There is one street in Barcelona that, to me, encompasses the old spirit of the city. Before the Olympics, before the sprawling tree-lined boulevards, even before the insanely popular tapas bars full of blond Scandinavian tourists, Barcelona was a mystical, inward-looking city full of dark narrow alleys and menacing gargoyles.
My favorite street in all of Barcelona is Carrer Petritxol. To me, it embraces what the city used to be, amidst the frenetic modern and cosmpolitan beacon that it has become. Petritxol is very small street in length and particularly small in girth. On crowded Sundays in the summer, you may need a shoe horn to dislodge yourself from the people around you. It begins on the extremely busy shopping corridor of Carrer de la Portaferrissa. As you walk down the Ramblas you hang a left onto Porteferrisa, and immediately turn right onto Petritxol. Once on Petritxol you are immediately transported back to a time of powerful kings, naval wars and humble citizens trying to make a living. On either side of the street remain old ceramic tiles that tell stories in Catalan. Bring a dictionary or a guide because they are quite funny. The street has become a haven for art gallery’s, but the REAL reason to stroll down Petritxol, especially in the wintertime, is for the “Churros con Chocolate”.
A favorite winter pasttime for Barcelonans is going out into the frigid air and finding a bar that sells churros with dark milky chocolate. You dunk the bready churro into the chocolate, and give your tastebuds an orgasm as the churros hit the inside of your mouth. As you head down Petritxol there is a small bar on your left that looks tiny. However, on a cold day, step into the bar, order some churros, and get ready for a caloric intake that will far exceed any time you could spend on a treadmill. It is well worth it.
At the end of Petritxol you will find yourself in Plaza del Pi and the facade of the Church del Pi. This is a magical point in the city, especially on Sundays where there is a farmers market. The church sponsors cheap concerts for classical guitar music, and it is well worth the 15 euros to watch a concert in this majestic church.
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