Holiday Autos Offering 25% off car hire in Barcelona

In order to celebrate its 25th Birthday, Holiday Autos is offering 25% off car hire for 25 days across 25 different locations. The Holiday Autos offer is valid for pick-ups until 31 October 2012, but you will only have one day to book with the discount! One of the most beautiful locations included in the car hire offer is the wonderful city of Barcelona, where the sale applies on 8th May.

Barcelona-panoramic-view

Barcelona’s rich history and world famous architecture bring in around one million tourists per week. Walk down the Portal de l’Àngel and you will be one among approximately 3500 others who throng the street every hour making it the most walked down street in Spain (not exactly a relaxing stroll, but certainly interesting!). It really is a city teeming with life, but if you fancy avoiding the crowd, consider the following ideas on what to do not just in the city, but around it as well, in the beautiful Catalonian region of the sun soaked Iberian Peninsula! Getting a great deal on car hire in Barcelona will definitely make seeing these beautiful spots all the more easier.

Temps-de-flors-Girona-Spain

From the 12th to the 20th of May the Renaissance architecture of the peaceful city of Girona (just over an hour outside of Barcelona) is adorned with a breathtaking display of colour for the ‘Festival of Flowers’. A perennial favourite, the festival is just one example of all the amazing locations nearby to the city that will make your holiday blossom with interest.

Dali Museum

Another relaxing hour’s drive on from Girana is the rural town of Figueres which is home to the Salvador Dali museum. The town is the birthplace of the famous surrealist painter, who (among other outrageous activities) once kept a pet anteater! Huge, red and adorned with eggs, the museum is an eccentric building for an eccentric figure in Spanish history.

Montsant cascade

Injecting some natural beauty into a trip traditionally associated with man-made wonders is a great idea. The best way to do this from a base in Barcelona is to visit the mountain ranges in Monstant. It is around an hour’s drive out of the city through some beautiful rural scenery. If you are feeling adventurous there are hiking trips available, or you can simply relax and sample the regions world famous wines – and remember that you will have one of the Holiday Autos cars with you!

Road in Montsant

There are literally hundreds of sites to see in this peaceful part of the world. So be sure to hire a car in Barcelona this year so you are free to travel where you choose with Holiday Autos.

For more info and for a full list of destinations, and to check out the full T&Cs, visit http://www.holidayautos.co.uk/sale/.

Encants

Flea Markets in Barcelona

 Port Antic

Where: Plaça Colon – Metro Drassanes (Green Line)

When: Every Saturday, Sunday and Public holidays from 10.00 to 20.00

Antique and Flea market at the end of Ramblas, just in front of Port Vell and Mare Magnum shopping centre. It is relatively small but top quality.

Lost & Found

Where: www.lostandfoundbcn.com

When: www.lostandfoundbcn.com

Lost & Found changes dates and locations frequently, in the summertime it is usually hosted by the beach walk in Barceloneta. Check their websites for further info on dates and location. This a non-professional flea market, meaning that most of the participants are bringing stuff they don’t use at home. It’s got a great vibe, by far our favourite street market.

Flea Market

Where: www.fleamarketbcn.com

When: www.fleamarketbcn.com

Similar to Lost & Found, the organisers change dates and location frequently. Make sure you check their website for updated info.

Book and Comic Market Sant Antoni

Where: Comte d’Urgell – Metro Sant Antoni (Purple Line)

When: Sundays only from 10:00 to 15:00

Sunday vintage book market Sant Antoni is probably one of the most special and authentic places in Barcelona. It happens right outside the Sant Antoni Food market. You may find books, magazines, photobooks, postcard, stickers, comics, posters, collectibles…basically anything printed on paper can be found there.

Mercat Del Encants

Where: Plaça de les Glories Catalanes – Metro Glories (Red Line)

When: Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat from 08:30

The largest and probably most stereotyped flea market in Barcelona. It is arranged by products, you may find old furniture, vintage gadgets as well as very cheap and low quality clothing. There is another bizarre section where they sell literally trash (i.e. Things people collected from the garbage and believed they deserve a second chance).

