelona) 81Palau de la Virreina (Barcelona) 59Pallarès Grau, Manuel 60Palm Sunday 30La Paloma (Barcelona) 137Parachute jumps 138Paradors 114, 115Paragliding 138Paral.lel any 1930 (Roger) 10Parc d’Atraccions (Barcelona) 88Parc de la Ciutadella (Barcelona)

47, 62–3Parc de l’Espanya Industrial

(Barcelona) 86Parc Güell (Barcelona) 88–9Parc de Joan Miró (Barcelona) 86Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes 95, 139Parc Natural del Cadí-Moixeró 96, 139Parc Natural del Delta de L’Ebre 111Parc Zoològic (Barcelona) 63Park Hotel (Barcelona) 117Parking 155Parks and gardens

Jardí Botànic Mar i Murtra (Blanes) 102Palau Reial de Pedralbes (Barcelona) 87Parc de la Ciutadella (Barcelona) 47, 62Parc de l’Espanya Industrial (Barcelona) 86Parc Güell (Barcelona) 88–9Parc de Joan Miró (Barcelona) 86

Pasqua (Easter) 30Passeig de Gràcia (Barcelona)

Street-by-Street map 68Passports 142Pastis (Barcelona) 133Pavelló Mies van der Rohe


Pedralbes hotels 118restaurants 128

Pelegrí de Tossa (Tossa de Mar) 33Peña Ganchegui, Luis 86Peninsular Hotel (Barcelona) 116Peninsular War (War of

Independence, 1808–14) 41Pepper, Beverley 89Peralada

restaurants 130Peramola

hotels 120Peratallada 102

restaurants 130Pere IV the Ceremonious, King of

Aragon 39, 108Personal security 144–5Peter, St 105Petrol (gas) 154Petronila of Aragon 38Pharmacies 144Picasso, Jacqueline 61Picasso, Pablo 17, 25

Barcelona School of Fine Arts 60Centre d’Art Perrot-Moore (Cadaqués) 102Homenatge a Picasso (Barcelona) 63Las Meninas 61


Picasso, Pablo (cont.)Museu de Ceràmica (Barcelona) 87Museu Picasso (Barcelona) 61Pablo Picasso in Barcelona 60

Piscines Bernat Picornell 139Pista de Gel del FC Barcelona 139Pla, Francesc 24Pla de la Garsa (Barcelona) 126Plaça de la Boqueria (Barcelona) 59Plaça d’Espanya (Barcelona) 81Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes

(Barcelona) 89Plaça Reial (Barcelona) 59Platja d’Aro 31, 103

festes 33Poble Espanyol (Barcelona) 81

Street-by-Street map 78Poblenou 89

restaurants 128Poblet see Monestir de PobletPolice 144–5Porrera

restaurants 130Port Aventura 110Port Olímpic (Barcelona) 64Port Vell (Barcelona) 64–5Postal services 149Prestige Paseo de Gracia Hotel

(Barcelona) 117Prim, General 62Primo de Rivera, Miguel 42Procession outside Santa Maria del

Mar (Casas) 24Public conveniences 145Public holidays 32Puig i Cadafalch, Josep

Casa Amatller (Barcelona) 72Casa Macaya (Barcelona) 49Casa Terrades (Barcelona) 69, 73Modernisme 22Museu de la Música 69Palau Baró de Quadras (Barcelona) 48

Puigcerdà 96Pujol, Jordi 16, 43Pullmantur 155Pyrenees 96

QQuadrat d’Or (Barcelona)

Street-by-Street map 68–9Les Quatre Barres 96Les Quinze Nits (Barcelona) 126

RRadio 149Radio Taxis 155Rainfall 32Rainy Taxi (Dalí) 99La Rambla (Barcelona) 47, 58–9

map 59Ramon Berenguer I, Count of

Barcelona 38, 57Ramon Berenguer III, Count of

Barcelona 38Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of

Barcelona 38 Monestir de Poblet 108Monestir de Santes Creus 107

El Raval (Barcelona) 58Raventós, Josep 28Raventós, Ramon 81Real Madrid Football Club 87Rebull, Joan

Three Gypsy Boys 52

Reccared, King of the Visigoths 37Reial Acadèmia de Ciències i Arts

(Barcelona) 59Reial Club Marítim de Barcelona 127Reis Mags 32, 33Rembrandt Hotel (Barcelona) 116Renaixença 41–2RENFE 152Restaurants 122–31

Barcelona 126– 8Catalonia 129 –31eating hours 122A Glossary of Typical Dishes 124 –5how to dress 122prices and paying 123reading the menu 123smoking in 123wheelchair access 123wine choices 123see also Food and drink

Reus airport 150restaurants 131

Revellón 33Revetlla de Sant Joan 31Reynés, Josep 62Ribera, José de 24Riding 138Rigalt, Lluís 48Ripoll 96Ritz Hotel (Barcelona) 118Road signs 154Rock music 137Rogent, Elies 64–5Roger, Emili Bosch

