Metropolitan tourist guide winter 2013

Your Winter Guide to

Barcelona

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It’s not just where you’re headed. It’s how you get there.

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4-5. Contents.indd 2 12/5/12 2:52:14 PM

6 What’s new

8 City season

12 A day in the city

16 Food & Drink

28 Culture

_Music

_Festivals

_Art

_Festes & Traditions

40 Maps

46 Metro map

48 Need to know

50 Little Black Book

contents

Ciutat 7 2-4, 08002 Barcelona Tel. 93 451 4486Enquiries: [email protected]: [email protected],000 copies of this guide are distributed every quarter in Barcelona's four- and five-star hotels.

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Cover photo by Michaela Xydi

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new in town

Our daily bread Out shopping and looking for a healthy meal? Le Pain Quotiden offers a full organic menu, from soup to main meals and desserts, served in a beautiful and relaxed atmosphere, just steps away from Passeig de Gràcia. Le Pain Quoti-dien. Provença 300. www.lepainquotidien.es

Gourmet Bus Settle down into the com-fort of the Gourmet Bus and enjoy a two-hour tour of the city’s sights, complete with iPads and in-bus camer-as. Then, tuck into a tasting menu created by Michelin-starred Catalan chef, Carles Gaig of the popular Catalan eatery Fonda Gaig. Priced at €95. www.gourmetbus.com

Electric dreams Explore Barcelona in one of GoCars new Renault Twizys. These small electric cars offer built-in talking guides and are a safe and fun alternative for in-trepid visitors who want to see the city on their own terms. www.gocarbarcelona.com

Inspired brew Grey Street and Satan’s Coffee Cor-ner in the Raval bring a unique fusion of art, second-hand clothing, eclectic gift items and take away coffee. You’re sure to be tempted to come back for more. Grey Street Boutique/Satan’s Coffee Corner. Store hours 10am-9pm and coffee shop 10am-6pm. Peu de la Creu, 25.

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Dónde? On? Where? Find the location of these places with our maps on pages 40-44.

Shop & Drop Where to rest your weary feet after an after-noon’s shopping in the Maremagnum centre? At newly-opened Alegra Barcelona you can en-joy a cocktail in their sleek indoor bar or on their terrace with panoramic views of the city. And if all that shopping has whetted your appetite, the restaurant serves traditional Mediterrane-an cuisine. www.alegrabarcelona.com

Gourmet Bus Settle down into the com-fort of the Gourmet Bus and enjoy a two-hour tour of the city’s sights, complete with iPads and in-bus camer-as. Then, tuck into a tasting menu created by Michelin-starred Catalan chef, Carles Gaig of the popular Catalan eatery Fonda Gaig. Priced at €95. www.gourmetbus.com

Electric dreams Explore Barcelona in one of GoCars new Renault Twizys. These small electric cars offer built-in talking guides and are a safe and fun alternative for in-trepid visitors who want to see the city on their own terms. www.gocarbarcelona.com

Inspired brew Grey Street and Satan’s Coffee Cor-ner in the Raval bring a unique fusion of art, second-hand clothing, eclectic gift items and take away coffee. You’re sure to be tempted to come back for more. Grey Street Boutique/Satan’s Coffee Corner. Store hours 10am-9pm and coffee shop 10am-6pm. Peu de la Creu, 25.

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My mother-in-law often com-plains about winters in Barcelona. Too dark, too cold. Of course, in

summer it’s too hot, but I don’t both-er to get into that with her. I agree, the nights are long and the coat might need to come out of the mothballs. But winters in Barcelona are balmy compared to Minneapolis or Minsk. If you’re here during the Christmas season the darkness makes for a beauti-ful backdrop to the lights that line the main thoroughfares of the city. Stores are starting to embrace a more prag-matic strategy by offering discounts when shoppers are more likely to spend

money, in December. If you stroll along the magnificent Passeig de Gràcia, you might catch a bargain while admiring the architecture under luminous or-naments shaped like crystal chande-liers. One street over, on the Rambla de Catalunya, relax at an outdoor ter-race warmed by large, glowing space heaters while enjoying wine and ta-pas.This is something you won’t like-ly be doing in Flensburg this time of year. The streets between these two boulevards house tempting places to stop for a hot coffee and a nice pastry. Getting away from the centre, I par-ticularly like the neighbourhood of

The dark days of winter are Barcelona’s best kept secret. By Lynn Baiori.

SeaSon of Light

city season

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Gràcia. Once a town in its own right, it maintains its unique character and traditions. Many visitors zip past Grà-cia on their way to the Parc Güell, but then they are missing one of the most emblematic areas of the city. Gràcia has a slightly bohemian feel; yet it’s also a place where the elderly and the young play a central part in the com-munity, where families gather in one of its many plazas in the afternoons and weekends, and it is home to a vi-brant Catalan Gypsy community. Back down to the centre of town, and the beauty of winter in Barcelo-na. La Rambla feels slightly less grit-

ty and chaotic than it does during the more sweaty and casual mid-summer months. Nativity scenes are arranged for viewings in many of the churches. The Fira de Santa Llúcia—the yearly Christmas market in front of the ca-thedral—is an exciting place to wan-der, provided you get there early and try to avoid the Saturday afternoon crowds. Midnight mass on Christ-mas Eve is worth attending at the Cathedral and Santa Maria del Mar; in Iberian style, it is more a festival than a sombre reminder of the hol-iday. If you’re fortunate enough to be here on January 5th—and especial-

