Last minute trip - need help!

Hi,

Looks like we are going to book a trip on the Epic for June. I've never been to Spain or any of the other ports in the itinerary. I'll be traveling with just my 13 yr old and am starting to worry.

Is Barcelona easy and safe to get around? I only speak English and my son has finishing his first year of Spanish.

We'll be arriving on Saturday morning and embarking Sunday morning. I'm sure we'll be exhausted from the flight, but do want to see some of the sights. Must sees?

Hotel suggestions?

Suggestions on how to get from airport to hotel and hotel to port? How about port to airport? I think our flight out is at 2 the day we disembark, so I assume going directly to the airport is best.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

Barcelona Day Tours will pick you up at the airport, give you a four hour tour then drop you at your hotel. They will also pick you up at the cruise terminal, tour, then to airport, I believe.

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We have always stayed at the Renaissance Barcelona Hotel, it's a Marriott. They speak English and the hotel is very nice.

It's also one block from Paseo de la Gracia with a lot of restaurants and shops but most important for us, the HoHo bus stops at the corner once you get to that street. With the HoHo bus you can see all of the main points of interest in Barcelona. One day is not enough to see everything, but you can at least view them from the bus and decide where to get off.

It is always within walking distance of Las Ramblas. Be careful with pickpockets, especially in the are of Las Ramblas where there are a lot of people walking back and forth and restaurants and shops. No matter where you are, you should always be aware of your surroundings.

We always take a taxi from the airport to the hotel and to the port.

Enjoy your trip and the Epic, very nice ship. I hope you go to the Cirque show and the ice bar! Love it.

And the Teppanyaki restaurant was great.

You should have no problems using cabs to go from the airport to your hotel, your hotel to the port, and the port to the airport. Be aware that many cab drivers will not speak English, so have your destination(s) written out.

Barcelona is easy to get around on your own, including via metro and foot. This web site was very helpful when we were planning our first visit to Barcelona:

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/transport/barcelona-metro.html

Re a HoHo bus -- yes you'd see the city from above ground, but you might be sitting in a lot of traffic in June, and/or dealing with crowds of tourists wanting to get on the same bus you want to.

In terms of safety, the primary issue is pickpockets as others have noted. Be aware of your surroundings and be smart in what you do with your valuables (and minimize the valuables you have on you). E.g., never leave a purse on the back of a chair in a restaurant, don't have a wallet in a back pants pocket, etc. We use a hidden waist pack for our money and credit cards, and if either of us has a purse, it goes across our body (I use Pac Safe).

Re "must sees," that's of course up to you in terms of what interests you, but I would put La Sagrada Familia at the top of the "must see" list. Buy a timed ticket before you go, to avoid long lines.

If you want an organized tour, I agree with the recommendation for Barcelona Day Tours, they are terrific. They'll pick you up at the airport and keep your luggage in the van while you tour, and then deposit you at your hotel. This might be a very good option for you, given your limited time. It's quite possible that their four hour tour won't allow for an inside visit to La Sagrada Familia; if that's the case, you might want to head back there later in the day.

Have a great time!

Agree with Barcelona Day Tours.

For a hotel recommendation, we used Hotel Lleo. It is near Playa Catalunya, easy walking distance to Las Ramblas and the HOHO bus. In may we paid an Internet price of 135 Euros per night and it included breakfast which was very nice. Rooms are small, like most European hotel rooms, but comfortable.