Paral.lel any 1930 10Roig i Soler, Joan 25, 63Roig Robí (Barcelona) 128Roman remains 37

Barri Gòtic (Barcelona) 52Empúries 102Museu d’História de la Ciutat 55Tarragona 110–111Vic 106

Romanesque Art and Architecture 20–21

Romesco (Barcelona) 126Romeu, Pere 63Ros i Güell, Antoni 48Roses 103

restaurants 131Royal Palace see Palau ReialRural accommodation 115Rusiñol, Santiago 25

The Gardens at Aranjuez 24Sitges 110

La Ruta del Modernisme 48–9Ryanair 150

SSa Tuna

hotels 120Sabartes, Jaime 61Safont, Marc 55S’Agaró

hotels 120Sagnier, Enric 88Sagrada Família (Barcelona) 47, 67,

72, 74–5Gaudí and Modernisme 22

Sailing 139St George and the Princess

(Huguet) 24Salardú 94El Salón (Barcelona) 127

Salou 110San Agustín Hotel (Barcelona) 117Sant Carles de la Ràpita 111

restaurants 131Sant Celoni

restaurants 131Sant Climent de Taüll 20, 95Sant Cristòfol de Beget 21Sant Feliu de Guíxols

restaurants 131Sant Gervasi

restaurants 128Sant Jaume de Frontanyà 20, 96Sant Joan 32Sant Joan de les Abadesses 97Sant Jordi 30Sant Josep 30Sant Martí 96Sant Medir (Barcelona) 30Sant Miquel 32Sant Pere de Besalú 21Sant Pere de Camprodon 21Sant Pere de Galligants 21Sant Pere de Ribes

hotels 120Sant Pere de Rodes 21, 99Sant Sadurní d’Anoia

cava 28–9 restaurants 131

Santa Cristina (Lloret de Mar) 31Santa Cristina d’Aro

hotels 120Santa Eulàlia (Barcelona) 33Santa Maria (Ripoll) 20, 95Santa Maria (Taüll) 95Santa Pau

hotels 120Santes Creus 107Sants

restaurants 129Saportella, Francesca 87Sardana (dance) 111Sarria-Sant Gervasi

hotels 118Science Museum (Barcelona) see

Museu de la CiènciaSea travel 150, 151Self-catering (efficiencies) 115Sert, Josep Lluís

Fundació Joan Miró (Barcelona) 79, 80

Sert, Josep-Maria 25, 106Casa de la Ciutat (Barcelona) 55Cathedral (Vic) 106

Servi-COCEMFE 143Set Portes (Barcelona) 127Setmana Santa (Easter week) 30La setmana tràgica (1909) 42La Seu d’Urgell 92, 96


Shopping Barcelona 134–5

Sisley, Alfred Dusk on the River Loing 63

Sitges 93, 110festes 30, 33hotels 121Luminists 25restaurants 131

Skating 138Skiing 139

Baqueira-Beret 95Smoking

in restaurants 123


Sol Soler (Barcelona) 133Soler, Frederic 62Solsona 106Spain

map 10–11Spanair 150Spanish Civil War (1936–9) 43, 111Speciality stores 134, 135Speed limits 154Sports 137, 138 –9Spring in Catalonia 30Student travellers 143Subirachs, Josep Maria 74Suizo Hotel (Barcelona) 117Summer in Catalonia 31Sunshine 31Super Esport 139Swimming pools 138Synagogues 54

TTalaia Mar (Barcelona) 127Tapes (tapas – snacks) 124Tàpies, Antoni 17, 25

Cloud and Chair 68Fundació Antoni Tàpies (Barcelona) 68, 72Homenatge a Picasso(Barcelona) 63Lithograph 25

Tarragona 91, 110–111hotels 121restaurants 131

Tavérnoles hotels 121

Tavertet hotels 121restaurants 131

Taxes in restaurants 123tax-free goods 142

Taxis 155Teatre Grec (Barcelona)

Street-by-Street map 79Teatre-Museu Dalí (Figueres) 99Teatre Nacional de Catalunya

(Barcelona) 137Telephones 148–9

emergencies 144Teletiempo 139Television 149Temperatures 33Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor

(Barcelona) 85, 88Tennis 138Tenorio (Barcelona) 128Terrassa Jazz Festival 30Theatre 136, 137Theft 145Theme parks

Port Aventura 110Thirty Years War (1618–59) 40Thomson Cruises 150Three Gypsy Boys (Rebull) 52Tibidabo (Barcelona) 88

amusement park 137restaurants 129

Tiepolo, Giovanni Battista 87Time zone 143Tipping 123Titian 87TMB Information 152Toilets, public 145Torre Bellesguard (Barcelona) 88Torre de Collserola (Barcelona) 87