Photo by Markus Kreutzer


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city season

ly if you’re here with young children—follow the Cavalcada dels Reis, when the three kings make their arrival at the port and continue with a huge and magnificent procession through town. Unlike the rest of Spain, Catalans spend December 24th quietly at home. Tradition includes gathering around Caga Tió, a log with a painted face and legs, wearing a barretina, a traditional red cap. During the month of Decem-ber, children ‘feed’ the Caga Tió and on the 24th they beat him with a stick and sing a tune, asking him to excrete candy and presents from his bottom. Look for the Caga Tió at the Christ-mas market; as well as the Caganer, a small squatting figure who sits outside the manger releasing his bowels. Both are integral parts of the Catalan holi-day tradition and can be better appre-ciated when understood as a way to unify the divine and the mundane, pos-sibly as close as you get to Taoist phi-losophy in everyday Christian thinking. Catalan tradition sees the family come together on the 25th for a full day of feasting. I didn’t know it was possible to stuff that much protein into a human stomach until I spent my first Christmas with my husband’s family. It began with a light plate of prawns showered in lemon and was followed by three hours consuming unimaginable kilos of meat and Escudella (a chicken broth with large meatballs, somewhat

reminiscent of Matzah ball soup). Then came the dessert. It was like digesting a bowling ball while sampling eleven varieties of turró, a rich assortment of chocolate and nugget candies. The fol-lowing day, Sant Esteve, the meal con-tinued, with more protein and Canel-lons (exactly reminiscent of Canelloni).

If you like shopping, Barcelona is the place to be in January. Sales often start slowly, with shops offering a mod-est 10 percent off. But like a desperate lover, by February, they are practically giving away the remains with discounts as high as 70 percent. Treat yourself to a hand-crafted pair of Spanish leather shoes, and maybe a nice bag to match. February, when everyone back home is hiding in their houses or trying to shovel their way out, the local folk are preparing for Carnival. You’ll want to go to Sitges, just a short train ride away and worth visiting for its charm, as well as its gay pride. Never a sleepy beach town, not even in winter, Sitges hosts a large, loud and flamboyant Carnival celebration, with parades for children and adults, bonhomie and, of course, the Carnival King and Queen. My mother-in-law would agree, there’s no better place to be in winter.

Lynn Baiori is the senior editor of Barcelona Metropolitan, the city’s magazine in English.



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A DAY IN THECITYWeave in and out of Ciutat Vella’s dense urban fabric and discover some of the lesser-known spots in the old town.

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13The numbers in pink refer to location points on the map on page 14-15.

10:00 Kickstart the day with a tradi-tional Barcelona breakfast at Granja Viader (1). Next door you’ll find the 17th-century Església de Betlem—pop inside during December and early January, to pay homage to the beauti-ful nativity scene sequence (2).

11:00 Stroll through La Boqueria mar-ket, and if you’re thinking about a sec-ond breakfast, stop for a bite to eat at one of the many eateries dotted about the market (3).

14:00 Time for lunch? For fancy dining room décor, check out Fon-da España (Sant Pau 9-11, lunch €30). If you’ve got a taste for tapas you could try Cañete Bar (Unió, 17) or for something more economical, La Perla de Oro (Unió, 34), offers a casual sandwich seated around old, dusty barrels. (6).

12.00 For a slice of serenity, visit the National Library of Catalunya, locat-ed in the converted Antic Hospital de la Santa Creu (Hospital, 56). Wander through to the beautiful courtyard, where you can pause amidst the or-ange grove, or take a peek inside the gothic-vaulted reading rooms. (4).

12.30 Next, take a tour of Palau Güell (Nou de la Rambla, 3)—one of Gaudí’s early creations. Although more toned down than the architect’s later work, you’ll notice familiar traces of his trademark style and flamboyance as you gaze up the façade, which terminates in a colourful display of roof tiles and fruit-laden chim-ney pots. (5).

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15:30 Once fed and watered, emerge from the forgotten corners of Raval onto the hustle and bustle of La Rambla, and wander slowly up the famous thoroughfare. Dive into the heart of the Gothic quarter, and visit the cluster of pretty little plazas sur-rounding the gothic church of San-ta María del Pi, where you can find food and art markets at the week-end. (7)

16:30 Get lost in the old Jewish Call and discover the centuries-old Great Syn-agogue (8). Next, make your way to the beautiful, Plaça de Felipe Neri (9), then break out of the tight-knit streetscape into the open-ended Plaça Nova, where you can marvel at Barcelona’s Cathedral, and, until December 23rd, wander the annual Christmas market. (10)


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18:00 Travel back in time in the at-mospheric Plaça del Rei (11), where you can visit Roman ruins and Roy-al rooms in the excellent Museu d’ Història de Barcelona (MUHBA).

19:30 Finally, make you way to the glorious gothic structure of San-ta María del Mar—easily the most beautiful church in Barcelona with its fi ne proportions and dramatic bare-stoned volumes. Another lively plaza awaits outside—check out La Vin-ya del Senyor (Plaça Santa María, 5) for a drop of wine and a good spot for people-watching. (12).

