Barcelona is a city more known with sun and beach with fabulous architectures, but if you make a visit in winter season, there are some more things you can enjoy! - skiing in the Pyrenees! :)
At the Pyrenees of the Catalan/Spanish side close to the French boarder, there are big and small ski resorts that you can make a one day trip - going early in the morning, returning late at night back to Barcelona.
The closest Ski resort you may find is La Molina or La Masella. La Molina is one of the oldest ski resort in the country, with history dating back to 1908. Every winter, you will be able to find seasonal tickets seld in the city center of Barcelona. La Masella is a resort close to La Molina, only 2 hours away from Barcelona. If you buy a ticket named in ALP2500, sold in both resorts, you will have access to both at the same time.
Another well-known ski resort is Baqueira Beret. It´s located farther away, and has more familiar atmosphere, also known as the Spanish Royal Family´s winter resort . It takes around 4 hours from Barcelona by car, so you´d better be prepared for a night over.
If gonig to ski in Pyrenees is too far, there are still many ways to enjoy the winter in the city. Taking a walk through along the port in Barceloneta, taking drinks at urbany bar at the 3rd floor with other backpackers, going out to the disco all together every night and forget about the cold weather! We will help you find the way out to have the best experience in Barcelona - inside and outside the hostel! :)
Barcelona´s biggest flea market, Els Encants Vells - Mercat de Fira de Bellcaire (literally the old charms fair,)
is a treasure trove of “new” old items for sale every week. It´s just 5 minutes walk away from the Urbany Hostel!
There are great deals to be made, if you are looking something antique with some scent of old Barcelona.
The Fira de Bellcaire flea market is open on
Saturdays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday from 9 to 18.00.
You´d better go early to get things in better deals, before it gets too crowded in the afternoon!
Barcelona tips: FASTEST & EASIEST WAY TO MOVE AROUND BARCELONA
Coming to Barcelona?
There are so many hidden jewels around the city that fascinates the backpackers!
Okay, Gaudi´s masterpieces are always ranked as the must-visit attractions,
and so many people relate Las Ramblas directly to Barcelona.
However, Urbany Hostel suggests you to discover special places in the city through
small and narrow streets, unknown cafeterias with great terrace and local markets.
The scenes and places where you can see and feel the real local life.
Another tip we would like to give you, is the T-10 ticket - the key that opens the door to all public transportation in Barcelona.
tip: The information on the card is written in Catalan.
The T-10 ticket will indeed support you with the fastest and cheapest transportation in the city.
You can buy the ticket in any metro station in the city, and get full access to bus, metro,
FGC (ferrocarrils) and trams secutive 10 times in any given time period, at only 7.80€..
You can also share it with your friend.
What to do if you still have some routes left in the card before you leave Barcelona?
You can keep it for your next trip to Barcelona,
or leave it to one of the backpackers you meet at the Urbany Hostel in Barcelona.
Who knows? You might get a caña (small bear) in return from your new friend..
That´s the beauty of backpacking and staying at the hostel, we believe.
Santa María del Mar is the best and only finished example of Catalan Gothic in Barcelona. It is located in the Ribera quarter, near the Passeo del Borne and it has been built between 1329 and 1383.
If you are spending at least a couple of days in Barcleona you cant miss the Park Guell. This is probable one of the most impressive places to visit in town, together with the Sagrada Familia, where you will be able to walk around in an incredible garden fill of peculiar architectonical elements.
The Park has been projected by Gaudi and has been commissioned by Eusebi Guell with the original idea of being a residential and aristocratic area. The construction took place between 1900 and 1914 but the original project was abandoned; the place became part of the city property and about 10 years later it was changed to a public park.
In here are quite visible political, religious and mythological elements, amazingly integrated in the landscape. In fact the park has been projected in Gaudis naturalistic stage during which the architect defines his own style, getting inspiration from Nature itself and using a lot his geometric studies. All this is pretty visible in each corner of the park: from the columns, to the paths, the vegetation, the materials used and the shapes.
The best way to reach the park is taking the green line of the metro and getting of at Vallcarca. There you need to follow the signs to the escalators which bring to the entrance. After a good walk through the different paths of the park, you will reach the main square, surrounded by the famous mosaics balcony. The technique used for this decoration is called trencadis and its has been invented by Guadi himself. From here you will have a wonderful view of the city and of the seafront, especially if it is a sunny day. Underneath the square there is a colonnade where buskers always perform, creating a very suggesting atmosphere. Just in front of the colonnade there is a double stair, always full of tourists taking pictures to the dragon, one of the main symbols of Barcelona.
Inside the park there is also Gaudis home, where he lived from 1906 to 1925, just 2 years before passing away. Nowadays the building hosts an interesting exhibition of furniture designed by the architect.
If you are planning to visit the park you should count about half a day to enjoy the atmosphere of the place and maybe take it as an opportunity to have a picnic just a few minutes away from the crowd of the city. And of course this is also a good way for backpackers to have a very cheap day as the entrance is completely free.
INFORMATION: Timetable November to February: 10-18hrs March and October: 10-19hrs April and September: 10-20hrs May to August: 10-21hrs Transport: - from the Barcelona Urbany Hostel: Red Metro Line (L1) to Plaza Catalunya + Green Metro Line (L3) to Vallcarca.
During the years, Barcelona has been chosen by different writers as set of their novels, inventing their own stories about the city and their own characters. All the characters that walked in its streets left their marks and are still talking to us whenever we pass by some of the spots they were in.
The detective Pepe Carvahlo is surely one of the most emblematic ones, created by Manuel Vázquez Montalbán who passed away in 2003. Through this character the writer described and sometimes criticised the social and political changes Barcelona went through the second end of the 20th century. All the books are centred in the Raval and in the Ribera quarters, with particularly importance given to the Mercat de la Boquería (Boquería Market), where both the author and the detective used to spend a lot of time, expecially in the bar Pinocho. This is actually a very good place also for backpackers, to have a look at a very eclectic Spanish market, where you can find popular and exotic products at a time. Others sets of these books are Plaça Reial (down la Rambla), and the Rivera quarter, where you will find Carvahlos favourite restaurant: Casa Leopoldo, in C/Sant Rafael, 23.
Barcelona Hostels. Inject some high class into your hostelling with a stay in the awesome Urbany Hostel Barcelona!
Santa María del Mar is the best and only finished example of Catalan Gothic in Barcelona. It is located in the Ribera quarter, near the Passeo del Borne and it has been built between 1329 and 1383.
If you are spending at least a couple of days in Barcleona you cant miss the Park Guell. This is probable one of the most impressive places to visit in town, together with the Sagrada Familia, where you will be able to walk around in an incredible garden fill of peculiar architectonical elements.
The best way to reach the park is taking the green line of the metro and getting of at Vallcarca. There you need to follow the signs to the escalators which bring to the entrance. After a good walk through the different paths of the park, you will reach the main square, surrounded by the famous mosaics balcony. The technique used for this decoration is called trencadis and its has been invented by Guadi himself. From here you will have a wonderful view of the city and of the seafront, especially if it is a sunny day. Underneath the square there is a colonnade where buskers always perform, creating a very suggesting 
atmosphere. Just in front of the colonnade there is a double stair, always full of tourists taking pictures to the dragon, one of the main symbols of Barcelona.
nya + Green Metro Line (L3) to Vallcarca.
During the years, Barcelona has been chosen by different writers as set of their novels, inventing their own stories about the city and their own characters. All the characters that walked in its streets left their marks and are still talking to us whenever we pass by some of the spots they were in.
