A sentence you might want to learn when you come to Barcelona and make the most of the nightlife here; “salimos por Gracia?”, translates roughly as “wanna hang in Gracia?”. It’s the best neighbourhood for barhopping, so if that’s what rocks your boat, you’ve found your destination! With hundreds of little streets running into each other or leading into cobblestone plazas full of terraza bars where you can sit outside and watch the world go by, you could go to Gracia every day and night and still find a new place to discover.

The Gracia district was, in 1850, an independent municipality to Barcelona. Now it’s really close to the buzz of Plaza Catalunya and the scores of people shopping in Paseo de Gracia, but it’s a world apart in terms of atmosphere and vibe. The area is famous for its artistic and bohemian crowd; every race, age and belief is accepted in Gracia. But it remains different to the Borne neighbourhood because of the love its inhabitants have for their area; Gracia unites the excitement of a never-ending party with a traditional, well-settled neighbourhood that has a large population of older people. These are just some of the elements of Gracia that make it unique!

The Sol Solet bar is an example that the Catalans also do incredible tapas; from tortillas, pintxos, chicken wings and the famous patatas bravas, this is a fab place to start the night. From here, you could walk down to the Cerveseria Artesana, which offers an extensive menu of imported and homemade beers. We recommend the honey beer!! And if what matters to you to make a night out special is music then the Black Caffe should be the perfect choice: like a typical San Francisco bar, come here to sip on a freshly shaken cocktail and listen to the jazz. And finally, also in the Plaza del Sol, the Woody Allen bar stands proud: with tons of artists’ photos on the wall, film soundtracks filling the air and comfortable, big, squashy seats, you’ll never want the night to end!

Gràcia is also well known for the festival which takes place for 5 days during the month of August in which people from all over Barcelona and surrounding towns come to party for the “Festes de Gracia”. The neighbours compete for the decoration of the streets (and take it very seriously!), usually with spectacular results, and at night the festival comes alive with beer and hundreds of bands playing live music on each street. Children from the Gracia schools make papier-mâché decorations that dangle over the dancing crowd, strung on ropes that stretch from one building to the other.

Why not stay in one of our Barcelona apartments in Gracia, to be really near the pulsing beat of this neighbourhood? We assure you, you wont regret it!

This amazing 30 000 m² science museum opened in 2005 in Barcelona and is one of the best in the world. While visiting it, you will realize about how much fun science can be – we guarantee you will become a nerd in the time it takes to walk around the museum once!

The CosmoCaixa museum has been built with an impressive amount of glass which lets tons of natural light in, but what will surprise you the most when you first enter is the massive 300 year-old Amazon tree extending from the bottom floor to the ceiling of the museum.

There is a never-ending range of exhibitions throughout the different rooms: the Planetarium, the geological realm, the Amazon forest and many others, showing in fascinating detail the nature and the evolution of the earth. Walk into part of Brazil whilst never leaving Barcelona!

We recommend you visit the tropical rain forest: 1000m² of Amazon rainforest that boasts 13 different types of tree species and 36 animal species. You will see jungle fish, tropical snakes, frogs, piranhas and much more! The CosmoCaixa’s not only a kids paradise – adults will thoroughly enjoy interacting with all the displays; like the hurricane exhibition, which creates a whirlwind of sand right in front of your eyes!

In the planetarium you will learn a lot about the meteors, planets and do dot miss the toca-toca room, where you can touch and feel dozens of different plants and animals… It’s a world of excitement, feeling all these brand new sensations!

The general admission is 3euros, and the reduced fare is 2 euros, and the museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 10am to 10pm; so there is absolutely no excuse not to go! Our Barcelona apartments nearby will prove to be invaluable as headquarters to your holiday, since their comfort and styling are enjoyed by everyone who chooses them!

The Champañería is a top favourite in Barcelona. This cava and tapas bar is very well known and the idea of cheap food and drinks delights everyone.

