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Condé Nast Traveler picks
 Best of Barcelona
Barcelona is a city of split personalities—at once trendy and traditional, upscale and down-to-earth. It is also Spain's most fashionable city, where inhabitants pride themselves on their style. On an evening stroll along Passeig de Gràcia, couples gaze into shop windows and at the buildings' grand facades. It can be a pricey city, but if you book well in advance, you can find smart accommodations that won't break the bank, and you can save money on delicious meals of tapas for under $20.
Attractions & Activities A tour of the Sagrada Família, the still unfinished masterpiece of Catalan architect Antonio Gaudí, will put you in the proper Surrealistic frame of mind to appreciate the architecture and atmosphere of this classy Mediterranean port (34-93-207-3031; sagradafamilia.org). From here, stroll along the shop- and café-lined Carrer de Provença until you come to the distinctive spikes of Casa de les Punxes, designed by another important Catalan architect, Puig i Cadafalch. A private home, it is not open to visitors but is worth walking by (416-420 Diagonal). Just three blocks from here, you'll wonder if you haven't arrived in Dr. Seuss's Whoville when you spot the undulating facade of Gaudí's Casa Milà, more commonly known as La Pedrera ("The Stone Quarry"), an apartment building that the art critic Robert Hughes described as "a sea cliff with caves in it for people" (261-265 Carrer de Provença). A few blocks down Passeig de Gràcia, the epicenter of the city's trademark style and shopping, you'll get a chance to compare Cadafalch with Gaudí, as the former's Casa Amatller sits beside the aquatically colored Casa Batlló (43 Passeig de Gràcia; casabatllo.es). One of Europe's most enjoyable streets, overflowing with cafés, shops, and street performers, is the pedestrian walkway La Rambla. Must stops include the sensual La Boqueria market, at No. 91. Next, turn into Carrer Nou de la Rambla for what some consider Gaudí's signature masterpiece, the Palau Güell. Built in the late-nineteenth century for his industrialist patron Eusebi Güell, the house will reopen to the public in 2007 (No. 3-5; 34-93-317-3974). Across La Rambla, go into palm-lined Plaça Reial for a gelato and some people-watching. La Rambla ends at the harbor, marked by a 197-foot statue of Christopher Columbus gazing out to sea. Meander the old streets of the Barri Gòtic, where it seems there's a photo op at every turn. The behemoth Catedral de Barcelona is a bit gloomy but has a peaceful courtyard (catedralbcn.org). The Palau de la Música Catalana, a musical performance space and flamboyant hallmark of modern architecture by Domènech i Montaner, a contemporary of Gaudí's, looks good enough to eat (34-93-295-7200; palaumusica.org). The Museu Picasso pays homage to the artist, who spent several years in Barcelona in his youth, with an interesting chronology of his work from childhood through the 1950s (34-93-319-6310; museupicasso.bcn.es). Head down to Passeig del Born and pop into the Santa Maria del Mar, the fishermen's church, considered by many to be the best example of early Catalan architecture. Though the Parc de la Ciutadella feels a little down at the heels, its allegorical Cascade, an imitation of Rome's Trevi Fountain, is quite spectacular when illuminated at night. Nearby, the Barceloneta area is defined by its working-class character, its grid of narrow streets, and its beach (packed with locals on weekends) dotted with small beach bars. Stroll around and take in the views from the surrounding Parc Güell if you visit the Casa Museu Gaudí (34-93-219-3811; casamuseugaudi.org). In Parc de Montjuïc, the Fundació Joan Miró—which consists of strikingly modern buildings—has a collection of works by Miró and other artists (34-93-443-9470; bcn.fjmiro.es). Up the hill, the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya is worth a visit as much for its spectacular views as for its exquisite eleventh- and twelfth-century murals (34-93-622-0360; mnac.es). If time permits, rent a car and drive the 90 minutes north to Figueres, birthplace of Salvador Dalí. The artist created some installations specifically for the Teatre-Museu Dalí, a veritable fun house with a Mae West Room