2 € Tapas & Beer for Tapantoni

Every now and again you get a really great little initiative to encourage people to get out and spend a bit more, but at the same time it being great for the punters - I mean a good deal for all involved. There are a few which go out throughout the year, but this one being local to me, I noticed more. So, Tapantoni is a coming together of 20 bars, cafes and breweries in the area to offer a cheap reason to get your bum down on seats. For the measly sum of 2 € (pun intended) you get a small Tapa and beer (caña). Now if there's a better reason to get to know a few more bars around the area, I'd like to know. And even if the oldest neighbourhood in Barcelona with the oldest market (OK, I know it's undergoing a massive renovation, shhh) isn't your own neighbourhood, then pop on down.

You can check out the amazing new Moritz brewery on Ronda Sant Antoni, Peruvian food at Bar Radio, on Sepulveda 91, and you might be lucky enough to get the croquettes at Jabali on Ronda Sant Pau (trust me, they're bloody amazing). For a full list of the places, and the tapas and drink on offer, pick up a map in many of the shops or bars around that area, or download the pdf on the link here. It started on 6th and finishes on the 31st May (but check times and days which do apply)

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Picnic in the Sky - Montjüic Cable Cars

This is a very cool idea. The local beer scene in Barcelona has been monopolised for years by Damm breweries and primarily "Estrella" - it's what the beer sellers will give you on the streets or on the beach. However, another local brew, Moritz, has been slowly breaking in on the scene over the last couple of years - a central brewery on Ronda Sant Antoni, and many new bars been offered a better deal in terms of branding. So it comes as no surprise that they have come up with a fantastic piece of marketing for their beers and also what looks like a bloody good night out.



For the second year running, Moritz are organizing "Picnic al Cel" which literally means picnic in the sky. This involves the new cable car ride, up on Montjüic and is a candle lit dinner inside the cable car ride with the spectacular views of Barcelona below. The new cable cars can seat 6 people comfortably, with a table in between for an albeit short menu, but it's the novelty factor here that counts, surely?! Or the romantic factor if there are only two of you trying it!

The Picnic al Cel has been running since late July and continues every Tuesday night until the 22nd September. Prices are 40 Euros per person, or 80 per person, if you're going in a couple. There are 3 courses served and the waiting staff top up the cold Moritz on each stop (shame it's the no alcohol version). So if you fancy something completely different to do mid-week, and can afford the 40 Euros in a group of friends, I think it would be a great laugh. Anyone been? Like to share your experience? I'd love to hear about it, so please let me know in the comments.

Coming to Barcelona this summer? check out these apartments for rent in Barcelona instead of the usual hotel room. And for getting your grips with the rest of the city sights, see this great guide to Barcelona

Save Money in Barcelona with a "Menu del Dia"

Eating in Spain is a big deal, and Barcelona is no exception to that rule. I always say that for the majority of foreigners visiting the city that everything starts and finishes a lot later here - that goes for opening times for shops, nightlife and of course, eating out.

Lunch is a far cry from a sandwich on the run or a quick Tupperware full of salad in 30 minutes or an hour. No, no, the Spanish like a good 2 hours for lunchtime, and a real sit down meal. Not surprising, as the working day goes on until 8 or maybe 9pm, and you need to keep your energy levels up! This can often be a real challenge for tourists on a mission to squeeze in all the Barcelona Sights as possible, because if you're not used to having such a big meal at lunchtime (often accompanied by a decent bottle of house wine) then you can be left feeling very sleepy, and chalking off that hike up to Park Güell for a laze on a terrace instead - Spain is the land of siestas, right?!

However, a Spanish lunch is also a great way to save money, as all restaurants by law are obliged to offer a Mid-day Menu at a cut price, known as a Menú del Dia. This almost always consists of a choice of 2 or 3 starters, 2 or 4 main courses, dessert, bread and a drink, which can be anything you like. Coffee or Tea is not usually included in a menu, but occasionally can be. VAT at 7% is sometimes included but more often than not it's charged on top of the displayed price, although restaurants have an obligation to print this, too.



Menus del Dia can range from as little as 6 Euros and up to around 15 Euros, depending on the place you go. Often the Menus have seasonal ingredients, and other dishes which are also featured on the normal menu (called "La Carta" in Spanish). As I say, if you're not used to eating a lot at lunchtime, and have a busy day planned for sightseeing, maybe this isn't a good option for you, and the city is also full of healthy alternatives like bagel shops, sandwich shops and take away salads and the link in places like Carrefour and El Corte Inglés for example. However, if you're here simply to relax and visit the city, you can do no better at lunchtime than find a decent menu and sit down and enjoy some delightful Catalan cuisine.

I'd love to hear your comments guys, as always, and I'll be doing another post this week about food too, so sign up for posts via RSS on the top right.

Also, if you're looking for apartments for rent in Barcelona, you can also save money by making your own breakfast on a morning, and making some tapas or a snack for your evening meal after your menu del dia!