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Visiting Barcelona for the Spanish F1 Grand Prix? Make the most of your stay with our guide to some of the city’s unmissable shops, restaurants, bars and cultural events.
When the F1 cars start their engines, all eyes (and ears) are on the town of Montmeló, where you’ll find the center of the action, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. But the streets of Barcelona also fill up with fans at this time of year, as the track is just half an hour by train or car from the city, and the Catalan capital has so much to offer motor racing aficionados. From gastronomic choices for all tastes—tapas, seafood, Michelin-starred restaurants—to great weather, an unbeatable cultural agenda and a slew of shops where you can buy pieces by local designers and unique souvenirs, Barcelona has it all. We teamed up with MARTINI—the fuel to a great Aperitivo hour—to present your insider’s guide to 72 hours in Barcelona.
Ultramarinos is Barcelona’s latest designer macro-restaurant (La Rambla, 31; +34 93 270 23 81, www.ultramarinosbarcelona.com), an inviting gathering spot with daily DJ sets and a space where the bartenders conjure innovative cocktails. The cuisine is Mediterranean with international touches.
OneOcean (Moll de la Barceloneta, 1; www.oneoceanclub.es) is an exclusive restaurant-club in the Port Vell marina. To get in you have to be recommended by a member—which adds to the fun—but if you don’t know anyone on the inside, they’ll put you on the waiting list. And it’s definitely worth it!
Italian tapas, pizzas, desserts and other authentic gourmet Italian dishes are what you can sample at Vicino (Paseo Joan de Borbó, 68; +34 93 315 78 38, www.vicino.es), which has a terrace close to Barceloneta beach for a memorable al fresco dining experience.
At Entrepanes Díaz (Pau Claris, 189; +34 93 415 75 82) you’ll discover a selection of 10 signature sandwiches (‘entrepanes’ in Catalan) with surprising and delicious fillings, such as squid rings and pork ribs. And you shouldn’t miss their Cádiz style tapas.
Photograph: Courtesy Iván Gimenez
Overlooking the city, on Montjuïc mountain, is Martínez (Ctra. de Miramar, 38; +34 93 106 60 52), a chilled, hip restaurant specializing in rice dishes that also serves outstanding meat, seafood and vermouths. It’s not cheap, but the views more than make up for the price tag.
Photograph: Courtesy Maria Dias
La Barra (Comte d'Urgell, 240; +34 93 532 76 14, www.labarra.cat) is one of those places that makes things easy. It’s open practically all day, so head there for lunch, a snack, supper or your first drink of the evening. If you fancy a trip out of town, they also have a space in nearby Sant Cugat.
With its play-on-words name, you can doubtless imagine that this is a great place for an aperitif. And it is! Bar Mut (Pau Claris, 192. T. +34 93 217 43 38. www.barmut.com) serves superb tapas, wines and cocktails in an atmosphere that’s typical of traditional Barcelona bodegas, but with a stylish vibe.
Photograph: Courtesy Gregg CC
You’ll find Ajoblanco (Tuset, 20; +34 93 667 87 66, www.ajoblancorestaurant.com) in the upper part of town, a fact reflected in its ambience and prices—but don’t let that put you off. The cocktails are some of the best in town, while the menu, which skews Mediterranean, is full of seasonal delights.
Photograph: Courtesy Iván Gimenez
Senyor Vermut (Provença, 85;+34 93 532 88 65) is an authentic neighborhood bar where the drink-slingers are maestros of the aperitif. Try their tapas and small plates that combine tradition with creativity. Don’t go past the patatas bravas (fried potatoes with spicy sauce) and croquettes, and be sure to ask for the drink of the day.
Photograph: Courtesy Maria Dias
The man behind Bodega 1900 (Tamarit, 9; +34 93 325 26 59, www.bodega1900.com) is Albert Adrià—younger brother of Ferran and formerly of El Bulli—which means you get innovative cooking that respects traditional flavors. It’s the ideal place for a vermouth accompanied by salted, marinated and pickled meats, fish and shellfish, and chargrilled dishes.
