Where to start with Catalonia”s capital? Forests have had to be replanted to cope with the outpouring of guidebooks that detail what this endlessly fascinating and sometimes eccentric city has to offer. A weekend whirlwind tour might feature highlights such as the breathtaking Camp Nou, the fabulous Gaudi architecture and the vast array of restaurants and bars, but as a seasoned Londoner, the ease and cost of the travel system stood out for me.
My recent trip to Spain's second city - its residents would fiercely dispute that - began with a short delayed Southern train journey to London Gatwick. Once in situ, the South Terminal at London”s second airport was a sea of queuing passengers slowly moving towards the security checks. Is there ever a more dispiriting sight than the South Terminal at its heaving worst? ” while the lack of communication and visibility from airport staff caused queue jumping and chaos ” most un-British. After an interminable hour I was finally through the red tape and my marathon training proved invaluable as I sprinted to catch the easyJet flight.
I have noticed in recent months that most of the low-cost carriers are making a concerted effort for business travellers with particular emphasis on customer service as they face fierce competition across Europe. This easyJet flight was a classic example - on time and full of business and leisure travellers enjoying decent service.
From the modern and gloriously-named El Prat (it means a more poetic meadow in Catalan apparently) Airport, a taxi to the city centre costs ”25 and the very efficient Aerobus costs just ”4 for the 20min trip. The train into Sants Estacio is another useful option, while all options run regularly and offer very good service.
My base was the Torre Catalunya hotel located a short metro ride from the harbour and close to the business centre. The four star establishment has all of the requirements for the business traveller, including internet connection in all rooms, a dedicated business centre and the trusted spa zone! If you don”t suffer from vertigo, ensure you ask for a room towards the top of the building because the views over the city are breathtaking.
As a keen Liverpool FC fan, I couldn”t resist a trip to Camp Nou to re-live the heroics of my team just over two weeks ago. The 40min tour takes you into the visitors changing room, onto the edge of the pitch and to the press gantry to view one of the world”s most outstanding sports stadiums. The tour concludes with entrance to the club museum and the ”11 cost is good value for football fanatics.
Barcelona”s metro system (Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona) runs regular services until midnight and you can usually get a seat in rush hour ” unlike some metro systems much closer to home, such as, er, London. As a tourist, it is easy to use and a single trip anywhere in the city will only cost you ”1.25!
A trip to Barcelona would not be complete without taking in some of Antoni Gaudi”s magnificent works. The extraordinary Temple de la Sagrada Familia is
the only cathedral in the world that is still under construction. Building work began in 1882, and one year later Gaudi was appointed project director working on the site for more than 40 years until his death in 1926. Today the incredible structure stands over 100 metres tall and covered in scaffolding as work continues from donations only.
Two more Gaudi masterpieces in the same district are well worth a visit. The Casa Batllo and La Pedrera are both apartment buildings that have Gaudi”s stamp of waved ceilings and natural light in abundance. The incredible detail and advanced design across Gaudi”s work makes him one of the doyens of Spanish architecture. Residents continue to live in both apartment blocks as visitors tour the buildings.
If the weather is good, the best way to explore the city is to take the Bus Turistic, an open top vehicle with three different routes throughout the city, that stops regularly at all the major attractions.
There are said to be more than 3,000 restaurants throughout Barcelona so a Tapas evening is never hard to find. For something slightly different, I would recommend Siete Portes (7 Doors) ” a superb eatery located on Pg. d”lsabel II. There is always a queue of locals so be sure to book in advance. The understated surroundings, delicious food and friendly service make for a fantastic dining experience. One highlight on the menu was the ”Rich Man”s Paella”.
On my return, I left the centre of Barcelona in rush hour two hours before my flight. I was through check-in and security within 20min of arriving at the airport and had enough time for one last glass of Rioja and a parma ham baguette. Once again, the easyJet flight was full and on-time ” even though we had to taxi for half an hour to avoid runway building works.
Following the smooth transition in Spain, I was greeted by my trusted delayed Southern train back to Clapham Junction that was standing room only. The cost was twice that of the airport train in Spain, but I did manage to make it back in time to see Liverpool FC beat FC Barcelona and progress to the quarter finals of the Champions League!
Chris Cummings
Associate Publisher