21:00 For a bite to eat, drinks, and dancing, you’re in the right part of town! Try tapas and cava at El Xam-panyet (Montcada, 22) or Taller de Tapas (Argenteria, 51). For tradition-al Catalan cuisine, check out Senyor Parellada (Argenteria, 37) or Nou Cellar (Princesa, 16), and for late night drinks check out the lively Pas-seig del Born. (seig del Born. (1313))


Photo by Richard Owens

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food & drinkI don’t know how chef Shojiro

does it. Not only does he make all this marvellous food, but he

also manages to serve most of it personally. The food is great, at times sensational, offering a dif-ferent menu for lunch and dinner. We journeyed from Catalunya to Japan and back again with a trio of autumnal dishes. Japan emerged in the shape of a slab of beautifully grilled sea bream that seemed to levitate on top of a frothy miso soup (don’t ask me how he did that). Back in the au-tumn woodlands of Catalunya the pinkly tender breast and thighs of a wood pigeon perched on a lightly caramelised chunk of duck

foie (liver). All in all, Somodó’s great appeal lays in offering staunchly season-al food that showcases the best of Catalunya, cleverly combined with techniques and ingredients from Shojiro’s homeland Japan. He seems to delight in the jour-ney, and that makes it all the more exciting for the diner. Especially when his prices are such that you’ll keep coming back for more. Read Tara’s full review at: www.barcelona-metropolitan.com/somodó

Somodó, Ros de Olano 11, Gracìa Tel. 93 415 6548 www.somodo.es

Reviewed: Somodó

by Tara Stevens, the food expert for Barcelona Metropolitan. She reviews restaurants, writes about local gastronomy and blogs about all things gourmet. For more Barcelona food tips, follow her on Twitter: @taralstevens

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If you’re interested in honing your culinary skills while in Barcelona, there are plenty of

gastro classes available in the city. Here are our pick of the best:4 Capellans: The 4 Capellans restaurant, part of the Hotel Bar-celona Catedral, holds cooking classes on the first Wednesday of every month for groups of up to 15 people. They’ll help you prepare an easy and impressive menu for your next dinner party. Prices are €50 per person and the classes are two and a half hours long.www.barcelonacatedral.comCook & Taste: Half-day cooking workshops are Cook & Taste’s speciality. Hands-on workshops for small groups of participants ex-plore local, seasonal food with the

expert help of experienced chefs. Classes cost €65 per person while an optional tour of La Boquería market is an extra €13. www.cookandtaste.netMatamala: This restaurant offers cooking workshops and tastings specifically tailored to you. The Matamala sommeliers will guide you through a bespoke menu and help you make the most of a cus-tomised culinary experience. All you have to do is let them know when you want to go and how many will take part. Prices are available upon consultation. www.matamalarestaurant.com

Read the full blog at www.barcelona-metropolitan.com/tried&tested

Tried & Tested

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South American way: Tanta

Tanta is the latest venture of Gastón Acurio, the wunderkind of modern

Peruvian cooking. In his native South America, Acurio’s restau-rant empire covers everything from ceviche, to street food, to the new wave. Here in Barce-lona, he’s squeezed a little bit of everything into a space de-scribed as a ‘Peruvian bistro’, though honestly, that’s not the word I’d use to describe it. There is a swanky bar at the entrance serving excellent Pisco Sours (€7 for a small, €11 for a large) that reaches back into a sleek dining room; all slate-grey wall panels, wine-coloured concrete floors and a lushly planted ter-race. It’s trendy in that imper-

sonal, minimalist kind of a way.

The great thing about Peruvian cooking is that it has a wanton disregard for food snobbery. So while there are plenty of foodie-pleasing obscure potato and tuber varieties, unheard of chilli peppers, and a profusion of fish and seafood, it also embraces condensed milk, Thousand Is-land dressing and mayonnaise with gusto. Indeed, squiggles of the stuff appear everywhere. Whether this is line chef gone mad with a squeezy bottle, or a quirk of Peruvian gastronomy it’s hard to say, but on the whole I liked the food. It was fun, differ-ent and made for sharing. Córsega 235, Tel. 93 667 4372, www.tantabcn.com


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Best of bistro: L’Office

There are few places in Barcelona that call to mind a true Parisian bistro

but L’Office is among them. Like the bistros of yore, it brims over with the kind of jolly bonhomie that makes old-school bistros such wonderful places. I started with a bowl of lightly steamed and salted veggies with a side of caper mayo. Sim-ple yes, but taut and tasty as if they’d been plucked from the ground that morning, followed by a juicy pink hunk of onglet (the deeply flavourful cut of beef from the diaphragm) driz-zled with a rich wine and shallot

sauce, a scoop of buttery mash and a pile of gently wilted spin-ach. I wish I’d had room for the trio of French cheeses or a slice of clafoutis with apples and Cal-vados, but that’s for next time.

For now, it was the most enjoy-able lunch I’d had in ages and good value when you’re eat-ing at this level. If you pass by during the week, Jerome offers a daily bistro classic for €12: among other things Bouef Bour-gogne on Tuesdays and Blan-quette de Veux on Thursdays.

