There are many Irish pubs in Barcelona, but one of my favourties is 'The Shamrock' on Tallers 72. It's a small and friendly place with a wide selection of beers and plenty of paraphernalia on the walls and ceiling.

It's one of my favoured places for watching the footie, and the other day I was there to watch the Liverpool Barça game. There's lots of screens so they were actually showing three different games, and there were cameramen from a local TV station filming! It's a hard life being a celebrity!!!

It's right in the centre, so a great palce to start the night's frivolity! Maybe see you there. I'll be the one with the pint of Guiness! ;)

/Janine 

Do you want to try what is considered the “best Guinness” in Barcelona?? For those people who really like to have some beers with friends, this is your bar!! Definitely, McCarthy’s bar is one of my favourites in Barcelona’s city centre. You will find many different types of beers for a reasonable price and it is very well known because of their Guinness. But that’s not all, for those who don’t really enjoy beer; they also offer a huge variety of cocktails, such as Mojito, Margarita, Piña Colada, Daiquiri, etc. and all of this, with some nice background music.

It goes without saying that you can watch all the football or rugby matches in the UK and Ireland in the bar actually; I’ve been there many, many times because I love this place, but also because the waiters are very friendly. And now, I know one of the waitresses…she’s from the Czech Republic and she is very nice!!

For example, last Saturday I went to this bar with a friend to watch the Liverpool-Chelsea match. The match was at 2 o’clock, so we accompanied our beers with some sandwiches for lunch. We had a great time!!

Very well located, close to the Cathedral and just 10 minutes walk from Las Ramblas or Plaza Catalunya; don’t miss the opportunity of trying the best Guinness in town, or even some cocktails for a reasonable price! Immerse yourself in the British and Irish cultures!!

See you there ;)

Iñaki

At the club Otto Zutz I had one of my best nights out in Barcelona! I am a big fan of Hip Hop, R&B and Urban but I also really like to go mad on the Grooving sounds and progressive beats of all kinds of House, Electro, and Club music. The great thing about this club is that it contains 4 area's in which the dj's play different kinds of music. So there is a big chance that when you decide to go to this club there will be at least one room which you will enjoy. I liked the music played in all the rooms so my friends and I switched a lot from one room to the other, which I found really nice, because in the all different rooms you notice that you enter a different vibe, atmosphere and party. It felt like I had been to 4 different clubs!

The club is located in a very nice area just north of the city center where you can also find a lot of other clubs, bars and restaurants. So the great thing is that you can first go to a restaurant and a couple of bars before going to Otto Zutz. You will however need to take a taxi or the metro to go there since it is too far to walk from the centre.

The entrance is about 10 euro's but if you go there before 2 a clock there is a big chance that you will see staff of the club giving away free tickets which was the case when my friends and I went there last time. The drinks however are very expensive as in all the big clubs in Barcelona so it might be wise to drink at home or in a bar before going to Otto Zutz! See you there!

Patrick       

'Don't let your Spanish come between you and your hair'! - This is the advertising slogan for the Anthony Llobet  English hair salon in Gracia, and it has been my life saver since living in Barcelona!!

I'm not a big fan of the 'mullet', which seems to have taken Barcelona by storm (you'll see both male and female mullets here), and in order to avoid this 80's rock band look, you do have to know what you are talking about, that is unless you go to a hair salon where everybody speaks English!!

I know it's a bit of a cop out, after all, when in Spain etc, but my hair is very important to me and i want to know that it is in good hands, hands that understand that I DON'T WANT A MULLET!!.

The shop is really funky with 50's style decor and it's really well priced, with a cut and blow dry for around 20 euros (it's cheaper still for men). As well as having your hair cut, you can eliminate your homesickness, by buying some of the English goodies that have been shipped over (Bisto gravy granules, marmite, custard etc). It's a home from home for us brits abroad!!!.

