Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
5. EATING
Themosteconomicalwaytogetabitetoeatistopickuppicnicgoodiesatoneofthe
city'sfoodmarkets(forfurtherdetailssee
MostFascinatingMarkets
)
.The
menú del
dia
(fixed lunch menu) offered from Monday to Friday at many restaurants is often
veryreasonable. Dining ontheterrace canbemorepricey thaneating inside, where
sitting at the bar is usually the cheapest option.
6. FAST FOOD
Bypass McDonald's and Burger King and sample Spain's cheaper fast food equival-
ents. Pans & Company and Bocatta are found all over town; bothoffer cheap meals,
particularly if you eat between 10am and noon, and 4 and 7pm.
7. DRINKING
StartoutthenightinyourhotelwithabottleofSpanishwinefromthesupermarket.
Then head to the Barri Gòtic or El Raval where there are plenty of cheap dive bars.
Ordera
canya
(draughtbeer)oraSpanishbottledbeer,EstrellaorMoritz,whichare
usually cheaper than imported beers.
8. HOTELS
VisitBarcelonaduringthelowseason,fromOctobertoApril,andyou'llfindcheaper
hoteldeals(andairfares).ThesamecanbetrueinAugustwhenmanySpanishbusi-
nesses close. Enquire about any special deals when booking a room.
9. HOTEL BARS
You don't have to stay at the ritzy hotels to enjoy their luxurious environs. Most of
thebarsandcafésatthefive-starhotelsareopentothepublic.TrytheHotelArts,or
theHotelW,withitsgreatviews,whereyoucansipacocktailtothesoundofclassic-
al piano.
10. CINEMAS
Go to the cinema (for further details see
Top 10 Versión Original Cinemas
) on
el
dia del espectador
(often Monday or Wednesday) or for a matinée (usually before
2:30pm), when tickets are cheaper.
