thebarcelonaguide:
Spas and Hot Springs for a Winter Escape
From the 24th of December until after King’s Day on the 6th of January, not much is happening in Barcelona, and more or less the city is on vacation. This is an ideal time to go out of town on day or overnight trips to hot springs and spas around Catalonia.
Spanish Spa Escapes. By Regina WInkle-Bryan
Rent a car from Sixt.com and head into the countryside to explore these great hot spots:
1- Font Vella Spa and Hotel
This natural hot spring spa offers a Christmas package for 130 Euros per person....
December 27th, 2009 | Barcelona | Read More
Local Winter Festivals: King’s Day in Barcelona
Kings Day, or Los Reyes, is much more important in Barcelona, and really, in all of Spain, than Christmas. Sure, people here celebrate the 24th and the 25th and welcome Santa, or Papa Noel as they call him, but the real party is in January.
King's Day, or Los Reyes in Barcelona. By Regina WInkle-Bryan
King’s Day is on the 6th of January and is a national holiday. The 6th is the day when the King’s were supposed to have shown up to give baby Jesus his presents. Naturally, this is the...
December 23rd, 2009 | Barcelona | Read More
5 New Year’s Eve Tips: Barcelona 2010
New Year’s Eve is a popular time to visit any large city in Europe. No matter where you go, prices are higher, hotels are booked and the mood is festive. Certainly, Barcelona is no exception. After having spent 4 New Year’s in Barcelona, I have for you today a few tips to make the 2009 – 2010 stress free.
New Year's Eve in Barcelona. By Regina Winkle-Bryan
1- BOOK
The early bird catches the worm. Hotels, hostels and pensiones will be full this time of year, so the sooner you...
December 22nd, 2009 | Barcelona | Read More
4 Restaurants for a Holiday Meal : The Tragaluz Group
If you are spending the holidays in Barcelona and have not been invited over to Paco and Carmen’s for a Christmas Eve dinner, then you may want to consider this list of restaurants. The holidays are a time to spend a bit more for something special, and while many places will be closed for Christmas these spots will be open.
The Holidays in Barcelona. By Regina Winkle-Bryan
Bestial – Form the fabulous Tragaluz group, Bestial offers Italian and Mediterranean eats. Many gather here for drinks...
December 21st, 2009 | Barcelona | Read More
5 Christmas Shopping Options in Barcelona
The holidays are here and while it is not about what you give, that doesn’t stop most of us from wanting to find just the right thing for our sweethearts, families and friends. Barcelona is packed with shops offering perfect present options, so let’s take a look at some of my favorite spots to buy this year.
Shoes in Barcelona. Boots can make for great gifts. By Regina Winkle-Bryan
Gift Giving Guide:
1 – MUSIC
Music from another country makes a great gift. Head to FNAC on Plaza...
December 17th, 2009 | Barcelona | Read More
Tips on Taking Barcelona’s Subway
The subway, or metro, is the quickest way to get around Barcelona. There are 9 metro lines crisscrossing the city, and they will get you where you need to go with in the center.
Barcelona's Metro and Transport. By Regina Winkle-Bryan
Here are some facts and tips for safe and easy riding on Barcelona’s metro system:
1- Time. The metro is open Sun- Thurs from 5am to 12 midnight. Friday from 5am to 2am and Saturday ALL NIGHT LONG…..
2- Tickets. You could buy single tickets for the metro...
December 16th, 2009 | Barcelona | Read More
5 Must-See Spanish Movies
So, this doesn’t so much apply to Barcelona as it does to all of Spain. Besides reading books on Barcelona and Spain prior to a visit, another good way to learn about Spanish culture is through watching movies made in Spain, or by Spanish directors. There are tons of fabulous Spanish movies. Spain is no Hollywood, but it does manage to put out quite a few films a year. Look for some of these with subtitles or practice your Spanish watching them without subtitles.
Spain. By Regina Winkle-Bryan
Five...
December 15th, 2009 | Barcelona, Europe | Read More
Holiday Parties in Barcelona. Something Different.
Yes indeed, the holidays are coming up fast! Barcelona seems to begin the Christmas fiesta around the 6th of December and does not honestly come back from vacation until after King’s Day in January…
Navidada Event. Poster thanks to Marc Curcio
So enjoy! One way to get into the festive spirit, besides heading to the Holiday Market in the Cathedral Plaza or admiring Barcelona’s Christmas lighting, is to attend Navidada, a Christmas event like none other in town.
A costume party, come...
December 14th, 2009 | Barcelona, Europe | Read More
Cheap Eats at Nostrum
Fast food doesn’t necessarily have to be greasy and unhealthy. The new chain of Nostrum cafes proves that home cooking can be healthy and quick.
Nostrum Barcelona. By Regina Winkle-Bryan
Nostrum is a local company which has quickly expanded throughout the city over the last couple of years. They offer Mediterranean dishes, like lentil salad, cod fish, Russian salad, flan and more. For 8 Euros, you can get a starter, a main course, a drink and a dessert, which is a pretty sweet deal.
The way...
December 10th, 2009 | Barcelona, Europe | Read More
Ginger Bar. Good Music and Cocktails in the Gothic Quarter
There are two establishments that you will find on every corner in Barcelona: bakeries and bars. With so many bars to choose from, a place really has to be good to catch my eye anymore.
Ginger Bar, hidden in the Gothic. By Regina Winkle-Bryan
How do I define ‘good’? Well, music is key. If the radio, TV, soccer game, or video poker machine is blasting in the background then I knock a few points off the bar. However, if the music is fresh, classic or eclectic, I give the bar a few ‘good’...
