Bored of Berlin? Surely not... but it is summer time and that brings with it the lure of popping away for long weekends to pretty cities full of sun and little alleyways to explore... and let's not forget about all that tasty food. Last month I headed to Barcelona and ate my weight in tapas. Here are a few words and some of my favourite places from that trip.
Coffee places
- Nømad Coffee - This is a tiny little coffee place that makes delicious coffee and not much else. Don't expect to go there for a big slap-up brunch but it should definitely be incorporated into your morning routine.
- Skye Coffee - It's a little off the beaten tourist track but is close-ish to the sea and near some tasty food places. Again, they mostly just do coffee—all served from a caravan inside a large warehouse.
- Satan's Coffee Corner - Slap bang in the middle of one of the most touristy areas this makes for a nice little break from the crowds. The coffee is great and they also do nice food.
- Chicha Limona - As you get closer to Sagrada Familia the restaurants and cafes get distinctly less appetising. Chicha Limona makes for a nice stop off on the way if you want to avoid over-priced food. They serve Nømad coffee and food and pastries, not always with a smile though.
Tapas & Vermut places
- Carmelitas - One side of this large restaurant is a Satay Grill and the other is a Tapas bar. They also make delicious Gin & Tonics. It was our favourite place... but then we encountered Tapas 24.
- Tapas24 - This. place. is. to. die. for. Get there before 9 or you'll be queuing forever. Then ask the waiter what they recommend—they probably know best. Best drunk with Barcelona's favourite drink—Vermut. For dessert you should probably have the chocolate with bread, salt and olive oil.
- Sant Augustina - A nice little place in the Born area. Again we asked the waiter what he recommended, he did not disappoint. The Tuna Tartare was delicious, as were the potatoes and the razor clams... oh, everything was delish.
- Bormuth - We came for the vermut and stayed for a couple of tapas because it was raining outside and it was so cosy and fun inside. Hole up with some buddies for good chats and vermut drinking.
Places to discover
- Sagrada Familia - This one is pretty obvious, right? The last time I was in Barcelona the inside of the Sagrada Familia was mostly just a construction zone with bare fluted ceilings. Now it's beautifully ornate and just 10 years off completion. Can't wait to see it when it's done. Wander past the Arc de Triompf on the way.
- Parc Güell - Sadly we weren't organised enough to book tickets and weren't willing to wait 4 hours so this time we missed going inside the Gaudi section of the park. You still get a great view over the city but it's well worth booking your tickets online for this one (and Sagrada Familia too).
- Fundacio Joan Miro - Head across to the opposite side of the city and another park for this one—a large house full of Miro art. I love the Miro but my favourite thing is the fountain of mercury in the middle of the house, it's so mesmerising.
- El Born CCM - One of my favourite things was just wandering around the city—from the beach to the gothic area and on into the many different suburbs. On one of our wanders we came across El Born CCM. It's an old market hall that was being repurposed into a library. During the construction they unearthed archaeological remains and construction was halted. Now it's a great place to learn a little of the history of Catalonia.
Do you have any other places you love to visit in Barcelona? Comment below.
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