L’Office Carrer Villaroel 227, Tel. 93 444 2288www.officebcn.com

Photo by Markus Kreutzer

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This fantastic restaurant and lounge is located at the top of the Rambla de Raval

just a short walk from the MACBA art gallery. Whether you’re looking for lunch or dinner, they provide a wide range of Spanish dishes and tapas that are made with traditional Mediterranean recipes, using fresh and exciting ingredients. If you prefer to eat ‘al fresco’, they have a great terrace situ-ated on the Rambla de Raval so you can relax and watch the world go by. Inside they have a fresh new vibe making it a great place to meet up with friends for cock-tails. It also has private rooms available for groups and couples. The friendly and attentive service is what really makes this restau-rant stand out. It is open every day, with the kitchen open till midnight and the cocktail lounge until 3am. www.facebook.com/restaurante-barraval

104 Carrer Hospital 08001 BarcelonaTel. 93 329 8277

Three-course menu of the day at an incredible €10.50

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The Hotel Pulitzer, just off Pl. Catalunya, has intro-duced a new Happy Hour

concept, Drunch (the word is a fusion of lunch and dinner). Don’t let the name put you off—Drunch at the Pulitzer is a tan-talising mixture of well-prepared tapas plus a classic cocktail. Getting away from the now over-done Gin and Tonic, The Pulitzer offers eight new ways to enjoy a Bloody Mary, (try a Bloody María made with Tequila, or a Bloody Smoke made with Islay

Storm Single Malt Whisky). Sit comfortably on a chaise longue, relax in an armchair and choose three generous selec-tions from the tapas menu, eve-rything from steaming rice with jumbo shrimp, artichoke hearts with quail eggs to Iberian ham sandwiches served with warm brie. The tapas are fresh, served with a smile and change weekly to keep you coming back.

Hotel Pulitzer Barcelona. Bergara 8. www.hotelpulitzer.es

Best of both meals: Drunch

Passeig de Picasso 32, 08001 Tel. 93 295 6732 www.ikibana.esMonday to Friday: 1.30pm-4.00pm, 8.30pm-12.00pmWeekends: 1.30pm-4.00pm, 8.30pm-12.30pm

Their incredible Japanese-Brazilian fusion cuisine combined with the fantastic interior design, great atmosphere and excellent service make this restaurant an experience not to be missed!

Avinguda del Paral lel 148, 08015 Tel. 93 424 4648 www.ikibana.es

Monday to Friday: 1 pm-1 am

Weekends: 1pm-3amKitchen open until 1am

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Best of both meals: Drunch

Passeig de Picasso 32, 08001 Tel. 93 295 6732 www.ikibana.esMonday to Friday: 1.30pm-4.00pm, 8.30pm-12.00pmWeekends: 1.30pm-4.00pm, 8.30pm-12.30pm

Their incredible Japanese-Brazilian fusion cuisine combined with the fantastic interior design, great atmosphere and excellent service make this restaurant an experience not to be missed!

Avinguda del Paral lel 148, 08015 Tel. 93 424 4648 www.ikibana.es

Monday to Friday: 1 pm-1 am

Weekends: 1pm-3amKitchen open until 1am

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AsianShanghai 1930Buenos Aires 11 08029Tel. 93 363 4370www.1930.esMetro: Hospital Clínic

Thai BarcelonaDiputació 273 08007Te. 93 487 9898www.thaibarcelona.esMetro: Passeig de Gràcia

Catalan cuisineFamenRamis 2 08012 Tel. 93 210 5900www.famenrestaurant.comMetro: Joanic

Cal BoterTordera 62 08012Tel. 93 458 8462www.restaurantcalboter.comMetro: Joanic

Cuines Santa CaterinaAvinguda de Francesc Cambó 16, 08003Tel. 93 268 9918www.mercatsantacaterina.netMetro: Jaume I

Fonda GaigCòrsega 20008036Tel. 93 453 2020www.fondagaig.comMetro: Hospital Clínic

ItalianEls NapolitansDiputació 9308015Tel. 93 539 3058Metro: Urgell/Rocafort La Bella NapoliMargarit 1408004 Tel. 93 442 5056Metro: Poble Sec/Paral.lel

RestaurantsA few recommendations of places to eat that are popular with the locals and may not be mentioned in your guide books

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Da GrecoPasseig de Gràcia, 11608008Tel. 93 213 6550Metro: Diagonal

TapasMorrisonGirona 162 08037Tel. 93 458 4017Metro: Verdaguer

Taller de tapaswww.tallerdetapas.comVarious locations

Mundial BarPlaça Sant Agusti Vell 1 08003 Tel. 93 319 9056Metro: Jaume I

Cervecería CatalanaMallorca 23608008 Tel. 93 216 0368Metro: Diagonal

MexicanRosa NegraVia Laietana 46, 08003www.rosanegrabcn.comMetro: Uriquinaona

Sandwiches and brunchFastvinicDiputació 251, 08007Tel. 93 487 3241www.fastvinic.com Mertro: Passeig de Gràcia

Brunch & CakeEnric Granados 19, 08007www.cupcakesbarcelona.comMetro: Universitat

Federal CafeParlament 39, 08015 Tel. 93 187 3607www.federalcafe.esMetro: Poble Sec

ClarésBruc 162, 08037 Tel. 93 459 1610 www.cafeteriaclares.comMetro: Verdaguer

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culturemusic

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tunes and catchy rhythms. He will be performing on the night of Feb-ruary 8th with Dropkick Murphys.

February 16thSigur RósSant Jordi Club. From €35Hailing from Iceland, this band comes to the stage with their ethe-real and minimalist sounds. Th ey will be performing their new al-bum along with some of their best known songs such as Hoppípolla.

February 20thCrystal CastlesRazzmatazz. From €25Th e Canadian electronic and exper-imental duo are a hit with the pub-lic and critics alike, and the night promises one of their legendary chaotic live performances.

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culturemusic

December 21stMark Ronson DJ SetRazzmatazz. From €13After collaborations with artist such as Amy Winehouse, Lily Al-len and the Kaiser Chiefs, English DJ and producer Ronson comes to Barcelona to play a one-off set.

December 29th Manuel CarrascoSant Jordi Club. From €27Th e Spanish pop singer returns to Barcelona to perform his fi fth al-bum, Habla, featuring collabora-tions with the Rome Symphony Orchestra.

