Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
El Born
If you're hankering for a proper
martini or perhaps some
alternative jazz, then look no
further than El Born, a musty-
turned-hip neighbourhood, which
was “reborn” several years ago.
Students and artists moved in,
attracted by cheap rents and
airy warehouses, fostering an
arty vibe that now blends in
with the area's old-time aura.
Experimental design shops
share the narrow streets with
traditional, balconied buildings
strung with laundry. The bustling
Passeig de Born, lined with bars
and cafés, leads onto the lively
Plaça Comercial, where the
cavernous Born Market (in
operation 1870-1970) is now
being converted into a cultural
centre and exhibition space.
Plaça Reial (1850s)
Marès. No mere hobby collector,
the astute (and obsessive) Marès
amassed holdings that a modern
museum curator would die for.
Among them, an impressive array
of religious icons and statues -
dating from Roman times to the
present - and the curious
“Museu Sentimental , which
displays anything from ancient
watches to fans and dolls. Also
worth a visit during the summer
months is the inviting Cafè d'Estiu
(see p78)
on the museum's sun-
dappled patio.
d
Pl de Sant Iu 5-6
• Map N3 • Open 10am-7pm Tue-Sat,
10am-3pm Sun • Adm • Free Wed eve &
1st Sun of month, free guided visits on
request, call 93 256 35 00
^
Plaça Reial
Late 19th-century elegance
meets sangria-swilling café
society in the arcaded Plaça
Reial, one of Barcelona's most
emblematic and entertaining
squares. The
plaça
is planted
with towering palm trees and
encircled by stately, 19th-century
buildings. The
Modernista
lampposts were designed
by a young Gaudí in 1879.
At the square's centre is
a wrought-iron fountain
representing the Three
Graces. The square is
the best place to start a
big night out, with a
cluster of restaurants,
bars and cafés that
draw the hoi polloi -
including all sorts of
shady pickpockets.
d
Map L4
*
Església de Santa
Maria del Mar
The spacious, breathtaking
interior of this 14th-
century church, designed
by architect Berenguer
de Montagut, is the
city's premier example
of the austere Catalan
Gothic style. The church
is dedicated to Saint
Mary of the Sea, the
patron saint of sailors,
and an ancient model
ship hangs near one of
the statues of the Virgin.
Dubbed “the people's church ,
this is the city's most popular
spot for exchanging wedding
vows.
d
Pl de Santa Maria 1
•
Map
P5
•
Open 9am-1:30pm & 4:30-8pm
Medieval arch,
Museu Frederic Marès
&
Museu Frederic Marès
This fascinating museum
houses the life collection of
wealthy Catalan sculptor Frederic
72
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