Prior to moving to Barcelona, two years ago now, I had a three-day trip to cram in as many flat viewings as possible and visit as many areas as possible. Looking back, I was insane to think I could get a feel for the city’s residential areas in just a few days.

Luckily, I chose Gràcia to live and work, which is an amazing area, originally established in 1626 as an independent municipality of Gràcia. The road which joined Gràcia with Barcelona is Passeig de Gràcia, a beautiful wide street running from Plaça de Catalunya up to the centre of Gracia. It is uniquely home to shops reminiscent of New York’s 5th Avenue, but also dotted with some of the best architectural designs of the city. There’s some stunning hotels and rooftops, but the price tag can be pretty hefty.

Further north, at the top of Passeig de Gràcia, the “real” Gràcia starts. To me Gràcia combines the residential bliss with close proximity of the attractions as well as some of the best bars and restaurants in town. Read the rest of this article…

Carrer Verdi, Gràcia

Gràcia in Barcelona is the neighbourhood where I’ve lived my entire and still short (hey, I’m still young, ok?) life. To me, it is the best neighbourhood in Barcelona (you could argue I’m a little biased), as it still has that sense of antiquity, that village atmosphere as though it wasn’t part of the busy, modern city that lies just a few minutes away.

If you are planning on spending a few days in Barcelona, Gràcia is, without doubt, one of the must-sees. I’ve prepared for you a one day trip in Gràcia, and all I can say is: I wish all my days were like this!

You could start the day having breakfast at La Nena, a chocolaterie where you’ll be able to taste one of the best hot chocolates in town (with a French croissant, just to make sure you take in all the calories possible). Read the rest of this article…

Contributor Duncan Rhodes shares five of his favourite Barcelona nightclubs…

Barcelona’s nightlife contributes much to its allure as one of Europe’s top destinations… this is the city where girls and boys come to combine hedonism and beach life, with just a small side helping of culture, and there are certainly no shortage of venues promising nocturnal adventures to young thrillseekers. Despite my advancing years I’ve spent much of the last four years ‘researching’ the city’s nightspots, either as a freelance journalist or for my own website (see my author profile below) or – more frequently – as just an ordinary alcoholic. It’s high time the info that I’ve amassed during these ill-spent hours hit the blogosphere, so without further ado allow me to present to you my current Top 5 Nightclubs in Barcelona. Read the rest of this article…

Festa Major de Gràcia 2012

The Festa Major de Gràcia started last Wednesday (Aug 15th) and is on until this Tuesday 21st August. It is one of my favourite events in Barcelona. So beautiful, so incredibly imaginative. 18 streets were decorated this year and they all looked fabulous. The winner for 2012 was Carrer de Verdi, always one of the better ones.

Take a look at the pictures below for a taste of the festival and the street decorations. And if you haven’t been already I encourage you to take a stroll before it closes on Tuesday.

You can check out the festival website at www.festamajordegracia.cat for a list of the streets taking part and a map highlighting them. Read the rest of this article…

The balconies of the Festa Major de Gràcia

The 195th running of the Festa Major de Gràcia starts today (Mon 15th Aug 2011) and runs all week until Sun 21st August.

This Gràcia festival was my first experience of any of the barrio festivals when I arrived in Barcelona just over a year ago. I went to the Poble Sec festival just recently and I have to say, even with their Correfoc, it isn’t a patch on the Gràcia experience. In terms of size, entertainment and all round effort, nothing beats Gràcia. Read the rest of this article…