Torrent hotels 121

Torres de Ávila (Barcelona) 137Tortosa 111

hotels 121Tossa de Mar 17, 102, 103

festes 33Tots Sants (All Saints’ Day) 32Tourist offices 115, 142, 143El Tragaluz (Barcelona) 127Trains 152–3The Transfiguration (Bernat) 57Trasmediterránea 150Travel 150–55

air travel 150–51buses 155cars 154–5Catalonia 92golondrinas (Barcelona) 65Metro 153sea travel 150, 151taxis 155trains 152–3

Traveller’s cheques 146in restaurants 123

Travelex 146Tredòs

hotels 121Els Tres Tombs (Barcelona) 33Turisme de Barcelona 143Turisme de Catalunya 143Turisverd 115Tusquets, Oscar 17

UUnited Kingdom Consulate 143United States Consulate 143Universal Exhibition (1888) 22, 42

Arc del Triomf (Barcelona) 62Monument a Colom (Barcelona) 65Museu de Zoologia (Barcelona) 63

Unlimited Youth Student Travel & Viatgeteca 143

Usatges (Constitution) 38

VVall d’Aran 94

Butterflies of the Vall d’Aran 94Vall de Boí 95Vallmitjana, Agapit and Venanci

105Valls

festes 31restaurants 131

Van Eyck, Jan 24Van Gogh, Vincent 64El Vaso de Oro (Barcelona) 133VAT

in restaurants 123tax-free goods 142

Vayreda i Vila, Joaquim 24, 97Velázquez, Diego de 24, 61

Monestir de Santa Maria de Pedralbes 87Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (Barcelona) 80

Verboom, Prosper 62Verdaguer, Jacint 41Veronese, Paolo 87La Veronica (Barcelona) 126Vespucci, Amerigo 65Viajes 2000 143Vic 106


Vielha 94hotels 121

Viladomat, Antoni 24Viladrau

hotels 121Vilafranca del Penedès 29, 107

festes 31Vilanova

festes 33Vilanova i la Geltrú 110

hotels 121Vilaseca i Casanovas, Josep 62Villar i Lozano, Francesc de Paula 75Vinçon (Barcelona) 135Virgen del Carmen (Barcelona) 31Virgin of Montserrat 105VISA 146Visas 142Visigoths 37–8, 96

WWaiting for Soup (Nonell) 25Walking

hiking 138–9La Ruta del Modernisme 48–9safety 145

War of the Spanish Succession 40–41Water sports 139Waxwork museum (Barcelona) see

Museu de CeraWeather 19, 30–33Wheelchair access see Disabled

travellersWildlife

bird-watching 138Butterflies of the Vall d’Aran 94Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes 95Parc Natural del Delta de L’Ebre 111Wildlife of the Matollar 19

Wine Cava Country 28–9Museu del Vi (Vilafranca del Penedès) 107The Other Wines of Catalonia 28in restaurants 123

Winter in Catalonia 33Winter sports 139Wirtzia, King of the Visigoths 38World music 137

XEl Xampanyet (Barcelona) 133, 137Xarxa d’Albergs de Catalunya 115

YYoung People’s Tourist Office 152

ZZoological Museum (Barcelona) see

Museu de ZoologiaZoos

Parc Zoològic (Barcelona) 63Zurbarán, Francisco de 24

Monestir de Santa Maria de Pedralbes 87Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (Barcelona) 80


1 7 3A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S

DORLING KINDERSLEY would like to thank the following people whosecontributions and assistance have made the preparation of this book possible.

MAIN CONTRIBUTOR

ROGER WILLIAMS contributed to theEyewitness Travel Guide to Spain and has written Barcelona and Cataloniatitles for Insight Guides. He was also the main contributor to the EyewitnessTravel Guide to Provence. Lunch withElizabeth David, set around theMediterranean, is his latest novel.

ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS

Mary Jane Aladren, Pepita Arias, EmmaDent Coad, Rebecca Doulton, JosefinaFernández, Nick Rider, David Stone,Judy Thomson, Clara Villanueva,Suzanne Wales (Word on Spain).

DESIGN AND EDITORIAL ASSITANCE

Amaia Allende, Queralt Amella Miró,Gillian Andrews, Imma Espuñes i Amorós,Daniel Campi (Word on Spain), AlricaGreen, Jessica Hughes, Elly King, KathrynLane, Barbara Minton, Alícia Ribas Sos,Lola Carbonell Zaragoza.

PROOFREADER

Stewart J Wild.

INDEXER

Hilary Bird.

SPECIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Max Alexander, D. Murray/J. Selmes,Dave King, Clive Streeter.

