I’m working on the fourth hotel book, and this one is set in
Barcelona. It is a city filled with art, amazing architecture and an incredible
zest and appreciation for life.Barcelona is exciting, vibrant and the locals know how to
enjoy themselves, they possess the joie
de vivre that is hard to miss, and often times hard to find.
The architecture is unsurpassed, modern and old blends well
together, and of course there is Gaudi-it is worth a visit to Barcelona just to
see his work. It is unforgettable. I loved it so much that I posted a separate
blog about his stunning and imaginative style. The amazing thing is that once
you see it, you want to do it again, and again, simply because you probably
missed the marvelous details the first time through. His work is beyond whimsy.
There are museums to be sure, Miro, Dali and Picasso have a
foundation in Barcelona. The stunning architecture will take your breath away,
everywhere you turn you see a magnificent building, from Gothic to Art Nouveau
to the indescribable Gaudi treasures, to contemporary and everything in
between. Landmarks abound.
At any given time stroll on La Rambla, and you’ll see locals
and savvy tourists sit down in a cafe and enjoy a beer, tapas, coffee, along
with a dish of green olives, or just stroll arm in arm on the wide avenue that
is both romantic, hectic and invigorating. There are many souvenirs shops that
line the famous paseo, all the
kitschy tourist stuff, pottery, foods and other items made locally, along with
entertainment, and all of it delightful.
The street is filled to capacity, and I for one at this
stage in my life don’t like crowds, and if truth be told-never did-but I really
rather enjoyed the lovely walk, and a stop for the obligatory delicious coffee.
I had a wondrous adventure just walking down the street. You see people smile,
nod their heads in acknowledgement as you stroll along as if in a romantic
dream.
The city also boasts a beautiful coast line, and one of the
biggest ports in Europe, along with some beautiful parks, even one designed by
Gaudi.
Have I forgotten to mention the food-it is delicious-they
create a mouth watering delight with just
potatoes. Okay, I’m Polish and happen to love potatoes, but the Patatas Bravas are truly yummy, roasted
potatoes, a yummy sauce with a slight bite that you feel on the tip of your
tongue. The excellent bread and incredible local hams would have kept me happy
for a long time.
A huge array of cheeses, hams, breads, olives, an amazing selection
of fish, all that is available in many tapas bars. The offerings are small, so
you can visit many places and taste the amazing variety of appetizers. A
delightful and delicious way to sample the local cuisine.
Shopping abounds on Passeig
de Gracia, favorably compared to other famous boulevards with prices to
match. I enjoyed the walk, and window shopping, the displays are imaginative
and fun, and I was grateful that I travel light with little room for souvenirs.
That being said, I managed to buy a few small trinkets for
family and friends, the souvenir shop at the Gaudi Casa Batllo was amazing, and
yes-all my souvenirs came from that shop.
There are many hotels and as always prices range from low to
high, it all depends on your budget. You will find delicious and reasonably
priced tapas bars off the main tourist areas, but if you’re in with the tourist
crowds be prepared to pay. I do a bit of research before I leave, but I always allow for a
tourist trap or two.
I booked the Casa Fuster Hotel, on Passeig de Gracia 132, on my first visit, a beautiful hotel
reminiscent of Gaudi’s work, the service was superb, the rooms a good size, the
breakfasts superb, and the staff always
eager to help with directions and available tours, they were friendly and
caring. I hope to return and stay there again.
The second hotel was the Majestic, also on Passeig de Gracia 68-70, was a little
more centrally located-by just a few blocks from Casa Fuster. That being said,
I would rather walk the additional 4 or 5 blocks than stay at the Majestic
again, lack of overall service, and a snippy registration cured me of ever
staying there a second time.
The Majestic staff lost interest after I didn’t want to book
a private car to Montserrat to the tune of 600Euros. After a discussion on
booking a reasonable tour failed, a short 10 minute walk took me to a travel
agency, where I was able to book a round trip ride for 29EU that would take me to
the Montserrat Monastery for the better
part of the day. It is a trip not to be missed. I’ll post a separate blog on
the location-it is in the mountains and it is magnificent.
I’m a breakfast person, and tend to eat the meal at the
hotel to save on time, and the breakfast at the Majestic was outstanding. I couldn’t
have asked for a more varied or delicious selection, and the coffee was
delicious, but the lack of care and concern from the registration staff ruined
any chance of my return to the hotel.
Barcelona has it all, and is definitely worth a visit or
two, or three.
Cheers,
Margot
Justes
Blood Art
A Hotel in Paris
A Hotel in Bath
Hot Crimes Cool Chicks
www.mjustes.com
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