Free Walking Tours BCN

Spain is known for its vibrant culture, beautiful landscapes, world famous artworks and more, but if you ask me, that all takes a back seat to the cuisine. With choices everywhere from Michelin star to dive bar, any traveler on any budget is sure to find something to fall in love with. With so much to choose from it is easy to get overwhelmed, but that’s why I’m here to give you a quick list of delicious Spanish staples you can find in any neighborhood in Barcelona. 

Seafood Paella 

It’d be blasphemous to talk about Spanish cuisine without mentioning paella. A fragrant rice mixed with veggies and topped with shrimp or squid; it is a Spanish national dish well deserving of the top slot on this list. 

2. Jamón Ibérico

Often called the finest ham in the world, this is not your usual deli meat. Jamón ibérico is an artisanal cured ham with well marbled fats and complex flavors developed throughout the curing process. 

3. Croquettes 

With a variety of flavors to try, these crispy fried dumplings are always a hit. Most often you’ll see them made with ham, chicken, or mushroom, but my personal favorite is spinach when you can find it.  

4. Spanish Tortilla

These tortillas are something special, another national dish resembling more of a potato quiche than the kind of tortilla you’d make a taco with. Also called Spanish Omelettes, this dish is well loved by locals and travelers alike. 

5. Churros

If you have a sweet tooth, the churros in Barcelona are going to be your new late night craving (or maybe I’m projecting). Often served with melted chocolate for dipping, the fresh sugary crunch of a churro as you explore the streets of Barcelona is an experience all on its own. 

6. Sangria 

This list might be for food, but you can’t have good food without a beverage to match. The sangria in Spain is more than just some wine with fruit, it is a truly delicious accompaniment to your meal and a perfect way to end a long day. 

7. Patatas Bravas 

Another staple item on most tapas menus, and another favorite of mine, patatas bravas are a must try. Locals even attest that bravas are the universal litmus test for if you’ve found a good tapas bar (or if you should maybe keep walking). These crispy fried potatoes with creamy aioli and spicy brava sauce give every other potato dish out there a run for their money.

8. Gazpacho

If you find yourself in the mood for a cold light appetizer, you can never go wrong with gazpacho. Served in a shot glass as a palette cleanser or in a big bowl as its own lunch dish, this Spanish tomato soup is sure to satisfy. 

9. Pan con tomate 

Perhaps the only tapas dish more common than patatas bravas is pan con tomate. This delicious bread smeared with olive oil, garlic, and tomato will be on the menu at any good tapas spot, and pairs well with almost anything. 

10. Esqueixada 

If you want traditional uniquely Catalan food, this is your pick. This refreshing ceviche style salad with salt cod, tomatoes, onions, sauce and olives is a delicious and light choice. 

Not only is there no shortage of restaurants and dishes to choose from, but plenty of time to try them out. On your trip to Barcelona, you’ll learn that the locals tend to have light bites throughout the day between meals. A typical day of eating might look like a light breakfast with coffee and fruit or toast (desayuno), followed by a snack a few hours later consisting of a tortilla or pastry (almuerzo), a heavier lunch as the main meal of the day (comida), another small afternoon or after school snack like a yogurt (merienda) and finally dinner around 8:30-10:00 (cena).

Another tip to dine like the locals: make sure to keep an eye out for restaurants with a “menú del día.” This is a lunch menu broken down by course and offered at a fixed price, you simply order one item from each course! Now, if you read all of that and still aren’t sure where to go or what to try, just ask your guide to email you their own list of favorite restaurants and dishes after your free walking tour. They will be happy to show you some of their favorites. 

Flamenco is a pillar of modern Spanish culture, practiced in theaters and loved by audiences across the world. Though an unquestionable facet of Spanish fine arts, the dance had nuanced beginnings. In the late eighteenth century, the art form was born of a mix of cultures in Andalusia. When Romani, Jewish, Castilian, Muslim, African and Caribbean immigrants met with the locals, they gave rise to an entirely new and uniquely colorful artform unlike any other in the world.

            Barcelona, being a port city and home to many Catalan and Romani immigrants, made a perfect place for such a distinct culture to blossom. The artform began to gain traction in the twentieth century with the rising popularity of tablaos, places where communities would gather to watch flamenco. The birth of flamenco theaters combined with a push to preserve Catalan culture made the perfect recipe for a cultural movement, and this movement became known as flamenquismo.

Flamenquismo became cemented in Barcelona’s history with the introduction of a star: Carmen Amaya, a Romani flamenco dancer born in 1913 in the Somorrostro district of Barcelona. Many regard Amaya as the best flamenco dancer to have ever lived; she was flamenquismo made flesh. Her work was revolutionary. She became the first woman to master the intricate and speedy footwork previously reserved for men, often opting for high waisted trousers in lieu of the traditional skirts to highlight her skill.

