Sounds Of The City

Barcelona is a city of markets, each with a special character. Mercat de la Boqueria (91 La Rambla; +34-933-182-584) is recognized as one of the best markets in the world, and the oldest in the city, dating back to 1217. In addition to offering everything from fruit stalls to fresh fish, it's also home to the Boqueria Food School offering culinary classes to the public, where amateur chefs can learn the secrets of Catalan cooking. The renovated Mercat Santa Caterina (16 Av. de Francesc Cambó; +34-933-195-740) gets as much attention for its undulating, colorful roof that resembles a magic carpet as it does for the more than 100 fish, seafood, poultry, and produce stalls spread across three levels. Mercat de Sants (6 Carrer de Sant Jordi; +34-933-15-83-59) is where the locals do their food shopping. Built in the Modernist style, the market in the Sants neighborhood is a protected heritage site, and still retains its flavor as a friendly, community gathering place.

At the Museu Picasso (15-23 Carrer Montcada; +34-932-563-000), the breadth of the artist's prolific output shows in more than 4,000 works: from the doodles of a budding imagination to the famous cubist works that made Pablo Picasso a household name. The same goes for what's on display at Fundació Joan Miró (Parc de Montjuïc, +34-934-439-470), the foundation of the 20th century surrealist created to exhibit his own art. The all-white building is on the picturesque Montjuïc hill, overlooking the entire city. Other artists' works besides Miró's are exhibited, too. Don't miss Alexander Calder's "Fountain of Mercury," in which liquid mercury cascades instead of water. Created in 1937, it is known as one of the deadliest pieces of art ever created because of the toxic metal circulating through it. But don't worry, today "Fountain of Mercury" is housed behind a pane of glass to protect onlookers.

One of classical music’s greatest appeals lies in the venues where it is performed, and L'Auditori (150 Carrer de Lepant; +34-932-479-300), , home of the Barcelona Symphony, is no exception. Designed by architect Rafael Moneo, much attention was given to creating the perfect acoustics for the symphony when it was created in 1999. Standing in stark contrast is the 1908, 2,000-seat Palau de la Música (4-6 Palau de la Música, +34-932-957-200), an architectural jewel. The masterpiece is noted for having all of the decorative arts in one place: sculpture, mosaic, stained glass, and ironwork. Inside, the concert hall is packed with more decoration, and a central skylight fills the auditorium with natural light.

After traveling or being away from the city for extended periods of time, Ono loves returning to Barcelona to indulge in his favorite seafood tapas and sangria. For real local flavor off the tourist map, it's La Esquinica (296 Passeig de Fabra i Puig; +34-933-582-519), which bills itself as the "Mecca of Tapas." Try the stuffed mussels, or tigres, where finely chopped mussels are mixed with onion, pepper, and tomato sauce, breaded and lightly fried, then put back in the mussel's shell. O'Retorno (168 Carrer del Comte d'Urgell; +34-934-531-104) is the place to try Galician pulpo con cachelos, one of the most famous Spanish tapas-style dishes, where grilled octopus is drizzled with olive oil, spicy paprika, and coarse salt, then placed on a bed of potatoes. For the tastiest sangria in town, Los Caracoles (14 Carrer dels Escudellers; +34-933-012-041) has solidified its reputation for delicious fruit-infused wine cocktails since the restaurant opened in 1835.

Montserrat, which means saw-shaped mountain in Catalan, is worth a day trip, and getting there is half the fun. The spectacular mountain retreat of Benedictine monks is only an hour north of the city. One of the best ways to travel from Barcelona to Montserrat is by train. Plan ahead with a ticket that includes your ride to the top of the mountain upon arrival, either by railway the cremallera funicular.

The railway is the most dependable and comfortable alternative. After a 15-minute ride in an air-conditioned car, with the extra added attraction of spectacular views through the train's wide windows, visitors are dropped off at the station in the middle of the monastery of Basilica of Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey (Muntanya de Montserrat; +34-938-777-777). Once on site, stay for a performance by the Escalonia de Montserrat boys choir, a chorus of 50 that performs Gregorian chants and other religious music twice daily.