Los Caracoles ★★
The bar at Los Caracoles restaurant. (Photo courtesy of the restaurant)
A classic Catalan restaurant in the old center of Barcelona
This colorful Barcelona institution of good, solid cooking was founded in 1835 near the port and has patronized by everyone from Salvador Dalí to John Wayne.
After four generations in the Bofaruli family, it still kind of looks exactly like you think a Spanish restaurant should: hamhocks and iron chandeliers hanging from wood-beamed ceilings, colorful ceramic tiles on the walls, chunky wooden furniture, a huge open kitchen, polite and smartly-attired waiters, and meat grilling over open fires.
You can try the snails (the restaurant's namesake), a dozen seafood paelas, suckling pig, roasted lamb, or half a spit-roasted chicken with potatoes.
Its fame does draw the crowds (and, frankly, your fellow tourists), but the quality remains uncompromised—there is a reason it is famous.
Tips & Links
Carrer dels Escudellers 14 (turn east off La Rambla at Plaça del Teatre and just follow the curving street)
[ Barri Gòtic ]
Tel. +34-933-012-041
www.loscaracoles.es
Open daily
Metro: Drassanes (L3)
Bus: 14, 59, N9, N12, N15
€€–€€€
- Tapas, wine, & chocolate
- Cooking & markets
- Dinners
- Daytrips
- Small-Group Tour: Traditional Food and Wine Day Trip from Barcelona
- Small-Group Cava and Wine Day Trip from Barcelona
- Sitges and Freixenet's Cava Wine Cellars Day Trip from Barcelona
- Barcelona Super Saver: City Tour, Sitges and Freixenet Cava Day Trip
- Barcelona Super Saver: Sitges, Freixenet Cava Wine Cellars and Montserrat Tour
- Small-Group Montserrat Tour from Barcelona: Wine and Cheese Tasting with Optional Golf Round
- Catalan Culture Tour from Barcelona: Food Market, Montblanc and Human Tower Festival
- Small-Group Catalonia Tour from Barcelona: Alella Wine Tasting, Catalan Food and Human Tower Displays
SIGHTS
Barcelona tourist info: Barcelonaturisme.com (info office), Guiadelocio.com (events mag); Catalunya.com (regional info), Spain.info
Sightseeing passes: Barcelona Card (20+ sights; transport; discounts), Museum Pass (6 sights)
Tours & activities: Viator.com, ContextTravel.com, UrbanAdventures.com, City-Discovery.com, Intrepidtravel.com, Gadventures.com
LODGING
Hotels: Booking.com, Venere.com, Priceline.com, Hotels.com
B&Bs: Booking.com, Bedandbreakfast.com, Airbnb.com, Venere.com
Apartments: Rentalo.com, Vrbo.com, Booking.com, Airbnb.com, Interhomeusa.com, Homeaway.com
Hostels & campgrounds: Hostelbookers.com, Hostelworld.com, Hostelz.com, Booking.com
TRANSPORT
Airfares:
Airports: Aena.es
Trains: Raileurope.com (throughout Europe), Renfe.com (within Spain), Bahn.de (throughout Europe), Seat61.com
Public transport: Barcelona Card (free transport; sightseeing); Search all public transit: mou-te.gencat.cat; Metro/Bus: Tmb.cat; Tram: Trambcn.com; Light rail: Fgc.cat; Taxi: Taxibarcelona.cat
Car rentals: Autoeurope.com, RentalCars.com, Momondo.com, Orbitz.com, Expedia.com, Travelocity.com, Kayak.com
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This article was by Reid Bramblett and last updated in September 2013.
All information was accurate at the time.
Copyright © 1998–2013 by Reid Bramblett. Author: Reid Bramblett.
[ Barri Gòtic ]
Tel. +34-933-012-041
www.loscaracoles.es
Open daily
Metro: Drassanes (L3)
Bus: 14, 59, N9, N12, N15
€€–€€€