Madrid / Barcelona in October
 

Good morning everyone, my wife and I are planning a cruise out of Barcelona in early October. We have never been to Spain before but wanted to visit Madrid and Barcelona as a pre-cruise options. We are planning to fly into Madrid six days ahead of the cruise departure. The plan is to spend 3 nights in Madrid and train to Barcelona and spend three days touring Barcelona before embarking on the ship mid-afternoon.
Again, as we haven't been to either of these cities prior, we were hoping to get advise from the more experienced travelers as to best options for hotels and restaurants and must see sites in both of these exciting cities. In most of our travels, we tend to try to find the hop on hop off bus tours first thing to get acclimated with the city and scope out spots of interest to visit. So, any suggestions of hotels within walking distance of HOP stops would be excellent.
We don't need five star accommodations but do enjoy a more upscale lodging experience. Additionally, we are not certified foodies but do enjoy finer dining experiences especially in foreign countries.
We would very much appreciate the expert advise of travelers who could recommend hotels, restaurants and must see options for these cities as I'm sure a couple of in each city will not be much time to visit...
suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Peterh

Before soliciting advice about hotels, it might be good to put your daily budget, in euro.

And also what do you plan to do in those cities: Museums? Strolling around? Shopping? Parks?

do you intend to modify your hours to those of Spain or stick with your present daily schedule?

BTW I think the plan is basically good, price in E is everything and the realisation that the European hotel system does not line up with the US star system. Stars in Europe are more to do with facilities than quality. So if you must have a pool or a life it has a big effect.

I'd thought reading the Rough guide for Barcelona or Madrid would be better than an HOHO,

Thank you for your response. i'm not sure what to say about a daily budget but I'm expecting to pay around $4 -6 hundred per night plus B/L/Diner ...so say $1,000.00 per day. I also think it would be a shame to not attend one of the better Museums one of the days. I don't see us doing a lot of strolling if we're taking Hop on /off buses.

Thanks again for reaching out

If I may suggest, taking taxis in both cities is easy and inexpensive.

The Royal Collections Gallery is my new favorite museum in Madrid because it not only houses paintings but also tapestries, armor, furniture, clocks, carriages, a whole series of objects collected by the kings of Spain over the centuries.

that's awesome that's for the video...

The Prado in Madrid is one of my favorite museums. I like it better than the Louvre. We also enjoyed the Reina Sofia, where you can see Guernica by Picasso.

Visit Retiro Park and have drinks at a cafe overlooking the lake in Retiro.

The Gaudi sites are wonderful in Barcelona. We particularly enjoyed Sagrada Familia, Casa Battlo and Casa Mila. It’s imperative to buy tickets in advance.

I recommend buying some good guidebooks, such as Michelin Green Guide, Rough Guides and Lonely Planet. Personally, with a few good guidebooks in hand and a good map of each city, I prefer wandering through neighborhoods instead of the HOHO.

Great video, thank you, Revulgo.

One tip from me is that you should think about booking restaurants in advance of arrival if you have certain ones in mind.
Madrid just might be the best food city in the world right now, although Barcelona is no slouch!




Agree about ditching the HOHO..just walk....different area every day. Put a lot of thought into the areas where you want to stay in both cities..

“Madrid just might be the best food city in the world right now, although Barcelona is no slouch!”


I returned from Paris a week ago. While there,
I found myself wishing for the food
variety and restaurant hospitality of Madrid.

In Barcelona in addition to the Gaudi sites which are so worthwhile to visit there is the Miro Museum and the Picasso Museum. It's been too long since I was last in Madrid but have been more recently in Barcelona and we really enjoyed staying in the Hotel Jazz which was walking distance to Sagrada Familia and to several of the Gaudi sites. It was easy walk to the Paseo de Gracia train/metro station and we did use the train to go to and from the airport. We did use the Metro several times to go to Barceloneta area and so on.

I agree with ekscrunchy and danon.
“Madrid just might be the best food city in the world right now, although Barcelona is no slouch!”