February 2ndDavid BisbalPalau Sant Jordi. From €33Showman, singer and Grammy award-winning Bisbal has topped the Spanish charts with all four of his studio albums.

February 8th Frank TurnerRazzmatazz. From €24British folk-punk singer Turner has a bit of a cult following thanks to his haunting acoustic-based


January 21stRudolf Buchbinder, Palau de la Músi-ca Catalana. From €19As part of Palau 100, a concert series dedicated to great orchestras, conduc-tors, and international soloists, pianist Rudolf Buchbinder will perform works by Schubert and Schumann against the stunning backdrop of the Palau.

February 8th-10thMichel Tabachnik: Symphony Or-chestra of Barcelona, L’Auditori. From €26The Symphony Orchestra of Barcelona will perform works by Brahms, Bartok, and Debussy under the talented guid-ance of Swiss composer and conductor Michel Tabachnik.

February 9thBallett am Rhein Düsseldorf Duis-burg, Teatre del Liceu. From €58The mystery of Bach has been trans-formed into movement by Martin Schläpfer, and has become a contempo-rary classic since its premiere in 2002.

December 26th Concert of Sant Esteve: Choral Cy-cle, Palau de la Música Catalana. From €47Held in the magical UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Orfeó Català and the choirs of its Choir School will per-form a traditional Christmas concert of Sant Esteve.

December 30thNew Year’s Concert: Municipal Band of Barcelona, L’Auditori. From €17Celebrate the beginning of the new year with The Municipal Band of Bar-celona who will perform works by Suppé, Tchaikovsky and Strauss.

January 11th Symphony Orchestra of Saint Pe-tersburg, L’Auditori. From €22Legendary conductor Valery Gergiev comes to Barcelona with his perform-ers from Saint Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre to perform a full Tchaikovskyprogramme which will include a spe-cial collaboration with Cuban pianist Jorge Luis Prats.

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classical music


January 21stRudolf Buchbinder, Palau de la Músi-ca Catalana. From €19As part of Palau 100, a concert series dedicated to great orchestras, conduc-tors, and international soloists, pianist Rudolf Buchbinder will perform works by Schubert and Schumann against the stunning backdrop of the Palau.

February 8th-10thMichel Tabachnik: Symphony Or-chestra of Barcelona, L’Auditori. From €26The Symphony Orchestra of Barcelona will perform works by Brahms, Bartok, and Debussy under the talented guid-ance of Swiss composer and conductor Michel Tabachnik.

February 9thBallett am Rhein Düsseldorf Duis-burg, Teatre del Liceu. From €58The mystery of Bach has been trans-formed into movement by Martin Schläpfer, and has become a contempo-rary classic since its premiere in 2002.


December 7th to 24thEls Grans del Gospelwww.theproject.esThe lively and music-filled festival reaches its fourteenth edition with a programme full of international gospel acts, held in venues across Barcelona and Catalunya.

December 26th to January 6thCirque du Soleil: Alegríawww.cirquedusoleil.comThe legendary circus group comes to Barcelona and promises a sensory de-light full of adventure and fun, told through themes of power, youth, and

the evolution from ancient monar-chies to modern democracies.

February 6th to 13thSitges CarnivalCarnival is a time of joy, exuberance and joie de vivre before Ash Wednes-day when Sitges’ streets will be de-scended upon by thousands of people enjoying the eccentric parade which has been celebrated for over 100 years.

January 12th to April 31stInternational Folk FestivalThe extensive festival programme will feature around 50 acts from around the world performing a variety of songs from the folk genre.

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February 10th to 12thLlum 2012 - Barcelona Festival of LightCoinciding with the February Festes de Santa Eulalia in Barcelona, the festi-val’s purpose is to draw attention to the beauty of around 70 of Barcelona’s icon-ic builidings which will be illuminat-ed by night.


February 10th to 12thLlum 2012 - Barcelona Festival of LightCoinciding with the February Festes de Santa Eulalia in Barcelona, the festi-val’s purpose is to draw attention to the beauty of around 70 of Barcelona’s icon-ic builidings which will be illuminat-ed by night.

Don’t miss out! See our online events listings for everything that’s going on in the city!

www.barcelona-metropolitan.com


World Press PhotoCCCB www.cccb.orgConsidered to be the most impor-tant display of award-winning pho-tography in the world, covering so-cial, political, cultural and sporting events, the photos are outstanding for their aesthetic excellence, as well as their capacity to trigger an emo-tional response in the viewer. Until January 6th

The Arts of PiranesiCaixaForum www.obrasocial.lacaixa.esThe exhibition brings together a wide selection of the engravings by Giambattista Piranesi, showing the complexity, versatility and multidis-ciplinary nature of the artist’s work.Until January 20th

34

For the love of Art: Film and painting MNAC www.mnac.cat As the first ever combined project between MNAC and the Filmoteca, the series of 29 films includes work by some of the great directors in the history of the cinema. Films for re-flecting on the meaning of the work of art or on the creative process, and films that will immerse you in the lives of universally acknowledged artists. Until June 4th

Eulàlia GrauMACBA www.macba.catBorn in Terrassa, Grau worked throughout the seventies and used mass media images to document the society of the time, exploring the re-curring presence of violence, over-crowding and technology in every-day life. February 7th to May 26th

art


For the love of Art: Film and painting MNAC www.mnac.cat As the first ever combined project between MNAC and the Filmoteca, the series of 29 films includes work by some of the great directors in the history of the cinema. Films for re-flecting on the meaning of the work of art or on the creative process, and films that will immerse you in the lives of universally acknowledged artists. Until June 4th

