barcelona-need tour?

[swelch]

Just have a few hours in the evening, unfortunately. Is the Ramblas close to ports? Is it safe to just walk on your own? Do pretty much all taverns/pubs have "tapas"? Trying to decide whether to book 70 dollar tour which takes you to two taverns for tapas and drives by La Familia. Any suggestions from those who are in the know?

[cruisintwinsmom]

We were in Barcelona last June and had a great time, however, we stayed two nights in Barcelona and took Celebrity's transfer to the dock, so don't know how close it is to the Ramblas. It did seem like it was quite a walk from the ship, up a ramp and across a bridge to get to land.

 

 

Check out this website, they have a map and maybe you can figure out how easy it would be to catch a cab or bus. http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/sites-barcelona-transport.html

 

 

Have a great time on your cruise.

[envy4u]

You can take a taxi or public bus from the ship to the foot of La Ramblas .From there you can walk all the way up ( 1 mile) and there are many bars , vendors , shops and hotels .

[Bruin Steve]

It's a shame to just have a few hours...

We stayed for three days (one overnight on the ship plus two in a hotel post cruise) on our last cruise...and I've been there a few times before...

 

There is SO much to see...but, if your time is just in the evening (is it PRE-Cruise? As in your flight arrives late afternoon and the ship departs at night?), I wouldn't necessarily book a tapas tour with only a drive-by of the Sagrada Familia...

 

I'll assume you go from airport to ship, check in and then have some time before the ship sets sail?

 

I'd get a cab straight to La Sagrada Familia before it gets dark...and then I'd get a cab straight from there to the Placa Catalunya (the northern terminus of Las Ramblas)...I'd find a place to eat near the Placa on my own, then stroll down Las Ramblas, eventually grabbing a cab back to the ship...The total on the cabs and the cost of some tapas should be far less than that $70 tour...

 

It is a shame that you don't have a full day or two...because there is no way you can fit in the Gaudi works Park Guell, Casa Batllo and Casa Mila...I cconsider all three "Don't Miss" sights...but I don't think the two houses are open late and the Park is too far away to fit in...

 

But make sure to get to the Sagrada Familia before dinner...and not just a "drive-by"...it really should be observed, studied and admired in detail...Walk around it slowly - it is different from every angle...

[HiltonHead]

Bruin Steve: We will be arriving in Barcelona on a Thursday 11 AM and have until Saturday 7 PM when the ship sails. What would you recommend to see and how would you go about it. Thanks in advance for you imput.

[egdr22]

Hello!

I was a Spanish major in college and spent a summer studying in Barcelona in 2001. I will be there again after our Brilliance cruise in June. I would recommend using the Bus Turistica to see all of the sights. You can catch this bus at Plaza Catalunya, which is right at the top of Las Ramblas. This is a hop on/hop off bus system, so it will take you close to all the sights where you can get off and see the things that you'd like. Buses run by about every 15 minutes. This takes you to just about everything you could want to see, and is not very expensive. There is a red line and a blue line each passes different sights around the city and if I remember correctly the ticket for the bus is 24 hrs., so you have plenty of time to do both. Let me know if I can help you out with anything else. :) Emilie

[Bruin Steve]

Bruin Steve: We will be arriving in Barcelona on a Thursday 11 AM and have until Saturday 7 PM when the ship sails. What would you recommend to see and how would you go about it. Thanks in advance for you imput.

Okay...You've at least given yourself a little time...

Barcelona is such a great city with so much to see, you'll have no trouble filling that time...

I hope you are staying somewhere near the Placa Catalunya...this is pretty much the center of everything and makes the logistics fairly easy.

 

You can use that hop-on, hop-off bus system or you can just walk and use local transportation...All of the Barcelona transportation system uses the Placa as a "hub".

