The walker’s guide to Barcelona

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Barcelona walker's guide
Architectural gems, stunning beaches and locally produced delicacies combine to remind Jeff Holman why Barcelona on foot is worth the hike
 
Sitting in Barcelona eatery Castro, enjoying something wonderful conjured up out of a little roast chicken dish and some fresh vegetables, it occurred to me that there are far worse places to lose your passport than Barcelona. An extra day to kick back in the sunshine, eating plump green olives and reading Lorca was mine. It also meant I could spend a little longer wandering around this, Spain’s most walkable city, in peace. And maybe, hopefully, bumping into Lionel Messi. Who doesn’t want to know how he manages to practically perform a tango with the ball? Even Americans are wondering. Messi aside, my short four day trip had just been extended by another day, which meant I’d be able to see a little more of the Catalan capital. Four days aren’t enough to see everything, and neither for that matter, are five. And if, like me, you do it on foot, the possibilities are infinite.

Walking down La Ramblas, a with its riot of souvenir shops, street vendors, hotels and restaurants, I savoured the overlapping breezes, each bearing the scent of something new. Frying octopus, green sap and a snatch of Armand Basi combining like a batch of cake mixture to produce something intangibly Spanish. Cyclists sped past, mothers clutched the hands of pouting children and black-garbed businessmen bustled past. This, in a nutshell, encapsulates the beauty of doing a new city by foot. Instead of an impartial observer peeping out through the perspex of a car window; on two feet, you’re right in the middle of things. Literally. Quite how literally in the middle, I didn’t realise until I arrived at La Boqueria: a veritable foodie’s paradise. Here, you can find almost anything: fresh fish, brightly coloured fruit and vegetables, and ruby dark wine. We drank freshly made fruit smoothies while immersing ourselves in this centre of Catalan culture. With so many locals around, La Boqueria is a fragrant, if slightly frenetic experience that makes having to push through the teeming masses of people worth it. A little further down La Ramblas, through a small alleyway, is the Plaza Real, or Placa Reial. Gaudi-designed lampposts mingle with bright green palm trees around the edges, while the centre is home to a spectacular fountain.

Further down La Ramblas you’ll come to the seaside and harbour area, just south of the impressive Estatua de Colon, or Statue of Colon. Here you’ll find more classical architectural gems and plenty of seaside dining and shopping spots. Looking out towards the harbour, you can see the cranes that carry the cable cars up towards the mediaeval Montjuic castle, and the crowd of ferries and private boats docked along the wharf. The water is brilliant blue and so clear you can see straight to the bottom: we even caught a crowd being entertained by a mariner feeding a school of large fish. Walking east along the seafront, you’ll eventually come to one of several beaches; as in Rio de Janeiro, the pulsing heart of the city. Although we only stayed for a spot of afternoon sunbathing, locals often stay as late as eight, playing volleyball or Frisbee and enjoying the sea air that makes the beach considerably cooler than inland areas.  

If you fancy a challenge, Montjuic, the hill overlooking the city on the south-western side, is for you. There are cable cars to take you to the top, but taking it means missing out on the beautiful parks and museums that dot the slopes. As we made our way to the summit, I passed the Catalan National Art Museum, the Olympic Stadium, and a wealth of gardens packed exotic fauna. For me though, the best part was Montjuic Castle itself. Built in 1640, the fort still retains original features including ramparts, cannons and a grey stone bridge. From the castle, we had a magnificent view of the city and harbour, as well as the countryside surrounding the city to the north and east. Montjuic is also well served by footpaths, so we took a different route down that took us through some of the peaceful parks.

Away from tourist areas such as La Ramblas, La Gracia, a student area, offers a low-key take on the city. The cobbled side streets are filled with shops and tiny tapas bars, as well as numerous small squares packed with locals playing football, having a quiet chat, or just relaxing with a book. One foodie find in the area was the charming Taverna El Glop. I chose local speciality, Pa amb Tomàquet, which included bread with homemade tomato sauce, wild salmon, and a generous portion of organic beef. It was excellent and cost a fraction of what you would pay in London. La Taina, La Vinoteca Torres, and the Nou Candanchu tapas bar are also worth checking out.

Five days wasn’t nearly enough to fully explore Barcelona on foot, although you can make a decent start. The city is packed with works of architectural genius such as Antonio Gaudi’s Sagrada Famillia, La Placa Catalunya and the Barcelona Football Club Museum. While doing the city under your own steam cuts down on the number of sights you can see, the illusion – or reality – of becoming a part of the warp and weft of daily life more than makes up for it, and means you’ve got a better chance of discovering something truly special.

Need to know

Eat
Barcelona abounds with eateries, so choosing one can be a daunting task. Taverna El Glop, Ciudad Condal tapas bar and the more upmarket Castro all come highly recommended and rely on locally produced fresh produce. My favourite though, was the Senyor Parellada, where I ate freshly caught and cooked calamari and some terrific organic lamb with fresh garlic and tomato bread.

Sleep
Located close to the city centre in the Raval district, the Casa Camper is an idiosyncratic outpost of the Camper shoe empire with an emphasis on the eco-friendly. A cosy 25-room establishment, everything is decorated in the Camper colours of red, white and green, and the use of the hotel's bikes and free 'Ten Ten' pies to snack on are included in the price. Green initiatives include a water recycling scheme which has reduced water use in the hotel by 50 per cent, and using solar energy to produce hot water for showers. The on site restaurant, Tentempié, serves fresh, locally-sourced produce only.

Prices start at £176.95 per room, per night. For more information, go to www.casacamper.com

Getting around
As suggested, there’s nothing wrong with your own two feet, but there are several bike rental companies such as Bike Tours Barcelona, Budget Bikes and BornBikes. Since Barcelona has its own bicycle scheme for residents, the city’s drivers and roads are well acquainted with cyclists. There is a very comprehensive and reasonably priced metro system for those days when the weather isn’t cooperating, as well as numerous buses running on compressed natural gas. 

Getting there
Brittany Ferries (www.brittany-ferries.co.uk) run twice weekly services to Bilbao and Santander from Portsmouth and Plymouth. Barcelona is a 600km drive (expect it to take around five and a half hours), but there are inexpensive train and bus options. A return on Brittany Ferries to Bilbao from Portsmouth starts at £324 per person, while the Santander route is slightly cheaper at £300. Buses to Barcelona start at €40 and trains at €70. Other options include taking the Eurostar to Paris where you can join the Joan Miro sleeper train – a daily service that leaves the Gare d'Austerlitz at 20:37. Prices for the sleeper train start at £64 one way. See www.raileurope.co.uk for more information.
More information on things to do and see in Barcelona can be found on at www.barcelonaturisme.com
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