kja

Sant Pau Recinte Modernista = Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau.
Different names, same place.

xcountry

"Ugh. I do find that I am horrified that the worst of my country finds it way to all the great places of the world (KFC across from Sagrada Familia, NcDonalds in the Louvre..."

Actually there is a McDonalds right across from La Sagrada Familia too.

We loved the area around Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. Sit outside and listen to the musicians. A major fountain steps away.

maitaitom

"Sant Pau Recinte Modernista = Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau."

They should really settle on one name

kja

@ maitaitom: I’m not disagreeing, but I do wonder: Do all your relatives, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and other associates call you “maitaitomi”? ;-)

kja

Oops! Of course: "maitaitom"

denisea

Good to know there are two names for the same thing. I hope I can keep it all straight. I appreciate the information you all have shared.

massimop

"Ugh. I do find that I am horrified that the worst of my country finds it way to all the great places of the world (KFC across from Sagrada Familia, NcDonalds in the Louvre..."

Actually there is a McDonalds right across from La Sagrada Familia too. "

Catalonia, and Barcelona in particular, has a long history of embracing globalisation & cosmopolitan ideas, universality, which made them a particular target of cruelty during Franco's nationalist dictatorship. There is something of a rebellious attitude in the way Barcelona continues to embrace a very non-traditional world-citizen attitude, even in contrast at times with more restrictive forms of Catalonian nationalism, which oppose tri-lingualism (of which many in Barcelona are very supportive) and have a kind of insular, rather then global-fusion ides of the spirit of Catalonia.

Barcelona's more "open" economy and cultivation of global tourism has made it one of richer areas of Spain -- and that includes letting the ruthless corporate capitalists of the world hold sway. Obviously there is pushback, and I'm sure native Spaniards (inside and outside Catalonia) would give you many different (and better informed) points of view than I have, but I've found it a surprising and complicated politics.

kimhe

Second Robert's suggestion of Irati or Euskal Etxea for some good txakolí in Barcelona. These places will give you at least an idea of the food and wine heaven in Basque pintxos bars, the back-bone of the culinary heartland of not only Spain, but all of Europe. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...y-for-foodies/

Irati: http://gruposagardi.com/restaurante/...taverna-basca/
Euskal Etxea: https://www.timeout.com/barcelona/re...s/euskal-etxea
http://gruposagardi.com/restaurante/...etxea-taberna/

And Euskal Etxea is in the heart of the medieval and vibrant Born district, a cradle of Catalan identity and culture and home to some excellent sights as well as some of the city's best tapas bars and cafés.
https://www.barcelona-tourist-guide....s/el-born.html
https://theculturetrip.com/europe/sp...-neighborhood/

denisea

Thanks--i love all the links you all took the time to post here! I really appreciate the information.

aliced

I also say Sagrada Familia and Casa Batllo, rather than Casa Mila (Le Pedrera) which is worthwhile but only with several additional days. The blues of Batllo are just beautiful and Gaudi's best.