For the record, my favorite places in and around Barcelona.

1. An utterly enchanting courtyard café.
2. Where’d I’d live, if I could.
3. Mercat St. Josep (La Boqueria), an insanely colorful and alive market. I can spend hours here.
4. Garraf. My favorite beach, by train.
5. My favorite beach, by car: Tossa de Mar. Be sure to find the hidden beach on the backside of the castle and leave the strand to the crowds. The town is wonderful too, a perfect locale for some over-priced paella.
6. The best plaza for a Sunday morning café and xuxo: Plaça Sant Josep Oriol. Sunday’s also boast an outdoor art show.
7. My favorite cobblestone street: Carrer dels Escudellers, north of Avinyo. It doesn’t hurt that it’s the location of the Harlem Jazz Cafe, the best cheap entertainment venue in BCN.
8. Best place for an aerial view of yourself eating: Maremagnum Entrance. The curved ceiling mirror at the mall entrance is mesmerizing and great for an unaided group photo. The boardwalk is a delightful walk at night. It’s Barcelona’s low-rent version of Chicago’s Bean.
9. Best free entertainment: Fontmagica de Montjuic. The Sunday evening “magic fountains” are a blast and the backdrop is spectacular. The endless stairs also give access to Montjuic, a great place for a lazy afternoon.
10. Best parade of humanity: Las Ramblas. Endlessly interesting and entertaining. The best buskers usually congregate around the Liceu metro station. Watch your wallet and your bags.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 17th, 2010 at 1:15 am and is filed under Spain. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.