Barcelona travel blog

A major festival for the entire Christian world, Easter is being celebrated all over the globe, marking the painful crucifixion and the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ. That day on the calendar, however, marks the faith of people in the religion and in the good things that are yet to happen to the human mankind. Being among the holiest days for the Christians, the Easter week is celebrated in various ways around the world, even so the general spirit and atmosphere of the holiday remain the same, even if the traditions might vary from one place to another. When Barcelona, and Spain in general, are concerned, we should note that the Easter celebrations follow some old rituals that come to show that the country had a serious and long religious history. The Easter celebrations start with the beginning of the Easter week, which is locally called Semana Santa, and the first day that marks it is the Palm Sunday, while the last one is the Easter Monday. The other days that are to be mentioned are Ash Wednesday, then Lent and Good Friday. On all these days, actually during the entire Easter Week, are being organized different Easter traditions and religious rituals.

Austria Palm Sunday

For example, on Palm Sunday all people in Barcelona and in Spain in general go to mass in the morning, while children are given palm leaves and are blessed by the priest. On that day some of the local churches organize a parade that resembles the way Jesus Christ entered into Jerusalem. People carry olive and palm branches. Then, on Ash Wednesday is organized a ceremony, during which the ashes are placed on the worshippers’ foreheads to show a sign of remorse. This ceremony symbolizes the return of the Christ and the circle of life. After the Ash Wednesday starts Lent, during which the worshippers in Spain are being asked to observe fasts and penitence on Good Friday. As the Lent ends, then start the joyful celebrations, which culminate on Easter Sunday. On that day in Spain are being arranged certain events that are not popular elsewhere. For example, in the area near Seville are made rag dolls of famous people that are placed in different parts of the village that are later torn to pieces, while in other parts of the country these dolls, which are locally known as the dolls of Judas, are set on fire.

The day of the Easter Sunday in Spain is quite special. On that day the godfather gives to his godchild a cake that is called La Mona. On that day are also being made special Spanish dishes – torrijas, made of warm bread dipped into milk, egg and sugar and fried in olive oil. The torrijas are served with honey and syrup and also with wine. The festive table on Easter is also arranged with other typical dishes, but the ones that are most happy with the Easter holiday are the children, who get a lot of sweets.

Barcelona is a city with cosmopolitan feel and this is valid for each aspect of it, including the dining options. There are a few nice places to eat that I found out in the last weeks, which deserve to be mentioned here. These are places that differ in style, meals and price, but are all interesting choices to consider, when you have a few days in this lovely Spanish city. The first restaurant to start with is called “Elisabets” and it is located in the El Raval neighborhood. It works every day of the week from early morning until the late evening. The quality of the food served here is impressive, while the prices are quite reasonable. Elisabets is very popular with the students and the young professionals living in Barcelona and is a very chic place for meeting friends for a nice meal and a drink. The meals I recommend to try are potatoes with Bolognese meat, black pudding, spicy sausages, toasted bread with tomatoes and oil. Here are also served coffee and pastries, as well as sandwiches and pizzas if you are in a hurry.

Another of my favorite dining places this month is called Ikibana and it is a Japanese-Brazilian restaurant, placed in El Borne district in the city of Barcelona. This place has a very interesting interior and a specially arranged floor, where one can see fishes flowing beneath one’s feet, which could be quite amusing for the children. One can also enjoy the huge screen showing pictures from the life in the ocean. Another interesting thing to be pointed out here is that you can watch how the chefs are preparing your meal. The choice of sushi here is impressive and the price is more than reasonable for this type of cuisine. The food served here is excellent and the service is great, while the atmosphere is relaxing and pleasant. This restaurant needs a reservation in advance, otherwise you will have to wait a not to get a table. The place is open each day for lunch and for dinner.

Brasserie

A restaurant with Catalan meals that deserves to be mentioned is “Can Josep”, which is situated in Eixample neighborhood. The restaurant works from Monday to Friday and it offers simple meals of a wonderful taste. The food is prepared by the owner himself, who is famous for using fresh ingredients while cooking. The restaurant comes with a new menu each season and all the dishes offered are just excellent. The atmosphere is very friendly and relaxed, just what you need for a nice dinner out. The restaurant seems to be very popular among the locals, thus a reservation would be worth to made, especially on Fridays. Another interesting place that is not to be missed is the Brasserie “Flo”, which is placed in El Barrio Gotico neighborhood near Palau Musica Catalana. It is open every day for lunch and dinner and the food served here is really impressive. The evening menu includes a bottle of wine for two and comes at a very good price. The place is good for all kinds of visitors, couples, families and friends.

