CITY GUIDE
"I wrote every day between the ages of 12 and 20 when I stopped because I went to Barcelona, where life was too exciting to write."
– Colm Tóibín
BIRTHDAY -
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End/1st century/ BC
POPULATION -
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5,600,000
AKA -
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Barkeno, Barcino, Barke-no, Barna
MEANING -
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Possibly named after its' founder Hamilcar Barca
RIVER -
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El Llobregat - Dark or Muddy
HISTORY -
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Founded by the Romans BC, 415 became capital of the Visigoth Kingdom,
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717 taken over by Muslims,
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801 by the French,
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988 capital of independent Catalan counties, became a maritime power in 13 - 15 th centuries taking over parts of what is today Spain, Greece and Italy,
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The Reapers War in 1640 was Castillas first attempt to subdue Catalonia,
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The War of Succession in 1705 ended their autonomy right to use their language etc,
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WWI enriched the city but when it ended there was a deep economic crisis.
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In 1920 began the "Dirty War" between employers and anarchists.
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A new dictator brought in a prosperous period but when he fell Barcelona was subdued by Madrid and Franco.
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All of their history and culture was erased during the 40 years he was in power.
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In the early 60's however a spectacular economic development occurred.
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Franco died and democracy returned. Barcelona became the Capital of Catalonia and held the Olympics in 1992.
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In 2017 Catalonia tried to achieve independence from Spain. It caused the worst political crisis for 40 years. Politicians were sent to jail and people are still in the streets protesting. Talks to solve the problem are deadlocked.
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May, June and September are the best months to visit. July and August get very hot and sticky.
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October and November are the wettest months.
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December to April winter, is the off season and prices will be cheaper.
STAY - Most hotels are available on Booking.com unless otherwise stated. It's best to get bookings with free cancellation and pay on site when you get there. Hotels chosen are usually 3*** or 4 or 5 if they are good value. They are chosen firstly for their location, value for money, positive testimonials regarding cleanliness and service and features like rooftop terraces and great views.
Since the end of Covid a lot of prices have gone through the roof. So if the selected hotel is out of your price range click on the location map and choose something cheaper nearby. Or you might prefer something else but try to stay in the same area.
BOOKINGS - everything should be booked well in advance and always go for skip the queue options when available for anything popular
NAVIGATING - before you go download Maps.me and all the maps you'll need plus Google Maps and download the offline maps
VISA - Click here for information
TOP 10 - In No Order
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La Sagrada Familia (Taking longer to build than the pyramids)
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Park Guell
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Casa Mila
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Casa Batllo
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Las Ramblas
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Museu Picasso
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Barca Stadium Tour and Museum
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Mercat de la Boqueria
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Museu d'Historia de Barcelona
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Museu Maratim
FUN FACT -
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The Eiffel Tower was offered to Barcelona before Paris
FLIGHTS -
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Barcelona Airport is the 2nd largest in Spain and has direct flights to 187 cities in 62 countries and 29 domestic flights
AIRPORT TRANSFER - Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport (BCN) 15km
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Aerobus, Train, Metro, Taxi
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Once you have bought your flights get some travel insurance to cover your investment
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SAFETY -
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There are a large amount of pick pockets and bag thieves especially around tourist attractions,
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there are also ongoing political demonstrations,
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beware of distraction scams,
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beware of fake policemen,
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avoid dark streets late at night,
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don't leave your thongs unattended on the beach.
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Basically Barcelona is a safe city and these problems are easily avoided. Remember forewarned is forearmed. Half the battle is knowing their tricks then you can avoided getting sucked in by them. They lose the advantage of surprise. After a while it becomes second nature to avoid these sort of problems. The Guide will guide you through and you'll realize there's no need to stress about it.
FOOD -
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Things to look forward to include Churros and hot chocolate, Tapas, Paella,
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Bombas (potato croquettes with 2 sauces),
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Pa amb Tomaquet (Bread with tomato but so much more),
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Escalivada (Eggplant and peppers on toast),
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Esqueixada (Catalan salad with salt cod),
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Mato (cheese dessert), Creme Catalana (brulee),
NIGHTLIFE -
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World famous nightlife every night of the week. Huge variety of pubs, bars clubs and live music.
