Hello Friends, Just back from 10 wonderful days in Barcelona. Here's part one of my trip report, hope it helps anyone in planning process. I'll post part two soon, it includes activities, shopping, health and safety.
Hotel: Hotel Regencia Colon, Sagristans 13, Barcelona, Tel: 93 318 9858 93EU for single room, including breakfast, excluding 7% tax. Very helpful and accommodating staff, spoke English. The hotel does not have a restaurant but shares the restaurant at the Hotel Colon. Pros: Nice, quiet location, clean, a/c, helpful and attentive staff. Be sure to ask for the highest floor available (floors 2-5 have guest rooms). Cons: Walls were paper-thin, I could hear my neighbor sneeze. Difficult to use calling cards from room phone, the phones are set on pulse and cannot be changed to tone.
Restaurants: Specchio Magico, Luis Antunez 1, tel: 93 415 3371 (Gracia) Italian, excellent food and service, generous portions, a/c, small but comfortable and inviting. 70EU for 2 ppl including everything but dessert. Reservations suggested.
Sec (7) Portes, Passeig Isabel II, 14 Tel: 93 319 3033 Great Paella, a/c, large facility. 66EU for 2 ppl, including salad, wine, dessert. Call at least one day ahead to get reservations. I could only get a 9:00p reservation (we were getting used to eating at 10:30p by this point), but noticed that the restaurant had plenty of tables available after 10:00p. I also noticed that all of the non-Spanish speaking ppl were seated in the same room; I thought it was because the wait staff could speak English fluently but that was not the case.
Cafe de L'Academia, Lledo 1 Tel: 93 319 8253 (Barri Gotic) Great meals, nice setting, indoor and outdoor seating, can't remember if it has a/c. Reasonably priced (can't find receipt). Reservations recommended.
Posit Restaurant, Ramon Trias Fargas 2 (Barceloneta) Tel: 93 224 0088 Nice location on beach, outdoor terrace and indoor seating, standard seafood dishes, great wine selection, slow service, even by Spainish standards! Reservations recommended. 88EU for 2 ppl, including starters, salads, wine, dessert.
Restaurant Orotava, Consell de Cent 335, Tel: 93 487 7374 Attentive but stuffy staff, overpriced.
La Perla Nera, Via Laietana 32-34 Tel: 933 105646 (Barri Gotic) Italian, very nice staff, inexpensive, 27EU for 2 ppl. Reservations not accepted.
La Locanda, Carrer Dr. Joaquim Pou 4 Tel: 93 317 4609 (Barri Gotic) Italian, good starters and pizza, inexpensive. Reservations suggested.
El Convent Restaurant, Jerusalem 3, Tel: 93 317 1052, (Ramblas) First meal in Barcelona, was not impressed, small portions, but the sangria was good! A/c either not available or not working, very, very warm inside restaurant.
Tapas: Txapela, Passeig de Gracia 8-10 Basque style tapas.
Taverna del Bisbe, next to the Cathedral Small portions and pricey.
ba-ba-reeba Passeig de Gracia 28 Great tapas and nice outdoor seating.
We found two more tapa bars but I can't find the names/addresses. One was located on Fontella across from the El Corte Ingles. I think it was a chain (Beer & something??) but it was good for a quick tapa and frozen lemonade. The other place was on Balmes, off of the Diagonal. It had the word "Kok" in the name. The tapas were very good, the staff very nice, and the place was full of locals.
Posts: 18 | Location: Boston, MA USA | Registered: 03 March 2002
