Barcelona is a city open to tourism, sometimes perhaps too much. But anyone who knows the city knows that tourists occupy specific Zones, those saturated by visitors who consult what to do and where to go in the same old guidebooks. But this city is much more than that, that’s why we propose this list of secret places in Barcelona where to hide.
Whether you want to surprise your partner, or escape from the hustle and bustle, escaping from the city
Tamarita Gardens one of the most romantic corners of Barcelona
To talk about this modern oasis it would suffice to refer to the commonplace, the truism of: “it is for all audiences”. It’s very commonplace, but it’s true nonetheless. Man, whoever has the intention to go binge drinking or petting, it’s almost better to do it at home.
What we are getting at is that, for a walk, any kind of company -loving, friendly, family- is appropriate. There are also pingpong tables and a children’s playground.
Visit castellcir Castle before it’s too late
This castle has not impacted popular culture as it deserves, and despite being an Asset of Cultural Interest since 1888, the state it is in is precarious to say the least.
The castle is in ruins. It is in an advanced state of degradation. Any day now, the stone on which it is built will be defeated and it will be too late to repent.
Frequent visitors know this. And is that the visit to the Popa Castle is one of the star routes of light hiking in the province of Barcelona. Slight, we say, because it is about four kilometers and leaves the town of Castellcir.
Plaça de Sant Felip Neri and its history
Surely you’ve noticed the holes in the facade of the church that gives its name to the square; surely, too, you’ve wondered why the walls have not been restored. Marks that appear on the facade like wounds or scars of a dark time.
Dark for both Barcelona and Spain, in general: to know the origin of the holes we must go back to 1938, to the last stages of the Civil War. These are due to a bombing caused by Franco’s side during the war, in the middle of the capture of Barcelona.
If you’re looking for intimacy… here’s a list of secret places to go as a couple
We are not responsible for the use of these facilities, as the places we include in this list are a double-edged sword because their romantic and intimate atmosphere could be considered manipulation.
If you want to make sure you say yes, or just want to have an original date, don’t miss these secret places in Barcelona to go as a couple.
Air-raid shelters the most hidden places for obvious reasons
One of the best known is the Plaça del Diamant. Such is the level of detail and conservation of this shelter that you can see the marks left on the walls by the candles with which the people who sheltered in it were illuminated.
Many of these bunkers could be accessed from tunnels that were in the middle of the street. However, there were also a privileged few who had the possibility of access from the same block of apartments. One of the most striking cases is that of La Pedrera: it had a direct connection with an air-raid shelter.
Petritxol Street the most iconic street in the world
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iH9a24RKK4&t=1s
It is one of the most emblematic streets of Barcelona: recognized by locals and sought after by tourists. And it is, among other things, because it smells like chocolate.
A narrow street like the furrow through which the water of a stream flows; a street with a winding layout like a black mamba; a street where, by stretching out your arms, you can almost touch the walls on one side and on the other; a street that brings together the essence of a neighborhood: the Gothic.
Mythical street for its history, with an uncertain etymological origin, precursor of movements and loved by, as it is popularly said, locals and strangers.
The other, secret Sagrada Familia
Since it is not possible to travel to the future and since virtual reconstructions do not satisfy the cultural concerns of the most impatient, will tell you that there is another Sagrada Familia.
No, not a 1:40 scale Sagrada Familia -which I’m sure it is-. Nor is there a temple of similar aesthetics and the same dimensions on another continent. No, there is another Sagrada Familia just a few minutes drive from Barcelona.
The kiss of death
The kiss of death is the petrification of sadness. Of the funereal. It is the story of claws digging into young flesh for nearly a century. A winged skeleton giving a kiss on the forehead to a young, handsome and if not deceased, fainting man.
The truly terrifying thing about The Kiss of Death is not the death itself. It makes things easier, no doubt about it. But it’s the sweetness that’s scary. The possibility of non-traumatic death. The possibility that death is not what it is. And that it is not when it comes to a person as young as the one portrayed in the sculpture. Of death being a partner, a repentant figure approaching the piano, unwillingly, little by little, asking for forgiveness. Like a good boss who is forced from above to fire an employee who works well.
The cloister of the Santa Anna parish church
The parish, which is open from 9 am to 1 pm and from 6:30 pm to 8 pm, is just that: a parish, but the great interest (or the point on which all my interest is focused) is the cloister. A cloister that, as my actor’s face says, is Gothic-inspired. Not that it detracts from the interior of the church.
Namely, according to this article of the National, here inside are guarded works of Pere Pruna, a disciple of Picasso. I do not detract anything, I say, but the cloister is, in the words of millennials (which is what I am), another roll.
The forest with erotic motifs one of the most curious places in Barcelona
Xicu Cabanyes, author of the forest, grew up in the countryside and everything pointed to the fact that he would continue to live in the countryside. But he showed a dexterity with the knife and with wood that was beyond question.
Cabanyes entered a furniture factory and from there the rest is history. He began to play with elements and to distinguish himself from his contemporaries by making unparalleled works: Cabanyes already provoked with his erotic sculptures during the Franco regime.
Restaurants to try at least once in your life
The 100 movies you have to see before you die, the 100 albums and songs you can’t miss; the 75 things you have to do in Barcelona before you die or the 50 things you can do for free.
Yes, yes, all very good. But isn’t anyone going to talk about what keeps us alive? Food and beverages have 50 temples in Barcelona that you must visit at least once in your life.
Charming villages less than two hours from Barcelona
Barcelona allows you to disconnect, but sometimes there is nothing like taking a car and a backpack, taking the road and going to the countryside to breathe the fresh air. Or on the beach. And if we talk about a place with Encanto, the experience improves exponentially. Here are 16 alternative getaways near Barcelona.
The most beautiful patios are the best secret places in Barcelona to go as a couple
The truth is that disconnecting in a big city is becoming increasingly difficult. We are not going to be the ones to deny it, although there is always somewhere to hide, that’s why Barcelona’s patios are a perfect option as a secret place to go as a couple to have some wine or a drink with friends have an appointment.
But there is no need to take the car and go to the boondocks to escape the urban chaos. You can even do within Barcelona itself, for example, with these incredible patios.
The best of La Barceloneta
Barceloneta is one of those laboratory neighborhoods, one of those places in the city where people from here and there, from different social strata, with different ways of understanding life, end up coming together, and that sometimes creates a wonderful mix.
Or maybe La Barceloneta was already wonderful before all this. Guiris and locals, migrants and grandparents, traditional bars and craft beer places. Everything has a place in this neighborhood. And fortunately, at least for the moment, neither side is phagocytizing the other.
Here is our small tribute to this incredible neighborhood. Here are our favorites from La Barceloneta.
Have a scary time in these abandoned places
Bad vibes, uneasiness, bristling hair and a constant feeling of insecurity. That’s what abandoned places usually inspire. Feelings are intensified, even more so, if they were once lively buildings or colossal structures .
It is normal that there are many who try and want to avoid them. But if, like us, you are not one of those, you might like to know that in Barcelona we also have our little treasures in ruins to visit.
See Barcelona from above
The most obvious ways to get a privileged view over the city are to climb a mountain or take an elevator. In Barcelona there are parks with views and hotels with elegant terraces and spectacular where you can enjoy a picnic or a cocktail overlooking the rooftops of the city.
But there are also viewpoints, elevated gardens, mountains and hills, that’s why, here is a list of the best ones.
Find the secret coves near Barcelona
If you are one of those who fall in love with the water of Barceloneta when it is clear, you can’t imagine what you have yet to discover .
At this link you can find some of our favorite coves nearest, although the list is not long enough.