1. Visit the Geek Triangle

Among the Passeig Sant Joan and Ausias March Street there is an area known as “The Geek Triangle”, one block that concentrates 80% of the subculture, leisure and geek culture in Barcelona. Shops like Gigamesh, Ingenio or Firefly offer video games, comic-books, sci-fi, DVDs, cards, board games, costumes, anime and so much more. Since the 80s “The Geek Triangle” has been the place in which fans come to make their purchases. It is a must-see for all those visitors who want to enjoy an explosion of freedom, creation, and color. Some of the shops, like Kaburi or Norma Cómics, even have coffee-shops so you can taste a meal or a beverage while enjoying your shopping in Barcelona.

Local tip: If you want to hang out with the rest of the Barcelona geek community, Friday and Saturday afternoon are the best days to pay your visit.

2. Hang out on the Gràcia Squares

Gràcia used to be an independent village that was absorbed by the city of Barcelona at the beginning of the 20th century. Nevertheless, the district still feels proud of its origins and maintains its own personality. You can feel it walking through its narrows streets, talking to its diverse residents and enjoying its originals restaurants. Gràcia it´s also a great area to go out on nights because it´s not as crowded as other centric areas. But above all, Gràcia is great to just hang out in one of its enormous squares. Whether is the Plaza del Diamante, the Plaza de la Virreina or the Plaza del Reloj, the squares of Gracias are full of benches, terraces and places to spend a pleasant time in good company. If you really want to enjoy Barcelona like a local, Gràcia neighborhood is a must visit!

Local tip: For a breakfast, vermouth, lunchtime or dinner, Gracia is always one of the best choices for local citizens, especially around “la Plaça de Sol” where you can find plenty of opportunities to eat and drink.

3. Go to Street Markets and Flea Markets

El Mercat dels Encants is the oldest market in the city. You can find furniture, clothing, and mobile phone accessories. Also books, works of art or mechanical tools. The access to the market is free of charge and it opens every day of the year. On the other hand, there is also itinerant flea markets like The Lost & Found, Fleadonia and many others celebrated throughout the year. They are held on Saturdays and Sundays in different areas of Barcelona and there you can find private exhibitors who sell their old clothing or vintage style stores. If you like to dress original, you have to go there.

Local tip: Don´t forget to bargain!

4. Drink a Vermouth in El Raval

Like Paris, Barcelona also has a literary scent. There are many writers who have been inspired by the deep El Raval, also known as El Barrio Chino (The Chinese Neighborhood). Frequented by all kinds of characters, El Raval is a strangely attractive area to visit, especially to go to enjoy a vermouth. The vermouth is a macerated in herbs type of wine, consumed especially on lunch time. Walk along El Raval on mornings to enjoy Vermouth, it´s one of the favorite activities of the Barcelona people. But El Raval is so much more: It has local commerce, urban culture, music and gastronomy. In El Raval, you will also find museums such as the CCCB (which hosts exhibitions, conferences, etc), the MACBA, the Librería de Cataluña or the Film Library.

Local tip: Vermouth and Patatas Bravas (spicy potatoes) is the perfect combination for a Sunday morning with locals after a night out.

5. Visit the Museums on Sunday (are free!!)

Catalonians are known all over Spains for being money savvy. Whether this is true or not, you will probably find out that most of the locals visit museums on Sundays. Why? Because it´s free! So if you want to enjoy Barcelona like a local, you can visit museums on Sunday. In this day of the week there are many museums in Barcelona that won´t charge your visit. Also, If you are a little patient and can wait for the month of May, you can attend “La Nit dels Museus” (the night of the museums). From 19 PM to 1 AM, museums such as the Xocolata Museum, the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC), the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), the Museu del Fútbol Club Barcelona, the Museu Egipci and many more are totally free of charge. And not only museums: the Hospital de Sant Pau, La Pedrera or the Monestir de Pedralbes.

Local tip: The free entrance depends on the day of the week or the month, so make sure on their website before going there.

6. Enjoy Open Air Cinema

Enjoying outdoors cinema is a very typical activity in Barcelona. On the Sant Sebastià beach in the Barceloneta district, there are cinema series and short film festivals. They set up big screens on the sand and let people come to enjoy the movies for free. You can bring food, drinks and even your own chair.

One of the most original open-air cinema sessions are celebrated in the Montjuic Castle, in a festival called “Cinema a la Fresca” where you can enjoy classic and contemporary cinema cycles inside a medieval pit. They schedule classic music concerts before the show, the ticket only costs €6 and people usually have a picnic before the movie.

Local tip: Always go early to get a good spot and always bring a jacket, since Barcelona nights can be cold.

