The most authentic bars in Barcelona | YankeeinBCN

Where can you find the most authentic bars in Barcelona you may ask? While Las Ramblas is probably one of the areas most transited by tourists, it’s not a place that locals tend to frequent and you don’t want to fall victim to bars that offer frozen paella as the quintessential Spanish dining experience.

Quimet i Quimet

One bar that should be at the top of your list of must-visit bars is Quimet i Quimet located  in the middle of the neighbourhood of Poble Sec. It’s a family-run bodega that opened its doors in 1914 and boasts of a wide selection of wines . While it can be uncomfortable at times and it’s not exactly recommended for those prone to claustrophobia, the menu and experience couldn’t be any further from that of the bars and restaurants that are strictly oriented toward tourists and there’s a fair mix of both foreigners and locals.The menu serves up montaditos, which are small sandwiches, and tapas. One plate that I personally recommend is the salmon, yoghurt and truffle honey montadito – I promise that you won’t be disappointed.

Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes, 25, 08004 Barcelona

Metro: Parallel L2, L3

Telephone number: 934 42 31 42

Schedule: Monday to Friday, 12:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M. to 10:30 P.M. Saturdays, de 12:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. Sundays, closed

Can Paixano (La Champañeria)

Photo credit: robertorodriguex via Visualhunt / CC BY-SA

Another bar where you’re sure to be elbow-to-elbow with fellow patrons is Can Paixano, perhaps better known as La Champañeria  (the champagne bar). It owes its namesake to the cavas and sparking wines that are on offer there. Located in Barceloneta, which was previously inhabited by fishermen, the bar that was opened in 1969 resembles an old-fashioned tavern.  Apart from its cramped quarters, Can Paixano has another thing in common with Quimet i Quimet – it’s a family business that is in the hands of second-generation owners. So, you can be sure that to maintain authenticity, you have to keep it in the family.

Carrer de la Reina Cristina, 708003 Barcelona

Metro: Barceloneta L4

Telephone number: 933 10 08 39

Schedule: Monday to Saturday 9:00 A.M. to 10:30 P.M. Sundays, closed

Bodega 1900

Photo credit: Kent Wang via VisualHunt / CC BY-SA

The Spanish chef Ferran Adrià is considered by many as the best chef in the world, so it comes as no surprise that the vermouth bar that was the brainchild of his brother Albert would be a success. There is perhaps nothing more authentic than hacer el vermút before lunch, which consists of drinking vermouth often accompanied by mussels marinated in vinegar, olives and potato chips, among other things. Bodega 1900 ups the ante a bit by putting its own spin on classic plates – it comes at a price, however.

Carrer de Tamarit, 91, 08015 Barcelona

Metro: Parallel L2, L3

Telephone number: 933 25 26 59

Schedule: Mondays, closed Tuesday to Saturday, 1:00 P.M. – 10:30 P.M.

What places do you recommend going to to experience the authentic side of Barcelona?

How to get to Colonia Guell | YankeeinBCN

Do you want to escape the long lines at Barcelona’s attractions while still appreciating all of the architectural jewels that Catalonia has to offer? Well, I have the perfect solution for you. Waiting in line is never fun, especially on a hot summer day. Barcelona has a tremendous offering for the millions of tourists that generally tend not to venture any further than la Dreta de l’Eixample to Plaza España every year. If they’re feeling really adventurous, perhaps they’ll make it to Gràcia or Poblenou with most of the city’s attractions being concentrated in Ciutat Vella and Eixample.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with staying within the confines of the city center, especially when you’re short on time and want to visit the most emblematic monuments in Barcelona. However, you don’t have to spend a pastón to take in the sights. In fact, some of the most expensive places to visit are not the most worthwhile (I’m looking at you Poble Espanyol).

What you can expect to see there

If you don’t mind catching a train for one day out of your stay that likely last one or two weeks tops, I recommend paying a vist to Colonia Güell, a workers’ colony located just outside the city limits in Santa Coloma de Cervelló. You might ask, why would I want to spend my vacation in a workers´colony? Well, they just don’t make things like they used to (Do they still make them?). Its construction was set in motion by businessman Eusebio Güell who wanted to avoid emerging social conflicts in Barcelona at that time while simultaneously improving the quality-of-life of the factory workers that would work there, providing all the amenities of a town.

During your day trip, you’ll be able to admire the buildings that were designed by architects in the style of Modernisme (think Catalan art nouveau — oversimplification, I know) who employed techniques  and materials that were characteristic of the movement such as the use of wrought iron and ceramic mosaics.

Perhaps the best part is that it is totally free to visit unless you plan on visting the Crypt of Gaudí which was a virtual mock-up of La Sagrada Familia and laid the groundwork for Antoni  Gaudí‘s masterpiece.

How to get to Colonia Güell

Colonia Güell is a short 20-minute subway ride away taking the Ferrocarriles de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) from Plaza España on lines S33, S8, and S4 to Colonia Güell Station. If you arrive in train, you have to cross the motorway and follow the blue footprints on the ground that will lead you to the visitor’s center.

Do you know of any other off-the-beaten path attractions that are within striking distance of Barcelona?

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Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar

What’s in a name? | YankeeinBCN

Yankee. Who knew that this word had a pejorative connotation? I didn’t –  until I moved abroad when I caught on to the fact that people from other countries used it to refer to Americans as a whole. In general, Americans use it to refer to those residing above the Mason-Dixon line – anyone from the Mid-Atlantic or New England states. Growing up I always felt proud of my regional identity, which is why I’ve decided to reappropriate this word as my nom de plume.

So what’s this blog all about? Well, it’s for all you yanquis (Spanish for Yankee) out there who are thinking about travelling, studying, or working in Barcelona. If you fall into the last two categories, it can be difficult to adapt to a foreign country, even one as amazing as Spain. In my personal experience, from having lived in all of two countries, it took me at least two years to feel like I’d finally got into the swing of things. That means frequenting your favorite haunts or being able to find your favorite products. There are STILL some things that I miss about the USA and I’ve been living outside of it for five years! (Crest White Strips, lobster rolls, drive-thru banks, vast supermarket aisles filled with an enormous selection, etc.), so if there is something I can do that can help facilitate the process for you, I’d be more than pleased.

Amazing drive-thru bank Photo credit: elizaIO via Visual hunt / CC BY-SA

Photo credit: Mr.TinDC via Visualhunt / CC BY-ND

Please forgive my grammar if it’s is not up to snuff – five years outside of the motherland will do that to you. I figure that while I’m still here, I can be of service to someone. Surely I must have some interesting observations to share with you and help you navigate one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

What do you miss about your home country?