Gran Hotel Torre Catalunya

The second and third time we stayed in Barcelona we stayed at the excellent Gran Hotel Torre Catalunya. It's in a great location opposite Estacion Sants.  Direct train from airport takes about 15 mins and as there's a metro stop in the Station, it's perfect for getting anywhere in the city. There's not much around the hotel, just a supermarket on the corner (handy for stocking your minibar!) but it's so easy to get everywhere we didn't find it a problem and we would definitely stay here again next time we visit Barcelona. The last time we stayed at the Torre Catalunya it was our silver wedding anniversary and they very kindly upgraded us to a superior room on 19th floor and surprised us with a bottle of champagne - a lovely touch.

 

The rooms are large, modern and spotlessly clean. Large bathrooms with fluffy towels, robes and slippers give an added touch of luxury in the superior rooms. Breakfast is a better than average buffet with selection of cereals, fruits ,fruit juice (they even supply Cava so you can start your day with a Bucks Fizz!), yoghurt, rolls, toast, cold meats, cheese, eggs, bacon, sausage, etc) and was included in our room rate. Click here to visit Gran Hotel Torre Catalunya's website. If you book a room at Gran Hotel Torre Catalunya after reading this review, we'd appreciate if you'd let them know that you found them on TravelJimmy.com - thanks!

Hover over the thumbnails to change the large picture
	Sagrada Familia	Room at Gran Hotel Torre Catalunya	Room at Gran Hotel Torre Catalunya
	View from Gran Hotel Torre Catalunya room	View from Gran Hotel Torre Catalunya room	Sagrada Familia
	La Pedrera (Mila House)	Spanish Village (Poble Espanyol)	Las Ramblas
	Parc Guell	Camp Nou Stadium	On the Bench!
	Montjuic Fountains	El Xampanyet	Barcelona Marina

The first time we were in Barcelona we stayed at Aparthotel Silver in the Gracia area of the city. It's down a side street, very close to a metro station and was easy to get around. The rooms were clean and good value for €71.50/night, including tax, and had cooking facilities but we didn't use them. Breakfast was extra, so we didn't eat there. We had no complaints but definitely preferred the Gran Hotel Torre Catalunya, where we stayed last time. Visit Aparthotel Silver's website.

 

Things to see and do in Barcelona

 

There is so much to see in Barcelona and a good introduction is to take the Bus Turistica. You can buy a one day ticket for €19 or a two day one for €23. Unless you are short of time being able to take in the sights over two days is a great option, specially as there are two routes, a northern one and a southern one. Also, it means you aren't having to rush round places. The bus runs about every 20 minutes and discount coupons for many of the main sights are also included. Find out more about the Bus Turistica here. The tour takes in all the main sights and goes to all the museums, galleries and main areas of Barcelona. Some of the most important stops are the following:

 

The incredible Gaudi cathedral Sagrada Familia is still being built although building began in 1895. Climb up the narrow, windy steps to the top for great views, or take the lift if you're not up to the climb. A must see when you're in Barcelona. Visit this website for more information.

 

La Pedrera, also known as Casa Mila, is another amazing example of Gaudi architecture. It's an apartment unlike any other you've ever seen with its wavy facade, ornamental ironwork and lunar like landscape on the roof with unsual chimneys that locals used to refer to as dancing evil witches. Click here for more information.

 

Barcelona FC - Anyone who is at all interested in football will enjoy a visit to the stadium of one of the world's best teams. The Camp Nou is an incredible stadium and you get to see round it, including the changing rooms, the press rooms and the museum. You get to walk through the tunnel to the ground where, although you don't get to actually go on the pitch, you get to sit on the bench and get a feel for the place. You won't obviously get to do the tour if there is a game on, but you may then be lucky enough to get a ticket for the game! Visit Barcelona FC's website.

 

If you want to go to a football match but Barcelona aren't at home when you're there, an alternative is to go to a game at Barcelona's other team Espanyol. They play at the Olympic Stadium which isn't as impressive as the Camp Nou but still worth a visit - we were lucky enough to see Espanyol play Real Madrid. Visit Espanyol FC's website.