/jessica

Last month I stayed in the Catalonia Ramblas hotel for a period of 6 days. It's a new facility of the famous and huge Catalonia hotel chain. I had stayed at a couple of their facilities in Barcelona before of which I had very good experiences. Since they had opened a new one with a gym and spa centre including a sauna, jacuzzi, steam bath, pool, etc I decided to book this hotel.

It is a brand new and very modern hotel with nice lounge area's, a very good cocktail bar, flat screens with satellite TV throughout the whole of the building, an internet cafe etc. The rooms are also very comfortable and well furnished actually everything I needed was there, and more! A huge king size bed, satellite TV, a mini bar, an amazing bathroom with a bath and the possibility to choose between a rain shower and a normal one and a good view over the outdoor swimming pool.

What I really disliked about the hotel was that the spa and gym facility were closed because they had not finished it yet. I had based my choice to go to this hotel on the fact that those specific facilities were available. They also had big problems with leakages; there was one time big parts of the sealing came down because huge amounts of water kept falling down. Apart from the technical defects the hotel staff were very unfriendly and impolite which really disappointed me because I had great expectations of the hotel.

To conclude I think that the hotel just opened too soon because certain things weren't finished yet and if they do choose to open, they shouldn't mention on their website that they are offering something which they're not, I find this really misleading. Probably if you go to the hotel now or in the near future everything will be finished and you'll have an amazing time. It certainly has a lot of potential.         

What would Barcelona be without its art?

If you fancy a concentrated dose of art contemplation you should visit the Art Museum ‘Museu Nacional D´Art de Catalunya - MNAC’ at Montjüic. You simply cannot miss the building, so there’s no problem in finding it! Once at Plaza Espanya, you just follow the fountains to the unique grand palace on top of the hill. During the night time the fountains and the building are lit up by hundreds of lights.

Inside the Museum you will find valuable collections from the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods, together with modern art, sculptures, drawings and prints.

When I visited this museum this past weekend they had a present exhibition with European art that was borrowed from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. I must admit that my knowledge of famous artists is precarious, but I was delighted that I actually recognised many of the paintings shown! Of course, this could have something to do with the fact that works by famous artists such as: Goya, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh and Cézanne were included. Together with other painters, such as: Degas, Pisarro, Millet and Corot, they all gave us visitors an insight of how they saw the world between the seventeenth and the nineteenth century. 

You can check which other present exhibitions they are showing, on their website.

/ Angelika

This place is certainly 'different', and well worth seeing. It's in the style of an old dance hall, with large balconies, velvet curtains, chandeliers and lots of gold!! Even if you're not in to clubbing particularly, you should go just once to see the decor.

I've mainly been to La Paloma on a Thursday, which is called 'Bongo Lounge' and is probably the most popular night, playing Latin grooves and house.

I have made the mistake of turning up a little early on occasion, when you find yourself surrounded by pensioners learning how to tango! I do admit I had a little dance with a nice old man called Sergio, so all was not lost.

Around 2.30 the orchestra leaves and the DJ arrives, just as the dancefloor is over taken by Barcelona's party-goers.

I really like the location, in Raval, which has hundreds of little bars amd cafés, to visit before or after a strenuous night of dancing!!!

/Jessica

“Venus” Delicatessen is a small bar situated in the middle of the Barrio Gotico.

It is a great place to meet friends for a cosy chat, or to have a quiet night out! The background music is normally soft rock, played at a low volume, so you can chat and still hear yourself think!

What I really love about this place is the fact that the staff are always so friendly and kind and always smiling! You feel hugged in this bar! They have a great selection of Mediterranean and vegetarian snacks, a range of wines, coffees, cakes and also Art!

It’s a perfect place to have a beer with your friends in the early evening, during the week, or before going out dancing at the weekends!

Closed on Sunday

Are you looking for a very good meal for a reasonable price?? The answer to this is the restaurant “La Dolça Herminia”, no doubt. I’m from Barcelona and I’ve been to this restaurant lot of times, but you know, there are many different dishes to try and so I never get bored of it. In fact, I can tell you this is “my” restaurant.

