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Barcelona on a Budget

Yesterday's Times turned on the bore with its shocking exposes of wine tours, walking tours, and--gasp!--archictecture. Matt Gross, the "Frugal Traveler," a.k.a. that guy you're still jealous of, provided some respite from the yawn-fest, however, with his Barcelona report.

Gross stayed at Hostal Gat Raval, a surprisingly hip hostel in Barcelona's "equivalent of Manhattan's East Village." At €42 a night, he got shared showers, a "functional and clean" room with a mini-balcony, and choice people watching outside the joint. He escaped the crowds, at Irati, a tapas bar, and by checking out La Boqueria in the wee hours of the morning before regular market swarms arrive. He also describes a sublime experience at Inopia, a restaurant run by Albert Adrià, brother of El Bulli superchef Ferran.

The total for his weekend in the city? €341.10, including lodging, transportation, food, and shopping. Not bad, and it actually sounds like a trip we might want to repeat ourselves.

[Photo: misarco]

Related Stories:
· Footloose in Spain's Capital of Style, Barcelona [NYT]
· Hostal Gat Raval Reviews [TripAdvisor]