Port Antic

Fira Artesana Barceloneta

Where: Passeig Joan de Borbo – Metro Barceloneta (Yellow Line)

When: Sundays and Bank Holidays

Very small but conveniently located food market. On the way back to the city after spending a long day on the beach, you will probably stop by for a crepe, Churros or local cheese and coldcuts.

Fira Artesana Plaça del Pi

Where: Plaça del Pi – Metro Liceu (Green Line)

When: 1st Fri and Sat of every month

Locals producers from the Catalan region come together monthly to sell their organic products. Cheese, Honey and cakes are the attractions.

Mercadillo de la Plaça de Sant Josep

Where: Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol – Metro Liceu (Green Line)

When: Every weekend

Right on the side of Santa María del Pi church, in Gothic quarter, there is an artist market. Being such a arty city, it surprises the visitors that little paintings can only be bought at Souvenir shops. Come to this square in the weekend and get a ‘Montmatre’ vibe in Barcelona!

Flea Market Rambla del Raval

Where: Rambla del Raval – Metro Liceu (Green Line)

When: Weekends

Raval could not left behind in the street market world! This market is multicultural, representing what Raval currently is. The best stall is a haima, where they sell green tea and Moroccan food.

Fira de Nautumismo

Where: Plaça Reial – Metro Liceu (Green Line)

When: Sundays 10:00-14:30

If you are into collecting old coins and stamps, this the place to be on Sunday morning.

 


View Flea Markets in Barcelona in a larger map

airbnb

Accomodation 2.0 in Barcelona

Our friends and readers are constantly asking what is the best, the cheapest, the cleanest or the nearest hotel. We simply cannot answer to that question! It all depends on their taste and needs. Websites like Tripadvisor made traveller’s life easier. We can browse trillions of hotels, B&B and hostals worldwide and then read user reviews before we make a decision.

Going a step further, the innovative and beautifully designed Airbnb website offers an impressive range of private-owned properties, call it a couch in the living room, a separate bedroom, the whole apartment, the whole villa, the whole castle, the whole boat or the whole island! We swear we are not exaggerating!

Barcelona ranks first as the city within Spain with most listings. Have a look below and try your luck. Check the pictures, choose the best neighborhoods in the map and read the reviews from previous guests. Bookings are made on the fly!

We have tried the service ourselves and we have to say we always found great deals and fantastic hosts!

man running

Jogging in Barcelona

We know that travelling can be expensive, therefore we love cheap activities, even better if those are for free! For those of you who like to work out and practice sports regularly, jogging is the perfect activity while travelling. It’s for free, you can do it anytime and you get to discover the city.

Barcelona is a sporty city, there are several popular races (usually 10 km long) as well as half-marathon, a marathon and triathlon races. Any season of the year you will meet runners all over the place. There are specialized websites, such as Nike+ that suggest the most popular routes. Here is aBarcelonaguide’s selection:

A. Seafront

This is our favourite run. You can start running from Port Vell near Barceloneta, reach Parc del Forum and back. That will be about 10 km of jogging by the sea, avoiding traffic and breathing fresh air. Best ways to get there are Barceloneta and Villa Olimpica metro stations.

B. Ciudatella Park

In case you are staying in Born or Eixample this is another traffic-free run. 1 lap around the park is around 2,5 km which is just perfect if you are not preparing the next marathon! Nearest metro stations are Arc de Triomf, Barceloneta and Villa Olimpica.

C. Diagonal

We are not very keen on this route but still it remains as one of the most popular training courses in Barcelona. There is a long and wide sidewalk along the Diagonal Avenue. The problem is polution and noise from the cars. If your hotel happens to be in that area, it would be a good idea to run late in the evening when traffic decreases.

D. Carretera de les Aigues – Tibidabo

This the ‘greenest’ route, it follows a trail near the Collserola mountains. It is a circular trail of 18 km, but you can choose to run half of the distance you usually make and turn around. There is a great view over the city but it gets really crowded in the weekends. Take the Ferrocarriles de la Generalitat until Peu del Funicular. From there take Funicular that goes up to Vallvidrera and stop at Carretera de les Aigües station. An alternative way is to go to Avenida Tibidabo by Ferrocarriles de la Generalitat and then take the vintage blue tram (Tramvia Blau).