I always go there with friends and my family. You can eat delicious salads, meat, fish, pasta, rice, incredible desserts…there is a huge variety of food, so it’s the perfect restaurant as you will surely find what you want! Last time I was there, I went with two friends and we had a great dinner all together!! We ate pasta and salads for first course and then we tried some amazing rice with mushrooms. It was incredible!…I have to tell you that we asked for second plate of this rice, ja ! ja!. We finally rounded off the dinner with a couple of bottles of wine, desserts and coffees. Everything was delicious…and we paid 15 euros each for everything. You can see is not expensive at all if you think about all the food we ate!

The good points of “La Dolça Herminia” are the location (just located between Carrer Comtal and the Cathedral) and of course, the value for money. I have always had fantastic meals there, normally choosing 2 dishes, wine and dessert for around 13-18 euros. Another thing I really like about this restaurant is the really original presentation of the dishes. The food looks good enough to eat!!

Maybe, the only negative point I noticed is that you cannot reserve a table. So, many times I’ve had to wait between 15 minutes and half an hour to get in. However, you can be sure it’s worth waiting a little while to have a great meal for a reasonable price.

Enjoy your meal!!

Gente de Pasta, literally meaning 'Pasta People', is one of those restaurants that's becoming increasingly popular in Barcelona. It now has 4 chains in the city, so you can just look for the closest. I've only been to the branch above, because it's so central and really close to the metro.

The menu isn't just pasta despite the name, but obviously it's what they're renound for, so it's particularly popular with vegetarians (although i'm not one). My favourite dish is definatley black linguine with seafood, it goes down a treat with a glass of red wine, perhaps a Raimat Merlot!

The atmosphere is quite young and modern, and there are often dj's playing at the weekends. It's open till midnight, so it's a good alternative to barhopping if you fancy a more relaxed evening!  

This club is one of my favourite weekend venues in Barcelona. It’s a huge warehouse with 5 rooms playing different music from Indie to electronica to cheesy pop!

The biggest room is the Indie room and during the week it’s used as a concert venue. I’ve seen loads of bands here, like Muse and the Happy Mondays. Prices for concerts here are much cheaper than back in the U.K, and Barcelona seems to be a popular location for bands doing European tours.

The club opens around 1 am, but people don’t start arriving till around 2 or 3. It costs 15 euros to get in, including a drink, and stays open to around 5 am (although the evening doesn’t normally end their, as there are a few ‘after’ bars nearby, which can take you to breakfast time!!) There have been many occasions when I’ve stepped out in to bright sunshine after a night of dancing, so now I always take my sunglasses out with me!

There are a lot of clubs to choose from in Barcelona, but if you’re in a big group and you have varied taste in music, this is a great place to go.

Taxi drivers will know where to go if you just ask for ‘Razzmazztazz’, or you can take the metro to ‘Marina’ – Line 1 (red). You just need to walk down Almogavers street until you reach number 122. Or simply follow the sound!

The Club Natación in Barcelona has to be one of the best sports centres in the city! It is great for swimmers and also for gym fanatics! The large building is located in Barceloneta, at the far end of the beach, with a beautiful view over the ocean. The changing rooms are lovely, one upstairs and one downstairs and the cleaning staff are always around and always seem to be happy and chatty! The fitness room is huge and there never seems to be any queues for the machines. The facilities are great. There is a 25m indoor pool with what seems like 50 lanes for swimming!! It is always a pleasure to go for a swim there, as it is never too busy. There is an outside summer pool and a HEATED OUTDOOR POOL! So you can swim in the winter under the moonlight! As well as the pools and the fitness centre, you can join hundreds of different classes and training sessions. Membership is extremely cheap for what is on offer, at 32 euros a month (with an initial registration fee also). To join you will need a Spanish bank account, passport or ID card and 2 passport photos. To get there by Metro, you need to take Line 4 (Yellow line) to 'Barceloneta' and then walk towards the beach for 500m or so - the sports centre is then at the end of the road. Or buses 17, 39 and 64 stop directly outside the centre. See you there!

