Insider’s Guide to Barcelona, Spain: Where to Eat, Stay, Shop, and Play

The insider advice on this page is from one of Wendy’s Trusted Travel Experts for Spain and Portugal: Virginia Irurita of Made for Spain & Portugal.

Trusted Travel Expert

Virginia Irurita

Born and raised in Spain, Virginia left a decade-long career in banking in London and Madrid to found her boutique trip-planning firm in 1999. By popular demand, she later expanded her scope to include Portugal too—a natural fit, given that she speaks Portuñol (a mix of Spanish and Portuguese). She has a little black book thick with the names of local experts—museum curators, architects, chefs, flamenco dancers—eager to show you their corners of the Iberian peninsula. Her bespoke itineraries extend to the Balearic Islands, Azores, and Madeira too. Virginia has a particularly keen interest in wine and winemaking—so keen, in fact, that she bought herself a vineyard on the banks of the Duoro River—and she is especially well-connected in the foodie world. Virginia’s savvy local drivers and clever guides will save you considerable time and hassle. If you prefer to rent a car and drive yourself, or you’re seeking more limited arrangements, click to Ask Wendy for a different recommendation.

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Expect trips orchestrated by Virginia to use 5-star hotels only, have a 7-night minimum, and start at $15,000 for two travelers. Virginia has a planning fee of 500 euros that serves as a deposit toward the trip cost. No villa rentals or self-drive trips.

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Where to Stay and Eat

Best bang-for-your-buck hotel
Nobu Hotel Barcelona is located close to the charming neighborhood of Eixample and gives guests a genuinely Catalan feel of the city. This stylish, hip hotel has 259 rooms and suites, a world-class Nobu restaurant, and one of the best panoramic views of the city and the sea.

Best-value splurge hotel
The Barcelona EDITION is a boutique hotel with exceptional service and an elegant design, and a center-city location that puts it within walking distance of many of the city’s most emblematic sights. Some rooms have stunning views of the iconic, colorful roof of the Mercat de Santa Caterina, an architectural masterpiece by Miralles-Tagliabue.

Cocktails and tapas at Bar del Pla. Photo: Made for Spain & Portugal

Restaurants the locals love
Bar del Pla is a much-loved spot in the Born neighborhood that somehow feels hidden from the crowds visiting the nearby options. Go here for vermouth, like a true Barcelonian, and indulge in seasonal tapas in an informal setting.

Good wine—with an emphasis on natural and organic vintages—and shared plates is the philosophy of Pepa Bar a Vins. It is one of the essential spots in the Eixample and will win you over with its cuisine based on local products.

Maná 75 is the new temple of rice dishes. Designed by the Turull Sorensen studio, families and groups of friends come together here to enjoy delicious paellas and fresh fish. Don’t miss their lemon tartlet either!

Dishes to try
Pan tumaca, a staple of Catalan gastronomy, couldn’t be simpler or more delicious: toasted bread smeared with a ripe tomato, drizzled with olive oil, and seasoned with salt and a little garlic—fantastic. Try it with Spanish ham and a glass of cava, the local sparkling wine.

Escalibada, a typical dish from the Mediterranean area of Spain. Local vegetables are roasted whole over direct heat and then, once cold, cut into strips and served seasoned.

The typical dish of escalivada. Photo: Shutterstock

Meal worth the splurge
Disfrutar is the pride of three Michelin-starred chefs who met at elBulli: Mateu Casañas, Oriol Castro and Eduard Xatruch. Earning third place in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2022, Disfrutar pairs respect for the history and heritage of Mediterranean ingredients with creative treatments.

Prime picnic spot
Settle yourself near one of the four spouting griffins that guard the monumental fountain in Parc de la Cuitadella. Commissioned for the park’s inauguration in 1881, the fountain is bedecked in statuary that includes a giant crab (its pincers serve as stairs), a reflecting-pool Venus on an open clamshell, and an Aurora driving her chariot on high.

What to See and Do

Don’t miss
The bohemian neighborhood of Gracia, a lively, low-rise district of beautifully preserved modernist houses. Locals come here to eat, drink, and shop at a variety of unique spots; Las Vermudas, for example, is an essential destination for aperitif lovers.

Don’t bother
Las Ramblas, the central boulevard and pedestrian mall, has been taken over by pickpockets and prostitutes; and La Boqueria, once a lively market where local people shopped, is more like a museum. Visitors go there to take pictures of food instead of buying it.

Hidden gem
Check out one of Gaudí’s lesser-known works, the Palau Güell. This urban palace, finished in 1890, was one of Antoni Gaudí’s first major works. It’s a remarkable example of Art Nouveau and modernism in many ways, thanks to the multitude of materials used—from wood to glass to wrought iron. Many visitors miss this fascinating look at the work that led to the more famous Sagrada Familia and Casa Batllo.

The Sagrada Familia is the most famous of several Gaudi works in Barcelona, but don’t miss the rest. Photo: Pixabay

Cheap thrill
Don’t miss the unbeatable view from Montjuïc over Barcelona, the port, and the coast. You can get to the 18th-century fortress atop the hill by car, funicular, or cable car (13 euros round-trip).

Bragging rights
Discover the Barcelona open to only those in the know: Spend the morning visiting totally off-the-radar shops, galleries, and workshops to experience the city’s lost arts. Visits may include a stop at a renowned shoe maker to have a pair crafted just for you, viewing the private art collection of the owner of the oldest art gallery in Spain, or treasure hunting in one of Barcelona’s oldest libraries, located in an original Gaudi building that is closed to the public.

How to spend a Sunday
Enjoying a glass of vermouth. Locals designate the time before the sacred Sunday lunch for aperitivo, and vermouth is experiencing a resurgence these days. You’ll find all on-trend locals enjoying a glass on the rocks with an olive and orange slice.

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