More info about running races in Barcelona:

http://www.cursabombers.com/cms/ (10k)

http://www.cursaelcorteingles.cat/ (10k)

http://www.bcn.es/cursamerce/es/inicio.html (10k)

http://www.zurichmaratobarcelona.com/ (42k)

http://www.mitjabarcelona.com/ (21k)

Bread bakery Barcelona

BBB – Best Bread in Barcelona

In Spain we love bread. We eat sandwiches, bread and tomato, bread with oil, we love to soak bread in the sauce! The problem is that nowadays most of the bread we eat is industrial, frozen, boring and tasteless, even when you buy it at standard bakeries.

Here at aBarcelonaGuide we have the right solution to that problem: Baluard and Barcelona Reykjavik.

Baluard

Baluard Barceloneta

This wonderful bakery is located in the heart of Barceloneta, in front of the market, in the main square, just steps away from the beach and the port. There is a considerable queue in the evenings and this is always a good sign, believe us! The variaty of bread is amazing, all sort of slow fermented and slowly baked breads in wood-fired ovens.

Fresh bread is made all day long and they only close on Sundays. It might be a bit pricey but absolutely worth it.

Address and info:

Forn Baluard Barceloneta | Baluard 38-40 baixos, Barceloneta

http://www.baluardbarceloneta.com/

Barcelona Reyjavik

They run 3 bakeries in Barcelona, conveniently located in the hypest areas of Barcelona: Gracia, Raval and Born. We like everything they do, even the look of their space! The variety of breads is not as big as Baluard, but it keeps up the high level of quality. all sort of flours, slow fermentation and wood-fired ovens too.

Address and info:

Barcelona Reykjavik in Raval

Born
Carrer princesa 16 08003 Barcelona

Gracia
carrer asturies 20 08012 Barcelona

Raval
carrer doctor dou 12 08001 Barcelona

http://www.barcelonareykjavik.com/

jaica

Tapas in Barceloneta

For most of the tourists, food in Spain means Tapas and Sangria. It has become so popular that you will find “tapas” bars in every corner. Unfortunately 90% of those places won’t be authentic and your tapas experience might be somewhat average.

We will help you to locate the good 10% of tapas places in Barcelona. This city is situated by the sea therefore you should aim at seafood and fish tapas mainly. Where else will you find those ingredients but in La Barceloneta neighbourhood? This is area is part of the old town and keeps its authenticity even though it is invaded on daily basis by locals and tourists on their way to the beach.

A good hint that applies to most of the big cities around the world is to avoid main streets, in this case Passeig Joan de Borbó and the beach front (there are exceptions here but we won’t discuss them now). You should head to the narrow streets and try those places that don’t look as clean as they should and where the waiters are over 150 years old. We are not so naive to think that we ‘discovered’ these places, most of them are included in travel guides such as Lonely Planet and you can expect to queue for a table in the evening.

Jai-Ca
Jai-Ca

Our selection is the following:

  • Can Maño: This place is packed every day, every night. It looks dirty and it tastes genuine and delicious. Our favorites are fried squid and assorted fried vegetables.
  • La Bombeta: The name means small bomb in catalan and is one of the tapas in the menu: A spicy ball made with potatoes and meat.
  • Jai-ca: This place stands of for their old fashioned decoration, probably because it didn’t change in the last 50 years. Try their vermouth (local made martini) and mejillones tigre (tiger mussels).
  • Bitacora: We love this place because of the indoor terrace, it’s fantastic when it’s hot outside. Try their patatas bravas and gambas a la plancha (grilled prawns)
  • La Cova Fumada: The smoked cave should be renamed to the secret cave, they have very unusual opening hours, no evenings nor weekends! Therefore this place is highly popular for heavy breakfast and lunch. Try their bread with alioli and octopus (pulpo)
  • El Vaso de Oro: The most expensive option but you won’t be disappointed. Everything is top quality here, try their filet mignon with foie (solomillo con foie).