The bar is open from 5:30pm and is almost always crowded, but try to arrive before 7pm to access the backroom easier and start order delicious glasses of pink Cava! It also closes quite soon, around about 10:30pm, which makes it the best place to grab some supper before bar hopping into the small hours. Ok, so you will have read tons of offers for “cheap drink” and then realize it was a con; well, a glass of cava in the Champañería varies between 0,70€ to 0,90€!

When you are in the Champañería, you can either choose between having a glass or a full bottle of cava.  With a bottle you have to buy something to eat, so for about 5€, you can have the cava plus two tapas or sandwiches! You can also choose from a range of traditional tapas such as ham, cheese and olives, or a bocadillo (a sandwich or a hamburger – or try the mouth watering “lomo con queso”). So many reasons to love Barcelona…

La Champañería is located between the Barrio Born and Port Vell, near the Barceloneta metro and it’s on Calle Reina Christina. To live it up and make the most of the city, our chic Barcelona apartments will serve as an excellent home away, really close to the heart of the city and – more importantly – really close to La Champañeria!!

We strongly recommend you to try the Champañería during your stay, because it’s hard to describe the crazy atmosphere of this unique place.

Open to the four winds, the Putget Park is on top of a hill that goes by the same name; and is has one of the most priviledged views of Barcelona, the panoramic is simply mind-blowing! From the Tibidabo and Collserola to the sea and Montjuic, all the way down to the Llobregat River.

This urban park was born in the 70’s and is sandwiched between the Putget and Farró neighbourhoods. The hill used to be covered in shrubs and was topped by a lonely, broken down mill; from the time, in the middle of the XIX century, when Barcelona began building houses up the hill to escape the masses of the city. Now it is a park full of flowers and tranquil benches, with winding paths made of grey cobblestones.

The gardens are more accessible than it may seem at first sight: except for the steps that lead up to the peak, the rest of the park is simply lazy lanes that curve in and out of wide, green spaces where children can run around and play, and smaller, cosy squares where one can read or rest a while and enjoy the view. There are also picknick tables for those who’d like to carry up a hamper with “bocadillos”.

The number of photographs you will take when you come to Barcelona will sky rocket into the hundreds, we guarantee; but the Putget Park is one of the few places you’ll be able to get a superb 360º photograph! Come and stay in the marvelous city in our Barcelona apartments, and make yourself at home!

The Gato Negro is a chupito bar you must not miss during your stay in Barcelona - but beware the dreaded hangover if you stay there too long! Situated in the city centre, near the University of Barcelona, you can stop at the Universitat metro station and discover this incredible bar.

But first of all, what is a chupito? A chupito is what you’d call a shot; served in small glasses ideal to easily throw the yummy liquid down your hatch creating a delicious burn.

These drinks can either be a type of alcohol – as in, a vodka shot -, or mini mouth watering cocktails. Chupitos are often layered, shook or blended, and some of them are served with tricks or involve funny games. If you want to see interesting mise-en-scene, try “the Devil Wears Prada” or “Harry Potter” shots, which both involve fire! Or a “Boy Scout”, a chupito that allows you to grill marshmallows while the waiter is making the table go up in flames! And for the grittiest ones, try the “Monica Lewinsky” which is served with whipped cream and … a sex toy!

When you first enter the Gato Negro you will be surprised by the amazing choice of chupitos, at least 300 different shots!  All these shots are protected by copyright and you will only find it in one of the Espit Chupitos Bars.

Each chupito costs 2 euros, so the Gato Negro can be an affordable destination for a night out, or the right place to start your night. And if you are not a big fan of chupitos, no problem, you can sip cocktails as colourful and exotic as tropical parrots!

The only thing small con to this watering whole would be that it’s always crowded and it might be hard to get your space at the bar. But the atmosphere in the Gato Negro is always crazy and very funny, so that does not even matter!

Nearby, we have some amazing Barcelona apartments that you can zig-zag your way too after having worked your way alphabetically down the incredible chupito list at the Gato Negro!

