Spent a delightful 2 weeks in Barcelona (Sept. 2013) enjoying Javier’s apartment at Villa de Gracia and the wonderful people we met in Spain. It was a great experience to actually live among Barcelona residents and not feel like we were caught in the hustle of the tourist area (after walking Las Ramblas you are happy to get out of the rat race!). Returning “home” after a busy day exploring, it was nice to relax, look out the balcony window and enjoy viewing life on the plaza. We enjoyed the large kitchen table which functioned as our “desk” for planning outings. Javier is a delightful host- not intrusive at all- but he checks in frequently to make sure his guests have everything they need and to answer any questions they may have regarding the apartment, city, where to obtain event tickets etc. He is a great concierge and we were lucky to have someone so warm and charming to help us. Javier arranged for our pickup and drop-off at the airport. It was so nice to have someone waiting at the baggage claim area to pick you up and take you to the apartment. Totally non-stressful way to arrive in a new country!
The Villa de Gracia plaza is quite an active place- we enjoyed Sunday afternoon concerts on the plaza, a variety of stores and restaurants and watching the local residents visit with each other in the evenings. If you are a light sleeper, you might want to pack a pair of earplugs as weekend evenings can be quite busy and somewhat noisy-but very fun!. The metro is a short walk (buy a T-10 pass for the metro!) and there are local markets and numerous shops within a few blocks. This is definitely an area for walking. I will miss my café con leche in the mornings along with fresh croissants! There were numerous bakeries very close to the apartment and they are all great! Thank You Javier for a wonderful vacation and many memories. Hopefully we can return someday. I would definitely return to Javier's apartment.
Linda T.
Fremont,California USA