I also agree with ditching the HOHO.
In Madrid you will not need one, and in Barcelona, while the HOHO routes could serve as an orientation to the city, where sights are more spread out, and to get one's bearings, the trouble with the Barcelona HOHOs currently, is that the lines can be very long and they get very, very crowded. There is no "low season" in Barcelona anymore. It's extremely busy with tourism at all times of the year, now especially since it serves as a virtually all year major European cruise port.

Wow! you're not kidding about the restaurant, there seems to be hundreds to choose from. Any restaurants in particular that stand out or that you would recommend. We haven't made the finale decision on a hotel but seem to leaning toward the gothic area near gran via. It seems to be pretty central and close to restaurants, shops and cafes etc...We would love to nail down an outstanding dinning locations one night while we're there. Thanks again everyone for your suggestions.

I could recommend dozens and dozens in both cities that will provide you with a fantastic dining experience. It would depend on your tastes, your budget, where you're staying, even your dietary restrictions, in any.

You might want to use the Macarfi guide, English version, be sure to download the app, as a starter, if you are a real food lover.
The guide lists the fine dining establishments in both cities (and now the Basque Country & Rioja) in their order of preference.

https://macarfi.com/en

My only quibble with this guide is that for the very high end restaurants they list the average price per diner as 100+, and many of these will cost far, far more, as you will see on their own individual restaurant pages.

Here is a list of great ideas, and also my favorites, that revulgo posted for Madrid.
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...odies-1714329/

On his list, I haven't yet been to QU by the Sandoval brothers, although I've toured the hotel. They also supervise the dining at the Relais Chateau Orfila Hotel. If you´re up for a 2 Michelin-starred fine dining extravaganza by this dynamic duo, I would book at their COQUE, or if you want to sample their cooking style for far less, visit their COQUETTO BAR, open for breakfast, weekend brunch and dinner.

https://www.restaurantecoque.com/en/

https://www.coquettobar.com

Here's another of those highly subjective, arguable, lists for Madrid, but I actually find it not bad at all. The top 50:
https://www.lagastrolista.com/lista-...op-100-madrid/

And another from one of Madrid's leading professional food critics that I assiduously follow:
https://abcblogs.abc.es/gastronomia/...drid-2022.html

If your dining habits/tastes run more on the casual, gastro bar/taberna side, here's his other casual dining list. His number one, for several years running, is also my favorite.
https://abcblogs.abc.es/gastronomia/...drid-2022.html

My personal favorite, traditional (non fusion/world cuisine/trendy) gastro bars, contemporary tabernas in central Madrid for good value rather than "blow the budget" gastronomic experiences:
Some of these have a Bib Gourmand designation in Michelin or a Sol in the Repsol guide.

In the Retiro district: (best RCP or highest quality for moderate price)
Taberna La Catapa
Taberna Laredo (an ekscrunchy favorite)
La Castela (the queen took Michelle here) & sibling, Castelados
La Raquetista & sister, Salino
La Montería and sibling La Monte

In the tony Salamanca district:
Taberna Pedraza
Taberna Recreo
Santerra (upstairs sit down tables at the bar)
La Maruca Velázquez (Cantabrian fare)
Treze (not a taberna but outstanding food at a moderate price)
Surtopía (Andalusian)

In Cortes:
Casa Mortero
Vinoteca Moratín
Vinoteca García de la Navarra

In Almagro neighborhood of Chamberí:
Taberna Garelos (Galician fare)
Las Tortillas de Gabino and Fismuler (members of La Ancha group)

In Chueca:
Taberna La Carmencita (beautiful tiles, a renovated classic "casa de comidas" founded in 1854)

In Ponzano:
Santerra Neo Taberna

Maribel, thank you so much for all this information. It looks like there is a 2 star Michelin restaurant in our hotel called Atico restaurant. Have you heard anything about this restaurant ? I didn't see it in any of your lists reviews you posted ...

Also, we are looking at "The Principal Hotel" in Madrid. Has anyone had experiences with this hotel or are there other recommendation in Madrid ? I'm actually not sure what district this hotel is in but it looks to be central on the map.