PHOTOGRAPHY PERMISSIONS

© Obispado de VIC; © Cabildo de laCatedral de Girona; Teatre Nacional deCatalunya (Barcelona); Institut Mpal. delPaisatge Urba i la Qualitat de Vida,Ajuntament de Barcelona.

Dorling Kindersley would like to thankall the churches, museums, restaurants,hotels, shops, galleries and other sightstoo numerous to thank individually.

PICTURE CREDITS

KEY: t=top; tl=top left; tlc=top leftcentre; tc=top centre; trc=top rightcentre; tr=top right; cla=centre leftabove; ca=centre above; cra=centre rightabove; cl=centre left; c=centre; cr=centreright; clb=centre left below; cb=centrebelow; crb=centre right below;bl=bottom left; b=bottom; bc=bottomcentre; bcl=bottom centre left; br=bottomright; bcr=bottom centre right; d=detail.

Works of art have been reproduced with the permission of the followingcopyright holders:

Dona i Ocell Joan Miró © ADAGP, Paris& DACS, London 1999; Morning GeorgeKolbe © DACS 1999; IOC/OlympicMuseum Collections; Tapestry of theFoundation Joan Miró 1975 © ADAGP,Paris & DACS, London; Rainy Taxi ©Salvador Dalí - Foundation Gala -Salvador Dalí/DACS 1999.

The publisher would like to thank thefollowing individuals, companies andpicture libraries for their kind permissionto reproduce their photographs:

ACE PHOTO LIBRARY: Mauritius 17t; AISA,Barcelona: 12b, 16b, 21bl, San JorgeJaume Huguet 24c, 36, 37c, 40cb, 42c,42bl, 144bc; AQUILA PHOTOGRAPHICS:Adrian Hoskins 94bla; 94bl; JamesPearce 19b; NATIONAL ATESA: 154cr.

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION: 147.

Acknowledgments

1 7 4 A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S

FREIXENET: 28c, 29b; FUNDACION

COLLECTION THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA:Madonna of Humility Fra Angelico 87t;FUNDACIO JOAN MIRO, Barcelona: Flamaen l’espai i dona nua Joan Miró 1932 ©ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 1999 80t.

GODO PHOTO: 111t, José Luis Dorada 107t.

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THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS PICTURE

LIBRARY: 43t; INDEX, Barcelona: CJJ.17b,40t, 43c; IMAGE BANK: 22b, 69b; AndreaPistolesi 84; IMAGES COLOUR LIBRARY: 22c,151b; AGE Fotostock 76, 95b, 100 –101,135t, 135c, 138cr; NICK INMAN: 18b.

LIFE FILE PHOTOGRAPHIC: Xabier Catalan23c; Emma Lee 23cra.

MARKA, Milan: Sergio Pitamitz 62tl; MAS

SALVANERA: Ramón Ruscalleda 115t; MARY

EVANS PICTURE LIBRARY: 45 (inset); JOHN

MILLER: 90; MUSEU NACIONAL D’ART DE

CATALUNYA: J. Calveras J. Sagrista 82-83;La Compañia de Santa Barbara 1891Ramon Marti Alsina 41t; MUSEU PICASSO:Auto Retrato Pablo Ruiz Picasso © DACS

1999 61bl; ABADIA DE MONTSERRAT

(BARCELONA) 104br.

NATURAL SCIENCE PHOTOS: C Dani & IJeske 138c; NATURPRESS, Madrid: 15b; Oriol Alamany 30c, 33b; WalterKvaternik 33c, 44 – 45, 145b; CarlosVegas 146t, 148tr; Jose A Martinez 91b.

ORONOZ, Madrid: 37b, 38t, 38c, 41bl, 42t.

PICTURES COLOUR LIBRARY: 70 –71;PRISMA,Barcelona: 4t, Paralelo Año 1930Roger Bosch 8–9, 9 (inset), 16t, Procesiónen Santa María del Mar Carbo Cases 24t,Jardines de Aranjuez 1907 Rusiñol y Prats24b, Esperando la Sopa 1899 Isidro Monelly Monturiol 25t, La Catedral de los PobresMir Trinxet 25c, Litografía Tàpiés ©ADAGP, Paris & DACS, London 1999 25b,34 –35, 41cb, 42 cra, 113 (inset), 134b,137c, 141 (inset), 150ca, 155t; CarlesAymerich 20bl, 32c; A. Bofill 17c; BarbaraCall 15t; Jordi Cami 30b; Albert Heras 2–3,32b; Kuwenal 39t, 39c; Mateu 31c.

