GiuliaPiraino

I was wondering if this apartment was still close enough to the nice area of Passeig de Gracia? Is this a bad neighborhood? Thanks!

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...,0.043001&z=15

GiuliaPiraino

SOrry the link didn't come out right on the first post.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...=15&iwloc=addr

GiuliaPiraino

Clearly I'm daft since I've had to post this three times! Sheeeeeeez!

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...,0.043001&z=15

Maribel

GiuliaPiraino,
Carrer Enric Granados is a very attractive street in the heart of the Left Eixample. I like this neighborhood very much. 2 blocks north of the Gran Via, 3 blocks west of the Passeig de Gracia. Lots of great places to dine.

GiuliaPiraino

Thanks so much Maribel you are a life saver! As you can likely tell from my posts, I've been obsessing about this for days now. I booked this apartment without getting anyone's advice on the area and then I started to panic thinking I had made a mistake. THe agent said that it was a nice street, but afterall she does want to rent the place. I feel so out of my element, I know Italy from top to bottom like the back of my hand, now here in Spain I'm like a fish out of water. We've never been to Barcelona before so I didn't want to be stuck in a bad flat in a bad area for 8 days! Thanks so much again, I really appreciate your experience!

Here's a link to the flat, I think it looks really nice. I especially like the glass sitting area in the bedroom. I'm already imagining sitting there with my laptop writing my travelogues!

http://www.way2stay.com/Barcelona-ap...en-52-2110.htm

Maribel

Giulia,
The flat is right below the 4 star Derby Granados 83 hotel (very nice) and right around a beautiful leafy square, Placa del Doctor Letamendi. There's a nice bistrot, L'Olive, just a block away on the corner of Consell de Cent and Balmes, plus one block west, Carrer Aribau, has great dining at Ovic, La Camarga and Cinc Sentits.

Love this neighborhood.

GiuliaPiraino

Thanks again, I need dining tips to, I don't know the first thing about the cuisine of this area but I intend to be an expert by the time I leave I'm going to write down your suggestions and give them a try.

Do you live in BCN or just visit there often?

Maribel

I try to visit often. I've put my notes about the city into a pdf file which you're welcome to download at
www.maribelsguides.com

GiuliaPiraino

wow, I just looked at your website, it's wonderful! Do you do this professionally or is it just for fun? It looks like you feel about spain the way I do about Italy, it's kind of part of you, right? We go to Italy once or twice a year and this is the first year in over a decade that we're not going and we're trying spain!!! I'm so out of my comfort zone, but it's exciting.

I have a question, when it says in the guide books that they speak castellano in spain, what does that mean? Is it not spanish? I know catalan is different than spanish, but what is castellano? Is that a dialect of spanish or is it a separate language? I hope that's not an ignorant question. I'm starting a two series spanish class expressly for this trip, am I wasting my time?

kenderina

I'll try to explain that about the languages

Castellano refers to the language spoken in Castilla, as Catalan is the language spoken in Catalonia or Euskera the language of the Pais Vasco.
Officially, all of them are Spanish languages (to say, languages spoken in Spain) so by saying "castellano" you are talking about what you call "Spanish" because legally, catalan or gallego are also "spanish languages" now.

GiuliaPiraino

Ok, head is spinning now..... So will a traditional American Spanish class help me there? Will they understand me?

kenderina

No, you are not wasting your time. Always is useful to learn a new language But if you speak italian, you can try to speak it in Barcelona, catalan and italian have many things in common

kenderina

Yes, they will understand you most of the time...but be prepared to be you the one who don't understand the catalan accent when they speak castellano LOL
Seriously, you will do fine !

cheryllj

Yes, a traditional American "Spanish" class will help you in Barcelona.

The city is officially bilingual so signs are posted in Spanish (Castellano) and Catalan. Most people working in jobs with a lot of tourist contact will speak both (and lots of English too).

Even if you speak some Spanish (Castellano), it's still fun to try to learn some of the phrases in Catalan. People always appreciated the effort, even when they laughed at us.

danon

I had no problem at all speaking Spanish AND English in Barcelona.
I learned a few words in Catalan
( greetings) and it was just fine.
Our friend from Barcelona told us she spoke Spanish all the time in her work place..

GiuliaPiraino

I did also buy some software to learn Catalan, I thought I would use this to supplement the Spanish class. I know our Spanish here is Mexican dialect, likely Sonoran, since I am in Arizona that is mostly how it is taught here. But I still love to learn a new language and it's much easier to learn Spanish already knowing Italian. Normally when we enter Italy we turn off the ENglish for the duration of the trip, it's really a treat. I would love to not have to speak English but I know that's not realistic. I'm so excited I don't think I'll stand waiting 9 months to go!