The Teatre del Liceu, also known as “El Liceo” (El Liceu in Catalan) is one of the most luxurious and emblematic monuments in Barcelona. The Teatre del Liceu was inaugurated in 1847 on the Ramblas, and has displayed for more than 150 years renowned plays and singers from the entire world.

It is also known as one of the best opera venues in the whole world. Moreover, this impossible-to-miss building boasts an amazing architecture you must admire while having a walk on the Ramblas.

It is important to know that the Teatre del Liceu was marked by several incidents; it was partially destroyed and rebuilt after a first fire in 1861, and in 1994 another fire destroyed the whole auditorium and the stage. The reconstruction ended in 1999 with the aim of being as faithful as possible to the original.

To visit the theatre and learn more, it is possible to go for a guided tour. You will first discover the main entrance, in the past only for the bourgeoisie, and the stairs with the Muse of Music looking down the astonishing Hall of Mirrors, the only part of the theatre that remained after the first fire ate up the rest in flames.

The ceiling in this room is covered in paintings from famous artists’ and is used for conferences and small concerts. When you’re done admiring the beauty, walk through the majestic and prestigious auditorium.

And after the visit, do not miss the Liceu shop where you can watch a very informative documentary for free about the theatre in incredibly comfy seats. With its impressive decorations and meaningful design, the Teatre del Liceu is truly worth a guided tour, in order to fully understand the architecture and beauty that this centre of Catalan culture in Barcelona is.

If you can’t wait to see this architectural masterpiece, come have a look at our Barcelona apartments to get started!

Full of light and music, the A Casa Portuguesa is an ideal place to cuspir fininho, a Portuguese expression that means chatting indefinitely, a charming and relaxed concept conjuring images of long conversations taking you into the night. Nestled in the heart of Gracia it’s a peculiar mix of a bakery, bar, cultural centre and grocery store.

The bar’s owners, Leonor and Pedro, arrived in Barcelona to study Arts and Film, but three years later they had wound up staying in the city they describe of uniting “the cosmopolitanism of big cities with the comfort of small towns” and opening A Casa Portuguesa.

The selection on offer is vast: from green vine, oporto and ginjinha – a liqueur made from infusing ginja berries or Morello cherries in alcohol; it’s taken in shots with a small piece of fruit in the bottom of the glass -, to typical Portuguese dishes like the bacalhau à Bras and açorda – mashed bread with garlic, olive oil, coriander, water, eggs and a variety of other ingredients, like shrimp. But they do not limit themselves to food! No, Portugese culture and tradition also endures in A Casa Portguesa: they set up fado concerts, book presentations, art expositions and even inaugurations, last month they celebrated the opening of Folclore, a Portuguese fashion boutique.

Their speciality are the pastéis de Belém; little egg pastries famous in Portugal, made with cream and milk, eggs and sugar. People believe them to have been made for the first time in the XVIII century by the nuns of the Jerónimo convent. The original pastéis de Belem are now produced next to the convent, and according to popular belief, there are only three people who know the secret recipe!

When you come to stay in one of our Barcelona apartments for the holidays, be sure to take a bit of Portugal home with you too! This delightful, charming bar is one of the many places you can experience the original flavours and culture of another country, whilst still in Barcelona.

The original Escribá Bakery founded in 1906 was situated on the Gran Via, but now you can find two other branches of the Escribá bakery in Barcelona, one at the sea-front and one at the Ramblas, which fuses beautiful Art Nouveau décor with a modern, ambitiopus business.

The Escribá Bakery is now famous in the whole world and the place to go if you want the best cakes and pastries of Barcelona; if you check out their website you will feel as if you have been swallowed up into Roald Dahl’s Chocolate Factory (without Johnny Depp!) and that’s just the beginning. This must-see bakery is housed in one of the most beautiful buildings in town and you can enjoy its excellent little cakes while sitting outside the shop on the sunny terrace.

More than a simple bakery, Escribá creates fashion chocolate and sugar masterpieces like their to-die-for Candy Glam. They craft sugar into amazing wearable rings. Can you top that for an original and surprising gift? We don’t think so!