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Many different areas with the Gothic area the most well known
SIDETRIP -
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Girona and Figueres
COSTS -
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European prices so not cheap.
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You'll need to live like a backpacker to stay under budget or splurge a little and don't stay too long.
GETTING AROUND -
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Walking is best to see most attractions,
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Public transport is good with the Metro, trams, trains and buses.
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Taxis are the most expensive but still reasonable by European standards.
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You could also rent a Vespa to go to the beach and get around.
MUST DO -
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Tapas crawl
SHOPPING -
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La Rambla,
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La Maquinista (open air shopping mall),
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Passeig de Gràcia (designed by Gaudi)
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BARCELONA WEEKENDER 3N
HIGHLIGHTS - gaudi & las ramblas
1 Barcelona - 3N
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Your hotel Cuatro Naciones ** on Las Ramblas in the Gothic Quarter and only 2 km from the beach, buffet breakfast included, 24 hour desk
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Or across the road the Ramblas Hotel *** - 24 hour desk, restaurant, lobby bar, cafe, breakfast included, terrace, bicycle rental
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And the Hostal Benidorm ** - 24 hour desk,
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Spend your first afternoon looking around and getting to know the neighbourhood. The "best market in the world" is only a 5 minute walk up the road and Guell Palace is even closer. If you keep on going up from the market you will come across the famous Font de Canaletes drinking fountain. If you drink the water you will return to Barcelona. Keep going and you will come across the Placa de Catalunya the nerve centre of the city.
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Try some of these foods while you're in town. Rooftop Bars are always a great place to be as the sun goes down. These are all in walking distance from the hotel. See the Map below. In the evening check out a few Tapas Bars or as they're known locally Pintxos. Don't stay up all night, you have a big day tomorrow.
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2
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Get an early start today and cross a few of the major sites off of your list. The easiest way to get around is by using the metro. The hotel is only 200 metres away from Drassanes Metro Station. You can use google maps to find out what stations you need. Just put in where you are, where you want to go and hit the train button. Start with the big one that's taking longer than the pyramids to build - the UNESCO World Heritage Site La Sagrada Familia. While you're on the Gaudi theme you can do your own tour. You could round out the afternoon with a visit to a museum or two.
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After a day of culture why not unwind with a pub crawl. Make a few friends and then go out and party on with them. Have a bit of a sleep in tomorrow.
3
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A good place for breakfast is around the Placa de Sant Josep Oriol which is a 5 minute walk from the hotel. Now that you're revitalised head off for your tour of Camp Nou the famous home of FC Barcelona.
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When that's over make your way down for a relaxing afternoon at the beach. Stroll or ride along the boardwalk. Sample some of the cocktails in the beach bars. Head back to the hotel to freshen up then go across the road for dinner and a show at Tablao Flamenco Cordobes. After that you might want to do your own local pub crawl. It's your last night so make it a good one.
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MEET BARCELONA 10N
HIGHLIGHTS - Gaudi, Dali & Picasso
Barcelona 3N - Cadaques 2N - Sitges 1N - Barcelona 4N = 10N
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La Sagrada Familia - Las Ramblas - Park Güell
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Casa Batlló - Casa Milà - Casa Vicens
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Barca Stadium Tour & Museum - Camp Nou
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Picasso Museum - Dali Theatre Museum
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La Boqueria Market
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Magic Fountain of Montjuïc - Sound and Light Show
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Molecular Gastronomy, Tapas, Paella, Pintxo Bars (Pintxo Street) - Basque-style bar snacks, Churros Street, Crema Catalana, Spain's Best Ham
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Cadaques -Roses - Figueres - Girona - Sitges - Tarragona - Montserrat
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Bar Marsella - Picasso & Hemingway enjoyed a tipple at this 1820 Absinthe Bar
1 Barcelona - 3N
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Your hotel Cuatro Naciones ** on Las Ramblas in the Gothic Quarter and only 2 km from the beach, buffet breakfast included, 24 hour desk
-
Or across the road the Ramblas Hotel *** - 24 hour desk, restaurant, lobby bar, cafe, breakfast included, terrace, bicycle rental
-
And the Hostal Benidorm ** - 24 hour desk
-
Spend your first afternoon looking around and getting to know the neighbourhood. The "best market in the world" is only a 5 minute walk up the road and Guell Palace is even closer. If you keep on going up from the market you will come across the famous Font de Canaletes drinking fountain. If you drink the water you will return to Barcelona. Keep going and you will come across the Placa de Catalunya the nerve centre of the city.
