Barcelona Travel Guide

Every traveler ends up in the Rambla. It is a wonderful tree-lined pedestrian boulevard packed with all sorts of different people from every walk of life. The noisy bird market on the second block of La Rambla is worth a visit. The nearby 18th Century rococo Palau de la Virreina is also worth checking out. For more market fun, visit the Mercat de la Boqueria. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants in which to watch the sideshows. But don’t go below the Plaça Reial, as the street becomes decidedly seedy, with strip clubs and peep shows.  « hide

No where can the Spanish and French influences be seen more than in Antoni Gaudi ‘s La Sagrada Familia, a continuously unfinished cathedral that appears more like a giant drip sand castle than a gothic church. Much can be said of Gaudi’s modern twist to an old style of architecture, but until you walk through it and gaze at the strange spires and appealing stonework, you can not understand its amazing stature and artistic sense. It’s sad to note that Gaudí died in 1926 before his masterpeice was completed, and since then, controversy has continually dogged the building program. Enjoy the church, as it is truly an amazing place to wander for hours.  « hide

As further evidence of Barcelona’s modern and sophisticated bent, the Picasso Museum (Museu Picasso) has become the city’s most visited museum, despite its small housing and focus on the artist’s early period. The old style stone mansion in an ancient part of the city adds to the ambiance of Picasso’s Blue and Rose period covered comprehensively in this museum. Walking from one monument to the other offers travelers a sample of both the vast history and modern transformation that is today’s Barcelona.  « hide

The Barri Gotic comprises the old town and has ton of well-maintained medieval Gothic buildings. It is not far from the La Rambla, and is considered the center of old Barcelona. This maze of interconnected dark streets link up with squares with many cafes and bars. Most of the buildings were built in the 14th and 15th century, before Barcelona became part of greater Spain. The Catedral is one of Spain's greatest Gothic buildings, so count it as a “must-see.” Two other significant buildings here are the Ajuntament and the Palau de la Generalitat.  « hide

Bogatell is twice the length of adjoining Nova Icaria and has a nice stone walkway for jogging, roller blading, cycling, and more. This path helps cuts down on traffic noise and makes you feel like you’re a million miles away from a big city. There are no beach bars there, but three large restaurants offer food and drink.  « hide

Razzmatazz, Barcelona, is the hottest club in Barcelona, especially for visiting big-name bands. There are five clubs inside featuring different kinds of music to attract just about everybody.  « hide

Club Apolo/Nitsa, Barcelona, is another rocking dance club. It is located in an old theater in the Poblet Sec area and is open until six in the morning. In the main room, you will find a crowd that loves to groove to techno. If that's not your style, you can try the Picnic Bar where they play Pop or the Def Room where they play Hip-Hop. On the weekends, you are likely to find a dance-a-thon here.  « hide

La Boîte, Barcelona, offers either soul, funk, or old Motown hits to dance the night away. It is a fun place with fun people, and the rule is that if you stay awhile, you must get oyut on the dance floor and shake your groove thing. It is located in Eixample and is open late.  « hide

Pipa Social Club, Barcelona is more than just a bar full of smoking pipes overlooking Plaza Reial. It is located one story above La Rambla and known as a "secret bar." To get in, visitors have to ring the door buzzer at street level which triggers the lights to flash upstairs. Once upstairs, visitors enter a six room apartment that appears to be from the late nineteenth century. The bar is to the left towards a framed picture of Sherlock Holmes. There is a a pool table in the back room and the front room is a dance hall with tables and chairs to relax in. Do try getting a table by the windows over-looking the plaza. Placa Reial 3 (above Glaciar Restaurant in Plaza Reial),  « hide