A wander in Barcelona

Not all that wander are lost. There is something rather lovely about getting lost in a city, especially when you have deliberately decided not to follow the crowds.

On our recent long weekend in Barcelona, we made a conscious decision to stay away from the big tourist attractions and instead wander through the smaller streets and alleys, seeing where they would take us.

And, as is often the case when food is involved, we found some very good reasons to keep wandering. One of our first stops was Mercado de Santa Caterina with its wonderfully colourful roof and busy market atmosphere. I was told it to be an excellent alternative to the overrated and overcrowded Boqueria Market on La Ramblas.

Markets are always high on my list when visiting a new city. They give you a glimpse of everyday life rather than the polished version presented to tourists and Santa Caterina certainly delivered. There was plenty to look at, smell and of course eat.

It was brunch time when we arrived and L’universe bar had something for everyone. Mr T couldn’t resist when he spotted what the menu proudly described as Barcelona’s best tripe. Now, you will never, ever see me ordering tripe but I have to admit, it did look surprisingly tempting. It arrived in a flavoursome, oily broth, generously spiced with paprika and even I had to admit that it looked rather good. Mr T enjoyed it, although his Irish taste buds seemed to spend most of the meal trying to work out exactly what had just happened.

I was more moderate with my Spanish omelette. A glass of beer and cava made this brunch very enjoyable indeed. Having a meal while watching the daily life at the market go by had a special atmosphere to it.

A few hours later, our wanderings took us to Xarcuteria La Pineda, a traditional delicatessen that felt like exactly the sort of place we had hoped to find. It is easy to miss but worth popping in. There is something irresistible about counters filled with cured meats, cheeses and other tempting Spanish specialities. It is the kind of shop and eatery where you want to buy things simply because they look good, even if you have absolutely no idea when you are going to eat them.

I sat down my tired bones to a glass of cava and some cheese with spicy almonds. Instead of going for the typical three course meal, we decided to stick to tapas.

We were delighted with two tapas bars across from each other. We popped into Galante on Saturday evening when musicians played amazing samba music. We were surrounded by locals eating, drinking, singing along and dancing. The food was flavoursome and expertly cooked and the cava went down nicely.

On Sunday, we paid Bar Central opposite Galante a visit and again, enjoyed some delicious food and wine. Rather than moving from one famous tourist bar to another, we were discovering places that felt part of the neighbourhood.

A good bar can tell you an awful lot about a city. El Gat Rumbiero and Marlowe Bar each had their own character, which is exactly what we were looking for. The atmosphere, the people, the drinks and even the way you are welcomed all add to the experience.

We were not ticking boxes or rushing from one famous sight to another. We walked, stopped, looked around, ate and drank. Sometimes we had somewhere specific in mind and sometimes we simply turned down a street because it looked interesting.

Sometimes the best way to find it is simply to put away the map and get a little bit lost.