The best coffee and the best cakes according to Franca

Breakfast of banana bread and a latte at Onna Cafe, tucked away on a quiet street in Gràcia.

I always want to try all the cafes in Barcelona. I love coffee, and I love cakes, so I always go with my roommates around to try the cafes. I am still exploring myself, I’ve lived here for just three months.

I really like Onna Cafe, in Gràcia. I like the baristas, they’re really nice, and the atmosphere is really relaxing. It’s very small, and a lot of locals go there, which I like about places. I go there everyday now, so it’s like, we talk a little bit and they know me, so that’s nice. The coffee is delicious, and you should take the banana bread and get them to heat it for you. Onna might be the best in Barcelona, for coffee. For cakes, Spice Cafe has the best cakes. If you love cakes, you have to go there and get the carrot cake. There are so many cafes in Barcelona. It’s like, it’s really important here. And at Onna, they know about coffee, and they can explain why they do what they do. 

For other things to see, the bunkers. Park Ciutadella. Montserrat, if you have time for a day trip. I love Montserrat. It’s in the mountains, so it takes a little while to get there because you have to take the train and the funicular. The views are just amazing.

What do you love about Barcelona?

I like the lifestyle. It’s so different from where I lived before, in Holland. Of course, the weather makes people live more outside. For Spanish people, the important thing is family and friends and enjoying together, and people are so friendly and warm. I think people are less stressed here. In Holland, it’s like there’s a tight schedule, and you have to go to this, and that, and this obligation, that obligation, and here, it’s more relaxing.

From park to park with Elias

Designed by Antoni Gaudí, Park Güell was meant to be part of a housing development in Barcelona's hills. Gaudí eventually ended up living there himself, and his home is today the Gaudí House Museum. Today the park is a municipal garden and a UNESCO World Heritage Site that attracts swarms of selfie stick-bearing tourists--but still offers pockets of quiet.

OK, the first thing that I would do is Park Güell. It’s by far the most crowded thing ever, but it’s so worth it. Of all the Gaudí things in Barcelona, and there are a lot, Park Güell is the one you should go to. It’s also the cheapest, like 10 euros, and you just get a sense of Gaudí's style and flavor. It’s really fantastical. Also, it’s nice to just be outside instead of in a building. I’m more outdoorsy, so I like the parks here.

Park Ciutadella is a relaxed open space full of jugglers, slack-liners, and the kids who love to watch them.

I’d rent a bike, also, and bike through Park Ciutadella. They have a fantastic fountain there that looks like it belongs in Vegas, but it’s here—which is awesome. It’s always busy there, but never too crowded. It’s a nice place to watch life and watch people.

From there, bike to the beach, and just see how well manicured the boardwalks are. During the summer, it’s a really nice place to swim.

Then I’d head to the Gothic Quarter or Gràcia to grab something to eat. Cal Pep is really good, but the wait is long. It’s Basque style pintos and tapas. I like the service there, because they’re really generous with recommendations. Last time I was there, the waiter was cheering us on when we were finishing our food.

There is also a place called Cervecería Catalana, one of the most popular places in the city. It’s always crowded, but if you’re OK sitting at the bar, you can generally get seated in ten minutes.

There’s another place called Gata Mala. You have to make a reservation, though. They’re one of the few places that still does the free tapas with beer thing. Best patatas bravas I’ve had in the city, by far. Anything on the menu is really good.

Most delicious thing you’ve eaten in Barcelona?

Navajas are really good. Razor clams. It’s like a clam that has a more buttery texture. I never saw them in the States, but it’s pretty common here.