7. Go to a Park for a walk

In Barcelona, there are many beautiful parks where you can walk and enjoy nature. The Park Güell is one of the best but the entrance cost money and it´s always very crowded. That´s the reason we recommend you the Laberint d’Horta Park, one of the most romantic and fun parks in Barcelona. Also, it is free of charge on Wednesdays and Sundays. The Palau Reial, located in Diagonal, has a beautiful park too where you can have a quiet moment. And, of course, the Parc de la Ciutadella, one of the biggest parks in the whole city. It´s also full of monuments so it´s the perfect place to walk and get lost in its beauty and history.

Local tip: The mornings are the best time to visit parks in Barcelona since you won´t find so many people.

Der Beitrag Barcelona like a local: 7 things to do erschien zuerst auf Barcelona Segway Tours.

If there is something that brings all people together, it’s food, and no one does it like Barcelona. The city certainly has no shortage of great places to eat, and while you might be tempted to eat at La Boqueria or El Nacional, two of Barcelona’s favorites, we want to encourage you to try something a little different. There’s nothing you won’t find in Barcelona, from gourmet tapas, to Japanese and Mediterranean fusion food. We’ve listed below some of our favorite dining experiences, so as the Spanish say… buen provecho!

Dans le Noir

Dans le Noir is French for ‘in the dark’, and that’s literally its concept. It is a journey for the senses and the mind. Hosted and served by people who are visually impaired, you will be immersed in a unique experience where you will have to put your other senses to the test. It can be a little intimidating at first, but it is a great way to bond with loved ones and strangers alike, as you will have to place your trust in them. Just remember… just because you won’t be able to see anyone else, doesn’t mean none of the hosts and waiters can’t, so be careful before do something you might not want anyone else to see 🙂

The Box

You never know what to expect from a place that has large jars of conspicuously labeled rum on the walls. On the edge of the Gothic Quarter, you will find The Box, a French – Colombian bar, with a caribbean flare. They also claim to serve the best hot dog in Barcelona, which of course we took as a challenge to try it, and we were not disappointed. The creole hot dog was everything they said it was, it even came with instructions from the friendly bartender. You might think that you don’t need a guide on how to eat a hot dog, but trust us, you haven’t had one like this before. Getting back to the large jars of flavor-infused rum, you can’t leave this place without trying their organic homemade rum. You have a whole wall of flavours to choose from, and the best part is, there is no wrong choice. We never thought hot dogs and rum would go together, but it is a match made in fast food heaven.

ElDiset

Refined and chic, ElDiset looks like one of those fabulous restaurant that only the really cool people know. But you don’t need to be a celebrity to eat here, and even better, you don’t need to have their budget either. With a rustic modern interior, wine bottles that line the walls, and a cozy atmosphere, this vinoteca has become a favourite in the neighborhood of El Born. This is one of the best places to try Catalan cuisine, and of course, Catalan wine. Their appetizers are enough to satisfy any craving, and their detailed presentation makes it even more delightful. Go ahead and treat yourself to an evening of sophistication.

A tu Bola

In the past few years we have seen street food be transformed from late night snacks from dodgy food trucks, to 30€ kobe burgers made by world renowned chefs. A tu Bola serves the best of both worlds, gourmet flavor at street food prices. The food is served in the shape of a ‘bola’ or ball, in what can be seen as small presentations, however, don’t think you’ll be leaving the place hungry, we promise you’ll leave full and satisfied. With a small open kitchen restaurant, it feels more like having dinner at your friends place than a restaurant. It’s intimate but not crowded, opulent but not pretentious. A little gem in the infamous neighborhood of Raval, it makes for a great place for a first date. Pro tip: Try the Asian Style chicken, served with sweet and sour roots salad, peanuts and wasabi seasoning. Yum!

BarCeloneta

No, we don’t mean the beach (though having a picnic there is a great idea!), BarCeloneta is a Sangria bar / Vegetarian and Vegan restaurant. So what makes this place so special? Apart from having some of the best burgers, you will ever have, it is conspicuously located in the heart of Barceloneta. You might walk right past it if you’re not looking carefully, always busy but never crowded, it is a hidden treasure in the overpacked neighborhood. On Thursdays, they serve vegan paellas, but you can enjoy their delicious tempeh or seitan burgers any day of the week (except Tuesdays when they close). And of course you have to try their sangria. Choose from 8 different kinds, including alcohol free, and you will see why veganism is more than just a fad.

This is a very small list of all the places we love to eat, but you’ll discover endless more throughout your stay in the city. Barcelona Segway Tour also offers a Gastronomic Segway Tour in which we take you to some of our favourite tapas restaurants in the city, but you’ll have to join us to find out which are our top picks 😉

See the city and taste the many flavours of Barcelona!

What kind of restaurants do you search for when you travel? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

Der Beitrag 5 little restaurants foodies should definitely try in Barcelona erschien zuerst auf Barcelona Segway Tours.