Barcelona
-- The
"Rambla" Is A Must See In Barcelona
OK, so you're thinking
of visiting Barcelona, Spain and you may or may
not have heard of the "Rambla", "Las Ramblas" or even "dans Ramblas".
Well let me tell you,
you're in for a fabulous treat. Barcelona is one
of those very special places: It is safe, fun, beautiful, stylish,
artistic, historic, family friendly, high quality and low cost.
You'll develop great
affection for the warm hearted and friendly
Spanish people and Spanish culture, just like I have. I developed my
affinity for the Spaniards and Barcelona the very first time I visited
Barcelona 35 years ago and I wasn't wrong.
That feeling has become
stronger with every visit since then. You're
going to see why right here, right now:
Las
Ramblas, Barcelona
The Rambla is Barcelona's
most famous street. Las Ramblas as the locals call it, is probably in
the top 5 best known streets in the world. It share that honor with
such notable company as Champs Elise, Paris, Oxford Street, London and
Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills.
Fabulous Sights & Sounds Of Las Ramblas, Barcelona
The Rambla was once
actually a river! Today it is a lively
pedestrianised walkway lined with hotels, quaint little cafes, street
artists and street vendors.
Because the Rambla is
in the heart of Barcelona, it is a good place for
you to use as a base. During the day you can literally walk to a range
of cultural and fun places suitable for pretty much any taste. At night
you can drop into many lively night spots suitable for young adults or
just watch the world go buy in a local street side café or
restaurant, suitable for families.
Something that is
really endearing about the Spanish life style, even
in this modern fast paced world of ours, is that "you are allowed" to
relax and take it easy. Unlike most major cities in the western world,
you are not hurried along to leave your table as soon as you finish
your meal or drink.
I also encourage you to
go down some of the side streets and alleyways
and discover something that belongs to a bygone era in most of the
developed world. That is, you will find lovely little family run
café's where the owner comes
along and sits down near you and talks to you.
He takes an active
interest in who you are where you're coming from and
where you're going to. He'll tell you about local events, what to do
and where to go. He does all this while your order is being prepared.
Then he politely leaves
you alone to have your meal. Afterwards if you
show any further interest (and only then) he will rejoin you and tells
you more. I tell you from my own numerous personal experiences, the
café owner may well offer you a liquor or glass of fine
local wine etc, on the house of course. And I promise you
they're genuine, hospitable, warm, people and don't
do this for the tips. In Spain tips are generally much lower than in
Britain and the US.
Barcelona
Ramblas Hotels
There're are 5-star
hotels down to 2-star all along the
Rambla. The rates are relative to the rest of major Western European
cities are pretty low. But the cheapest accommodation is probably a bed
and breakfast which will cost you probably around 40% of the comparable
cities in Europe!
Now consider this: the
quality of food is really high in Spanish
cafés, relative to the price. You also have tremendous
choice ranging from hot a variety of food to wonderful and numerous,
freshly baked pastries and a little known Spanish coffee that rivals
the best in the world. Just try "café con leché"
(coffee with milk). This is the Spanish version of the Italian
café Latté.
Given such choice,
quality and low cost, why bother with a hotel
breakfast when you can get all this everywhere on the Rambla! So save
yourself that little bit more and see if you can get a B&B
without breakfast. Of course sometimes you can't opt out.
What
To See On And
Around Las Ramblas And
Around Barcelona
No matter where you go,
you'll see the mark of Antoni Gaudi, this most
famous son of Barcelona. His unique style of curved edges is instantly
recognisable on building and even parks that he designed.
A Glimpse Of Gaudi With An Amazing Operatic Sound Track (you know this one)
I did say you're in for
a treat … well, if you're an art
lover, you need no introduction to the other famous artists that you
ought to consider. These are Joan Miro, Pablo Casals and Jose Carreras.
Hey listen
even the legendary Pablo Picasso has a museum
there in the North West of the city. Picasso spent much of his time in
Barcelona, though he was from the Southern city of Malaga.
Still there are other
notable names to look out for such as Puig,
Domènech, Cadafalch and Montaner.
Here are a few places
to consider:
Placa Reial is a lively
part of the Rambla with lots of bars and
café's.
A famous Spanish
delicacy is patatas brava (crispy roast potato with a
spicy tomoto sauce) – a must, in my view – and
calamares (squid). Try these and more at any of the café's
along the Rambla.
If you're into books
then try the Ramblas del Estudis which is full of
booksellers.
Break Dancers On Las Ramblas, Barcelona
The fanatical supports
of Barcelona football (soccer) team usually
gather around Font de las Canaletes. You could rest at the
Café Zurich at the top of the Rambla close to the metro
station for visiting the rest of the city.
Museu d'Art Modern is
the museum of modern art. This and the botanical
gardens, the aquarium and the zoo are located at the tranquil
Ciutadella Park on the North East of the city.
I hope your imagination
is nicely fired up … but listen, the
reality of Barcelona and Las Ramblas is even more exciting and
enticing. Just see for yourself. Barcelona never disappoints. Famous as
this city is, it is still one Europe's best kept secrets!
You can find even more
information by my
co-authors right here:
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