El Xampanyet

Imagine if lightening strikes once, that is already very high odds, but to strike twice in the same place! I use that metaphor to describe possibly the most famous tapas bar in Barcelona, El Xampanyet. First they are located right directly across from the Picasso museum, one of the most highly traveled alleys in all Barcelona. Then a world renowned travel host visits them and does one of her most gushing reviews! You have a recipe for gold, or euros I should say.

So we made it one night to sample El Xampanyet, and the crowd was spilling out into the street. Samantha Brown has a lot of watchers, and we were just like everyone else in that we had to know what all the fuss was about. One word of warning, I don’t think this place is ever slow, we also passed by during the day on our way to the museum, and once again, crowds spilling out into the street!

The house cava and tapas live up to all the hoopla. Very tasty fare indeed. You will be rubbing elbows with a pretty international crowd, in what would otherwise have been just a quaint neighborhood tapas bar. The décor is rustic. Like I said, lightening struck twice here. They were basically a good local joint, that had the US equivalent to the Staples Center being built across the street, and Oprah walking in and raving about it on her show!

So. El Xampanyet won’t disappoint. It is good. But don’t expect to be able to go in and have a relaxing time either. It is loud, crowded, and lots going on. Which is exactly how you are supposed to be able to tell the good places from the bad! It’s a good stop for a drink and snack after getting some culture!

The Bus Turistic!

If it’s your first time in Barcelona, there may be no better way to get a good handle on the city and see it’s wonderful highlights is the Bus Turistic! These double-decker busses ply the major arteries of Barcelona, stopping at every point of interest. You get off when you see somewhere you’d like to explore deeper, then get back on another bus using your ticket. They are usually about 10-12 minutes apart. I bought my ticket prior to my trip through their website, and it was mailed to me. I later found that you can pay when you board, which is way cool.

Between the three routes the Bus Turistic takes, you will get access to most areas of interest in greater Barcelona. Your fare includes a very helpful city map, and some earbuds. There is an audio guide in 10 languages with plugins by each seat. I loved learning the history of each place as we passed.

I have to recommend this to anyone visiting Barcelona. This is a great way to get oriented, see the major sites, perhaps make a note of ones you wish to visit at length later. The view from uptop is incredible, and some great foto ops!