Best Plans in Barcelona

For all my international and also local readers ,

As few of you may know, I'm in love with the city that see me growth, Barcelona.

In several occasions already, I had the luck to be asked for recommendations of restaurants, bars, clubs and activities, which indirectly, inspires me not only to be more critic with every local I go, but also to make quite often a deeper research in "What's Going On in the City".

That's why I would love to share with you the places where I've been around the city and give you my opinion and recommendations.

Being like a "instructions" this is how it works:


*1. All the names of the places will redirect you to  Google Maps. Just click on the name to check.

*2. All the suggestions will be located more or less in the same area, meaning, if you want to have the lunch and then go shopping, or from dinner to the bar and then a club, it will not take you so much time by walk or taxi.

*3. Also from 1 to 10 I’ll give you some idea about how expensive its every place:

Restaurants:  

• Cerveseria Catalana  {4} (Recommended for Dinner) – Mediterranean Food and Tapas
• No reservation. You arrive, ask them to put you in the list, and if you are lucky, in 20-30’ Max you will have a table
• Incredible Tapas & Platillos, fresh food, very very full 99% of the times 

• Vinitus {4}  (Recommended for Dinner) – Mediterranean Food, Fish and shellfish
• No reservation. You arrive, ask them to put you in the list, and if you are lucky, in 20-30’ Max you will have a table
• Its incredible good, crowded and a bit noisy but has the own charm
• Order a good red glass of wine called Priorat (let the waitress to choose which one) with some Jamon
• DO NOT SKIP Sellfish or you will regret. They have all like if it was a market, so fresh over the ice, you just have to decide what do you want 

• Ca La Nuri Platja {5} (Simply, my favorite place for Paellas and Black Rice all over the city – Highly recommended for Lunch)
• Important to book in advance: +34 932 21 37 75
• With no doubt, ask for a table outside, beach front, order sangria (home made) or a lovely fresh white wine, and pan con tomate, croquetas de la abuela and calamares a la andaluza as a aperitifs. As a main course, I would say black rice because it’s incredible, BUT if you are crabbing for some other, they can do individual portions in individual pans. DO NOT MISS the tipical sauce called “All i Oli”. Skip the deserts and go have a funny “EYES-CREAM” in a little local not so far. They have customized ice-creams with eyes (so instagramly) and you can add your favorite toppings.   

• A Vocados {3}  (Good for Lunch) – Healthy food (but it’s a Wow) – NEW
• Telf: +34  622 71 69 11 (don’t use the one from google maps. Doesn’t work because its too new this restaurant)
• I recommend you here to have: Salmon Tartar, Steak Tartar and Truffle Pizza. I’ve been there several times, and I can’t resist to order always the same!  

• Feroz {7} – (Recommended for Dinner) Fine dinning
• Telf: + 34 932 00 91 29 (they will confirm with you few hours before trough whatsapp to doublecheck you are coming)
• Its one of the newest and trendiest restaurants of the city. 

• Travel and Cake {3} (Brunch)
• No reservations. Just show up there. Worst scenario if they do not have place, you can go to the other one they have (that is kind of close) Brunch & Cake
• It’s the perfect place for a huge brunch. Colorful and healthy food and plates, with delicious smoothies and good variety of goodies.  
• El Nacional {6}  (Dinner & Lunch. Classic!, Meat, Fish, Tapas, Aperitive and Cocktails, 5 different spaces in 1)
• Telf: +34 935 18 50 53
• 5 different spaces in a big same area decorated in a modernist style. In the first island in the middle, it’s the aperitive part. While you wait I recommend you to ask for a “Vermouth the Reus” with some olives 

Guilt free places

• La Pallaresa {1} (It’s MAN-DA-TO-RY if you love Churros con Chocolate)
• Do not expect anything Fancy, its not. But its one of the most antique places in Barcelona for some good reason which is the Chocolate con churros.
• Just order it. In case you are not a big fan of it, now you are coming back from Mallorca you will know what is an “ensaimada”. They also have it, with some other little pleasures like: Mato de Pedralvez, Crema Catalana or Cuajada.
• Stop there only if you have a little room in your tummy for something sweet
  
• Beristain {7} (afternoon coffee & cake)
• It’s a fancy restaurant/garden place/store/bar at the same time from one famous interior designer where you can buy everything that is around you while you are having a lunch or dinner.
• From my point of view, the best time to go its for an afternoon snack like a tea/coffee and a piece of cake (I HIGHLY recommend the Bannoffee pie, it’s a WOW) 

Activities:

• Action: Laser Tag at Play Point {1}
• Telf: +34 932 92 82 12 (mandatory to book in advance)
• I’m not a big fan of those things, but I Highly recommend this game of Laser Tag. You can fight between each other or with other people
• Walk:
• Walk by the beach from “Hotel Arts” to “Hotel W”. it’s such a relaxing walk by the water.
• Go from plaza Catalunya to el port de Barcelona trough las Ramblas. 
• Learn: There’s many interesting museums around the city where you can spend the whole day, but as you only have few time for it, I recommend you to go visit some easy and entertaining ones:
• Museu dels invents (web)  - 5 EUR entrance
• Museu de la Erotica  (web) – 10 EUR entrance  

Bars:

• Espit Chupitos {1}
• If you want to try over more than 600 chupitos, each one with a different show or presentation and flavors, that’s the place for you.
• It’s a little space (trust me, very little and packed) with a friendly bartenders that have memorized each one of the chupitos they have, from the one who comes with a fire burned marshmallow on the top until Monica Lewinsky (I’m not going to give you details about the last one)
• FYI*: Pictures and Videos are not allowed
  
• Nogg {4}
• I recommend you to start the night here and then move to an another club (right in front of Sutton and Bling Bling)
• Good place with cool music, in front of 2 of the best clubs of the city. Its one of my favorite places in the areas for gin and tonics.
• After the drinks, ask the owner or one of the bartenders to give you a free entrance to Bling Bling (till 2 AM)

• Nobuko {4}
• In case you arrive so late to Nogg and there’s no space, 10 steps next by, there’s Nobuko which is the Japanese version of Nogg, same style of cocktails but different decoration.
• They also will give you with no problem entrance to Bling Bling if you ask for.

Clubs:

Sorry if someone its looking for Metal, Reggeton, Bach or Reagge, but the clubs I’ll recommend you below are the ones where I feel more comfortable (in terms of safeness of the area and way to get there).  

• Bling Bling {5}
• Comercial music and electronic in 2 diferent rooms
• Dress Code: Relaxed Elegant  (just no sneakers)
• In terms of kind of people, I prefer that one, (basically, less show off)

• Sutton {7}:
• Comercial music
• Dress Code: Elegant (no sneakers, no short trousers for boys, better no flats for girls)
• As I’ve said previously, high show off due but still being cool place 

• CDLC {7}:
• R&B and Comercial
• Thai decoration, next to the beach this club its considered one of the best of Barcelona and its next to Opium (sorry but not a big fan of that one)
• I wouldn’t go in winter because its windy