Eulàlia GrauMACBA www.macba.catBorn in Terrassa, Grau worked throughout the seventies and used mass media images to document the society of the time, exploring the re-curring presence of violence, over-crowding and technology in every-day life. February 7th to May 26th


36

Critical Episodes (1957-2011), MACBA www.macba.cat Focusing on systemic crises, their in-fluence on modern art and in turn modern art’s impact on the world that witnesses them, this new collec-tion brings together various portray-als of what is called today ‘system-ic crises’ and spans three floors of the gallery’s expansive space in the Raval.Until February 17th

Antoni Tàpies. Col·lecció # 4Fundació Antoni Tàpies www.fundaciotapies.org

The gallery presents a new selection of works by Antoni, which includes Tàpies’ different creative moments from the 1940s to the present day, and illustrates the evolution of the typolo-gies, techniques and materials used by the artist. Until February 17th

Desarrollos Marlborough Gallerywww.galeriamarlborough.com One of the city’s most up-and-coming galleries presents David Rodrígues Ca-ballero’s ongoing collection of innova-tive structures and sculptures. Until January 5th

34

Ten Embarrassed Men (2010). Annika Ström. Taken from ‘Feminism #2: A Performing Archive’

What To Think, What To Desire, What To DoCaixaForum www.obrasocial.lacaixa.esSeparated into three synthetic ques-tions and exhibitions, the series ex-plores the idea of returning to the content of art, and an immersion in-to the depths of meaning proposed by the work. Until January 20th



38

festes& traditionsFira de Santa Llúcia - Nov 25th to Dec 23rd Barcelona kicks off the Christmas festivities with the Fira de Santa Llúcia. Santa Llúcia, known in English as Saint Lucy, is the patron saint of the blind, and this fair is one of the oldest and most firmly rooted Christmas traditions of Barcelona. The fair is held in the square in front of the Cathedral and has more than 280 stands offering all the products that you need in order to decorate your home for the holidays.

Cavalcada dels Reis Mags - Jan 5th 6.30pm to 9.00pm. The Three Wise Men are the equivalent of Santa Claus for children in Spain. The city of Barcelona celebrates their arrival with a parade on January 5th, the night when the Three Wise Men, known as Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar, come to town bearing gifts. The Kings arrive by ship to the port of Barcelona at 5pm, where they

are given an official welcome by the mayor. Then the parade begins, pass-ing along the Via Laietana, past the Plaça Catalunya and continuing on to Avinguda de Reina Maria Cristina, near Plaça Espanya. Information and the full route can be found here: www.bcn.cat.recorregut.Carnestoltes - Feb 7th-13th Carnestoltes—Carnaval—begins on ‘Dijous gras’ (Fat Thursday) and ends on ‘Dimecres de cendra’ (Ash Wednesday) with a traditional ceremony that involves the burial of sardines to symbolise the beginning of the fast. While in the US and the UK, these days are normally spent clearing out the pantry of anything tasty and delicious, Spain celebrates it the best way they know how, with a fiesta. Be on the look out for floats, dancers, costumes, music and tortilla-making competitions, as well as the Rei Carnestoltes leading the festivities.



40

Carrer de Vila i Vila

Placa del Sortidor

La Rambla

Gran Via de le

s Corts

Catalanes

Arago

PL. CATALUNYA

Ronda de Sant Pere

Via Laietana

Passeig de Picasso

Liceu

Princesa

Nou de la

Ram

bla

BarcelonaCathedral

Rond

a de

San

t Ant

oni

C

arme

Pass

eig

de C

olom

Tallers

Joaquin Costa

Riera Alta

Rambla del Raval

Riereia

Carretes

Ronda de Sant Pau

Portal de l´Ángel

Sant Antoni Abat

Comte d´Urgell

Sepulveda

Jardins delsHorts deSant Pau

Avinguda del Paral-lel

Jardins delsTres Torres

Poble Sec

Muntaner

Casanova

Villarroel

Diputa

cio

Conse

ll de Cent

Valencia

Avinguda de Roma

Aribau

Balmes

Mallo

rca

Viladomat

Rocafort

Comte Borrell

Reira Amelia

Calabria

Floridablanca

Tam

arit

Manso

Rambla de Catalunya

Hospital

Portal de S

anta

Mad

rona

Pelayo

University ofBarcelona

Urgell

Universitat

Universitat

Sant Antoni

Paral-lelParal-lel

Catalunya

Passeigde Gracia

Urquinaona

Urquinaona

Liceu

Drasssanes

Jaume I

Barceloneta

Pl. Catalunya

Mercat deSanta Caterina

Santa Mariadel Pi

Centre de CulturaContemporania

de Barcelona

BarcelonaMuseum of

Contemporary Art

Pompeu FabraUniversity

ColumbusMonument

Palau de la Musica Catalana

Museu Maritimde Barcelona

Passeig de GraciaLa Ram

bla

E

Church of Santa Maria del Mar

Barcelona Zoo

Parc de laCiutadella

M

BC

D

A

GH

E

M

P

F

I

O

J

L

K

CIUTAT VELLA: RAVAL + BARRI GÒTIC

A - Grey Street (p. 6)

B - Go Car Barcelona (p.6)

C - Gourmet Bus (p.7)

D - Alegra Barcelona (p.7)

E - Hotel Pulitzer (p.24)

