Barcelona, The Ramblas, and Catalunya Plaza

Without a doubt the highlights of Barcelona were the stunning architecture (a product designer by trade, I was always a little jealous of the scale that architects work in). If you aren't a Gaudi fan before you go, you should prepare to become one. The food is also superb once you leave the chain fast-food restaurants behind. It is a beautiful city with only one flaw - tourists (I know, I was one - read on and I'll tell you more).

Quick Tips:

My one tip (as always) would be to take a copy of the "Rough Guide to Barcelona" with you. There is a lot of great stuff to see in Barcelona, and a lot of it is easy to reach by metro (underground train) but well spaced out, so it's unlikely that you just "fall across stuff" if you don't know where you're going.

Best Way To Get Around:

I walked A LOT in Barcelona. It's a great way to see the city and soak up the atmosphere. If you really want to see the sights, buy a Metro ticket that covers you for 3, 5, or 10 days. I used mine every day and often. Even if you just fancy a stroll through the city, it's nice to be able to hop in the metro to save you the walk back to your hotel.

The Catalunya Plaza is right on the Plaza and very close to this main train/metro station. A slim, turn of the century building, The Catalunya Plaza has some very nice original features and made our stay there feel quite in keeping with the feel of the city.

The room we had was about 115 euros per night and included a very varied breakfast buffet. Other features included were free snacks and coffee (or wine) on the first floor, next to two free internet computers (which I used to check the price of a few things back home before buying them in Barcelona). The room came with an en-suite bathroom, cable TV, air-conditioning, a hair dryer, and an in-room safe (but you need to pay extra for the key).

Service at the hotel was business like but friendly (especially the cleaning staff - who attended to our room every day when we were out). In all the hustle of Barcelona, the Catalunya Plaza Hotel, with its excellent location (close to the action but away enough not to wake you up), was a welcome respite.

I save the faults for last. The furniture and appointments were a little creaky, starting to show signs of age. The shower nossle holder in our room was not fixed correctly and you had to be careful not to touch it when using it in case it crashed into the bath. I booked this hotel 8 months in advance and asked for a room overlooking the plaza. When I got there, I was on the fourth floor (the lift only goes to the third), and my view was of the side of the next building. Take from this what you will.

I stumbled across this restaurant on my first night in Barcelona and remembered reading about it in the Rough Guide. My partner and I joined the queue, and after about 10 minutes, we were seated inside (this was at about 9:50pm on a Tuesday). The decor is very nice and conducive to a relaxed/romantic setting, cosy but modern. The prices were good and just got better when the food arrived. The quality of the food was superb given the cost, and for starters, main meals (not the cheapest on the menu either), dessert, and a litre of house red (very nice it was, too), we paid about 45€ for the two of us. We'd had tapas that cost more than that!

We chose this restaurant for our final meal in Barcelona. We arrived at 7:50pm to avoid queues, believing they opened at 8pm. In fact, they open at 8:30pm, but by that time, the queue was about 300 people long and we were at the front of it (this was on a Saturday night). As we were sat near the window upstairs, we could see how the queue progressed. It would seem that the best time to get there is about 9:45pm – everyone in the initial queue has been seated, but there are still seats available.

I can recommend the pork fillet in green sauce and also the fish stew. All the dishes are chosen for their local nature and also their bang-for-buck flavour and appeal. There simply are no dishes on the menu that cost much to make (no 32-ounce steaks), but everything that is available is superb. The combination of low cost and high quality makes this restaurant a favourite for many. The only other queue I saw for a restaurant in Barcelona was at their sister restaurant, La Fonda (another review). I simply can't recommend this restaurant enough.

La Fonda is just south of Plaça Reial on Carrer Escudellers, just off The Ramblas. Just take the second Alley on the left as you walk south past the Plaça. Alternatively head out of one of the south exits from the Plaça to join Carrer Escudellers. La Fonda is quite easy to find (near the brightly lit Chemist).

La Fonda is owned by the same people that run the fabulous Les Quinze Nits, and as such you can expect to queue for this popular spot. There are no reservations. The food was superb, and the costs were low/moderate, with starters, main meal, and dessert, plus vino, coming to less than 20 euros per head. The type of food is simple, local but very well done, with more than just a pinch of flair.

La Fonda, just like Les Quinze Nits, is a model restaurant, with excellent service, attentive staff, and a superb product. The decor is also similar and adds to a well-rounded meal. I really liked this restaurant and have no hesitation in recommending it to others.