This is a fantastic base for exploring the wonderful, vibrant city of Barcelona. The apartment itself is lovely, comfortable, has everything you need, with a shady central courtyard space for outdoor dining. There's air-con in the living areas and all the bedrooms, wi-fi, and a wi-fi printer which comes in handy if you need to print tickets or boarding passes! There's also a little supermarket directly across the street which is very convenient.
The neighbourhood of Gracia is about 30-35mins walk north of the Gothic quarter, and the closest metro station is a few minutes away. The metro is extremely easy to use - we found it helpful to buy a "T10" ticket which allows for ten metro journeys and can be shared between people.
Gracia itself is a fabulous little area, full of artisan shops, great eateries, its own markets, and small squares which are a focal point for local life. It's great to take an evening stroll through Gracia - the shops, gelateries and restaurants stay open till late, the squares are buzzing with people enjoying drinks and conversation. It has a real community feel. Early in our stay, we booked onto a Gracia neighbourhood food tour (with Devour tours) which was a brilliant way to get to know the local area, meet some producers and learn about local culture and history (and, of course, eat plenty!)
Phil and Fiona were away during part of our stay, but that was no problem - they provided a contact to meet us on check-in and to help with any issues (not that there were any!), and they kept in touch by email to make sure everything was running smoothly. An excellent service, I'd have no hesitation in recommending them as hosts.
All in all, an absolutely wonderful week - many thanks, we hope to be back!