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DORLING KINDERSLEY SPECIAL EDITIONS

1 7 5P H R A S E B O O K

English–Catalan Phrase BookIN AN EMERGENCYHelp! Auxili! ow-gzee-leeStop! Pareu! pah-reh-ooCall a doctor! Telefoneu un teh-leh-fon-eh-oo

metge! oon meh-djuhCall an ambulance! Telefoneu una teh-leh-fon-eh-oo

ambulància! oo-nah ahm-boo-lahn-see-ah

Call the police! Telefoneu teh-leh-fon-eh-oo la policia! lah poh-lee-

see-ahCall the fire brigade! Telefoneu els teh-leh-fon-eh-oo

bombers! uhlz boom-behsWhere is the On és el on-ehs uhl tuh-leh-

nearest telèfon més fon mehs telephone? proper? proo-peh

Where is the On és l’hospital on-ehs looss-pee-nearest més proper? tahl mehs hospital? proo-peh

COMMUNICATION ESSENTIALSYes Si seeNo No nohPlease Si us plau sees plah-ooThank you Gràcies grah-see-uhsExcuse me Perdoni puhr-thoh-neeHello Hola oh-lahGoodbye Adéu ah-they-ooGood night Bona nit bo-nah neetMorning El matí uhl muh-teeAfternoon La tarda lah tahr-thuhEvening El vespre uhl vehs-pruhYesterday Ahir ah-eeToday Avui uh-voo-eeTomorrow Demà duh-mahHere Aquí uh-keeThere Allà uh-lyahWhat? Què? kehWhen? Quan? kwahnWhy? Per què? puhr kehWhere? On? ohn

USEFUL PHRASESHow are you? Com està? kom uhs-tahVery well, Molt bé, mol beh

thank you. gràcies. grah-see-uhsPleased to Molt de gust. mol duh goost

meet you.See you soon. Fins aviat. feenz uhv-yatThat’s fine. Està bé. uhs-tah behWhere is/are . . .? On és/són? ohn ehs/sohnHow far is it to . . .? Quants metres/ kwahnz meh-

kilòmetres hi ha truhs/kee-loh-d’aquí a . . .? muh-truhs yah

dah-kee uhWhich Per on es puhr on uhs

way to . . .? va a . . .? bah ahDo you speak Parla par-luh

English? anglès? an-glehsI don’t understand No l’entenc. noh luhn-tengCould you Pot parlar més pot par-lah mehs

speak more a poc a poc, pok uh pokslowly, please? si us plau? sees plah-oo

I’m sorry. Ho sento. oo sehn-too

USEFUL WORDSbig gran gransmall petit puh-teethot calent kah-lencold fred fredgood bo bohbad dolent doo-lenenough bastant bahs-tanwell bé behopen obert oo-behrclosed tancat tan-katleft esquerra uhs-kehr-ruhright dreta dreh-tuhstraight on recte rehk-tuhnear a prop uh propfar lluny lyoonyuhup/over a dalt uh dahldown/under a baix uh bah-eeshhearly aviat uhv-yatlate tard tahrtentrance entrada uhn-trah-thuhexit sortida soor-tee-thuhtoilet lavabos/ luh-vah-boos

serveis sehr-beh-ees

more més messless menys menyees

SHOPPINGHow much Quant kwahn

does this cost? costa això? kost ehs-shohI would like . . . M’agradaria . . . muh-grad-uh-ree-ahDo you have? Tenen? tehn-unI’m just looking, Només estic noo-mess ehs-teek

thank you mirant, gràcies. mee-rahngrah-see-uhs

Do you take Accepten ak-sehp-tuhncredit cards? targes de tahr-zhuhs duh

crèdit? kreh-deetWhat time A quina hora ah keen-uh oh-ruh

do you open? obren? oh-bruhnWhat time A quina hora ah keen-uh oh-ruh

do you close? tanquen? tan-kuhnThis one. Aquest ah-ketThat one. Aquell ah-kehlexpensive car kahrcheap bé de preu/ beh thuh preh-oo/

barat bah-ratsize (clothes) talla/mida tah-lyah/mee-thuhsize (shoes) número noo-mehr-oowhite blanc blangblack negre neh-gruhred vermell vuhr-melyellow groc grokgreen verd behrtblue blau blah-ooantique store antiquari/botiga an-tee-kwah-ree/

d’antiguitats boo-tee-gah/dan-tee-ghee-tats

bakery el forn uhl fornbank el banc uhl bangbook store la llibreria lah lyee-bruh-

ree-ahbutcher’s la carnisseria lah kahr-nee-suh-

ree-uhpastry shop la pastisseria lah pahs-tee-suh-

ree-uhchemist’s la farmàcia lah fuhr-mah-

see-ahfishmonger’s la peixateria lah peh-shuh-tuh-

ree-uhgreengrocer’s la fruiteria lah froo-ee-tuh-

ree-uhgrocer’s la botiga de lah boo-tee-guh duh

queviures keh-vee-oo-ruhshairdresser’s la perruqueria lah peh-roo-kuh-

ree-uhmarket el mercat uhl muhr-katnewsagent’s el quiosc uhl kee-ohsk

de premsa duh prem-suhpost office l’oficina de loo-fee-see-nuh

correus duh koo-reh-oosshoe store la sabateria lah sah-bah-tuh-

ree-uhsupermarket el supermercat uhl soo-puhr-muhr-

kattobacconist’s l’estanc luhs-tangtravel agency l’agència de la-jen-see-uh duh

viatges vee-ad-juhs

SIGHTSEEING

art gallery la galeria d’ art lah gah-luh ree-yuhdart

cathedral la catedral lah kuh-tuh-thrahlchurch l’església luhz-gleh-zee-uh

la basílica lah buh-zee-lee-kuhgarden el jardí uhl zhahr-deelibrary la biblioteca lah bee-blee-oo-