We highly recommend you the house speciality “La Rambla”, a big truffle and chocolate biscuit. Moreover – and we’re very excited about this – they make personalized cakes for birthdays or Christmas!! Decorated however you wish, from extravagant hats to handbags!

Our Barcelona apartments in the heart of the city will serve as an excellent headquarters in Barcelona whilst you roam far and wide sightseeing and enjoying treats like the Escribà cakes. Really near the centre and with gorgeous styling, everybody will be happy!

Come to discover these yummy, yummy fantasy sweets and cakes!

The London Bar was opened in 1910 by Josep Roca and used to be frequented by the likes of Picasso, Dali and Hemingway. It’s named this way because when it was inaugurated the year Tolstoy died and the bars, cafès and restaurants in Barcelona adopted cosmopolitan names such as Pétit Paris, American Bar and London Bar, like this one!

As one of the oldest bar in Barcelona, the London Bar is decorated like a traditional English pub, and the old school glamour décor has been kept the same from the first opening. The atmosphere will take you to another century: when you enter, you will be surprised by all the mirrors all around the bar, and do not forget to have a look at the drawings on the wall while enjoying your drink. With a stage right at the back of the bar, the London Bar is also a venue for live music every night, from jazz to Brit rock bands. And with no cover charges; it is the perfect place to start your night before going to night clubs… or, in fact, to spend the whole night in: the London bar is one the few bars open until 5 am.

The bar is a popular meeting place for many locals and tourists so just walk through to the back and try to find a seat to listen to the live music, and enjoy! The atmosphere is really friendly, and it’s a great place to just drink a few beers, sip cocktails… or absinthe for the most reckless!

The London Bar is situated in the Raval quarter, just a few steps away from the famous Las Ramblas, near the metro station Liceu (Green line, L3).

To enjoy the most of the city, we recommend you choose one of our Barcelona apartments in the center, where you will be close to many of the city’s attractions and to this not-to-be-missed traditional English pub!

At the end of Paseo San Juan stands the beautiful Arc de Triunf, and beyond it the Passeig dels Til·lers; a huge avenue lined with linden trees and flower beds that leads down to the Ciutadella Park. Standing underneath the Arc de Triunf, staring down the Passeig, one see Barcelona’s two tallest buildings, the Mapfre Tower and the Arts Hotel. It’s a truly breathtaking sight.

The park was conceived in 1872 to be one of the main green spaces in Barcelona. But the development for this central urban park was very, very slow, and it wasn’t until 1885 that the speed with which it was being built accelerated so as to make it the site of the 1888 Universal Exhibition. And this is not the only link the park has to Barcelona’s history: the Ciutadella Park is also where the King Felipe V built his citadel in 1714 after winning the War of Succession; actually destroying the walls of the south of the city and over 1000 houses to make more room for his gardens.

Nowadays it’s one of the most loved parks in Barcelona: its eclectic, with winding paths that lead to a lake in the middle. Sitting on the grass watching couples rowing around the lake in small, colourful boats and listening to people playing the drums or the Spanish guitar, is one of the most relaxing experiences one can have in the centre of bustling Barcelona.

Down one of the winding tracks there’s a mammoth that was put there by geologist and writer Norbert Font i Sagué. The idea was to make stone statues out of all great extinct species, but after the mammoth was erected the initiative dissolved.

The Castle of the Three Dragons was built to look like a medieval castle and doubled as a restaurant during the Expo. Now it holds the zoological and geology collections of the Natural Science Museum. Nearby there’s also the Cascada; a waterfall and fountain, whose spray creates rainbows over the park. This baroque, ornate monument was designed to resemble the Trevi Fountain in Rome. In fact, the assistant architect was Gaudí who at the time was still in university!

If you come to Barcelona during the balmy spring or autumn weather, be sure to come and relax on the grass. The park is next to the Born neighbourhood, where several of our Barcelona apartments stand, as well as minutes away from the beach, Barceloneta and the Olympic Village.