Hi peterh,
Thanks for your PM!
Yes, I had dinner at El Ático on Christmas Day. Because we weren't hotel guests, even though we had booked far in advance on The Fork, we weren't given one of the coveted window tables facing the Gran Vía to enjoy the Christas lights, but it's completely understandable that they're reserved for hotel guests.

It's the second, less expensive non-Michelin starred restaurant of catalán chef, Ramón Freixa. It does have one Repsol sun.
The Principal Hotel sits on a side street at the very southeastern end (nicer part, imo) of the Gran Vía, near Banco de España. Yes, it's s a central location. I remember that poster HappyTrvlr stayed there and enjoyed it. I haven't stayed but I've taken a tour of the rooms.

Just a correction to my list above-
Vinoteca García de la Navarra sits on the eastern side of the Paseo del Prado on Calle Montalbán, so it is located in the Jerónimos barrio of Retiro, still very walkable from The Principal, a 10 minute walk.

make that "Christmas lights".
We dined at El Ático specifically because it was one of the few Christmas Day options where we could dine a la carte rather than spring for a gala, very expensive tasting menu feast.

Hello! If you tell me a bit about the areas I can recommend restaurants in Barcelona but in general I don't even know where to start :lol: As a general rule, I recommend you avoid all those on Las Ramblas and those that have a sign outside with images of paellas.

I defer to Maribel in all things Spain, but I wonder what her take is, for you, on SaladeDespiece..for a first time visitor..not too pricey and an unusual, fun experience....I liked it, not sure If I will go back, only because there are SO MANY fantastic places out there, but you might want to look at this restaurant, if Maribel seconds the idea!! And the staff speaks English but I didi not get the idea that is was a "tourist' place due to the location...

https://saladedespiece.com/

Here´s my take on Sala de Despiece on a very long Hungry Onion thread:

"I really enjoyed a recent lunch at Sala de Despiece, I think perhaps more than Pedro did, if I recall.
erica1 reviewed it here.But put yourself in the hands of your waiter and ask for the “greatest hits”. (We didn’t opt for the tasting menu, but many diners did). The dishes will all be prepared right before your eyes, and I thought it great fun. We took a video.
Don’t miss the “Rolex” and the “helado de guisante”.
I think a visit to Sala de Despiece is a one time, entertaining experience rather than a repeater for us."

The staff speaks English and are friendly and want you to have a good time, in my experience. It's not a "touristy" restaurant but it does draw a lot of foreign diners. We were surrounded by first timers. It drew us in because we had seen the Madrid episode of "Somebody Please Feed Phil", in which it was featured.

I didn't put it on my Ponzano list because it's not a "traditional taberna" but rather a very unique experience.

There is a new Sala de Despiece in a central location: Calle Virgen de los Peligros 8, in between Gran Vía and Calle Alcalá
https://english.saladedespiece.com/espacios/

Thank you, Revulgo. You had reminded me of the new branch in another thread and I just forgot.

I went only once to the first place that they opened and I loved it. The concept, the attention to detail, the attention of the staff and the food. Maybe it's a little expensive compared to other places that serve similar food but I understand that you also pay for the idea.

The multi-course tasting menu, featuring all of their "greatest hits" is priced at a reasonable 48 euros, which is quite reasonable for Madrid these days.

When I went there were only à la carte dishes, no menu, and we paid about €70 per person, which at that time seemed a bit high (now, with the rise in prices, it would seem more or less normal).

Two places not yet mentioned here, one in Madrid and the other in Barcelona, are the Sorolla House and Museum in Madrid and the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona. Completely different to each other but both utterly unique and wonderful.

https://www.culturaydeporte.gob.es/m...en/inicio.html

https://www.palaumusica.cat/en

Sorolla House :heart:

Sorollahttps://www.fodors.com/community/ima...mojis/2764.png

In addition to his wonderful atelier/museum, in October, you'll have a special exhibit at the Sala Recoletos of the Fundación Mapfre, "Sorolla's Summers", which runs from September 22 to January 7.

This exhibition joins the many this year in Madrid and Valencia in the celebration of the hundredth anniversary of Sorolla’s death.