Check the exact address on the map below:


Ver Tapas in Barceloneta en un mapa más grande

Bun Bo Barcelona

Bun Bo Vietnam – Vietnamese food in the heart of Barcelona

 


This is our new favourite place in town! Restaurants are like new albums, you listen to them every day until you discover another one :)

The place is not new in Barcelona, the first time I tried their lunch menu was about one year ago. At that time I did not appreciate their potential. Only after I tried most of the dishes on the menu I realised the fantastic taste of Vietnamese food.

While researching for this post, I found many bad reviews, pointing out a bad/slow service and not authentic vietnamese food. To be honest, I have not been to Vietnam and I love Bun Bo’s ‘not authentic’ food :)

The place gets crowded during the weekend and they have a wonderful terrace on a quiet square in the Gothic quarter. Please note that the 10 euros lunch menu is only valid through weekdays. The prices in the weekend are slightly higher and so is the size of the dishes. For instance, a Pho Bo (a beef soup with noodles and vegetables) can be shared among 2 or 3 people.

The decoration is totally kitsch, featuring a rickshaw and paper lamps! We also like the easy-listening music selection.

If you are from Vietnam and you happen to be in Barcelona and to read my post, please visit Bun Bo and clarify if they are authentic or not :P  Bun Bo Barcelona

Opening Hours and address:

Lunch menu (Mon-Fri) € 10

13:00 – 00:00 daily

Sagristans 3, 08002 Barcelona  MAP

Phone +34933011378

http://www.bunbovietnam.com/

Federal Cafe

Federal Cafe

We are still excited about this new discovery (at least for us). They say Federal Cafe was originated in a small village in Australia, but our impression is that the inspiration came directly from the coolest neighborhoods of Copenhagen and Stockholm. Minimalistic design, big windows, which are always open, even in winter, wooden tables, chairs and floor. Very friendly and stylish staff. Organic yet high caloric menu, including a variety of starters, main dishes and wonderful cakes and muffins. The caffe latte is served in huge glasses. Federal Cafe has 2 floors and a roof that will be one of favorite Barcelona spots next summer :) The musical selection is brilliant, check out their website to get a taste of the tunes they play while we enjoy our coffees. As we said at the beginning, we are very excited!

It’s located in Sant Antoni area, halfway from Raval and Paralell.  This neighbourhood transmits calm which reflects in the spirit of Federal Cafe.

More info and address:

http://www.federalcafe.es/

Federal Cafe
Mercé 2010

La Mercé

Every year, around September 24th, Barcelona celebrates its Annual Festival. The last blast of summer before the autumn starts, La Mercè is the festival of festivals.  Barcelona inhabitants and occasional tourists love to spend time outdoors (good examples are Sant Joan, Festas de Gracia or FC Barcelona celebrations) but La Mercé is the main event in the city. During that week you will be able to see hundreds of activities like the following:

  • Barcelona Acció Musical (Barcelona Musical Action): From big names of  the music industry to emerging bands. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Check this year’s program
  • Barcelona Street Arts: artists performing amongst the public

    Mercé 2010
    Mercé 2010
  • Festival of tradition: human castles, bigheads, giants and all the festive beasts of the city, accompanied by guests of the Mediterranean
  • Festival of the sky: acrobatic meeting of jets, balloons, ultra lights, etc. It takes place along the sea front, from Villa Olimpica to Barceloneta.
  • The Fire Festival: all kinds of sparks from the musical fireworks to the Fire Run… This is a spectacular event, probably the most popular and photographed in La Mercé.

The list is even longer, make sure that you check the whole event’s program.

La Mercè is the festival of a thousand faces.

Which of them will you see this year?

 

gelaaaati-di-marco

Gelaaati di Marco, the best ice cream in Barcelona

Marco has been delighting Barcelona with his wonderful ice creams since 2006.  They claim to have the classical italian gelato recipe and we can confirm they are excellent.

They are located in a tiny street next to a major crossroad of the old town, the Plaça Sant Jaume, right next to the City Hall.