teh-kuhmuseum el museu uhl moo-seh-ootourist l’oficina de loo-fee-see-nuh

information turisme thuh too-reez-muhoffice

town hall l’ajuntament luh-djoon-tuh-menclosed for tancat per tan-kat puhr

holiday vacances bah-kan-suhsbus station l’estació luhs-tah-see-oh

d’autobusos dow-toh-boo-zoosrailway l’estació luhs-tah-see-oh

station de tren thuh tren

STAYING IN A HOTELDo you have ¿Tenen una teh-nuhn oo-nuh

a vacant habitació ah-bee-tuh-see-ohroom? lliure? lyuh-ruh

1 7 6 P H R A S E B O O K

double habitació ah-bee-tuh-see-oh room with doble amb doh-bluh am

double bed llit de lyeet duh matrimoni mah-tree-moh-nee

twin room habitació ah-bee-tuh-see-oh amb dos llits/ am dohs lyeets/amb llits am lyeets in-thee-individuals vee-thoo-ahls

single room habitació ah-bee-tuh-see-oh individual een-dee-vee-

thoo-ahlroom with habitació ah-bee-tuh-see-oh

a bath amb bany am bahnyuhshower dutxa doo-chuhporter el grum uhl groomkey la clau lah klah-ooI have a Tinc una ting oo-nuh

reservation habitació ah-bee-tuh-see-ohreservada reh-sehr-vah-thah

EATING OUTHave you got a Tenen teh-nuhn

table for... taula per...? tow-luh puhrI would like Voldria vool-dree-uh

to reserve reservar reh-sehr-vahr a table. una taula. oo-nuh tow-luh

The bill El compte, uhl kohm-tuhplease. si us plau. sees plah-oo

I am a Sóc sok buh-zhuh-tuh-vegetarian vegetarià/ ree-ah

vegetariana buh-zhuh-tuh-ree-ah-nah

waitress cambrera kam-breh-ruhwaiter cambrer kam-brehmenu la carta lah kahr-tuhfixed-price menú del muh-noo thuhl

menu dia dee-uhwine list la carta de lah kahr-tuh thuh

vins veensglass of water un got d’aigua oon got dah-ee-

gwahglass of wine una copa de vi oo-nuh ko-pah

thuh veebottle una ampolla oo-nuh am-pol-yuhknife un ganivet oon gun-ee-vehtfork una forquilla oo-nuh foor-keel-

yuhspoon una cullera oo-nuh kool-

yeh-ruhbreakfast l’esmorzar les-moor-sahlunch el dinar uhl dee-nahdinner el sopar uhl soo-pahmain course el primer uhl pree-meh

plat platstarters els entrants uhlz ehn-tranzdish of the day el plat del dia uhl plat duhl

dee-uhcoffee el cafè uhl kah-fehrare poc fet pok fetmedium al punt ahl poonwell done molt fet mol fet

MENU DECODER (see also pp26 –7 & 124 –5)

l’aigua mineral lah-ee-gwuh mineral watermee-nuh-rahl

sense gas/amb gas sen-zuh gas/am gas still/sparklingal forn ahl forn bakedl’all lahlyuh garlicl’arròs lahr-roz riceles botifarres lahs boo-tee-fah-rahs sausagesla carn lah karn meatla ceba lah seh-buh onionla cervesa lah-sehr-ve-sah beerl’embotit lum-boo-teet cold meatel filet uhl fee-let sirloinel formatge uhl for-mah-djuh cheesefregit freh-zheet friedla fruita lah froo-ee-tah fruitels fruits secs uhlz froo-eets seks nutsles gambes lahs gam-bus prawnsel gelat uhl djuh-lat ice creamla llagosta lah lyah-gos-tah lobsterla llet lah lyet milkla llimona lah lyee-moh-nah lemonla llimonada lah lyee-moh-nah- lemonade

thuhla mantega lah mahn-teh-gah butterel marisc uhl muh-reesk seafoodla menestra lah muh-nehs-truh vegetable stewl’oli loll-ee oilles olives luhs oo-lee-vuhs olivesl’ou loh-oo egg