That sounds wonderful, Maribel. Back in 2019 I was a recent convert to the works of Sorolla and in March that year, after attending Las Fallas [in Valencia as I'm sure you know, he was born] I spent a few days in Madrid which included going to the Sorolla museum. Later that year I spent a week in Venice, and imagine my surprise that on the first morning of my visit, walking into Ca' Pesaro, the modern art museum of Venice, and seeing in front of me his wonderful and very famous painting of sails being mended. Unfortunately I don't see my being able to return either to Madrid or Valencia this year so it looks as I i will miss these special events.

and Arima Basque Gastronomy at Calle Ponzano 51

Revulgo,
I was just there before Nagore opened her new gastronomic restaurant, BASCOAT, on Paseo de La Habana.
Attachment 8184

https://www.timeout.es/madrid/es/not...e-arima-072823

Before she "moved", the back dining room and most of the bar space at Arima were reserved for sit-down dining. We just had pintxos and txakolí at the high table right at the entrance. From press reports, I read that once she opened BASCOAT, Arima was going to go back to the original casual format. That's why I didn't add it. (and prices in the dining room are pretty steep). But I'll try to get back there early next month.

As for Ponzano, we also like Fide and El Doble for beer and delicious pulpo, laterío or crustaceans, but it's not sit down dining, so I didn't include them, but maybe I should. They're classics.
For a solid value menú del día, we go to Restaurante Ponzano at number 12. As you know, they serve cocido on Wednesdays.

And for the Ponzano area rather than the street, we go just 2 blocks west to LAKASA, one of the city's best and most consistent bistrots, which is also included in your fine llist on post 14, "Madrid Some Serious Tips for Foodies".

Maribel,
Madrí Madre is another of the gastronomic businesses to which Martín Berasategui contributes his signature. I haven't been there yet, but I don't really feel like it. Do you know it?
https://www.madrimadre.com

Yes, I do know it. I went when it opened. It's ok, but for exciting dining in the Plaza de España area, I urge you to try Brutalista, if you haven't already. It´s well priced, my chef friend sent me there to add to my list, the chef hails from Nakeima and Tripea, and the codorniz frita is terrific. His specialties are the escabeches. He's received great reviews.

https://brutalista.es
https://www.elespanol.com/cocinillas...787595_31.html

Oh my lord, this information is extraordinary. Thanks to everyone advise we have locked down our hotel and our dining venues for our time in Madrid. Looking very much forward to Sala de Despiece, for our second night in Madrid ..

In Barcelona we have decided to stay at OHLA Eixample based on awesome reviews of the property and would love to hear the advise and experience of the gastronomy scene of Barcelona compared to Madrid. I realize this might sound like a foolish question to ask but are the foods of Barcelona similar to the foods Madrid ? Or, are they completely different styles such as it is in Italy, where the Tuscan foods are nothing like the Roman foods and the Roman food are nothing like the south such as Calabria to use an example...

We are so grateful for everyone's input on Madrid and very excited to experience the city and the culture.

Peterh

peterh,
I like the OHLA Eixample very much and its location, better for me, less tourist clogged than the other OHLA in the Gothic Quarter. It does have a Michelin-starred restaurant, XERTA, and is within easy walking distance, 2 min. of another of my favorites, the classic RESTAURANT WINDSOR.
And for casual tapas style dining on Sunday nights, I also like PACO MERALGO just a 5-min. walk. open continuously.

https://restaurantwindsor.com/?lang=en
https://restaurantpacomeralgo.com/en/the-restaurant/

Besalu can tell you more about the classic Catalunya dishes...

but I believe you may find several Italian-inspired dishes on catalán menus, for example, the canalons, and macarons, perhaps because of the centuries of trade between the two countries.

