Thursday, February 22, 2007

The Michael Collins


Placa de la Sagrada Familia, 4 : M Sagrada Familia L5 L2
www.michaelcollinspubs.com : Tel. 93 459 1964
**** : €€€€
The most authentic Irish pub outside of the center of Barça, the Michael Collins' location near the most iconic of Barça's tourist spots, the Sagrada Familia, makes it a perfect place to stop off for a pint of Guinness in the middle of your Barça tour. Apparently it's one of the oldest pubs in the city, which lends it an air of authenticity in this otherwise overdone genre, although the website says it opened in 1997 - but, hey, who doesn't love an Irish pub! Of course, like all pubs, sports viewers are heavily represented in the clientele, especially during the weekends. The large projection screen is retracted at other times though, and the TVs are innocuous enough such that Michael Collins is a genuinely interesting pub to visit with friends of an evening. A hearty pub food menu is available if you've grown tired of endless tapas and want some good old fashioned fish 'n' chips! Of course, prices are on the "tourist" side of normal, but the MC is worth it thanks to it's good location, friendly atmosphere and attentive bar staff.
Karma