el pa uhl pah breadel pastís uhl pahs-tees pie/cakeles patates lahs pah-tah-tuhs potatoesel pebre uhl peh-bruh pepper el peix uhl pehsh fishel pernil uhl puhr-neel cured ham

salat serrà suh-lat sehr-rahel plàtan uhl plah-tun bananael pollastre uhl poo-lyah-struh chickenla poma la poh-mah appleel porc uhl pohr porkles postres lahs pohs-truhs dessertrostit rohs-teet roastla sal lah sahl saltla salsa lah sahl-suh sauceles salsitxes lahs sahl-see-chuhs sausagessec sehk dryla sopa lah soh-puh soupel sucre uhl-soo-kruh sugarla taronja lah tuh-rohn-djuh orangeel te uhl teh teales torrades lahs too-rah-thuhs toastla vedella lah veh-theh-lyuh beefel vi blanc uhl bee blang white wineel vi negre uhl bee neh-gruh red wineel vi rosat uhl bee roo-zaht rosé wineel vinagre uhl bee-nah-gruh vinegarel xai/el be uhl shahee/uhl beh lambel xerès uhl shuh-rehs sherryla xocolata lah shoo-koo-lah-tuh chocolateel xoriç uhl shoo-rees red sausage

NUMBERS0 zero seh-roo1 un (masc) oon

una (fem) oon-uh2 dos (masc) dohs

dues (fem) doo-uhs3 tres trehs4 quatre kwa-truh5 cinc seeng6 sis sees7 set set8 vuit voo-eet9 nou noh-oo10 deu deh-oo11 onze on-zuh12 doce doh-dzuh13 tretze treh-dzuh14 catorze kah-tohr-dzuh15 quinze keen-zuh16 setze set-zuh17 disset dee-set18 divuit dee-voo-eet19 dinou dee-noh-oo20 vint been21 vint-i-un been-tee-oon22 vint-i-dos been-tee-dohs30 trenta tren-tah31 trenta-un tren-tah oon40 quaranta kwuh-ran-tuh50 cinquanta seen-kwahn-tah60 seixanta seh-ee-shan-tah70 setanta seh-tan-tah80 vuitanta voo-ee-tan-tah90 noranta noh-ran-tah100 cent sen101 cent un sent oon102 cent dos sen dohs200 dos-cents (masc) dohs-sens

dues-centes (fem) doo-uhs sen-tuhs300 tres-cents trehs-senz400 quatre-cents kwah-truh-senz500 cinc-cents seeng-senz600 sis-cents sees-senz700 set-cents set-senz800 vuit-cents voo-eet-senz900 nou-cents noh-oo-cenz1,000 mil meel1,001 mil un meel oon

TIME

one minute un minut oon mee-nootone hour una hora oo-nuh oh-ruhhalf an hour mitja hora mee-juh oh-ruhMonday dilluns dee-lyoonzTuesday dimarts dee-martsWednesday dimecres dee-meh-kruhsThursday dijous dee-zhoh-oosFriday divendres dee-ven-druhsSaturday dissabte dee-sab-tuhSunday diumenge dee-oo-men-juh

D

Lice

Catalun

Universitat

Provenç

Sant Gervas

Muntaner

La Bonanova

Les TresTorres

Sarrià

Peu delFunicular

VallvidreraSuperior

ReinaElisenda

HospitalClínic

Entença

Plaça del Centre

Les Corts

MariaCristina

PalauReial

ZonaUniversitària

Sants-Estació

Tarragona

Rocafort

Urgell

Poble Sec

Paral.lelParc de

Montjuïc

IldefonsCerdà

Hostafrancs

GornalBellvitge

El Prat deLlobregat

Aeroport

FeixaLlarga

BellvitgeL’Hospitalet

AvingudaCarrilet

Sant JosepAlmeda

Cornellà-Riera

Sant Boi RamblaJust

Oliveras

Can Serra

FloridaTorrassa Santa

Eulàlia

MercatNou

Plaçade Sants

Badal

Collblanc

PubillaCases

CanVidalet

CanBoixeres

SantIldefons

Gavarra

Cornellà

MolíNou–Ciutat

Cooperativa

SantAntoni

M a rM e d i t e r r à n

Riu

Llo

br

eg

at

TMONTSERRA

IGUALADA

TERRASSASABADELL

SANT CUGAT

Gràc

MagòriaLa

Campana

BaixadorVallvidrera

Espanya

e

Rail Transport MapsThe main map shows the whole of Barcelona’s Metro system,which has six lines. It also shows the city’s FGC suburban lines,funiculars and tram (see pp152–3). Public transport in Barcelonais modern and efficient, and the integrated transport systemallows for interchanging between different modes of transport ifyou have a multi-journey (for example a T-10) card. A specialticket for tourists is the Barcelona Card, available in one-day tofive-day values, which offers unlimited travel on Metro andbus, and discounts at leading sights and museums. The insetmap shows Catalonia’s mainline rail network, which is run byRENFE, the Spanish state system. The stations selected for inclu-sion here are those closest to sights described in this guide.

