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Six Underappreciated Things About Barcelona
1. Gràcia.
After enjoying the Festa Major de Gràcia so much, you decide this is where you want to live. Your friends have made the obvious choices and prefer to live nearer the beach and set up camp in the Barri Gòtic, El Borne, or Raval. You relish in your independent decision and mock your friends for doing the “usual”. But then you start to notice that getting your friends to come and visit you is kind of impossible. They tell you that Gràcia is too far away, and that there is no point being further than 300 meters from the Plaça San Jaume. People get so accustomed to the Metro in Barcelona, that anything beyond three stops is ‘miles away’. The only people that appreciate Gràcia are usually the people that live in Gracia. I always thought of it as a cleaner version of the Gòtic. It’s full of great bars, and restaurants, not to mention the squares. The walk down Gran de Gràcia and through to Passeig de Gràcia is very much overlooked and you get to see some of Barcelona’s best architecture. And better still, there are no tourists there! Shush!
2. Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya. (FGC)
If you’re a train fan, you simply have to take the Ferrocarrils suburban lines S1-S8. It’s a toy train for adults. One of the oldest train operators in Barcelona, some of the lines date back to 1863. Somebody told me, it was originally built to serve all the rich folk and transport them to and from the city centre. It takes you on a great little magical mystery tour of Barcelona and its outskirts. And it’s just soooo cute!
3. Poble Sec
Again like Gràcia, the dry village of Poble Sec can be overshadowed by the Raval, and the other more familiar barris of Barcelona. This little traditional barri is just at the foot of Montjuic is definitely not as pretty or Gothic as the other more familiar barrios of Barcelona. But if you fancy a break from the tourists, and have already read no.1 and ventured Gracia, well this place may surprise you. There are lots of cool little bars and restaurants, for example, (and not wanting to sound like Lonely Planet): Tapas: Quimet I Quimet C/ Poeta Cabanyas 25) Bar: Cervecería Jazz (C/ Margarit 43). Tea and chocolate: La Fíbula (C/ Blai 46) And then you can go and dance your feet of at Sala Apolo Club (C/ Nou de la Rambla 113).
4. The Cafe in El Corte Ingles.
On the top floor of Corte Ingles, there is a cafe that has a great view of Plaça Cataluña. I used to go there and do classes with my students. Well no, that’s a lie, but my friend did, and on her recommendation, I did go up. But you really have to make sure you get a seat beside the window to take advantage of the view. Which I never did.
5. The Transbordador Aeri (Cable Car)
Loads of people I know haven’t done this, and it’s quite ridiculous to be honest, what are you all doing here for the love of God?!. A delightful little journey, sky high that goes from the harbour until Montjuïc, and then you have a mountain of stuff to do once you arrive at either end to be honest. The views on a clear day have to be breathtaking. I say have to be, because I’m one of them that haven’t actually done it yet. Ok, ok, shut up.
6. Els Tres Tombs.
If you don’t feel like being trapped in doors at an after-party, but still would like to carry on drinking and maybe even get some late night tapas. There is really one place to go, Tres Tombs in the Raval, just in front of Mercado San Antoni. It’s open 24 hours save a couple of hours in the afternoon for a quick clean up. Apart from the food and the beer, being near Raval, it’s full of interesting characters, bring the camera and note book!
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