Rumble in the Ramblas

Dominic Roskrow seeks out the Catalan capital’s cigar havens

Barcelona in North Eastern Spain is a bastion of independence. It was the last city to surrender to Franco. It’s a great place for cigar smokers to hang out.

Madrid may be the cool capital of Spain, home of movers and shakers, Galacticos and high fashion.

But the country’s coolest, most stylish and most earthy city is Barcelona, the Catalan capital, with a culture and heritage all of its own. It’s Spain’s rebel heart, an independently-minded free spirit which cherry-picks the best of the Iberian blueprint and pretty much ignores the rest.

Catalans are dismissive of their cousins in the capital, seeing them as a bunch of prima donnas whose affluence is built off the labour of the rest of the country. Barcelona’s style is altogether more guttural and rugged, but the city is thriving, having rebuilt itself on the back of the Olympics that were staged here 15 years ago. There’s plenty of wealth then, but Catalans believe they have sweated for it. In a manner of speaking it’s the equivalent to the wealth in Leeds as opposed to that created in London’s financial district.

But this makes the city altogether more appealing and certainly more quirky. With its Ramblas and unpredictable side streets, oddball shops and chain-free shopping and bar culture it is one of the most exciting and vibrant cities in Europe.

Indeed, after a few glasses of cava and local brandy on a summer’s evening there are few pleasures in life greater than strolling down the wide boulevard from the Placa de.....

To read the rest of this article you can buy this issue or subscribe to Cigar Buyer to have every issue delivered direct to your door.

By Dominic Roskrow

Section : City Watch

Page number : 18

Published in Cigar Buyer Issue 10 on 22/11/2006.

This article is 27 months old and some information provided may be time sensitive. Please check all details of events, tours, opening times and other information before travelling or making arrangements.



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	Rumble in the Ramblas Dominic Roskrow seeks out the Catalan capital’s cigar havens Barcelona in North Eastern Spain is a bastion of independence. It was the last city to surrender to Franco. It’s a great place for cigar smokers to hang out. Madrid may be the cool capital of Spain, home of movers and shakers, Galacticos and high fashion. But the country’s coolest, most stylish and most earthy city is Barcelona, the Catalan capital, with a culture and heritage all of its own. It’s Spain’s rebel heart, an independently-minded free spirit which cherry-picks the best of the Iberian blueprint and pretty much ignores the rest. Catalans are dismissive of their cousins in the capital, seeing them as a bunch of prima donnas whose affluence is built off the labour of the rest of the country. Barcelona’s style is altogether more guttural and rugged, but the city is thriving, having rebuilt itself on the back of the Olympics that were staged here 15 years ago. There’s plenty of wealth then, but Catalans believe they have sweated for it. In a manner of speaking it’s the equivalent to the wealth in Leeds as opposed to that created in London’s financial district. But this makes the city altogether more appealing and certainly more quirky. With its Ramblas and unpredictable side streets, oddball shops and chain-free shopping and bar culture it is one of the most exciting and vibrant cities in Europe. Indeed, after a few glasses of cava and local brandy on a summer’s evening there are few pleasures in life greater than strolling down the wide boulevard from the Placa de..... To read the rest of this article you can buy this issue or subscribe to Cigar Buyer to have every issue delivered direct to your door. By Dominic Roskrow Section : City Watch Page number : 18 Published in Cigar Buyer Issue 10 on 22/11/2006. Subscribe Buy this issue More from this issue Preview other issues This article is 27 months old and some information provided may be time sensitive. Please check all details of events, tours, opening times and other information before travelling or making arrangements. Copyright Cigar Buyer © 1999-2009. All rights reserved. To use or reproduce part or all of this article please contact us for details of how you can do so legally.