Barcelona City Guide

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Federal Cafe

Between the busy streets of the Barrio Gótico, you'll find this quiet plaza in which the cafe Federal is found called Pasage de la paz (meaning passage of peace) where it feels like the city has been put on standby. Friends calmly chat around their tables holding their warm expressos or hot chocolates, and entrepreneurs ...

PLAY

Barceloneta - the beach!

This attractive city has a little bit of everything for everyone: hikes around the surrounding mountains and hills, visit attractions in the city, or long walks on the beach. Even though most people are inclined towards one or another, you can't miss visiting the Barceloneta. Although this may not be the most beautiful beach on ...

SEE

The Zoo of Barcelona

Although I have a love hate relationship with zoos, I can still remember the feeling I would get when my parents would tell me that we were going to the Zoo. A sudden surge of excitement would come over me, and it wouldn't go away until several days after having been to the zoo. ...

SHOP

Manual Alpargateria - for espadrilles!

Although this shop may look like a tourist trap since it appears in the odd guide, this is actually a shop all the locals go to to buy their alpargatas, or espadrilles as they are known in English. Manual Alpargatera is the only espadrille workshop still remaining in Barcelona, and has been there since 1940. ...

EAT

Federal Cafe

Between the busy streets of the Barrio Gótico, you'll find this quiet plaza in which the cafe Federal is found called Pasage de la paz (meaning passage of peace) where it feels like the city has been put on standby. Friends calmly chat around their tables holding their warm expressos or hot chocolates, and entrepreneurs ...

EAT

Barraca - a cosy beachfront restaurant

When you are sitting at a table with a sunset view over the mediterranean with a glass of wine in one hand and your little one sleeping peacefully next to you after a funfilled day at the beach, you know you are on holiday. Barraca is a small cosy restaurant on the beachfront of the ...

EAT

Cafe Cosmo

This cute little cafe/restaurant is one of my favourite crowd get aways. Although it is right in the middle of the city just off the Rambla de Catalunya, Cafe Cosmo is on a quiet pedestrian street with trees on both sides, and a garden at the end of the walk. Although not a Spanish eatery, ...

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El Nacional

Behind every building facade and every shop front there is a story. Not all are worth mentioning, but at the end of a narrow little street, between the grand shops of Paseo de Gracia, is a special space with a story definitely worth telling; it's one of evolving architecture and the preservation of a ...

PLAY

Barceloneta - the beach!

This attractive city has a little bit of everything for everyone: hikes around the surrounding mountains and hills, visit attractions in the city, or long walks on the beach. Even though most people are inclined towards one or another, you can't miss visiting the Barceloneta. Although this may not be the most beautiful beach on ...

SEE

Palau de la Musica

Although you may not be able to see the flamenco concert you were hoping to see, unless you leave the kids with a childminder, this is a building that is worth a visit just because it is so beautiful. Its story is also quite heart warming since it was built for the citizens of Barcelona ...

SEE

The Zoo of Barcelona

Although I have a love hate relationship with zoos, I can still remember the feeling I would get when my parents would tell me that we were going to the Zoo. A sudden surge of excitement would come over me, and it wouldn't go away until several days after having been to the zoo. ...

SEE

Montjuic Gardens

Although part of the point of visiting a city is being in the heart of the metropolis, and seeing what it has to offer, sometimes you also need a little bit of perspective to appreciate the overall body of what it is that you are visiting. From the verandas of the Jardins Mossèn Costa i ...

SEE

The Zoo of Barcelona

Although I have a love hate relationship with zoos, I can still remember the feeling I would get when my parents would tell me that we were going to the Zoo. A sudden surge of excitement would come over me, and it wouldn't go away until several days after having been to the zoo. ...

PLAY

Turo Park, Barcelona

When the extension of Barcelona was designed by Urban architect Ildefonso Cerdá he had originally planned for each block to have a garden in the middle, and so had planned very few parks in the city since every house would have a type of communal garden. His plans where later changed against his will, which ...

PLAY

Barceloneta - the beach!

This attractive city has a little bit of everything for everyone: hikes around the surrounding mountains and hills, visit attractions in the city, or long walks on the beach. Even though most people are inclined towards one or another, you can't miss visiting the Barceloneta. Although this may not be the most beautiful beach on ...

PLAY

Horta Labyrinth

Although this little gem is not directly in the city centre, it is a well kept secret which even the locals are often unaware of. The sound alone of the children playing in the cosy playground at the entrance of the gardens is a warm welcome, and if that weren't enough, on the tops of ...

SHOP

Manual Alpargateria - for espadrilles!

Although this shop may look like a tourist trap since it appears in the odd guide, this is actually a shop all the locals go to to buy their alpargatas, or espadrilles as they are known in English. Manual Alpargatera is the only espadrille workshop still remaining in Barcelona, and has been there since 1940. ...

SHOP

Normandie, Barcelona

This cute little shop located in the area of Sant Gervasi near the Turo Park, is an adorable children's shop with clothes that make you want to leave with a suitcase full for each of your children. Their clothes are very classic (if you like bright colours this may not be the place for you). ...

SHOP

Lovely Kids, Barcelona

As we know well, not all shops were created equal, and what makes Lovely Kids special, apart from having a lovely selection of toys, is that they also do a lot of charity work, and donate many toys to kids hospitals. Lovely Kids have four shops in Barcelona, and each time we pass in front of one of them ...

SHOP

Al Agua Patos

This cute little shop, Al Agua Patos, located in the area of the parc Turo is sweet family run business. Originally this shop only tailored to young childrens beach wear, today it has expanded not only to having a winter collection, but also for mothers and fathers to have matching beach caftans and swimwear. What ...

SLEEP

Casa Bonay, Barcelona

Located in the middle of the Eixample Dret, surrounded by the cities most iconic sites lies Casa Bonay. Originally home to the Bonay family, this establishment was built in 1869, and although the building itself has been remodelled countless times, the neoclassical facade remains untouched. Home now to 67 rooms, Casa Bonay boasts of luminous ...

SLEEP

Casa Mathilda, a charming bed & breakfast

Only a ten minute walk from Gaudis Casa Batlló, and a 15-minute walk from La Sagrada Familia, finding this little bed & breakfast has been such a fantastic surprise. Having only 14 rooms, Casa Mathilda has a modern but rustic spaces whist still keeping the catalan architectural roots, and many of the original features, like ...

SLEEP

Splendom Suites

Perfectly located in the Eixaple district of Barcelona is this all encompassing family aparthotel called Splendom Suites. Although the interiors are not the type I'd pick for my home, it still has a homely feel to it, and most importantly was set up by an avid traveler family. Meaning they know how to organise things to ...

PLAY

Horta Labyrinth

Although this little gem is not directly in the city centre, it is a well kept secret which even the locals are often unaware of. The sound alone of the children playing in the cosy playground at the entrance of the gardens is a warm welcome, and if that weren't enough, on the tops of ...

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