Barcelona
 

Any suggestions on great local restaurants?<BR>Also, how to get by on no Spanish!!

The best way with no Spanish is to speak Catalan...sorry couldn´t resist saying this, no problem you will get along with English.

First of all, you don't speak Spanish in Barcelona, you speak Catalan. There are some people who will speak Spanish with you, but many will refuse. So, it is almost better to speak English.<BR><BR>My favourite restaurant in Barcelona is 7 Portes on Passeig d'Isabel. It is near the Stock Exchange is is full of well-heeled patrons.

I never had the experience people refusing speaking castillano with me. As soon as they know that you are an 'extranjero' they almost allways start speaking castillano with you. They don't expect you to speak catalan.<BR>Most people don't speak english, even a lot of young people don't. Just in restaurants in touristic areas you won't have problems ordering your meal in english etc.<BR>

Out of curiosity, how useful is French in Barcelona?

We went to a restaurant in Barcelona that I really liked--La Dolca Herminia at Magdalenes 27--2 blocks towards Ramblas from Palais de la Musica. Everything was delicious and very reasonably priced and they even had a non-smoking section!

Tahl, I don't really know but Catalan people might understand French pretty well. At least Catalan seems at times quite similar to French, I heard. This summer I was at a very nice (dark high ceiling) Cava cafe-restaurant next to Hotel Rialto in Barcelona. There was this black board on which I read "Bon Profit!". Being at a restaurant, I supposed this meant "Bon Appetit" in Catalan and asked a waitress if my guess was correct. Smiling she answered "yes".

I was in Barcelona in September and ate in Tragaluz as much as I could. I'm sorry, I don't know the address, but it was in the Eixample. It was very modern, pretty swish, beautifully designed - full of light during the day and sparkly at night. There's a posh restaurant upstairs with fab food, and downstairs, more simple tapas, but yummy and chic tapas with a bar just in front of it. I LOVED the place.

I am another fan of Set Portes, which has wonderful paella and a nice atmosphere:<BR><BR>c/ Paseig Isabel II 14<BR>08003 BARCELONA (SPAIN)<BR>TEL. 34-3-3193033<BR>FAX 34-3-3194662<BR><BR>They seem no longer to have an English version of their website, but you can get Spanish-language information and seee photos at: <BR><BR>http://www.set-portes.mhp.es/set-portes.htm <BR><BR>In 2000, dinner with wine ran $25-$30/person.<BR><BR>Happy travels.<BR><BR>John H

Tragaluz is in Pasaje Concepcio, between Rambla Catalunya and Paseo de Gracia