Time Out Barcelona (Time Out Guides) (Paperback)

~ Sally Davies (Compiler) "Unassailable proof that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, Barcelona over the centuries has been buffeted by invading forces, fleeced by trade restrictions and..." (more)
Key Phrases: Time Out Barcelona, Metro Catalunya, Avda Diagonal (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'Offers a refreshing insider's view of the city' The Daily Telegraph"

Product Description

Unparalleled in its enthusiasm for a good time, the city of Barcelona barely has time to take down the bunting between its rollicking festivals. When there isn't an all-night fiesta happening on the street, there's more than likely a party on the beach and never any shortage of action in its clubs and bars. All of this takes place in a perfect climate and against a backdrop of mind-blowing Modernista architecture and a cityscape as varied as any. Gentler pursuits are also myriad; the city's museums have got it all covered from Picasso to perfume, its galleries are among the most avant-garde in Europe, and its history is writ large in the churches and perfectly preserved medieval alleyways of the Barri Gòtic. Time Out Barcelona gives the lowdown on all the essentials: where to stay, where to eat, where to shop and what to see. Special sections include "Proud to be Catalan," the phenomenal resurgence of Catalonia's language and traditions after years of oppression; "Pillow Talk," the chicest boutique hotels and best-value family pensiones; and "Out of Town," fishing villages, vineyards, mountains, and monasteries within easy reach of the city.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Time Out; Eighth edition edition (April 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1904978355
• ISBN-13: 978-1904978350
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #272,795 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not too touristy!, September 12, 2005

By	Jennifer "Jennifer" (Vermont) - See all my reviews

We just returned from Barcelona two weeks ago. We had three guide books with us, and this is the one that we consistently carried around. The books were identical in terms of the touristy information and sites. But where Time Out really shines is in the food and drink and nightlife sections. We tried many of their listings and they did not steer us wrong once. Also, their listing s are for places where locals also frequent, which makes for a much more pleasant trip! We had a fabulous time in Barcelona. A couple of recommendations: Park Guell is worth the trip. The following tapas bars were delicious and swarming with locals: Euskal Etxea, Bar Celta Pulperia (get the pulpo and acompany it with a bottle of albarino), and Cerveceria Catalania.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Buy Time Out for nightlife listings for a late-night city, February 11, 2007

By	saliero (NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Time Out Barcelona (Time Out Guides) (Paperback)

I went to Barcelona recently, and in the planning of the trip I consulted four guide books:

Lonely Planet's Barcelona City Guide
Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Barcelona and Catalonia
Cadogan Guides Barcelona (Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls)
Time Out Barcelona

All of them were good. I took two with me: Lonely Planet and Eyewitness.
The reasons I chose those two:

Eyewitness unfailingly has a good quality map, which in my view is LP's downfall. Eyewitness always includes a Street Finder Index which LP does not, and LP often misses out on streets other than the major ones, which can be very frustrating, especially in a city like Barca where there are many alleyways. I never use Eyewitness for hotels - the information is scant and usually more expensive than my (more Lonely Planet) budget, but it has fantastic colour photos and cutaways of buildings, and illustrations which place buildings within their streetscapes. It's a nice book to read on the bus or train going somewhere.

LP specialises in listings, which seemed to be more up-to-date and comprehensive than either Time Out or Cadogan, It also had a good Excursions section which helped a couple of times when I travelled beyond the city. I also liked a couple of the walking routes they recommended. Information on matters such as public transport is comprehensive and detailed. I like the chapters on history, architecture and food as well.

Time Out's great strength for me was in helping to plan. It had a huge array of hotels, and if you were especially interested in nightlife, I would take Time Out. I was there primarily for a conference, and many of my evenings were organised. And I'm also night a great nightclubber, perhaps contrary to Barca lifestyle!! If you are - consider Time Out. Its maps were pretty good, but not comprehensive for the area I was staying in, beachside Barceloneta.

That is where the Cadogan guide excelled. Its maps were so good that I pulled them out of the book and took them with me. I would have taken the whole book, but for the weight in my suitcase! Its info about places and sights seemed accurate and comprehensive.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not updated!, May 11, 2006

By	Jose L. Rodriguez (Riverdale, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Don't buy this guide if you are headed to Barcelona soon...The reaon I gave it a 3-Starts rating is that some of the bars this guide recommends do not exist anymore! I wanted to go to three of them and they were all closed or replaced by other businesses.