Zane Grenoble
@zanegrenobleGüellcome to my mapstr! I won’t rambla on too long, so I’ll just say Barcelona is an amazing city with tons of great attractions, restaurants, bars, and clubs!! Quick mapstr how to guide: Enable location tracking, so you can see what’s nearby on map view. You can also sort by distance in list view. In map view on the top right of the screen with three horizontal lines, you can sort by tags (restaurant, bar, cafe etc.), which will help narrow your search. Lastly, you can click add to import any place into your personal mapstr. Ratings: I start each review with a rating of 1-4 and $-$$$$. Here’s the key: 1. Decent place. If I was hungry and in the area, I’d go back, but I definitely wouldn’t seek it out. If I wouldn’t go back to a place, it doesn’t get added to mapstr. 2. Good place and an above average experience. Would like to go back. 3. Great place. Most of my highly recommended places will receive a 3 just because almost nothing gets a 4. 4. Must go spot! Less than 10 places on my mapstr have received this score. $ = <$10 per person $$ = <$11 - $20 per person $$$ = <$21 - $30 per person $$$$ = >$30 per person Must Do Restaurant List (all 4s): BelleBuon - Italian ($$$) Restaurante Zed - Spanish/international ($$$) El Xampanyet - Spanish tapas ($$) Gyoza Bistro - International ($$$) La Pachuca - Mexican ($$) Restaurante Malaysia - Malaysian ($$) Cremat 11 - Brunch ($$) Cucina Italiana Bar H - Pasta ($) Xurreria Laietana - Churros ($) Club Guide: Follow the top Barcelona promoters on Instagram to get free or discounted entry to the best parties each night. All you have to do is say their name at the door (and maybe show their Instagram page). Aashi (@aashilist) is the best promoter for US study abroad students, and he offers deals at ~5 clubs and bars each night. Also, Aashi will hook you up with a VIP table and bottle service on/around your birthday for free! Shaz List (@shaz.guest.list and @barcelonaparties) caters mostly to European abroad students on Erasmus and offers similar deals to Aashi. Friends List (@nightlife.barcelona) typically only promotes one club per night, but it’s almost always different from what Aashi and Shaz are pushing. 4. Razzmatazz 3. Shoko 3. Pacha 3. Opium Attractions: For a short trip to Barcelona, you need to explore the Gothic Quarter and the Sagrada Familia. Everything else is a bonus. 4. Gothic Quarter + El Born + Barcelona Cathedral + La Rambla + La Boqueria 4. La Sagrada Familia 3. Parc Güell 3. Montserrat (day trip) 3. Casa Mila + Casa Batllo + Passeig de Gracia 3. Beach + Barceloneta 2. Arc de Triomf + Parc de la Ciutadella 2. Hospital Sant Pau 2. Búnkeres de Carmel 2. Montjuïc 1. Tibidabo 1. Museo Nacional de Cataluña Travel: Download the Erasmus BCN app and check out Barcelona Trips online as well. They run day trips to France, Andorra, Valencia, Sitges etc. for ~€20. The Congost de Mont-Rebei trip is well worth it! Bring a bathing suit because you can go cliff jumping there too. For trains, RENFE is the main operator, but Rodalies operates shorter routes to Girona, costa brava, Sitges, Vic, Montserrat etc. Trains are surprisingly expensive. For flights, book >3 weeks in advance for the best fares. I’d highly recommend getting a two week edreams prime membership free trial and trying to book as many flights/trips/hostels as possible during that period. You’ll save ~€5 per flight by being a prime member, which adds up if you’re doing lots of travel. If flights from Barcelona to a certain city are expensive, check how much flights are out of the Girona and Reus airports. I just saved €60 euros by booking a €15 Ryanair flight to Brussels out of Girona, so it’s worth checking. Keep in mind the bus to the Girona airport is ~€15 euros and takes roughly an hour. Also, to find the cheapest destinations on a set date, I strongly recommend using Google Travel or Sky Scanner. On both sites, you can set your destination to Europe, and it’ll show you the prices to fly to every major city. Enjoy your time in Barcelona! If you have any questions, hmu at zane.grenoble@gmail.com