F - Granja Dulcinea (p.50)

G - Pastelería Escribà (p.50)

H - Granja Viader (p.50)

PLACES MENTIONED IN THIS GUIDE

40-45. maps.indd 2 12/5/12 2:49:24 PM

41

Carrer de Vila i Vila

Placa del Sortidor

La Rambla

Gran Via de le

s Corts

Catalanes

Arago

PL. CATALUNYA

Ronda de Sant Pere

Via Laietana

Passeig de Picasso

Liceu

Princesa

Nou de la

Ram

bla

BarcelonaCathedral

Rond

a de

San

t Ant

oni

C

arme

Pass

eig

de C

olom

Tallers

Joaquin Costa

Riera Alta

Rambla del Raval

Riereia

Carretes

Ronda de Sant Pau

Portal de l´Ángel

Sant Antoni Abat

Comte d´Urgell

Sepulveda

Jardins delsHorts deSant Pau

Avinguda del Paral-lel

Jardins delsTres Torres

Poble Sec

Muntaner

Casanova

Villarroel

Diputa

cio

Conse

ll de Cent

Valencia

Avinguda de Roma

Aribau

Balmes

Mallo

rca

Viladomat

Rocafort

Comte Borrell

Reira Amelia

Calabria

Floridablanca

Tam

arit

Manso

Rambla de Catalunya

Hospital

Portal de S

anta

Mad

rona

Pelayo

University ofBarcelona

Urgell

Universitat

Universitat

Sant Antoni

Paral-lelParal-lel

Catalunya

Passeigde Gracia

Urquinaona

Urquinaona

Liceu

Drasssanes

Jaume I

Barceloneta

Pl. Catalunya

Mercat deSanta Caterina

Santa Mariadel Pi

Centre de CulturaContemporania

de Barcelona

BarcelonaMuseum of

Contemporary Art

Pompeu FabraUniversity

ColumbusMonument

Palau de la Musica Catalana

Museu Maritimde Barcelona

Passeig de GraciaLa Ram

bla

E

Church of Santa Maria del Mar

Barcelona Zoo

Parc de laCiutadella

M

BC

D

A

GH

E

M

P

F

I

O

J

L

K

I - Planelles Donat (p.50)

J - Caelum (p.50)

K - La Campana (p.50)

L - Enríque Tomás (p.50)

M - Canadian Consulate (p.48)

N - Guàrdia Urbana (p.48)

O - lost property office (p.48)

P - Mossos d’Esquadra (p.48)

40-45. maps.indd 3 12/5/12 2:49:25 PM

42

A - Le Pain Quotidien (p.6)

B - Tanta (p.20)

C - L’office (p.22)

D - Pernil 181 (p.50)

H

H

H

Avinguda Diagonal

Passeig de Gracia

Tuset

Aribau

Aribau

Muntaner

Villarroel

Comte d’Urgell

Calvet

Sagues Santalo

MuntanerTravesse

ra de Gracia

Recto

r Ubach

Via Augusta

Balmes

Via AugustaGran de Gracia

Torrent de l’Olle

Travessera de Gracia

Peril

Montseny

l’Or

T

ordera

Passeig de Sant Joan

C

orsega

In

dustria

Pro

venca

Pau Claris

Bailen

Bailen

Girona Bruc


Mallo

rca

V

alencia

Corsega

Paris

Londre

s

Rossello

M

allorca

Provenca

Diputa

cio

Gran Via de le

s Corts

Catalanes

Conse

ll de Cent

Arago

Ara

go

Valencia

Marina

Ronda de Sant Pere

Gleva

Padua

Tetuan

Urquinaona

HospitalUniversitariSagrat Cor

FremapBarcelona

Centre deOftalmolgia

Barraguer

Diagonal

Provenca

Mercat deGalvany

Gracia

SantGervasi

Pl. Molina

Fontana

Vila deGracia

Diagonal

Girona

Temple de laSagrada Familia

SagradaFamilia Sagrada

Familia

Verdaguer

Verdaguer

Mercat de laConcepcio

Avinguda Diagonal

Passeigde Gracia

Passeigde Gracia

A

H

I

A

F

G

C

B

E

D

EIXAMPLE + GRÀCIA

40-45. maps.indd 4 12/5/12 2:49:25 PM

43

H

H

H

Avinguda Diagonal

Passeig de Gracia

Tuset

Aribau

Aribau

Muntaner

Villarroel

Comte d’Urgell

Calvet

Sagues Santalo

Muntaner


Recto

r Ubach

Via Augusta

Balmes

Via AugustaGran de Gracia

Torrent de l’Olle


Peril

Montseny

l’Or

T

ordera


C

orsega

In

dustria

Pro

venca

Pau Claris

Bailen

Bailen

Girona Bruc


Mallo

rca

V

alencia

Corsega

Paris

Londre

s

Rossello

M

allorca

Provenca

Diputa

cio

Gran Via de le

s Corts

Catalanes

Conse

ll de Cent

Arago

Ara

go

Valencia Marina

Ronda de Sant Pere

Gleva

Padua

Tetuan

Urquinaona

HospitalUniversitariSagrat Cor

FremapBarcelona

Centre deOftalmolgia

Barraguer

Diagonal

Provenca

Mercat deGalvany

Gracia

SantGervasi

Pl. Molina

Fontana

Vila deGracia

Diagonal

Girona

Temple de laSagrada Familia

SagradaFamilia Sagrada

Familia

Verdaguer

Verdaguer

Mercat de laConcepcio

Avinguda Diagonal

Passeigde Gracia

Passeigde Gracia

A

H

I

A

F

G

C

B

E

D

E - Mantequería La Sierra (p.50)