Photograph: Courtesy Maria Diaz
Head to BOO for fashion and accessories (Bonavista, 2; +34 93 368 14 58, www.boobcn.com) from local and international labels like Barcelona’s own Medwinds, Saint James, which specializes in traditional French style, and US outdoor clothing experts, Penfield. And don’t miss the changing-room—it’s inside a 1920s phone box.
Photograph: Courtesy Maria Dias
Les Catherinettes (Riera de Sant Miquel, 17; +34 93 500 89 76, www.lescatherinettes.es) is a Gràcia shop selling hats, headbands and other accessories. They’re all created by Gema, who’s carrying on the trade she was taught by her grandfather, using elements such as silk, flowers, feathers and raffia.
Photograph: Courtesy Maria Dias
In the market for trainers? Mates (Gayarre, 25; +34 93 431 83 86, www.mates.es) specializes in all sorts of sports shoes, and if you check out their website before you visit, you can even create your very own personalized pair.
Photograph: Courtesy Maria Dias
You’ll find Ivori (Mirallers, 7; +34 657 500 041, www.ivoribarcelona.com) in Barcelona’s trendy Born area. Focused 100 percent on Catalan designers, the shop features clothes, shoes, bags and accessories, all carefully chosen by owner Carola Alexandre.
Photograph: Courtesy Maria Dias
Looking for a different kind of beauty product? You’ll find it hard to leave Les Topettes with your hands empty (Joaquín Costa, 33; +34 93 500 55 64, www.lestopettes.com) thanks to the perfumes, creams, candles and lipsticks they stock that you’ll struggle to find elsewhere.
Wer-Haus (Aragó, 287;+34 93 515 02 98, www.wer-haus.com) is a new space dedicated to fashion, photography and gastronomy. In the clothing section, you’ll find brands such as Lemaire, Études Studio and Gosha Rubchinskiy, and they also have a photography gallery and bookshop, and a café-restaurant.
Just a hairdresser? The Secret Room (Consell de Cent, 304, principal 2ª; +34 93 348 76 08, www.thesecretroomclub.com) is so much more than that! Located in a classic Eixample apartment with an amazing terrace, on a visit there you can also enjoy events such as art exhibitions, workshops and peruse fashion showrooms.
Clothes, jewelry, photo-books, ceramics, cosmetics… Passage (Abat Samsó, 7; +34 93 667 87 24, www.passagebcn.com) is a dynamic concept store that stocks limited editions, and hosts art shows and film screenings.
Photograph: Courtesy Maria Dias
Primavera Sound is as big as festivals get—so it’s unsurprising that tickets sell fast! Taking place this year between June 1 and 5, the line-up is as impressive as ever: Radiohead, LCD Soundsystem, PJ Harvey, Tame Impala, The Last Shadow Puppets, Sigur Rós, Brian Wilson and more big names.
Vintage in Barcelona is a wide-ranging festival dedicated wholly to retro culture. Apart from the market, the program includes workshops, live music and dance performances, and food trucks. The 2016 edition is held on June 12.
Vida avoids the typical music festival crowds and settings, opting instead to set up its stages spots such as forests, lighthouses and on-board a boat. This year it runs from June 30 to July 3 in Vilanova i la Geltrú (a short train ride down the coast) and features Wilco and the Divine Comedy as well as of-the-moment local bands.
#likerART is a new art festival that runs until May 28 in five neighborhoods, taking in both emblematic and unusual spaces in each area. It’s a way to (re)discover Barcelona via 30 artistic projects.
080 is Barcelona’s fashion week—and one the world keeps its eye on. The 18th edition runs June 27 to July 1, held for the first time in the Instituto Nacional de Educación Física de Catalunya (Catalan National Institute of Physical Education or INEFC) on Montjuïc. Catalan up-and-coming designers and established brands showcase their spring-summer 2017 collections.
Photograph: Courtesy Maria Dias
The hottest place to be in Spain during racing season is this amazing weekend-long party in Barceloneta. The enormous party is open to the public for the entire weekend—come along and ogle one of the Williams Martini Racing team’s most beautiful vehicles as you sip MARTINI & Tonic.
Follow MARTINI on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Check out Spotify’s 72 hours in Barcelona playlist. #PlayWithTime #MartiniRacing
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