Photo by Florian Wehde on Unsplash
Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.
-
Try some of these foods while you're in town. Rooftop Bars are always a great place to be as the sun goes down. These are all in walking distance from the hotel. See the Map below. In the evening check out a few Tapas Bars or as they're known locally Pintxos. Don't stay up all night, you have a big day tomorrow.
Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.
Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.
2
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Get an early start today and cross a few of the major sites off of your list. The easiest way to get around is by using the metro. The hotel is only 200 metres away from Drassanes Metro Station. You can use google maps to find out what stations you need. Just put in where you are, where you want to go and hit the train button. Start with the big one that's taking longer than the pyramids to build - the UNESCO World Heritage Site La Sagrada Familia. While you're on the Gaudi theme you can do your own tour. You could round out the afternoon with a visit to a museum or two.
-
After a day of culture why not unwind with a pub crawl. Make a few friends and then go out and party on with them. Have a bit of a sleep in tomorrow.
3
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A good place for breakfast is around the Placa de Sant Josep Oriol which is a 5 minute walk from the hotel. Now that you're revitalised head off for your tour of Camp Nou the famous home of FC Barcelona.
-
When that's over make your way down for a relaxing afternoon at the beach. Stroll or ride along the boardwalk. Sample some of the cocktails in the beach bars and watch the daylight fade away. Stick around and have a seafood dinner overlooking the ocean. Do your own pub crawl through Passeig del Bom on the way home.
4 Cadaques - 2N
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Time to get out into the countryside. Fortunately car hire in Spain is very cheap. You'll need to get one for 4 days. Make your way north to Figueres the small town where Salvador Dali was born and died. Stop in for a look at the main museum about him and the Dali Jewels Collection next door. You can see the house he was born in but it's not a museum. It is located at 20 Carrer de Monturiol and there are plans to make it a public place some time in the future. Finish off with lunch at one of his favourite haunts the Duran Hotel & Restaurant. You will find some memorabilia there.
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Continue on the Dali Trail to Cadaques the special little town that was home to many great 20th century artists including Dali and Pablo Picasso.
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Stay at or near the Hotel Octavia *** - it has parking and is a 2 minute walk from the beach. You won't go hungry or thirsty here because for a town of 3,000 residents it has over 100 restaurants and bars.
Cadaques
5
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After breakfast you can take the "Cadaques Express" road train to nearby Portlligat and see the house / museum where Dali lived and worked from 1930 to 1982. You must have a booking and be there 30 minutes before. Tours take 45 minutes. It is only a 15 minute walk and the road train takes 45 mins so you might want to take it one way or skip it all together. The walk is clearly marked.
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Make your way back to the hotel, pick up the car and head over to Roses for lunch. If your time machine is working you can go to El Bulli the world's best restaurant 5 times in 7 years. Unfortunately it closed in 2011. But you can go to chef and owner Ferran Adria's favourite local restaurant Rafa's Restaurant for some of the best seafood in the world. For something with a sea view try the Michelin starred els Brancs. or just head down the beach and find something you like. Spend the afternoon at the beach, stroll the beachfront promenade or have a wander around town and do some shopping or just to have a look at the place.
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Head back to Cadaques when you're ready. You might want to have a drink at the Maritim Bar where Dali liked to have a tipple.