 

First, before you leave, buy yourself a copy of the AAA Spiral Guide - Barcelona...the maps, descriptions, diagrams and suggested walking tours are easy to use and indispensible...You can pick it up at your local auto club for about $13.50 or on the net for as low as about $10:

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1562515020/qid=1113671265/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-4076280-1975222?v=glance&s=books

 

http://www.bestprices.com/cgi-bin/vlink/1562515020BT.html

 

http://www.epinions.com/AAA_Spiral_Guides_Barcelona_edited_by_AAA

 

 

Here is my quick list of what I would consider indispensible. First, know that the one thing that truly sets Barcelona apart is the legacy of one man: Architect/Artist Antoni Gaudi...The must-sees of Barcelona are dominated by the works of this one genius...

 

1) La Sagrada Familia...In 1881, the Catholic Church and the City of Barcelona commissioned Gaudi to build a new Cathedral...Construction began in 1882 and it is still nowhere near done 123 years later...But what there is just happens to be the single most amazing building in the world...It is like no other cathedral you'll ever visit...Every angle is different...weird...compelling...fascinating...

http://www.sagradafamilia.org/eng/index.htm

http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Sagrada_Familia.html

 

2) Park Guell...Gaudi created a City Park, originally intended to be a housing development as well...Again, it is unlike any other park you'll visit...Gaudi's mosaic sculptures, columns, benches, archways, etc. make this a true fairytale experience...'

http://www.op.net/~jmeltzer/Gaudi/parkgell.html

 

3) Casa Mila...This one is an Apartment House a la Gaudi...There is a Gaudi Museum on the top floor and an apartment decorated in the style of the era to be visited...Plus the highlight of wandering out onto the roof for an ethereal experience...

http://www.op.net/~jmeltzer/Gaudi/mila.html

http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Casa_Mila.html

 

4) Casa Batllo...A private residence by Gaudi...no straight lines, no right angles...You can take a self-guided tour with a walkman-like device...It is on Passieg de Gracia on a block called the "Block of Discord"...truly amazing...

http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Casa_Batllo.html

 

Note: There are more Gaudi works all over Barcelona, but the above four are among the most accessible...You can walk from the Placa Catalunya to the Casa Batllo (about 3-4 blocks north of the Placa) and Casa Mila (another 3 blocks beyond Batllo on the other side of the street) right up Passieg de Gracia...Park Guell can be reached from the Placa Catalunya or from the Casa Mila or Casa Batllo by use of the #24 or #25 Public Bus...

 

5) Las Ramblas...This is the wide strolling promenade of Barcelona...it begins in the north at the Placa Catalunya and extends southward to the Columbus Monument near the harbor...Every block has a unique character including different types of street vendor kiosks...keep your AAA guide handy as you walk...there are a number of points of interest pointed out...

 

6) Barri Gotic...This is the OLD part of Barcelona, a maze of narrow streets that lie to the East of Las Ramblas...Of note in this area are the old Cathedral, the Palau de Musica and the Museo Picasso

 

If you have time (and only if you have time, otherwise, not a big deal):

7) Montjuic...It's a large city park on the hill to the West of town...Contains the Fundacio Joan Miro and Olympics facilities plus some great city views...

 

8) Museu Maritim...Next to the Columbus Monument at the foot of Las Ramblas...a pretty cool museum with old ships...

 

One important note: Find and get to know El Corte Ingles...this is the flagship store of Spain's great department store...it fills an entire City block along the East side of the Placa Catalunya and is something like 12 levels of shopping...but, most importantly, head down to the basement...there is a full supermarket there and this is THE place to buy your bottled water, soft drinks and snacks...trust me, you'll save incredible amounts of cash buying here rather than on small shops along the street... (like 35 cents for a liter of water rather than 3.5 euros in some smaller shops)...

 

Hope this helps...

Have fun...

[HiltonHead]

edgr22 thanks for your input. Bruin Steve thank you for what looks like a great itinerary for us while we are in Barcelona. We are staying at the Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel which from what I understand is at end of La Ramblas. Looking at the map I guess it is about a 20 minute walk or so to Placa Catalunya. Does that sound about right to you? Again many thanks.

