Starting this week, RENFE, the Spanish railroad company, is
increasing the frequency of its high-speed train service (AVE) between
Barcelona and Madrid by one third. Instead of the previous 19-20 scheduled
trains, there will be up to 26 daily departures in each direction. Two of
the newly added trains will be direct, making no stops, the others - local, extending the existing Madrid - Zaragoza line service...
A few weeks ago, a round of renovations was completed at the de Liceu metro station (línea 3) in the Rambla, reported local transportation authority, TMB. All in all, four halls and two platforms were given a complete make-over at a total cost of 2.5 million euro. This phase of renovations took one year...
If you happen to find yourself halfway across the world in mid-August, preferably with a sense of adventure and an affinity for insomnia, I'd advise heading to Barcelona and joining in on the annual revelries of the Gràcia Fest. Every August from the 15th to the 21st, Catalans return from their luxuriously long summer vacations and the small barrio of Gràcia plays host to one of the most vibrant neighborhood festivals in Europe.
The Gràcia Fest is basically a hyperbole of a block party- events and feasts are scheduled all throughout the day, live music persists every night until dawn, and outdoor bars and their patrons make it impossible to cross even the smallest square in under ten minutes. Every year, over a million people flood the narrow streets of Gràcia to gawk and to party until literally flooded out by street cleaners in the morning...
To really enjoy Barcelona - without a doubt, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe - you will be better off steering clear of tourist traps and high-traffic areas. Some landmarks, however, are a "must see"...
While the rest of you are out scoping out scenic bus tours of Barcelona and bronzing on the city beach, please excuse me, 'cause I'll be at the fish market getting back to my Mediterranean roots.
In fact, for me, this place is the only reason to go to Las Ramblas. With 7 kinds of shrimp, live lobsters crawling off tables, hundreds of crazy-looking fish and creatures I don't even recognize, I will be entertained for hours. Thank Neptune (or his Spanish twin Neptuno) we have rented an apartment with a hot plate - now I won't have to go away empty-handed. (Because I would rather eat a raw flounder than leave without buying something. Yes, thank Neptune indeed for that hot plate!)...
Fondue in Barcelona? Well, why the hell not? That's what we said when after a five-minute deliberation involving counting dining patrons and talking to a kitchen employee on a cigarette break, we decided to "go for it".
Apparently approving of our decision, the ultra-modern glass door slid away automatically, and with that we stepped inside "GADES"...
Starting this week, RENFE, the Spanish railroad company, is
increasing the frequency of its high-speed train service (AVE) between
Barcelona and Madrid by one third. Instead of the previous 19-20 scheduled
trains, there will be up to 26 daily departures in each direction. Two of
the newly added trains will be direct, making no stops, the others - local, extending the existing Madrid - Zaragoza line service...
A few weeks ago, a round of renovations was completed at the de Liceu metro station (línea 3) in the Rambla, reported local transportation authority, TMB. All in all, four halls and two platforms were given a complete make-over at a total cost of 2.5 million euro. This phase of renovations took one year...
If you happen to find yourself halfway across the world in mid-August, preferably with a sense of adventure and an affinity for insomnia, I'd advise heading to Barcelona and joining in on the annual revelries of the Gràcia Fest. Every August from the 15th to the 21st, Catalans return from their luxuriously long summer vacations and the small barrio of Gràcia plays host to one of the most vibrant neighborhood festivals in Europe.
To really enjoy Barcelona - without a doubt, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe - you will be better off steering clear of tourist traps and high-traffic areas. Some landmarks, however, are a "must see"...
While the rest of you are out scoping out scenic bus tours of Barcelona and bronzing on the city beach, please excuse me, 'cause I'll be at the fish market getting back to my Mediterranean roots.
Fondue in Barcelona? Well, why the hell not? That's what we said when after a five-minute deliberation involving counting dining patrons and talking to a kitchen employee on a cigarette break, we decided to "go for it".