November is not of the months that people usually love. It is cold, the Christmas is not there yet and everything that awaits you is work. Yet, if you happen to travel to Barcelona in November and want to enjoy yourself, there are plenty of things you can do. This cosmopolitan city has a great cultural program with various concerts, opera and theatrical performances, the museums have different art exhibitions and so do the art galleries near your Barcelona apartment. The night dance clubs are there for you, lively and full of happy people. Before that, however, you need a good place to dine. Thus, i will present here three very different options, which will give you an idea. These places will enchant you for sure, especially if you like to try different tastes and cuisines.

The first place to be presented is Casa Albert, which is set on Place de les Olles, a small square, which is far from the tourist crowds and which serves some typical Spanish and Catalan meals. Visitors should know that the place is open Monday to Friday from 8 o’clock in the morning until 15.30 o’clock in the afternoon. And has a palatable lunch menu with bread, water and table wine at a very good price. Casa Albert is located very close to the Santa Maria church and is a great place to try local and cheap local meals. Usually, the choice is of five soups, five or six second courses and a great selection of desserts, for those with a sweet tooth like me. Reservations are not necessary.

Now that you have tried something from the local cuisine, the other two options will bring you to other places on this earth. The first restaurant is called Kathmandu and it is a Nepalese restaurant, placed in the Eixample district. The place works every day except Sundays and is open for lunch time and for dinner. It offers daily menus, which are below 10 Euros per person. The Nepalese Kathmandu restaurant is reputed to serve the finest curry in the city of Barcelona, as well as a great variety of vegetarian meals. The restaurant has a simple decoration, but the meals are excellent and the Indian beer should be tried.

The other place that provoked my interest and is now to be presented is the Wok Yutaka II place, which is a great Japanese restaurant. It is located in the Eixample district and is open every day for lunch and for dinner. There is also a lunch menu for under 10 Euros per person. The food served is very delicious and fresh including the oysters, the mussels, the clams, the prawns and the octopus, the dining zone is spacious and the choice of beverages is excellent. The place is good for those who want to try sushis and makis, rice dishes and sashimis, noodles, etc. Wok Yutaka II Japanese restaurant is located close to Sagrada Familia and could be a good starting point for some sightseeing for those coming from their Madrid apartment rental.

There are a few places in the city of Barcelona, which are ideal for enjoying your breakfast in the cold November morning. They are all cozy, with relaxed atmosphere, fresh cakes and hot coffee which is a guarantee for the perfect start of the day. The first place to be mentioned here is the café Lilipep, which is all about coffee, tea, homemade cakes and books. The café is located in the area of El Borne, on the street Pou de la Cadena. The place is very cozy and is good to be visited in the morning, as well as in the afternoon. Two tips to be given here: the cheery cheese cake should be definitely tried, and in case you like a certain book, you can buy it.

Another place, which is ideal for breakfast in the city of Barcelona is Forn Mistral, where are offered the best croissants with chocolate in the city. The shop is located in El Raval district, on Ronda Sant Antoni Street and works every day except on Sundays. It sells small croissants, which are sold by their weight. There are also regular size croissants, as well as other delights and various kinds of bread. The shop also sells birthday cakes, which are delicious. Besides the shop, nearby there is a cafeteria where one can have the breakfast there, along with a cup of hot coffee or tea. The website of the place is here – http://www.fornmistral.com/

Those who love hot chocolate with cake will also appreciate the café La Pallaresa, which is placed in one of the narrow streets in the neighborhood El Barrio Gotico or the Gothic Quarter. The place works since 1940’s, serving croissants, toasts and sandwiches, and cups of rich and thick chocolate with a lot of cream. The place is ideal for a breakfast, but is also visited in the afternoons by those who are tired of sightseeing and shopping. It is closed on Sundays. To check the website of the place, just follow this link – http://www.lapallaresa.com/La_Pallaresa/Home.html

In case that you do not have enough time to sit and have a slow breakfast, then a good option is to try the snacks shop El Cocinero de Damasco, where you can see on a window display various delicious things you can point at and order. The atmosphere is warm and family-like and the food is very tasty. A must-try here are the humus wrap and the falafel. The place is situated in the Gothic district as well, and is some ten minutes away from the impressive Gothic Cathedral and less than that to the city hall. Note, however that the place is opening at 11h and that it does not work on Sundays.

The last nice place to be presented here is the Tossa place, which serves great tapas on its terrace, but also has a great inside area. The café serves fresh tapas like hams, salads, cheese, omelets, homemade croquetas filled with cheese, mushrooms, vegetables, etc. It is quiet place, away from the tourist crowds and has a very pleasant staff. The place is not open on Sundays.