Yesterday I went to a really good and tasty restaurant located in Barceloneta district….and I know it’s near the sea but there’s actually not so much fish to eat! Although here is a good salad with “Bacalao” (cod).

It's quite well hidden! I had to find it between the 2000 small streets the district is famous for, but I was rewarded afterwards, with the dinner!
The name is “Taverna d’eu Pep” and it is in Carrer Sant Miquel with Carrer de la Maquinista.

Important information: they are Catalan but they can attend to you in English.
They offer a great cheese and cold cuts assortments (a mixture of the Spanish and the Catalan kind!). This is just at the beginning to wet your appetite!

I tried a really tasty and tender meet and a very soft “tartufo” ice–cream, with chocolate and vanilla.

The best was the wine, a lot of types from every part of the world (Australian also!), they use to put an “R” near which one they advise, and for just 10 euros I drunk one …delicious!
To reach the Tavern “D’eu Pep” you can take the metro, yellow line (L4), and get out at the stop called “Barceloneta”, and then you have to walk straight on to Paseig Juan de Borbo, (at the end of this street is the beach), until you see on your left a street called Carrer de la Maquinista. Take this and when you cross Carrer Sant Miquel the restaurant is just on your right!
I hope you will appreciate it as much as me!
Enjoy your meal!

I've been to this restaurant 3 or 4 times now and will be very happy to keep going back (of course it is ridiculous to keep going to the same place in Barcelona when there are so many hundreds of restaurants!!).

Attic is a stone's throw away from the main square, on the ramblas, and it's really easy to find. I think that the prices are extremely reasonable, with a 3 course meal costing around 15-20 euros. It's a fairly standard selection of food (meat, vish, vegetarian, pasta and rice dishes), cooked to a high standard in my opinion, with proper sized portions!!! - None of that nouvelle cuisine stuff where you get a massive plate with 1 pea and a piece of carrot! No thank you very much.

The wine list is good and you can spend anything from 9 euros to 20 euros on a bottle. I make it my mission to try a different one everytime I go, saving the expensive bottles for when i'm not paying!

It's romantic enough to be a good setting for a 'date', but also good for groups of friends or work dos, but you really have to reserve in advance especially at the weekend!!

I find it a great , inexpensive way to start the night, and afterwards normally go to the Gothic quarter or 'el Born' for some mojitos (just 10-15 minutes walk).

The bar is conveniently located in the centre of the city, and is therefore easy to reach by all kinds of transportation. Depending on where you are staying I would recommend to travel by the green metro line, and get out at the Passeig de Grásia stop or to get the Yellow line and take the stop at Girona which will leave you at a 3 minute walk form the bar. If you stay in the surroundings of Plaza de Catalunya it is easy to travel by foot since it is a 10 to 15 minute walk.

As I am a Dutch person myself, and I have been in a lot of Dutch bars all around of Europe. I find that the atmosphere is always very good, and the people there from Holland or other countries are often very nice and you can see that they are having fun. But I often notice that the styling and decoration of the bars is very bad, and that as well counts for the music.

The BarAmsterdam is the first Dutch bar in a foreign country that I have ever been to that has the great combination of a good atmosphere, nice people, a good styling and a great variation of music from RnB to Funky House. Further you can get a nice cold draught beer for 2 euros and they make some delicious Dutch fries, and other typical Dutch snacks and dishes. The bar also contains a big projection screen on which they play the most important football matches and sports programs.

The good thing is that the bar is suitable for different occasions depending on which day of the week and what time you go there. You can go there to grab a bite and have a good time with a couple of friends, or watch a football match at the big screen (when a Dutch big team plays or the Dutch national team it is very crowded and enjoyable). It is also a nice place to go out and stay for a whole night but what I usually do is go there and have drinks before going out to the bigger clubs that stay open till 6.