6 Sitges - 1N
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When you're ready pack the car and head off to medieval Peratallada, one of the most beautiful villages in Spain. Have a look around and some morning coffee.
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Next stop is a medieval city named Girona. It has an Old Town and a Roman Wall to wander about. You'll need a few hours here to see a few of the attractions. Have lunch at one of the world's best restaurants, the Roca brother's El Celler de Can Roca or just pick a place in the Old Town. Don't miss an ice cream from the youngest Roca brothers shop Rocambolesc Gelateria. The best restaurant in the world's ice cream shop, how could you not go. There are 6 flavours and 34 toppings to choose from.
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Drive down to Sitges the beach side party town 40 minutes past Barcelona. It has a large Gay Community but everyone's welcome.
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Get a room at or near Kalma Sitges Hotel **** - moderate fee for parking onsite (they all charge), swimming pool, rooftop terrace, across the road from the beach, sea views, 300m from town centre.
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Get some beach time in and have a big night on the town. Try the local rice specialty Arroz a la Sitegetana for dinner and drink the other specialty - Malvasia Wine.
7 Barcelona - 4N
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Spend the morning looking around Sitges then head down to Tarragona for lunch and some more exploration. Or just head to one of the beaches if that's what you'd prefer. You'll need nearly 2 hours from Tarragona to get the car back in Barcelona.
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Freshen up at the hotel then go across the road for dinner and a show at Tablao Flamenco Cordobes. After that you might want to do your own local pub crawl. Or go to bed.
8
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Time to see a bit more of Barcelona today. Maybe a breakfast of Churros and Chocolate at Granja Dulcinea, a 5 minute walk from the hotel.
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Start off walking and you can see the Barcelona Cathedral, the Barcelona History Museum (next dot on the map), the Picasso Museum and the Chocolate Museum (just pick and choose which ones you want to see). It should be time for lunch by now and there are plenty of cafes, tapas bars and restaurants around this area to choose from. Also very close is the idyllic Parc de la Ciutadella where you can go for a stroll after lunch.
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Start heading towards Mount Tibidabo for the best viewpoint of the city. Take the metro from the Arc de Triomf to the Peu del Funicular and catch it up the hill. You will find cafes and bars up there and even an amusement park. (which is closed in January and February) Stick around for the sunset which can be pretty spectacular. (see the picture behind this page)
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Take the funicular back down and then take the Metro to PL Josep Maria Folch station. A short walk from here is Quimet & Quimet (Barcelona's busiest tapas bar) one of Antony Bourdain's favourite restaurants. It's a great place to start and a great neighbourhood to spend the rest of the night wandering around eating tapas, drinking and meeting people.
9
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Time for a day off. Do anything you like. Have a spa day, go shopping, play golf, spend the day at the beach, have a cooking lesson, pursue your hobby or just have a lazy day sitting around people watching and filling your belly with food and drink. Watch the sunset from a rooftop bar.
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In the evening you could go and watch the Magic Fountain. (it has a sound and light show on weekends so just change nights if it doesn't match up)
10
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Meson del Café 1909, one of the oldest cafes in the city is only a 5 minute walk away from the hotel. That would be a good place to get breakfast today. Have an early start today to give you plenty of time up the mountain.
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Today you are heading out on one of Barcelona's best day trips to Montserrat. Catch the train and the cable car or funicular to get up to the Monastery. There is a lot to see and do up here from various tours to hiking around the mountains.
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You started the day in Barcelona's first café so why not continue the theme by finishing off the night with a visit to its first bar? Picasso and Hemmingway among others were known to frequent Bar Marsella. It is an Absinthe bar known for it's dangerous selection of the stuff. Absinthe aka La Fee Verte or the Green Fairy was illegal in many countries until recently. Mainly due to the herb wormwood that was traditionally used in its manufacture. It also has a very high percentage of alcohol. The bar is best after midnight. It's only 500 metres from the hotel.
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Off to the airport tomorrow with a head swimming with great memories and Green Fairies.
Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.
Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.