KEY

Metro Line 1

Metro Line 2

Metro Line 3

Metro Line 4

Metro Line 5

Metro Line 11

FGC train service (Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya)

RENFE airport-rail connection

Funicular

Tramvia Blau (Blue Tram)

Interchange station

RENFE mainline train station

PepVentura

Sant Roc

Gorg

Artigues Sant Andrià

Verneda

Besòs

Besòs Mar

Maresme-Fòrum

Selva de Mar

Poblenou

Llacuna

CiutadellaVila OlímpicaBarceloneta

Jaume I

Urquinaona

Marina

Glòries

ClotNavas

Sagrera

La Pau

Fabrai Puig

Sant Andreu

Torrasi Bages

TrinitatVella

Baróde Viver

SantaColoma

Fondo

TrinitatNova

Llucmajor

Via Júlia

Maragall

Congrés

Camp del’Arpa

Hospital deSant Pau

SagradaFamília

Verdaguer

Guinardó

Mundet Valldaura Canyelles

Alfons X

Joanic

Girona

Passeig de Gràcia

Virrei Amat

Vilapicina

Horta

Montbau

Vall d’Hebron

Penitents

Vallcarca

Lesseps

Fontana

Diagonal

Drassanes

eu

nya

ça

PlaçaMolina

Pàdua

El Putxet

Avingudadel Tibidabo

Plaça delFunicular

Tibidabo

Tetuán

Monumental

Encants

Bac deRoda

SantMartí

i a

ia

e

e

e

e

Bogatell

Arc deTriomf

Sant Andreu

Riu

Be

sò

s

GRANOLLERSSANT CELONI

Casa del'Aigua

Torre BaróVallbona

Ciutat Meridiana

Can Cuiàs

BARCELONASitges

Vilanova i la Geltrú

CATALONIA’S REGIONAL LINESTrains from Barcelona

LA POBLA DE SEGUR

PuigcerdàLA TOUR DE CAROL

Ribes de Freser

Ripoll

Figueres

Port BouCERBÈRE

GironaVic

Terrassa

Sant Guim de FreixenetTàrrega

LLEIDA

To Zaragoza

FlixTORTOSA

Reus

To València

CambrilsSalou

Port AventuraTarragona

KEY

Ca 1 to Tortosa

Ca 2 to Cerbère

Ca 3 to Flix

Ca 4 to Lleida

Ca 5 to Puigcerdà

Ca 6 to Zaragoza

Ca 7 to La Pobla de Segur


KEY TO MAIN SYMBOLS

E

R

O

G

k

~

£

r

w

c

@

n

(

_

§

#

¢

&

5

^

Museum, gallery

Church, cathedralmonastery/convent

Wildlife reserve

Theme park

Internationalairport

Domestic airport

Train station

Metro station

FGC station(Barcelona)

Bus/coach station

Bus route

Population

Tourist info/info point

Market day

Festa(fiesta/festival)

Telephonenumber

Open

Closed

Admission charge

Church services

No photographyallowed

Wheelchair access(phone to check details)

Guided toursavailable

Restaurant

Café

E-mail address

Website

7

0

8

Ù¡ µ

z`

SYMBOLS FOR HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS

Price category

Fax number

Television in mostrooms

Air conditioning

Rooms with bath orshower

k

e

g

4

a

v

ª

h

5

a

J

N

b

n

w

r

@

c

ADDITIONAL SYMBOLS FOR MAPS

Internationalairport

RENFE trainstation

FGC train station

Metro station

Main bus stop

Coach station or stop

Ferry port

Boat boardingpoint

Cable car station

Funicular railway

Taxi rank

Parking

Church, cathedral

Hospital withcasualty unit

Viewpoint

Post office

Police station

Touristinformation

There are DK Eyewitness Travel Guides

to more than 80 of the world’s most

fascinating destinations. Visit www.dk.com

to browse our catalogue and sign up for our

free travel newsletter.

ISBN 1 4053 0785 4

Systematic information on more than 350 sights, shops, restaurants, hotels

and entertainment venues

*

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eyewitness travel guides

The Guides that show you what others only tell you


“A pleasurable read with ravishing photography

plus maps and plans of supreme quality”

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double as souvenirs”

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ANNUALLY REVISED

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ted in

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OVER 500 PHOTOGRAPHS,ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS

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DETAILED CUTAWAYS OF ALL THE MAJOR SIGHTS

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MOST INTERESTINGDISTRICTS

•

WHERE TO EAT, WHERE TO STAY,

AND HOWTO GET AROUND

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Documents

Barcelona & Catalonia (Eyewitness Travel Guides)