a Barcelona micro-itinerary
Sandwiched between Montjuïc, the large hillside park that hugs the south of the city, and the avenue of Parallel, the neighborhood of Poble-Sec feels distinct to its neighbours across this wide street. This largely residential pocket of central Barcelona is defined by its narrow upward sloping streets and noticeable feeling of calm compared to its noisier busier counterparts.
While Montjuïc’s heavyweight art galleries (the Miro Foundation and the Catalan national art museum, MNAC) and annual summer theatre festival (Grec) have always rooted this barrio in culture, in recent times a wave of new openings further down the hill have brought an injection of fresh energy. With the MiróMatisse: Beyond the Images exhibition coming to the Miró Foundation this winter – the first of its kind celebrating the two artists together – it’s an ideal moment to explore this part of town.
At Salvadiscos, a cultural association meets record shop there’s regular live DJs while cultural centre Casa Montjuïc offers a forward thinking curation of film screenings, live music and club nights. The latter’s natural wine bar, Tiberi Bar, has become one of the most talked about new spots in the city of late with its lengthy wine list and friendly staff guiding both locals and visitors to the best glass. It’s equally great for a quick drink or a group dinner where the wine comes with a short menu of sharing small plates that lean Mediterranean but with an elevated edge.
Pedestrianised Carrer de Blai is arguably the beating heart of the Poble-Sec neighborhood and is lined with cheap and cheerful bars whose outdoor terraces fill up all months of the year. Most offer cookie cutter tapas or simple pintxos but Denassus is doing something different. Also specialising in natural wine – there’s a theme emerging here – the tapas is considered and creative with a regular changing seasonal menu (don’t miss the local mushrooms if they are on the list). Plaça del Sortidor, the central square of Poble-Sec is also worth swinging by with a stop at La Galena for the best spot for an artisan coffee in the neighborhood.
Poble-Sec’s other notable eating and drinking spots are hidden in the area’s side streets lined with 19th-century apartment blocks studded with balconies and strung out laundry. Venetian restaurant Xemei with its street side terrace calls for a long lunch of fresh fish or homemade pasta while Lascar 74 serves up one of the best ceviche menus in town.
Beyond the Miró Matisse exhibition and the serene building it's housed in, there are lots of interesting corners of Montjuïc to explore. Set off on a walk across the hill with stops at the Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera, a hidden cactus garden and the Jardí Botànic de Barcelona, a beautiful botanical garden with an impressive collection of Bonsai trees before finishing up with a vermouth at Salts, an unfussy bar perched above the Olympic diving pools with an excellent view across all of Barcelona. Or, at the foot of Montjuïc on the Plaça d'Espanya side, the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion is a minimalist masterpiece made from glass and steel while the Caixa Forum has a great line-up of international art exhibitions in an old factory building.
The best bet for accommodation in Poble Sec is boutique Hotel Brummel with its modernist tropical aesthetic and a little rooftop plunge pool ideal for the sweaty summer months. When staying in another part of town, it’s worth stopping by for breakfast here. Thanks to a new partnership, one of the best bakeries in town, Funky Bakers, are now behind the Mediterranean-Middle Eastern pastries and brunch dishes on the menu.
Elizabeth Bennett
