Remarkably, four bottlenosed dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) were spotted inside Barcelona harbour (Moll de Barcelona) last month by wildlife experts, the first sighting in recent times in the port itself, though the animal is reasonably common in waters off Barcelona. Loved to have seen them! More here in Catalan
A more balenced view of this monstosity at the Guardian.
The American owners claim their hotel, officially the W Barcelona, is “a modernist masterpiece of avant-garde architecture” whose facade reflects “the captivating colours of the Catalonia sky”. However, elsewhere there has been less praise. The El País columnist Agustí Fancelli denounced the “scandalous privatisation” of one of the key points in the city, comparing the hotel to “an inglorious beer belly”.
A remarkable photo of Barceloneta beach at the end of the 19th century. Compare with this painting by Picasso.
Barceloneta Beach by Pablo Picasso, 1896 – Oil on canvas. Note the factories of Poble Nou and I think La Maquinista in the background. Picasso lived in the city as a young man between 1895 and 1904. It is also striking how bare the Catalan coast painted in the background was. We forget the massive reforestation in Spain since the 1960s as people no longer had to cut down trees for fuel.
La Miranda Del Museo is my favourite rooftop bar-restaurant in Barcelona. It is located between Barceloneta and the Gothic Quarter in the Palau de Mar, the only building which still survives from Barcelona’s Old Port. The first three floors of the building are taken up by the Museu de Historia de Catalunya. Take the lift up to the fourth floor. Superb views of Barcelona harbour, Montjuic and Tibidabo.
Mediterranean cusine specialised in seafood. A reasonably-priced lunch menu is available during the week. Cafeteria service is also offered during museum hours. A great place to admire the city with a coffee.
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