[Bruin Steve]

...We are staying at the Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel which from what I understand is at end of La Ramblas. Looking at the map I guess it is about a 20 minute walk or so to Placa Catalunya. Does that sound about right to you?...

I don't know the hotel, but it's rated "5 stars" and has excellent reviews on Tripadvisor.com...You are right on the harbor, near the southern end of Las Ramblas...not ideal, but not bad either (the northern end, at the Placa Catalunya, is by far more convenient and lively and the neighborhood a bit nicer)...but, hey, the hotel where you will be is plenty nice in and of itself...and that walk UP Las Ramblas is a nice walk...You are very close to the Maritme Museum but a little farther away from most of the other sites...

 

You're never going to walk the length of Las Ramblas in 20 minutes...far too many distractions...but, that's okay, Barcelona is meant to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace...ENJOY...

[SuzieSmith]

I'm just jumping in here...any suggestions for a 5 day stay in Barcelona post-cruise? We'd like to do some day side trips using public transportation if possible. Would like to avoid renting a car...or would that be a better idea?

Staying at Hotel Continental Palacete. Thanks in advance.

[Bruin Steve]

...any suggestions for a 5 day stay in Barcelona post-cruise? We'd like to do some day side trips using public transportation if possible. Would like to avoid renting a car...

Suzie,

On a five-day stay, I would still suggest spending about 3 of those days in Barcelona proper...

For the other two, the nearest other attractions would be:

**Montserrat...This is an historic monastery...about 30 miles inland from Barcelona

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/montserrat-spain.html

http://www.donquijote.org/barcelona/city2.asp

http://www.footprintguides.com/Barcelona/Montserrat.php

**Girona/Figueras...Girona is an old historic city and Figueras is the home of Salvador Dali...both are a short drive Northeastward up the coast...

http://www.footprintguides.com/Barcelona/Girona.php

http://www.footprintguides.com/Barcelona/Figueres.php

 

You could rent a car and drive to both these places...or, you could take local trains...or you could book a tour...there are a few local companies that do day-trip tours out of Barcelona to both places...

 

Good luck...

[gsb]

Thanks Bruin Steve-- will be going Sept 18th on the Liberty--will review and copy your info.

[DEL67]

Hiltonhead:

 

You do not have to walk to the Placa Cataluna, you can board the on-off bus anywhere on its route. One stop is near the Monument at the end of the Ramblas near Port Vell. However, I would take the time to stroll the Ramblas at some time. There are street performers, a flower market, a bird market etc. in addition to dozens of cafes.

 

You might also want to add the the Miro Museum to Bruin Steve's list of must-sees.

 

Also, if you want to buy Gaudi souvenier for gifts, you do not need to buy them in the various gift shops and then carry them while you sightsee. A good selection is avaiable at the Cortes Ingles, a department store in Placa Cataluna.

[michelleorick]

This is only one reason why this board is an invaluable travel tool. This is a timely discussion as the Med. cruises are starting up. Thanks to all for their input and BruinSteve who had been so helpful in many posts. I also echo the AAA travel guide (we just got ours and now I feel confident about doing this on our own). My husband and I are staying 3 days pre-cruise on the advice of our TA in Barcelona and so glad we could do it at the last minute. I have a few quick questions:

Does the Bus Turistic take you to Park Guell? I really want to see this! We had planned to just use the metro while were were there but I have read to get to the park it is quite a hike from the metro stop.

Are there restaurants/tavernas at Montserrat? Is wine available with your meal?

Any specific recommendations re: Tapas one night with "wine tastings?" or good menus for this? Also, re: restaurants- are menus typically also in English ( I don't think I want to accidently order pig snouts :)

Thanks for the hint about the 12-story supermarket. Sounds like a good place to get H2O and other sundries and look around. Have a great trip all! MO

[lk4xits]

Just back from Brilliance transatlantic with three post nights in Barcelona.

