Need recommendations for up to date, informative, well mapped, accurate travel paperback for Barcelona (Lonely Planet, Rick Steves, Fordors, etc)

Big fan of Time Out publications for cities - not sure where you live, but if your local bookstore doesn't have a copy, try online or even check the Time Out website.

The most suitable guidebook for you will depend on the type of traveller you are. And remember, many are written and pubilshed in a timeline that means they can sometimes be out of date by the time tney hit the shelves, so a little online research for specific sites might help too.

I've been using a variety of Internet sites like TA, Fodor's ( both have offline Barcelona city guide apps for ihones n android phones making it very handy; as well as online local insider guides for Barcelona. Also, check out free Barcelona walking tours, it's a good way to get to know the city. Enjoy!!

Obviously anything from Fodors.

To the moderators: please post my commission check ASAP.

Supplement your guide book with a print out of Barcelona for free from www.maribelsguides.com. It is very helpful especially with hotels, restaurants, day trips.

Fodors actually does have a good guidebook for Spain, I think it is one of their best.

Otherwise, it is personal as to the style you like, I like Fodors, Frommers and Lonely Planet. I do really like Timeout for some cities, but don't think they have one for Barcelona. I'm planning a trip to Barcelona right now myself, I just get eerything I can from the library. Personally, I own Fodors and Frommers for those areas. I greatly dislike DK guidebooks and their Spain one is no exception.

As for the above recommendation for Marbel's guides, I really liked her detailed info on Madrid hotels but she does not print any information for Barcelona hotels, I wish she did. If you think she does, HappyTrvlr, can you post the URL as I must have missed it (and not the general URL to her guidebooks, I mean the one for Barcelona hotels). thanks

She does have good restaurant and other advice, though.

I will look for it. We booked our hotel based on her recommendations. She also sent me her pdf for Asturias and Cantabria and answered direct questions I sent via her website. Very helpful..

thanks to all for great input...I will check out your recommendations