Pure catalan food

We in Barcelona are mourning the sudden death of Santi Santamaria who was one of the pioneers of the nova cucina catalana with his iconic 3-Michelin-star restaurant in St. Celoni. Santi, along with Ferran Adriá, and others have lead Barcelona to the very top of everybody´s list of great food cities.

But if your budget keeps you out of Michelin restaurants, or if you just want to experience the food the people around here have been eating since time immemorial, we suggest the following super typical dishes:

You have to start with the ever-present pa amb tomaquet (bread with tomato). The bread must be peasant bread, sliced, toasted, and then rubbed down with freshly squeezed tomatoes: no skins please! Or course you can rub your toasted bread down with some raw garlic as well.

One of my personal favorites is espinacas a la catalana (Catalan spinach). The spinach is cooked in good Catalan olive oil with garlic, pine nuts, and raisons and then a nothing little splash of oil on top. And there are peus de porc (pig´s trotters) and cargols (snails) for the more adventuresome.

And you are just in time for the great Catalan folk feast: the calçotada is in season. Calcots are large onions which are grilled, skins and all, on open fires. Then the outer skins are pulled off and the onions are dipped in romescu sauce. Open your mouth, tip back your head, and down the hatch. The very best place to enjoy a calçotada, a meal based on these rustic beauties is at a masia, a rustic Catalan country house. But many Barcelona restaurants serve them up as well, and we can point you in the right direction.

A little advanced warning: don´t wear your best clothes to a calçotada. It can all be a bit messy. And when you are washing it all down with some good Catalan wine or even a little cava (the Catalan sparkler) why not use the porrón, your initiation rite to becoming a real Catalan. This can also be a little messy too to the uninitiated.

What to do in Barcelona? (3 of 4 parts)

11. Perfect your path to heaven

Even if you're not the religious sort, you should visit the magnificent churches of Barcelona. The Sant Pau del Camp is a rare example of Romanesque architecture, with a fantastical façade and extraordinary cloister. The graceful basilica of the Santa Maria del Mar is perhaps the best surviving example of Catalan Gothic, and makes a great place to go for a classical concert. And the holy architecture of Sagrada Familia will lift your heart to the heavens. Take your time to explore these beautiful buildings, you might even become a believer.

12. Savour the best in new Catalan cooking

For a taste of Catalan cooking, visit the Cinc Sentits, which is creating quite a stir in Barcelona gastronomic circles. The owners promise to tickle all your senses with gourmet dishes. The menu is a mix of classics such as suckling pig with apple compôte, or Catalan flat coca bread with foie gras, and individual dishes such as lamb cutlets with a crust of porcini dust, and slow-braised pork belly on gingerbread. Save room for the apple sorbet and maple quesada (far better than cheesecake), or the artisan Catalan cheese plate. The wine pairings are impeccable.

13. Discover your sweet tooth

Barcelona is the perfect place to indulge in sweet treats. You'll be spoilt for choice with its selection of confectionery shops. For posh chocolates in fancy packaging, head to Escribà; and for cooked candy visit Papabubble, where you can see the sweets being rolled in front of your eyes. If you're over in Spain during the winter and fancy a hot chocolate, stop by the milk bar La Granja (Banys Nous 4), handsomely fitted with antiques, it serves thick and frothy cocoa, which will warm you up.

14. Marvel at Modernista architecture

Barcelona's love of Modernista has been a passionate affair and the evidence is scattered across the city. In the Dreta area of Eixample, there are some masterpieces. The fairest of them is Gaudí's luminous Casa Batlló, built for textile tycoon. Nearby, you can gaze at his rivals' architecture: the shiny Casa Amatller by Puig i Cadafalch, which houses the Centre del Modernisme, and the decadent Casa Lleó Morera (on the corner of C/Consell de Cent at No.35) by Domènech i Muntaner. Nearby, you'll find his Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, whose city gardens offer a pleasant oasis amid the bustling city. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has 18 pavilions.

15. Fill your suitcase with local threads

Style comes with all kinds of price tags in Barcelona. High street shoppers will easily recognise the Spanish labels Mango and Zara, but fashionistas should check out Custo Barcelona for its trademark bright T-shirts, and MTX Barcelona (Rec 32) for its restructured womenswear. These are not cheap, but they are certainly designer originals. Those with a yen for footwear should spring to the Mallorca-based eco shoe company, Camper, which is famous for its clog heels and bowling shoe classics.