Barcelona, Eixample
I am living in this district which is very famous for its plaza catalunya and each time I have to travel, I go there to take the airport bus. A big place with fountains where in the middle, it is crowded with pigeons !!! Foreigners and even spanish people give them food so that they can take a picture surrounded by them and above all, be careful about their shit. I go often there to buy things since one of my favorite shop FNAC is located near it. The rambla de catalunya, passeig de gracia and avinguda diagonal streets are full of shops (Zara, Mango, Adidas, Chanel, Gucci, Sony...) and if I can, I always prefer to walk in rambla de catalunya because there are more trees and nicer than the others. |
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Sometimes, there is some art exhibition all along this street !!! You will find more shops by going up the avinguda diagonal street than going down.
One day I was looking to buy a laptop and I passed almost all day between FNAC and the sepúlveda street in Sant Antoni neighborhood to compare prices. The sepúlveda and ronda de sant antoni streets are famous to have computer shops selling very cheaper and the competition is very tough between them – it is good for us.
The other famous things in this neighborhood is its market called simply Mercat de Sant Antoni located at comte d'urgell, 1 with a particular architecture where you can find foods, clothes, stamps...
The other market I like and it is worth to go is Mercat Encants Vells Fira de Bellcaire (plaza glòries catalanes, 8) in Fort Pienc neighborhood close to the mall Las Glories. It opens only on monday, wednesday, friday and saturday from 9h to 18h and here I can find anything... in fact it is a flea market.
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Just close to it, I go often to take pictures of the Agbar tower and La Sagrada Familia. The basilica is a very beautiful architecture, first you will appreciate the great details of the façades and secondly, you will see something unbelievable once inside. The Agbar tower is more beautiful at night with its blue and red colors and if you are lucky, during december, there is a light show. It is worth to walk until the end of the avinguda gaudi street because you will discover a very nice and impressive architecture of the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. The bull place and the bullfighting museum are located at gran via corts catalanes, 749 where you can discover the “taurine” art. Around Esquerra de l’Eixample and Dreta de l’Eixample neighborhoods, there are a lot of nice places to eat/dinner, some are more expensive than the others and here a little list:
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- Mediterranean : Tenorio (next to casa Batlló), El Noti (roger de llúria, 35-37), Tragaluz (passeig concepció, 5), Cerveseria Catalana (mallorca, 236)
- Indian : Monje (pau claris, 92), Mayura (girona, 57)
- Asia : Thaï Gardens (diputacion, 273), El Japonés (passeig concepció, 5)
- and much more...
I can’t list all my favorites places if not I will have to write a book !!! And for the moment, to tell the truth, it is not my intention. The other thing to not forget, take pictures of the 2 buildings of Gaudi at passeig de gracia – casa Batlló and casa Milà, a pure wonder.
During night time to have fun, I go often to night clubs and bars located at maria cubi street crossing sagues and amigo streets. Majority of clubbing are free entrance and I like the particular party ambiance around this area. If you want to mix with gay/lesbian party, just walk the long of muntaner street and/or go to one of the Arena clubs – the most famous one is located at gran vía, 593.
Normally spanish people prefer to take a drink in some bars before to go to club between 1h and 2h. Before no ones are inside except the bar man, waiter/waitress... well employees and some foreigners.
I went times ago but now less, it is to walk from down to up the long of balmes and aribau street until crossing avinguda diagonal street. When you arrive at diagonal, cross the street and around this area, it is full of night clubs (some are not free and you have to pay around 10€ - 1 drink included) and to have fun until 6AM !!!