December 9th, 2009 | Barcelona | Read More
Shopping in Barcelona. Retro Collective Clothing Store
Barcelona’s Gracia neighborhood is a fabulous area to shop in if you are looking for something unique. It only makes sense then, that Retro Collective has opened up in the heart of this hip barrio.
Retro Collective Vintage Clothing. By Regina Winkle-Bryan
Retro clothing is just now gaining popularity in the city. In the last four years I have seen many retro gear stores pop up in the Gothic zone especially, and now there’s one in Gracia. Retro Collective offers vintage gowns, costume...
December 8th, 2009 | Barcelona | Read More
Post Office Tips in Barcelona
The postal service has been around for a long time, but this does not mean that mailing a letter is any easier than it was 200 years ago. Little has changed in the Spanish/ Catalan post office in many moons.
Post Office in Spain. By Regina Winkle-Bryan
For those who would like to mail a letter or buy some Spanish stamps, consider these tips when writing to mom, Aunt Sue and friends back home:
1 – You may actually have to go the post office. If so, you may like to go to the post office in the...
December 7th, 2009 | Barcelona | Read More
Art Outings: Opening At Contrast Gallery
Usually the many galleries of La Eixample hold their openings on Thursdays, staying open late so that visitors can pop into one gallery and then the next.
Barcelona, Spain. By Regina Winkle-Bryan
This month, however, Galeria Contrast will be holding their opening for the show Suite Flamenco on a Saturday. The show features photographs by Canadian Robert Berlin, who began his career as a painter and then moved into photography.
The exhibition has been described as:
In Suite Flamenco, Robert Berlin,...
December 6th, 2009 | Barcelona | Read More
Kid’s Stuff: Abracadabra at Cosmocaixa
Cosmocaixa is the city’s science museum, a popular destination for families. Geared mostly towards kids, Cosmocaixa offers rotating expositions and interesting permanent expositions including a detailed underwater forest.
Outings in Barcelona. Regina Winkle-Bryan
Abracadabra is currently on at the museum, an exposition that looks into the mysterious art of optical illusion. How are we able to tell fact from fiction, reality from magic? Abracadabra answers these questions plus offers magic games...
December 6th, 2009 | Barcelona | Read More
My Top 5 Books on Spain and Barcelona
I travel a lot and have a passion for gaining a deeper understanding for the places I visit. One of the best ways to do this is to step outside the narrow constraints of a guide book and read up on a city or country through a novel or biography.
Barcelona has stories to tell. By Regina Winkle-Bryan
In my four years in Barcelona, I have done quite a lot of reading on the city and on Spain in general. Here are some of my picks for good reads on the Catalan Capital and on the Iberian Peninsula....
December 2nd, 2009 | Barcelona | Read More
What NOT to Do in Barcelona: 5 Tips
In travel writing and guides we are used to reading long lists and reports of what we ‘must see’ and should experience. Today I want to share with you what you should avoid doing and seeing in my adopted city
Irish Pub in Barcelona. By Regina Winkle-Bryan
.
Number 1:
No Rambla. Okay, maybe a little Rambla, but then stay clear of it. Las Ramblas runs from Plaza Cataluna to the sea, and it is an embarrassment for many locals. It is a tourist trap teeming with pickpockets. Under no circumstances...
December 1st, 2009 | Barcelona | Read More
Hotel Arts. Holiday Specials and New Year’s Packages.
Barcelona has several high-end hotels but there are only a couple five-stars in the city situated right by the Sea. Hotel Arts is one of these, and has incredible views overlooking all of Barcelona and across many miles of the Mediterranean.
Flowers in Hotel Arts. By Regina WInkle-Bryan
This holiday season the luxury hotel is offering Christmas gift certificate stays, which could be a unique and romantic present from Santa. Hotel Art is also putting on a New Year’s Eve party package which includes...
November 28th, 2009 | Barcelona | Read More
Shopping Barcelona. The Perfect Bag.
Looking for the perfect bag for your metro-sexual friends this holiday season? Well have I got the tip for you then! Mauro Bianucci’s bags are super stylish and durable, designed to be functional and unique.
Mauro, Carga Designer. Photo Thanks to Carga Bags.
When Mauro started Carga, the line selling his tough bags, he never thought it would be the huge success it is today. Mauro’s bags are sold all over the globe, and you can find several stores in Barcelona carrying the Carga line.
Mauro...
November 27th, 2009 | Barcelona | Read More
Best Exhibition in Barcelona on Now: World Press Photo 2009
As I have mentioned before here, every Sunday until the beginning of 2010, most museums in Barcelona offer free entrance. This is a great deal, and last Sunday a friend and I decided to take advantage of the freebie and go see the World Press Photo show at the central CCCB Museum.
The CCCB Art Museum in Barcelona. By Regina WInkle-Bryan
Honestly, being that the photos shown are from the press, I expected a lot of war shots. However, I was pleasantly surprised because the show was much more than...
November 27th, 2009 | Barcelona, Europe | Read More
Christmas Market Shopping in Barcelona
The holidays are more or less upon us. Here in Barcelona it’s clear that Christmas is coming, because the city has strung up lights and decorations throughout the city. These festive twinkle lights have yet to be illuminated, but I can’t help being a bit excited for the night when they turn them on.
Feria de Santa Lucia, Barcelona. By Regina Winkle-Bryan
Besides lights, Barcelona’s Christmas Market, called La Feria de Santa Lucia, is also about to open this coming Saturday. Set...
November 26th, 2009 | Barcelona, Europe | Read More
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