made up to look like the screen siren's face (34-97-267-7500; salvador-dali.org). Head east another 20 minutes to pretty, peaceful little Port Lligat for a tour of his spectacular residence, Casa-Museu Salvador Dalí (34-97-225-1015; salvador-dali.org; by reservation only). Lodging At the harbor, the Hotel Arts Barcelona, which ranks on Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List of the world's top places to stay, is Spain's tallest building, and its rooms, which combine high-tech gizmos and Catalan art, overlook the sea. In the Barri Gòtic, the Hotel Colón is Barcelona's grande dame. The Hotel Regencia Colón has polished service and a sidewalk café from which you can watch Catalan dancing in the cathedral square. The Neri Hotel & Restaurant is on what may be the most beautiful square in the Barri Gòtic. The affordable NH Duc de la Victoria has small but well-designed rooms. The elegant, simple, Asian-inspired Hotel Banys Orientals occupies a gorgeous, quiet street among hip shops and restaurants. In the Raval district, the Hotel Mesón Castilla is ideally located behind the Museum of Contemporary Art. A lovely breakfast is served on the terrace. The Hotel Granvía, in the Eixample district, is a nineteenth-century gem with rooms overlooking a courtyard. Although the Gallery Hotel is between two chic boulevards, the Passeig de Gràcia and La Rambla, a small public garden at the back keeps it remarkably quiet. The Grand Hotel Central, hip without the attitude, has a library and a rooftop terrace. The ultracivilized Condes de Barcelona, in two historic buildings, is close to Sagrada Família. Dining Enjoying its perpetual love affair with food, Barcelona is one of the great gastronomic centers of Europe. Near the Picasso Museum, El Pebre Blau serves international cuisine with an African touch (21 Carrer Banys Vells; 34-93-319-1308; entrées, $14–$23). Nearby, if you can deal with the inevitable wait, Cal Pep has gourmet tapas and excellent grilled sardines (8 Plaça de les Olles; 34-93-310-7961; tapas, $6–$19). Of the restaurants galore in or near the Eixample, Restaurant Coure makes for adventurous dining: pig's trotters and oysters with mushroom vinaigrette, anyone? (20 Passatje Marimon; 34-93-200-7532; tasting menu, $49.) A couple blocks away, young chef Tang Pham is creating a veritable United Nations of flavors at the brand-new Me, combining ingredients from Saigon, New Orleans, and Barcelona in dishes such as the mango, melon, and pineapple panna cotta with cardamom and curry (162 Carrer de Paris; 34-93-419-4933; entrées, $17–$24). Taktika Berris serves Barcelona's best pintxos, or Basque-style tapas, at the bar in front, and has a full-menu restaurant in back (169 Carrer de València; 34-93-453-4759; entrées, $18–$37). Around the corner, Cinc Sentits ("Five Senses") tantalizes with dishes like a stack of foie gras, pastry, and glazed leeks, topped with a sugar shell (58 Carrer d'Aribau; 34-93-323-9490; entrées, $19–$31). Down in Sant Antoni, Quimet & Quimet builds marvelous montaditos—chunks of crisp bread mounded with combinations of meats, fish, cheeses, and unusual sauces (25 Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes; 34-93-442-3142; tapas, $3–$11). In the gridded streets of Barceloneta, the ancient neighborhood institution of La Cova Fumada specializes in the bomba, a fried potato ball topped with garlicky aioli and spicy red sauce. Lunch only (56 Carrer de Baluard; 34-93-221-4061; tapas, $2–$10). Around the corner on Carrer de 11 Sant Carles, chef Andres Gaspar runs Somorrostro, a delightful, stylish little place with perfect ambience that serves delicious food, such as hake on pumpkin- and date-filled ravioli, at reasonable prices (34-93-225-0010; entrées, $14–$23). Truth in Travel is the guiding principle for all content published in Condé Nast Traveler. Other travel publications often accept free travel and accommodations. Condé Nast Traveler does not. It is independent of the travel industry. The magazine always pays its way, and, as far as possible, its correspondents travel anonymously. By doing so, they experience the world—both the good and the bad—as other travelers do, and their reports and recommendations are fair, impartial, and authoritative.
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