Apart from gelati, you can enjoy the authentic sicilian cannolo, milkshakes and italian expresso. The variety of flavours will make you repeat day after day, this is what happens to us!

gelaaaati-di-marco
Mmmmm!

Address

Calle llibreteria, 7 barcellona – 933 105 045? <M> Jaume I (Line 4) MAP

http://www.gelaaati.com/

Mellow_Beach_Club_by_Custo

Mellow Beach Club Barcelona

**UPDATE SUMMER 2011** Mellow Beach Club does not exist anymore but still we want to encourage you to visit the surroundings of W Hotel since 4 new Bars, Cafes and Restaurants have opened this summer, one of them featuring some fancy sun beds on the beach. We will prepare a review as soon as we try them all :)

We tend to avoid posh and elegant places because they usually are overpriced, however as soon as we discovered the recently opened Mellow Beach Club, we thought we should give an opportunity :) This is the first beach club in Barcelona, similar to the clubs we have seen in Ibiza, the Greek islands, Miami, etc. Very elegant and minimalistic decoration, gorgeous staff and beautiful clients. One of the owners is Custo Dalmau, the well-known Catalan fashion designer. Considering its unique location at the edge of Barceloneta beach, right under the exclusive W hotel, we are sure the club will succeed.

The entrance to the beach club is free unless there is a private party, in that case you need to be in the list (See the link below for guest-lists). If you want to enjoy the club in style, they offer 2 types of beds. A single bed (3 people max) at a cost of 30 euros and a giant bed (5 people max) at a cost of 100 euros. As most of the things in life, we believe these prices are negotiable. In case you plan to order drinks and food for over 100 euros, you might get the bed without any extra cost.

The dress code during the day is the so-called ‘Sexy beach’, which basically means you can hang around in your bikini or shorts. The VIP atmosphere is backed up by the elegant tunes of the DJs. The music is playing until 01.00 AM everyday, with the exception of private parties where the music goes on until 04.00 AM.

Mellow_Beach_Club_by_Custo
Sun beds at Mellow Beach Club

This ‘chiringuito’ (Spanish word for beach bar) is a bit far away from the Barceloneta metro station, so we recommend to catch the bus to get here (Bus line 17). But of course, we assume that if you plan to spend 100 euros in Mellow Beach Club, you can afford a taxi ride, right? ;)

Guest-lists and events calendar at http://www.bpremium.com/

Address and opening hours

Passeig del Mare Nostrum 19-21 (under W Hotel) 08039 Barcelona, Spain

MAP

contact@mellowbeachclub.com

+34 935 172 010

Opening hours:

Mo-Sun: 8:30 am – 1:00 am

http://www.mellowbeachclub.com/

Sushi-Ya Barcelona

Sushi Ya – Budget Japanese Restaurant

We continue sharing our hidden (budget) gems in Barcelona. This time we are presenting the best price – quality japanese restaurant in town: Sushi Ya

We call it (budget) gem because the menu is less than 10 euros, even cheaper if you go for the Teriyaki options and it always includes Miso soup and noodles (or Salad and Gazpacho during the summer). The assorted sushi dish costs 7,5 Euros. They do wonderful and fresh rolls, like the classic Spicy Tuna Roll, Hot sushi with prawn tempura or cream cheese with salmon roll. We have tried almost every single dish on the menu and we loved it all!

And we call it hidden because the 2 restaurants cannot be found unless you carry a GPS with you. Both of them are located in tiny and narrow streets in the Gothic quarter in the old town. Despite this fact, many locals have these restaurants among their favorites and they get crowded easily, specially for dinner. The restaurants are not big so it might be difficult to accomodate big groups.

Sushi-Ya Barcelona
Sushi-Ya 1

Do not expect luxury decoration or 5-stars service but we guarantee you will get top quality and authentic japanese food for a very reasonable price. Take good note of the address below or you will find yourself walking for hours ;)

Address

Sushi Ya 1 Carrer D’en Quintana 4, 08002, Barcelona MAP

Sushi Ya 2 Carrer Cometa, 3, 08002, Barcelona MAP