 

Poble Espanyol is a lovely area, like a traditional Spanish village with winding cobbled streets and some nice craft shops and restaurants - an ideal stop for lunch. Find out more about Poble Espanyol here.

 

Park Guell - A park with a bit of the unusual about it with Gaudi sculptures. On entering the park you are faced with a colourful mosaic dragon fountain and there is a terraced area at the top of the park with a colourful mosaic winding bench where you can get great views of the city.

 

In the evening make a point of being at Placa d'Espanya between 8pm and midnight to see the Montjuic Illuminated Fountains. It's a beautiful sight and there's music from 9.30pm - 11.30pm which adds to the atmosphere. We found it by chance after a football match at the Olympic Stadium which is just up from there.

 

Most people will find themselves walking up and down Las Ramblas several times during their visit. It can be fascinating to watch the street artists and although it is very touristy there is a pleasant atmosphere. There is a good market at the far end - not sure if it is open daily. Also down by the sea at the very end of Las Ramblas is a really nice shopping centre.

 

Head to the beach at Barceloneta for some nice cafes. Even if you're not going to spend time on the beach itself, it's nice for a walk or a cycle and you can walk all the way along to Port Olimpic where you can stroll by the boats at the marina or stop at a seafood restaurant for lunch.

 

Bars and Restaurants in Barcelona

 

A lovely restaurant in Barcelona is Pla (Calle Bellafilla 5 08002, just a short walk from Las Ramblas). We went there to celebrate a special anniversary and had a lovely meal in a very romantic setting, with a nice ambiance. If you're celebrating a romantic occasion, book 'la cova' a little private alcove which is perfect for a special meal for two. We shared a salad for our starter with cava and mulberry dressing, then for our main courses had very tasty deer medallions in a red fruit chutney sauce and fillet of beef with a red wine and mushroom sauce. The meats were very tender and lean. For dessert we shared some ice-cream - 3 small scoops of chocolate, coconut and a fruity one which were all delicious. They even brought us fresh strawberries dipped in chocolate with a candle and a glass of cava as a complimentary treat for our anniversary. The service was excellent, the staff very friendly. We'll definitely go back to Pla next time we're in Barcelona. If you can't get a table at Pla, try their sister restaurant Re-Pla on Calle Montcada 2, on the same street as the Picasso Museum. Visit Pla's website.

 

A Mexican restaurant and bar we really like and have now been to three times is Margarita Blue (Calle Josep Anselm Clavé 6 08002). It's a Mexican in the Gothic Quarter, just off Las Ramblas with nice decor, great ambience and good food and drinks at reasonable prices. Try their speciality cocktail, a Blue Margarita - delicious! Visit Margarita Blue's website.

 

The bar Guru just opposite Margarita Blue also deserves a mention. Gorgeous Asian style decor, comfy sofas and chill-out music made it a great place to relax in the early part of the evening. Later (after about 10pm) it seemed to turn more into a party bar, so go early or late whatever suits you best!

 

The speciality drink of Barcelona is Cava and it is widely available at surprisingly low cost in most of the bars. One place you must try is El Xampanyet (Calle Montcada 22 down the street from the Picasso Museum) a busy little unpretentious place which sells Cava by the glass or bottle and also has a large selection of tapas. Be amazed by the friendly bar staff who seem to be able to remember everybody's orders although they never write them down! Frequented by tourists and locals, this bar is definitely worth a visit.

We had a nice meal in Pan Y Vino (Calle Consolat del Mar 15), a restaurant which had just opened when we went there in September 2005.

There are, of course, lots of cafes and restaurants on Las Ramblas. It can be nice to sit there, sip a Sangria and people-watch, but obviously you will pay a lot more and the quality will not necessarily match the price. We enjoyed a drink in one of the open-air bars there, but had a terrible meal with very bad service in Caruso, an Italian restaurant on Las Ramblas.

Some useful sites about Barcelona:

Barcelona.com Useful site with lots of information about Barcelona including accommodation, tours and special offers
Official Barcelona tourist website More useful information about Barcelona here including good 360° shots of tourist sights
Time Out Barcelona - Lots of stuff about Barcelona, including shopping, restaurants and bars and tourist information
Trip Advisor - Reviews from other travellers and a useful forum

*Note: Prices quoted above were accurate in 2006