SPAIN - Best of Europe 2014 - page 1495

catalana, like a crème brûlée (Mon-Fri 9:00-13:00 & 16:00-21:00, Sat-Sun 9:00-13:00 &
17:00-21:00, Carrer Petritxol 11, tel. [phone]).
Homemade Chocolate atFargas: Foryourlast stop,head forthe ornate Fargaschocol-
ate shop. Continue down Carrer Petritxol to the square, hook left through the two-part
square, and then left up Carrer del Pi to the corner of Carrer de la Portaferrissa. Since the
19th century, gentlemen with walking canes have dropped by here for their chocolate fix.
Founded in 1827, this is one of the oldest and most traditional chocolate shops in Barcelona.
If they're not too busy, ask to see the old chocolate mill (“¿Puedo ver el molino?”) to the
right of the counter. (It's still used, but nowadays it's powered by a machine rather than a
donkey in the basement.) They sell even tiny quantities (one little morsel) by the weight, so
don'tbeshy.Adeliciouschunkofthecrumblysemi-sweethousespecialtycosts€0.40(glass
bowl on the counter). The tempting bonbons in the window cost about €1 each (Mon-Sat
9:30-13:30 & 16:00-20:00, closed Sun).
Barcelona Connections
By Train
Sants Station
Barcelona'smainstationisvastandsprawling,butmanageable.Inthelargelobbyareaunder
theuppertracks,you'llfindaTI;ATMs;aworldofhandyshopsandeateries;and,intheside
concourse, a classy, quiet Sala Club lounge for travelers with first-class reservations (TV,
free drinks, study tables, and coffee bar). Sants is the only Barcelona station with luggage
storage (small bag-€3.50/day, big bag-€5/day, requires security check, daily 5:30-23:00, fol-
low signs to consigna, at far end of hallway from tracks 13-14).
In the vast main hall is a very long wall of ticket windows. Figure out which one you
needbeforeyouwaitinline(allarelabeledinEnglish).Generally,windows1-7(ontheleft)
are for regional and media distancia trains, such as to Sitges; windows 8-21 handle advance
ticketsforlong-distance (largadistancia) trainsbeyondCatalunya;theinformationwindows
are 23-26—go here first if you're not sure which window you want; and windows 27-31
sell tickets for long-distance trains leaving today. The information booths by windows 1 and
21 can help you find the right line and can provide some train schedules. Scattered nearby
are two types of automated train-ticket vending machines: The red-and-gray machines sell
tickets for regional and media distancia trains within Catalunya; the purple machines are for
national RENFE trains, but these don't sell tickets—you can only use them to print out prer-
eserved tickets (if you have a confirmation code).
Getting Downtown: To reach the center of Barcelona, take a train or the Metro. To ride
the subway, follow signs for the Metro (red M ), and hop on the L3 (green) line, which links