To make it easy for you to explore Barcelona, here is our interactive map, showing places to eat, drink, run and visit, from must-see cultural visits to low-key and off the beaten path spots. Zoom in on the area of interest, and check out the black pins. Each of them corresponds to an article.
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Text & Photographs: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
At last, after another long day of riding I have eventually arrived at my final destination. I am entering Barcelona on the Carrer de la Flor de la Lliri (or street of the lily), the main road from the kingdom of France to the capital of Catalonia. It is mayhem in the noisy streets. Drunk sailors just off the ship seem to enjoy themselves very much as they are following the statues at street corners leading to brothels. In a narrow side street, one of them has just inadvertently avoided a bucket of excrements been thrown out of a window. The offending smell merges with other filthy smells that are just an insult to my nostrils. The sailor stops in front of a red door where the street number is slightly bigger than others, signalling the location of the house of joy. The chaos in the street suddenly seems to organise itself as the crowd is pushing towards an intersection. I inquire about the reason for the excitement: “It’s the shame parade of a few thieves who are humiliated on their way to jail. We are going to have some fun!”
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Text: Marcella van Alphen
Photographs: Claire Lessiau& Marcella van Alphen
Keep travelling!Do you know how to recognise a real paella from the ones that are sold to most tourists throughout Barcelona? Do you know that most of the olive oil in the world is produced in Spain and bottled in other countries to be sold as such? That there are 28 different protected Spanish cheeses recognized over the world? That gazpacho is traditionally a cold soup made by farmers with left over vegetables? That the delicious crema Catalana has a world-famous French twin sister? Join us for this tasty experience in the booming El Born district of Barcelona!
Text: Marcella van Alphen
Photographs: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
Keep travelling!Standing on the bunker del Carmen overlooking the city of Barcelona bathed by the sunset light, La Sagrada Familia boldly rises above the buildings. I have always had mixed feelings passing by the grey façades of the most visited landmark of the capital of Catalonia invaded by hordes of tourists. It is only by entering this basilica that I went from a dubious passer-by to being an admirer of Gaudí’s technical genius and refined symbolism.
Text: Claire Lessiau
Photographs: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
At the turn of the 20th century, the Passeig de Gràcia is the place to settle in for the powerful and wealthy of Barcelona. In 1903, Josep Batlló a rich textile industrialist buys a 25-year old house on this most prestigious street of the new and modern El Eixample district. However, Batlló’s house looks a bit dull next to the neighbouring Casa Amatller designed by the Catalan architect Puig i Cadafalch. He commissions the famous Gaudí to rebuild it completely, but the highly creative genius convinces him to keep the structure – just adding two levels – and redesign the façade and floors.
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Text: Claire Lessiau
Photographs: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
Keep travelling!La Pedrera is an innovative & iconic building in the heart of Barcelona designed by Gaudí. Some say its rooftop may have inspired George Lucas as he was writing Star Wars…
Text: Claire Lessiau
Photographs: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
Walking down the Ramblas and slaloming between noisy groups of tourists and insisting street sellers, we make a right into a quiet side street. A few metres further and the craziness of the Ramblas seems like a distant memory. We have just arrived in front of Palau Güell, Gaudí’s first major assignment for his most loyal patron, the rich industrialist Eusebi Güell.
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Text: Claire Lessiau
Photographs: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
Keep travelling!Slightly more than a century ago, the pride of Catalonia already echoed loud and clear, carried by the Catalan Modernist architectural movement and the Renaixença cultural movement. The Palau de la Música in the gothic Barcelona is the communion of these influences. The most representative examples of this Catalan pride, it is one of the most beautiful concert halls in the world.
Text: Claire Lessiau
Photographs: Claire Lessiau & Marcella van Alphen
Keep travelling!The Sant Pau Art nouveau site is off the very beaten path of the modernist landmarks of Barcelona. A stone’s throw away from La Sagrada Familia, it is an impressive hospital that was built in the early 20th century and one of the most beautiful examples of modernist architecture.
Text & Photographs: Marcella van Alphen & Claire Lessiau
In 2016, about 30 million tourists visited Barcelona, a city of 1.6 million inhabitants. The vibrant capital of Catalonya is victim of its own success: the once atmospheric Las Ramblas have turned into a main tourist drag, La Boqueria market into a trap to be avoided, the narrow medieval streets of El Born have been invaded by a crowd armed with selfie sticks and walking on colourful sneakers, skyrocketing prices of hotel rooms and flat rentals have driven locals out of the city, even the paella has turned yellow (with cheap turmeric thrown on a hardly cooked rice replacing the expensive saffron evenly spread on a slowly caramelized rice)! It matters all the more to know where to go to enjoy oneself and encourage sustainable initiatives. The places featured here are all locally owned and share this love for local traditions from the classic vermuteria to the modern one and the trendy speakeasy bar. All in a different district of town. All with a different vibe. All where you can go eyes closed for a great experience!
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Best regards from far, 