Thanks for signing on as an early subscriber to Barcelona Anarchy. I hope you find it interesting, whether you give a crap about Barcelona or not.
As some of you know, I’m writing a book on Barcelona, and this Substack site will be my platform to share stories about the architecture, culture and daily life of a city that has captivated me for years.
The more I’ve learned about Barcelona, the more I became fascinated by the centuries of scandals, tragedies and passions that shaped the community and culture. There are crazy tales behind those old squares and modernist masterpieces.
In recent days, I’ve been primarily focused on building out the site’s Travel Tips section. During my time as a working journalist in the city, I accumulated a wealth of material and opinions. In addition to random notes, I’m focusing on many of the questions I hear over and over again. It’s been fun, and I hope to develop a useful package for travelers and expats. I’m trying to make good on the promise to offer a perspective you won’t get from the guidebooks.
Where to Stay in Barcelona
If you really want to get a taste of the real Barcelona, don’t stay in the Gothic Quarter. It’s like visiting Disneyland and choosing to stay in Snow White’s castle. Nobody wants to be in the theme park 24 hours a day.
A ‘Fusion’ Restaurant in Eixample
“Fusion” is one of those over-used terms in the restaurant business that means less the more it used. In Barcelona, fusion can reference anything from the work of some of the world’s top culinary artists to burger joints offering chipotle sauce. Any restaurant that combines American cheese with Iberian pork is s…
The Place to Stay in Tossa de Mar
Most guides discuss Tossa de Mar as an option for a quick one-day excursion from Barcelona. Although not accessible by train, it’s about a 90-minute drive from the city and it’s easy to walk the castle grounds, have lunch and head back to the city.
As always, any opportunity you have to read, like and explore the site is much appreciated. Here are a couple of the recent articles.
This is What ‘Cuisine Diversity’ Really Means
A lot of cities talk big about the variety and ethnic diversity of their cuisine. Bloggers babble about “cultural crossroads” and “melting pots,” but in reality most big cities can’t compete with the choices and quality offered in the typical central Barcelona neighborhood.
Inside a Rarely Seen Modernist Mansion
To many Barcelona tourists, Josep Puig i Cadafalch is the guy who designed that really cool mansion next door to Casa Batlló, Gaudi’s main street masterpiece. Millions of travelers have stared in awe at the Gaudi house and its swirling facade, and then glanced to the left and said som…
In the weeks ahead, you’re going to start seeing more articles about architecture, art, design, history and the other elements of Barcelona that make it a great place to visit and live.
Thank you for your support.
Kevin