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We rented an apartment for 1,100 euro for 10 days. We found it by Googling "gay Barcelona apartments," or something like that. We found the above site and rented the place immediately. Off-season rates are reasonable. I highly recommend it if you want a place to be able to really unwind, do some of your own cooking (cutting down on expenses), have amenities like laundry, and really soak in some local flavor. All of the neighboring apartments were homes. The place we rented was in the Eixample (ZHAMPLA), near the metro and not far from Placa Espanya, Monjuic, and Joan Miro Park, and very close to the gay area (there was a gay "sauna" across the street).

The agent met us when we arrived to give us keys, many gay guides to the city, and fliers to the various clubs, from which we could choose for our New Year's Eve outing. The charge was per night, not per person, so we ended up spending about $225 each for the entire stay. In-season rates seemed reasonable as well. If you contact them, ask for Phillipe and tell him that the five American boys who stayed at 41 Diputacio sent you.

We tried and failed to get up to the top of Tibidabo at sunset (the funicular's last ascent was at 4:45). We were exhausted from having walked up to the funicular instead of taking the bus (a nice walk except I was wearing shoes made more for fashion than for comfort). So we ducked into one of the places perched on the side of the hill near the funicular station.

What we didn't know is that Mirablau is one of the hottest discos in Barcelona. However, at 5pm, it looked just like a regular bar with a really stunning view of the city. They have a wall of windows facing the city below; at sunset, it was beautiful and romantic. Our expat friend told us that in the warmer months, there are no windows--just fresh air and the view. It is well worth the trip up to watch sunset from this place. We didn't make it back to the disco, which I assumed got going around midnight. It would be a great place to dance the night away, though.

We went to so many great places. We were lucky to have a resident expat with us a lot of the time, so we could go to places the locals would go. I especially recommend wandering around the Barri Gotic and El Born. We popped into several places for a beer or for some tapas. We were never disappointed.

There is a place called Taller de Tapas in El Born right off the V. Latania (they actually have two locations). This place is a little pricey and slightly touristy, but the food was great. Get the sauteed duck foie gras.

There are also a bunch of places in which you pick, literally. There are a multitude of platters of small food, mostly on pieces of bread, stuck with a toothpick. You get a drink and a plate, and it is a free-for-all. Save your toothpicks, because that is how you are charged. There is a great place in the same square as Taller de Tapas and several other places all around El Born.

And remember, this is Europe--they take their time eating and drinking. The waiter will not bring you your check unless you ask; the food will come, but not quickly by American standards; coffee is meant to be sipped in the cafe (it is hard to get a to-go coffee, though Starbucks are sprinkled around the city). So be patient and relax. Also, at lunch (usually from 2-4pm), it is well worth it to get the fixed menu. This is generally three courses, and we never paid more than 14 euros per person.

In the spirit of full disclosure, this place is owned by a family friend of one of my traveling buddies. With that said, it was great. It is a neighborhood bar with a tapas menu. The "Frankfurt" part of the name refers to the fact that they serve sandwiches as well--you will see the "Frankfurt" all over the city as an addition to the name of many small places.

We went a couple of times to see Kara--an American expat--and her husband, Berna. Our first night we didn't even see a menu. He just sent us tapas and more tapas and more tapas. It was all what we would learn were typical items in menus all over the city--pimientos padron (small green peppers sauteed with olive oil and sea salt), potatoes with garlic aioli, muscles with pepper vinegar salsa, cured meats, tuna, and toasted bread rubbed with tomato and olive oil. It was a feast.

I mention this place because I think that one of the joys of Barcelona, for us, was finding little places like this to eat instead of hitting the places mentioned in Fodor's. If you get to the NBar, say hi to Berna and Kara. Berna had a friend come in and make us Paella before we left, by the way. If you can get him to do it for you, it is well worth it.

Montjuic is called the "green lung" of Barcelona. It is basically Central Park on a mountain. It affords great views of the sea and the city. The park is wonderful to walk, jog, or bike around, depending on your fitness level. I took the funicular up (you can catch this at the Parallel Metro station), walked up to the Montjuic Castle, and then meandered down. There are small and large gardens, museums, vistas, romantic picnic areas, gay cruising areas for those so inclined, public pools, and a soccer stadium. I was there in December/January and was quite warm with a sweater and jacket. There did seem to be a lot of people just about everywhere, but it was still great to just be outside and get away from some of the somewhat smoggy streets of the city below. I saw a few joggers and many bikers, but walking was enough for me. There is a pool open to the public; I believe it is the Olympic pool, but I'm not sure. One of Barcelona's soccer teams plays at the Olympic stadium.

There are signs just about everywhere, so there is no worry about getting lost. If you can find your way back to the Museu of Art, it is a short walk down to the Placa Espanya and the Metro. This also happens to be the area just below the museum that gay men cruise. I cannot say I'd recommend taking part, but the area was full of men of every variety looking for fun in the sun. There are benches all over for quick rests. And there are ample spaces for a picnic lunch on a nice day.

First of all, skip La Ramblas. I've read other journals and completely disagree with the idea that this is a must-see. It is not. We walked up it one night looking for a place to pee and that was more than enough. We asked the cousin of our friend what to see and he got very animated about the fact that tourists seem to want to go the Ramblas. He couldn't understand it, and from what I saw, neither can I. It seemed like a dirty, crowded tourist trap full of fast-food restaurants and souvenir shops. Not recommended.

Right off the Ramblas you can enter the Old City. There's the Barri Gotic and El Born. Of the two, I like El Born more. Both have the narrow, winding medieval streets. Both have their share of tourist-oriented shops and restaurants, but they are charming and really give a sense of the city before the expansion. El Born has a multitude of little shops and bars. The Barri Gotic seemed a little more touristy, but here are several sights of interest and some nice Roman and medieval ruins. It is well worth spending a day getting "lost" in the old city.

The Eixample is where we stayed. For the gay tourist, it is a must. Most of the bars, clubs, and all-male "saunas" seem to be in this area, especially around the C. Casanova and C. Mutaner, between Diputacio and Consell de Cent. We went to the Punto BCN, the Eagle (a little out of the area), Atame, Ursa Felix, and a few others. The Eagle is hardcore, so be prepared to get naked and see some things you wouldn't see in most American gay bars. The other places were typical but fun. I walked by a sauna one night that had a line of very attractive guys down the block. Tibidabo is worth it only for the views. The church at its summit and the amusement park can be skipped, but go for the view of the city and the sea. Montjuic also has nice views, walks, sights, and a lot of gay men wandering around (see the other entry). Montjuic is the site of the Olympic stadium, which was pretty cool to go into and picture the events happening there. We didn't go into Barceloneta or the Port Olympic. Our companions went to the aquarium and said it was okay. From the bus tour, nothing down there looked all that interesting. I also didn't get to go into Gracia but would have if I hadn't spent so much time in the Old City. I skipped the P. de Gracia and the Diagonal also. They were more or less just geared towards high-end shopping, which doesn't interest me. However, the P. Gracia is where you will find most of the modernist architecture.