I have been using Maribel's invaluable guide to Barcelona. In addition to this essential resource, I wanted to purchase a full-length guide book for the city. What is the best guide book for Barcelona (e.g., Time Out, Lonely Planet, etc.)? If you were particularly disappointed with a guide book you used, I'd like your feedback as well.

Also, as my trip approaches, I would like to read some non-fiction or fiction about Barcelona. I have seen recommendations for "Shadow of the Wind" and Robert Hughes' "Barcelona"? Are these books worth reading before a maiden visit to Barcelona? Any other ideas are most welcome.

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

Robert Hughes is worth reading. I like Time Out.

I like Lonely Planet in general, and I have used LP's Barcelona guide on my trip last year. Reasons I like LP guides:
1) probably the best maps among guidebooks (though could be more user-friendly when it comes to looking up the icons)
2) Good percentage of pages given to sightseeing vs restaurants vs hotels (some guidebooks tend to focus way too much on hotels and shopping, but little sightseeing description)

Hi Desidero,
My favorites are Time Out and Lonely Planet. If you do purchase either (or both), make sure to purchase the latest edition.

Time Out has a brand new edition which came out this year (with the blue cover and beach scene).


The Lonely Plant Barcelona City Guide's 6th edition was published in Oct. '08.

Ditto to Shadow of the Wind and Robert Hughes. I've yet to read Ildefonso Falcones' Cathedral of the Sea, an historic novel set in medieval Barcelona, which relates the construction of the Basílica of Santa María del Mar.

And for historical fiction, there's also Eduardo Mendoza's City of Marvels (La Ciudad de los Prodigios), available on amazon.com

Shadow of the Wind, definitely a good idea. And if you don't get to it before you go, you can read it after, as I did, and recognize the places you've seen.

I liked the Time Out guide, although I haven't seen the newest edition.

Sorry to highjack this thread, but I've read in several posts about Maribel's invaluable guide to Barcelona. So, what is this resource and how can I get my hands on it?

Shadow of the Wind is a gread read. Also, if you can get through it, read Orwell's Homage to Catalonia. If you can't get though it, this experpt will tell you how very complex the war was: http://www.theorwellprize.co.uk/the-...atalonia1.aspx

Ditto to Orwell;s Homage to Catalonia.

Manisha,
You can find my Barcelona file at www.maribelsguides.com

Maribel - thanks so much! Have heard so much about these on this board

Manisha, thanks for hijacking my thread. Instead of sabotaging other Fodorites threads, I recommend starting a new topic. In this instance, it could have been titled something like, "Maribel's Guides: Where Can I find them?" You would have gotten an answer and my thread would not have been the victim of your selfishness.

Regards.

Oh, come on!! Manisha asked an innocent query here and did not do that much of an interruption to your particular thread. Please let us NOT be so damned thin-skinned or acutely sensitive!

Now, castigate me and call me "selfish!"

PS I'm all for Manisha's question because after she asked it and received a response-- I wrote down the website to consult for my future travel to Barcelona.

Oh, Desidero! Calm down. You really don't lose face when someone hijacks. Learn to share.