F - UK Consulate (p.48)

G - NZ Consulate (p.48)

40-45. maps.indd 5 12/5/12 2:49:26 PM



46. metro map.indd 1 9/10/12 1:12:14 PM

Barcelona Segway Glides Tour

Glide effortlessly around the city, sightseeing whilst

learning about the history, listening to interesting

facts, and discovering hidden secrets of Barcelona.

www.barcelonasegwayglides.comE. [email protected] M. +34 678 777 371 T. +34 93 268 9536

€10 OFFWITH THIS ADVERT


48

Need to KnowBARCELONA: thE pRACtiCAL iNfO

EMERGENCY NUMBERS General emergencies 112 Ambulance service (Ambulancia) 061 Catalan Police (Mossos d’Esquadra) 088 City Police (Guàrdia Urbana) 092 Fire Service (Bomberos) 080

if YOU LOSE YOUR CREDit CARDS Visa & Mastercard - 902 192 100 Amex - 902 375 637 Diner’s Club - 93 467 0145

iN thE EVENt Of A CRiME The most central place to report a crime is the Guàrdia Urbana station at Ramblas 43. Tel. 93 256 2457 (24 hr; English spo-ken). www.bcn.es/guardiaurbana

To get a police report for your insurance you can go to the Mossos d’Esquadra station at Nou de la Rambla 76-80, Raval. Tel. 93 306 2300. You can also fill in a report online: go to the website www.gencat.net/mossos and select ‘Denún-cies’ then ‘Denúncies per internet’ (Eng-lish option available). You will still have to take the completed form to the station to be signed within 72 hours.

OthER USEfUL NUMBERS Barcelona general information: 010 National directory enquiries: 11818

LOSt pROpERtY Anything left on public transport or found by police is sent either to the TMB office at Diagonal metro station (top of Passeig de Gràcia) or to the Oficina de Troballes (municipal lost property of-fice) at Pl. Carles Pi i Sunyer 8-10; open Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm. Most items are kept for three months.

CONSULAtES AUSTRALIA: There is currently no Australian consulate here. If advice/help is needed, contact the Madrid embassy: tel. 91 353 6600. www.spain.embassy.gov.au CANADA: Plaça de Catalunya 9, 1º 2ª. Tel. 93 270 3614. www.canadainternational.gc.ca NEW ZEALAND: Travessera de Grà-cia 64. Tel. 93 209 0399 www.nzembassy.com REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Gran Via Carles III 94. Tel. 93 491 5021. www.irlanda.es UK: Avda. Diagonal 477. Tel. 902 109 356. www.ukinspain.fco.gov.uk USA: Pg Reina Elisenda 23. Tel. 93 280 2227. www.madrid.usembassy.gov

48. Essential info.indd 2 12/5/12 11:45:50 AM


Little Black BookESSENTIAL ADDRESSES FOR YOUR BARCELONA STAY

50

ThE BEST hOT ChOCOLATE IN TOwNForget hot chocolate milk, here in Barce-lona a hot chocolate “chocolate de taza” is a thick, gooey affair and especially delicious when served with “churros”, deep-fried sticks of dough.

Granja DuLcinea. Petrixol 2. This beautifully-preserved cafe opened its doors in 1803 and stil retains its old world charm.

PasteLería escriBá. Gran Via 546/La rambla 83. www.escriba.es. Family-owned since 1906 by Barcelo-na’s most famous cake-making family.

Granja ViaDer. Xuclà 4. www.granjaviader.cat. creators of the chocolate drink “cacaolat”, and also renowned for their thick, tasty choco-late de taza.

whERE TO BUY TURRóN

Often described as a kind of nougat, this is the king of Catalan Christmas treats. Buy some for yourself or take some home as the perfect seasonal gift from Barcelona.

PLaneLLes Donat Portal del’angel 7. www.planellesdonat.com. This little store has been selling turrón

for over 100 years and has a huge selec-tion. Beat the queues by getting there early.

caeLum. Palla 8. This lovely shop sells only items produced in monaster-ies and convents. check out their beau-tifully-packaged turrones.

La camPana. Flassaders 15. a family-owned business that has been making their own turrones for over 120 years.

whERE TO BUY hAm

Ham features big in any Catalan Christmas home.

enrique tomás. Ferran 55. www.enriquetomas.com Boasting “the world’s best ham sandwich”, this is a slick local jamón enterprise.

PerniL 181. Passeig de sant joan 181. www.pernil181.com The company was founded in the Fifties by antonio Ferrer with stalls in various local mar-kets; this shop was opened in 1988.

mantequeria La sierra. rosselló 160. one of a breed of tradi-tional delis in Barcelona, this one is set amongst the tree-lined streets of the eixample.

50. Little Black Book.indd 2 12/5/12 3:32:54 PM

NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY 2012 VIP TABLE FOR 4 PEOPLE 10pm-6am - €600 1 bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne or bottle of house sprit. 12 grapes to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Spanish tradition.

10pm-6am - €100 p.p.3 glasses of Veuve Clicquot champagne or house cocktails.12 grapes to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Spanish tradition.

2am-6am - €50 p.p.2 glasses of Veuve Clicquot champagne or house cocktails.12 grapes to celebrate New Year’s in Spanish tradition

RSVP: [email protected] www.whotels.com



Documents

Metropolitan tourist guide winter 2013