To add another restaurant that we enjoy within a 5-min. walk of the OHLA Eixample, PETIT COMITÈ by chef Carles Gaig.
https://petitcomite.cat/en/

I adore Catalonia and its gastronomy. On the other hand, I'm not a big fan of Barcelona. I think that Catalonia has many better places to offer. Barcelona is so cosmopolitanized that it has lost its essence. Neighbors can no longer afford rent due to the proliferation of AirBnBs and tourist apartments. Although unfortunately this is happening in almost all major cities (Madrid is no exception). Having said this, we can talk about typical Catalan dishes. Since you are coming in October, I recommend you try dishes with mushrooms. We Catalans love to go hunting for mushrooms in the mountains in autumn, and many restaurants use them. The typical mushrooms for October are: rovelló (Lactarius deliciosus), trompeta de la mort (Craterellus cornucopioides) and rossinyols (Cantharellus cibarius). As Maribel has said, another typical Catalan dish is canelons. Originally it was said that they arrived from contact with Italian people in the 19th Century but currently I haven't found a similar dish in Italy. They are food for special days, Sundays, etc. Macarrons (macaroni) is the quintessential children's dish. They are never al dente because they are made with a stir fry and are allowed to pass. Later they are gratin in the oven. Every grandma has her recipe.

Catalan cuisine is really quite seasonal, since generally only available ingredients were used. In autumn there are more substantial dishes such as l'escudella amb carn d'olla (soup with vegetables and meat used for the broth), fricandó (meat in sauce), mandonguilles amb pèsols i sèpia (meatballs with peas and cuttlefish), trinxat (cabbage, potato and bacon), squid stuffed with meat... And at the end of October what you will find are panellets. Until recently no one celebrated Halloween. In Catalonia the traditional festival is the Castanyada. Roasted chestnuts, baked sweet potato and panellets are eaten. Panellets may be an evolution of ancient funeral meals celebrated in many towns of old Catalonia, since it was customary to have a lunch when a family member died. Also, they would come from the old Muslim domination of the eastern part of the Iberian Peninsula. Although the price is currently skyrocketing as the price per kg of dried fruit is very high.

On the other hand we have the rice. Each region has its own style of rice. Outside of the paella label, there are delicious rice dishes. Some dry (secs) and some soupy (caldós). In the coastal areas, Greek style or Roman style squid, sonso and morralla are delicious. There are many styles of mussels, too. There is a great variety of fish. In the interior areas, the one with the most types of cooking is cod, together with monkfish. As for tapas, the queen is patatas bravas. They are different from those in Madrid. In Catalonia the sauce is allioli and sometimes another paprika and tomato sauce is added. The typical croquetes are from rostit, ham or boletus.

And now let's go to something more basic. If you ask many people, they will tell you that the typical Catalan dish is pa amb tomàquet (bread with tomato). The bread is lightly toasted and a clove of garlic and a grape tomato are rubbed on top and generously drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. And this can be both a breakfast and a quick dinner. It's generally accompanied by cold cuts (fuet, ham, cheese) or an omelette. Tell you that in my opinion, Catalonia has excellent cold cuts and cheeses. One of these cheeses is a typical dessert (of medieval origin) made with honey and mató (similar to ricotta).

Of course all this exposed is much more popular than what you can find in most restaurants in Barcelona.

As for restaurants, I don't see myself qualified to make a list of restaurants in the city of Barcelona. There are many and every day there is rotation. Generally, whenever I go, I take the opportunity to try a restaurant that serves food from other countries, since where I live everything is very traditional. And there are some where you can eat very well beyond the typical ones (Cañete, Disfrutar, Via Veneto...). I also like those that preserve the simplicity of yesteryear (f.e. Rebost d'Hostafrancs). If you tell me budget, type of cuisine and area I can recommend you. But in general it seems impossible to me. Personally I don't like those that in a supposed renovation have ended up having the same decoration and the same dishes (for example, octopus leg on mashed potatoes). As a general rule you should avoid those restaurants that have many photos on the menu on the street and that offer many paellas (these are frozen dishes of dubious quality).

About the drink, Catalonia is a producer of excellent wine (my favorite denominations of origin are DO Conca de Barberà, DO Costers de Segre, DO Empordà, DO Montsant and DO Terra Alta). The sparkling Catalan champagne type is called cava. I prefer those from small producers to the more typical ones. As for beers, the two largest producers in Catalonia are called Estrella and Mortiz but there are currently thousands of small producers that produce craft beer and enjoy great popularity.