 

Barcelona Tour Guides - Guided Tours of Barcelona Patrick Ducher was our guide and did a great job at reasonable price.

 

Marty

[arkcruiser]

If I just had an evening in Barcelona, I would walk up the Ramblas to the Plaza de Catalunya, maybe stopping for a drink and tapas en route. Then I would hop a bus, metro or cab and go to the Plaza de Espana and walk up toward Montjuich to see the great fountain as it is played just after dark.

[carol459]

We just got back from a transatlantic cruise on the Splendour of the Seas. Our last port was Barcelona and we docked at 5pm. and flew out the next morning. We want to spend a few days there when we go back in the future(we are already planning another trip).

There was a Tapas tour offered by the ship and we took that because of the short time we were in Barcelona. We left by bus at 6pm and went on a driving tour on the city. We were treated to a 25 minute stop at La Sagrada Familia. There is no way photos can do justice to the church but I took about 50 shots of the front and back. No one ever shows the back of the church but it is distinctive in its own right. After that we were dropped off and began our tapas adventure. We walked to three different tapas bars (in four blocks) and received different tapas at each bar. Wine, beer, and diet sodas were included in the meals and no one went hungry. Most everyone drank wine and everyone was feeling great by the time we got back on the bus. We got back to the ship at 10pm. This is one of those times when I feel we got our money's worth($42pp) from a ship's tour.

Observations: There were taxis right outside the terminal and we saw a lot of people using them. There were also blue shuttle buses to take people outside the port to an area where you can find tour buses to see the city. The one tour bus we noticed was a double decker with an open top deck like the ones we saw in Cadiz and Malaga. We took one in Cadiz for 9 euro pp.

It is a long way to walk to Las Ramblas. Best take a taxi from and back to the ship.

Can't wait to return to Barcelona.

Carol and Rick

[Barcelonafan]

I lived in Barcelona for 5 years, and if you only have a couple of hours, I would indead straight to the Sagrada Family.

 

You might rethink, though,taking a taxi there as depending on time of day the traffic can be horrendous. The subway is much faster. I would get off the Dos de Mayo/Hospital San Pablo stop which is one stop away from the Sagrada Familia (or if you do take a taxi, have them dropyou off at the Hospital San Pablo). This is also amazing Modernista architecture at the end of a long diagonal pedestrian street that runs several blocks (4 or 5?) and ends at the Sagrada Familia. This promenade is lined with plenty of tapas bars, and being in a residential area is much more "authentic" than Las Ramblas (which is only for tourists). Approaching the Sagrada Familia from this vantage point is delightful, and you'll get your tapas in.

 

Better to do one thing well, then to cram in a zillion other things.

[nvbabe]

We will be staying two days precruise in Barcelona Oct.2006. There will be six adults and cruise luggage. Can anyone recommend the best mode of transportation? Are there Taxi vans? Should arrangements be made in advance ? Thanks, for any info.

Renee

[ggrizzy]

i would like to know if 3 people travelling from airport to hotel jazz (near placa catyluna) with 4 pieces of large luggage will fit into one taxi? (i checked the price for a limo and it's like 84 euros compared with 30 euros for the taxi fare??

 

(the 3 people includes 1 senior and their english is not too good and don't even speak a word of spanish...)

 

thanx

[Maine Coon]

Ooh..Barcelona...One of the best cities in the world.

As others suggested, La sagrada Familia and Park Guel are the two masterpieces absolutely "have" to be seen.

 

I can add that I have rented a car in Barcelona. Driving there is great, streets are mostly one-way with eight angles, and traffic is not bad at all. Me and my family were able to go everywhere.

 

We went to Figueros and visited Dali's museum (which is amazing if you like him).

Also, we went everywhere we could. Total cost was about $200 for 3 days for Chrysler Sebring automatic ( last time I drove stick 17 years ago and I was not about to re-learn in Barcelona :D) but it was $200 very well spent.