Pa amb tomàquet (or pan tomaca)

I’m no newbie to Spain, but I’m a fresh arrival to Barcelona. After a year enjoying free tapas in Granada and another spent crouched over a space heater in rainy Bilbao, I’m excited to see what this cosmopolitan Mediterranean city has to offer.

I’ve been here for a month, and plan on staying till the end of June, when my English teaching contract ends and the country kicks me out for being a visa-less American. But I’m beginning to realize I’ll need more than a year to really get to know this unbeatable city. I wish I knew the best place for pan tomaca; the cheapest (drinkable) glass of wine in the city; what time to arrive at my nearest Bicing station before all the bikes are taken. But there are only so many ways blogs and Lonely Planet can enlighten you; the best teacher is time. So here’s how I envision my perfect day in Barcelona come June, when I’ve gotten more familiar with my surroundings and it’s time to leave it all behind. Read the rest of this article…

In this article Barcelona native, Carmen Carrasco, shares some things to consider if you’re thinking about moving to Barcelona.

If you are considering relocating to Barcelona there are some things you need to consider first.

Sometimes the motivation to start a new life and the attractiveness of the place where we want to move, makes us launch into the adventure without the right information about aspects which can give us problems.

Here we offer some tips that we hope you find useful before taking that big step. Read the rest of this article…

Claire is back with another excellent article, this time reflecting on her last 5 years in Barcelona.

Within the next couple of weeks it will be 5 years to the day since I was hit by a wall of heat as I stepped off a sleeper train in Estació de França, with probably more luggage than is really permitted in their carriages. It’s difficult now to remember exactly how I felt at the time, what I was expecting, how long it would take, if ever, to feel like home. Moving away from a comfortable, happy life in Manchester to try one I’d dreamed of in a Mediterranean city has thrown more experiences and challenges my way than I ever expected and this anniversary has provided a good opportunity to reflect on what as a British expat are my personal highs and lows of Barcelona life. Read the rest of this article…

Marina from Allergychef shares her top 5 gluten-free restaurants in Barcelona.

Whether you’re among the increasing number of people with celiac disease or food allergies or simply prefer to avoid gluten or other allergens for health reasons, finding good restaurants in Barcelona is quite challenging.

There are a bunch of restaurants in Barcelona that offer gluten-free options but you have to be careful about choosing the right one. Some places are fully aware of cross-contamination, some think they know about it but believe gluten and dairy are the same. That’s why it is so important to find the right place.

Because I love food just as much as you do and I want you to be able to experience the pleasure of Catalan cuisine, I’ve compiled a list of the best gluten-free and allergy-friendly restaurants in Barcelona. Read the rest of this article…

The terrace at Cafè del Born Nou, Plaça Comercial, 10

Choosing a neighborhood in Barcelona wasn’t easy at first. I was moving on after years of living in Madrid, what many call the most genuine Spanish city out there, and I had been warned that my experience in Barcelona might not be the same in that aspect. People told me that its authenticity wouldn’t be as palpable, and that I might have a hard time truly immersing myself into the culture. And this was something important for me.

After much debate and seeing at least thirty different apartments, it so happened that the one I fell in love with was in the Born. This had its pros and cons… the Born is a beautiful neighborhood with an awesome location, it’s lively and bustling yet safe and pleasant… but on the other hand, after the very diverse Raval, the Born is arguably the least “Catalan” neighborhood in the city. Having undergone a recent gentrification, the once seedy neighborhood has become one of the trendiest around, and its population has evolved into a cosmopolitan melting pot of bohemian expats, replanted immigrants, wandering tourists and the like. Read the rest of this article…