By her last performance in Madrid in 1963, Amaya had already begun to succumb to renal failure, and passed away later that year. In her short 50 years she danced for the King of Spain, toured across the Americas, appeared in Hollywood films, danced for two American presidents, and won countless awards. She was celebrated by authors, poets, dancers and artists; statues in her honor have been erected all over the world, two of which you can see right here in Barcelona. The first is a fountain in Placa Brugada inaugurated in 1959. It depicts five children dancing, an indirect homage to the impact she had in her community. Her second monument, “A Carmen Amaya,” resides in Montjuïc Park as a larger-than-life rendition of her dancing in a traditional flamenco gown.

While no other flamenco dancer could quite measure up to Amaya, flamenquismo is still alive and well in Barcelona today. You won’t want to miss the chance to see the intimate and commanding flamenco shows right on La Rambla, surrounded by some of the very first tablaos. You can find tickets and more details about these award-winning shows on the Free Walking Tours Barcelona website. Reserve a seat and be transported back in time to 20th century Spain and enjoy an unforgettable lesson in traditional Catalan live dance and music.

Any European jet-setter is sure to be familiar with Barcelona’s architectural wonders. What they might not know is that Barcelona is also home to paintings that give the city’s engineered feats a run for their money. After checking out La Sagrada Familia on our Gaudi Tour or the Arc de Triomf on a bike tour, you deserve an air-conditioned museum stroll. Here is our list of 5 paintings you need on your Barcelona itinerary curated by the experts here at Free Walking Tours Barcelona.

First Communion – Pablo Picasso

        To view the very first professional work from one of the most famous artists in the world, look no further. Pablo Picasso’s First Communion debuted in Barcelona in 1896 during his art school years, and now lives in The Museu Picasso in the very same city. While Picasso is most remembered for his cubism and surrealism, this religious coming of age work provides a window into Picasso’s formative years and the late 19th century style. Take a closer look at the male figure and you might even notice a resemblance to the artist himself; his father sat as the model!

Las Meninas – Pablo Picasso

        If you’ve visited The Prado in Madrid and the title Las Meninas sounds familiar, don’t disregard this message! Picasso’s 1957 rendition offers a totally new experience from Diego Velasquez’s 1656 piece by the same name. In his version, Picasso pays homage to a pillar of Spain’s art history while also illustrating his own experience with war’s aftermath. Las Meninas serves as a continuing political protest on behalf of imprisoned Spanish Republicans following the Spanish Civil War. Picasso’s unique reimagining of Las Meninas can be seen in The Museu Picasso.

Apse of Sant Climent de Taull – The Master of Taull

        History buffs and theologians: this is your stop. This piece is oldest on the list by centuries, painted sometime around 1123, allowing its viewer a glimpse into the Medieval Romanesque era. Apse of Sant Climent de Taull paints an intricate picture of Christ on Judgment Day using imagery from three separate Biblical visions, Revelation, Ezekiel, and Isaiah. Painted on a towering half dome, the viewer stands underneath the image of Christ floating above, humbling viewers before the likeness of God and surrounding them in striking vivid color. Any lover of antiquities should be sure to stop by the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) to experience for themselves.

The Spanish Wedding – Maria Fortuny

        Fortuny was a master of his time and famed for his work in genre painting, rivaled only in recognition by Goya. Finished in 1870, The Spanish Wedding depicts an 18th century marriage signing using his own wife and sister-in-law as models in the scene. Fortuny was greatly inspired by Goya, and his inspiration is reflected in this piece through his construction of light and deep shadows. This painting earned great admiration in Paris and ensured Fortuny’s works would be sought after by collectors for the rest of his career. It remained privately owned until 1922, when it began to bounce around museums across Spain and France, until it finally found its home in Barcelona for you to view today at the MNAC.

Ramon Casas and Pere Romeu on a Tandem – Ramon Casas

        This whimsical 1897 painting is a facet of the Modernist Movement. Casas depicts himself along with Pere Romeu, owner of the famed Els Quatre Gats beer hall, riding a tandem bicycle in front of the Barcelona skyline. This painting found expert audience on the walls of the beer hall, frequented by trail-blazers such as Picasso, Mir, and Nonell. It hung overlooking the casual meetings of artists and intellectuals forging the movement into modernism that is so emblematic of Barcelona today. Within the beer hall, the painting has since been replaced with another depicting the same two figures in an automobile, but don’t fret if you still want to see the original. Casas’ masterclass in poster technique is available to view just a few minutes away at the MNAC.

If you still want to check out some uniquely Catalonian art, Barcelona’s street art is a museum in its own right. From political graffiti to sprawling murals, you can catch a glimpse into the street art curated by local artists and activists with our free walking tour of El Raval.