Three charming places of Barcelona
We have been explaining how is the MuchaMasia environment. We are an urban rural hostel next to Barcelona. We are 10 minutes from Barcelona. You have already seen the closest environment that surrounds us in the town and also in the Baix Llobregat region. Today we propose three places in Barcelona that do not always appear in the guides but we love them.
Not everything is in the guides. Start our visit around charming places in Barcelona. And remember the holidays of the 19th, 20th and 21st of May.
Sant Felip Neri, the charm of Barcelona in the heart of the Gothic quarter
The walk through the Gothic quarter of Barcelona always has obligatory stops. The Cathedral of Barcelona, the Plaça de Sant Jaume … are places you can not miss. But there are more charming places worth knowing. Near the Cathedral of Barcelona, and as you go towards the Plaza de Sant Jaume, you will see small streets emerging on your left hand side. Do not hesitate. Delve into them. You will escape from the groups of tourists and discover the essence of Medieval Barcelona. Because medieval also means narrow streets, where the sun hardly enters. If you pay attention, many names of the streets pick up old trades, symbol of the power that the craftsmen guilds had before. Well, wandering around, you’ll reach a small and charming square. It is the square of Sant Felip Neri. It appears as a haven of peace. The fountain evokes tranquility.
Plaça de Sant Felip Neri has a large church that was protagonist, for worse, in the Civil War. Its exterior walls served as a framework for the execution of children and families. Even today, the impacts of the bullets on the wall are visible. The simple fact of imagining the scene is overwhelming. Even the legend tells that to this day you can hear the cries of the children and women shot in the square.
Eating in the Gothic quarter means being in the tourist center. If you want to get away from franchises and fast foods, we offer you two places. The Allium, right next to the Palau de la Generalitat, local cuisine and Catalan recipes without being focused on tourism. And then, if you have a more exquisite palate, go to the MaryRufo, next to the Mercat de Santa Caterina. They have the best raw materials in the city and you will be filled with quality food.
Monastery of Pedralbes and Gardens of Cervantes
In this walk we go to the upper part of Barcelona. Above the Diagonal we find the Pedralbes neighborhood, the residence of the city’s high bourgeoisie. Right in that area is the Pedralbes Monastery, one of the most charming places in Barcelona. From MuchaMasia it is very easy to arrive. Subway Line 9 takes you to the University Zone, and from there, walking a bit, you arrive at the monastery. A little away from the tourist centers, the Royal Monastery of Pedralbes has been active for more than 700 years. It is a symbol of female power since the middle ages. The church, the chapel of San Miguel or the cloister, considered the largest Gothic cloister in the world, are treasures that you can not miss. They perform various activities around the history of the monastery and the middle ages.
The Royal Monastery of Santa María de Pedralbes was founded in 1327 by Queen Elisenda de Montcada. And to this day, it is still inhabited and guarded by the community of religious clarisas. It also tells the tradition that if you make an offering of eggs to the religious clarisas before a wedding, that day will not rain.
La Barceloneta and life by the sea
This proposal can be found in tourist guides. We are not going to cheat you. But it’s because La Barceloneta has a lot of charm. And it seduces the whole world. We are talking about the fishing district of Barcelona. Created in the late eighteenth century, gaining land to the sea, has always maintained its particular essence. Barceloneta has the most famous beach in the city. Sant Sebastià, Victoria and Barceloneta make up this stretch of more than one kilometer. Delve into the neighborhood and talk to its people. Lately the tourists and the residents of Barceloneta have not had a good relationship because of some irresponsible behavior. Do not worry, being civic and responsible, you will not have any problem.
Bathe on the beach Take a walk through the Port Vell of Barcelona, and know the past of a neighborhood with personality. Worker and fisherman personality, working people and early risers. And you can eat very well. We propose you two emblematic places. One of them is El Vaso de Oro. With more than 50 years of history, it is one of the most famous tapas bars in Barcelona and they serve some potato and meat pumps that you will love. And if you want to eat a good rice overlooking the sea, we recommend Salamanca, another classic from Barcelona.
As you can see, not everything is in the guides. Ask us 🙂