2 Days in Barcelona, Spain: Just Got Back

[CaribbeanBound]

Barcelona, Spain

The ship was docked overnight so we had the opportunity to spend the better part of two days in Barcelona. If you plan to stay in the city, the general wisdom is to spend the first day on a tour or HOHO bus and then take local transportation (metro and buses) to specific places you wish to explore in more detail on your second day.

 

When visiting Barcelona, it's important to know something about Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926), a very gifted architect with a unique modernistic/gothic/naturalist vision. Hint: you'll think you're walking into the world of Dr. Seuss. His collective works in Barcelona have been blessed as a UNESCO Heritage Centre. I recommend learning a little about Gaudí and his works before visiting.

 

There is a small terminal building next to the pier where we docked. However the port entrance/exit into town is a long way off. Upon exiting you can either walk a long 30 minutes; buy a shuttle day-pass from Celebrity for €5; take the T3 (aka Cruise Bus, €3 one way / €4 roundtrip) to within a half block from the Christopher Columbus Monument (essentially ground zero for most directions); arrange a tour that will pick you up here; or jump in a taxi.

 

There are two different double-decker HOHO (Hop On / Hop Off) buses in Barcelona. One has two routes and the other has three. The price is about the same and the reviews are mixed on both. Previous visitors liked that they will take you past all the major sights with commentary in several languages and you can get on and off at will. They didn't like that the commentary was pretty minimal and not well synched at times; and that the buses are hard to reboard due to massive crowds at some sights.

 

BARCELONA DAY 1: Barcelona Highlights Tour

 

I wanted something better than the HOHO experience so we booked a 4-hour semi-private "Barcelona Highlights Tour with Skip-the-line tickets at Park Guell" with Barcelona Day Tours online. There were 12 passengers in our van, plus a driver and a guide. Cost was €59 pp + €6 pp Park Guell tickets + tip.

 

Quick note: our tour guide was late, though it was due to having been involved in a traffic accident on her way to the port. This got us off to a late start and caused some confusion as we weren't really sure what our delay was. Give her credit for seeking other transportation to meet up with our van. Our group quickly forgave this unusual and unfortunate event. Thankfully our guide was not injured and was able to give us a very enthusiastic and informative tour.

 

We were picked up at the terminal building next to the ship, met up with our guide, and started our tour through the city. Our guide gave us historic context and explained sights as we passed them. We alternated between a driving tour and a walking tour. The walking portions included the exterior of La Sagrada Familia and two of Gaudí’s other famous buildings; about an hour touring Park Guell; and a visit to the National Museum of Art for a bathroom break and great views of the city. Following the tour about half of the passengers got off in town and the rest of us were returned to the ship. This was an excellent overview of the city and a fun first day.

 

BARCELONA DAY 2: Sagrada Familia and Castell de Montjuic

 

If you've spent any time in Europe, you may have already gotten your fill of churches. They seem to be on every corner and many are truly spectacular. I've got news for you. Few are as breathtaking as Sagrada Familia. It's a must-see.

 

The #1 tourist attraction in Barcelona is Sagrada Familia, a basilica unlike any other in the world. Designed by Antoni Gaudí, its a work still in progress. While the exterior is genuinely unique --- my wife thinks it looks something like a sandcastle --- it's the interior that is jaw-dropping. Nothing really prepares you for the experience that awaits once you set foot inside.

 

We bought the "Basic" self-guided tour tickets (€15 pp) online at their official website for the 9:00 am entry time, which is when they open. All tickets are time-controled and they only let a set number of visitors in at 15-minute intervals. Miss your interval and you will be refused entry. However, once in, you can stay as long as you like. And they do have restrooms in the complex, but outside of the basilica on your way towards the museum, souvenir shop, and exit.

 

Note that you cannot upgrade your tickets upon arrival. So if you want an audioguide, a guided tour, and/or wish to climb the tower, you need to make this choice online and pay for it in advance. We bought our tickets online over a month in advance of our early May visit. No tickets were available on site the day we visited. It had sold out online. If you enjoy sightseeing without the crowds, I highly recommend you get tickets for 9:00 am.

 

We got off the ship at 7:30 am and shared a taxi with 2 other couples (€30 total / €5 pp) to Sagrada Familia. We arrived before 8:00 am and got a good look at many of the statues on the exterior prior to getting in line at street level for security which opened about 8:30 am. We queued a second time in the courtyard one floor above security.

 

If you prefer to take the metro, and the Cruise Bus is running, take the Cruise Bus to the Christopher Columbus statue. Then walk NW 2 blocks from the Christopher Columbus statue to the Drassanes Metro station. It's located just the other side of the Comandància Naval de Barcelona building. Take the green L3 metro 1 stop to Paral-lel station, then change to the L2 Purple Metro and take it directly to the Sagrada Familia stop. The Sagrada Familia can be seen immediately upon exiting the metro.

 

At 9:00 am the Sagrada Familia doors opened and welcomed the first group of ticketholders. There is some massing just inside the door as you become enthralled at the grand beauty and begin capturing the first of over 400 pictures. Thank goodness for digital photography! The beautiful colored light you see in my photos is natural sunlight coming through stained glass windows. The colored glass and window placements were carefull conceived and orchestrated to provide a changing light show from sun up to sun down. No artificial colored lighting is used, and most of the pillars are actually white.

 

We spent close to 2 hours exploring the basilica, watching the lighting change as time passed, and visiting the museum displays below the church. The church was practically empty for the first 15 minutes, but got fuller every succeeding quarter-hour. There were maybe 100 visitors when we arrived and few thousand (inside and out) when we left about 10:45 am.

 

Our next stop was Castell de Montjuic, a fortress with roots dating to 1640. It sits atop a 567-foot hill overlooking the port with panoramic views of the city. But first we had to get there. A metro station sits on a corner across the street from Sagrada Familia. We purchased a Metro T-10 pass which allows 10 rides for €10.20. Everyone in your party can use the same pass until its used up. This is the only place on our entire trip where our credit card didn't work. We used coins.

 

The metro couldn't be easier! Simply take the purple L2 metro to Paral-lel and get off at the end of the line. For reassurance, a list of stations can be found above every other door on the metro. Stations that have already passed are lit up. It's easy to see which stations are coming up and confirm the direction you are heading.

 

Upon arrival at Paral-lel, follow signs and board the Funicular. No additional fare required. Do not leave the station. The funicular is a 2-minute steeply angled mountain train that will take you to the Funicular du Montjuic station. From here you can walk (free; over 30-minutes uphill), get in line for the Montjuic Cable Car ride (€12.70 roundtrip/€8.40 one way; less than 5-minutes), or take the Red 150 Bus (use your T-10 pass; 10-minutes) to Castell de Montjuic.

 

The cable car is located on top of the Funicular du Montjuic station, while the bus stop is on the same side of the road as you exit the funicular (out the exit, slightly to your left). As my wife is afraid of heights, we opted for the bus --- and also saved €25.

 

Castell de Montjuic (€5, free 1st Sundays) is open 10:00 am to 8:00 pm from March 1 to October 31. We missed the opportunity to take the 90-minute english tour (€5) which runs daily at 11:00 am with an additional tour on weekends on holidays at 4:00 pm. The tour has access to "off-limits" places such as the watchtower and the cistern.

 

It's an impressively sturdy-looking castle with lots of good photo opportunities, including the ships in port and panoramas of the city. They also have a few small exhibits. The old weapons display, suspended in air behind glass, was by far my favorite. The fortress itself is a bit of a letdown as there are no underground passages to explore. However, the views are still worth the visit.

 

We returned the way we came. Red 150 bus (T10 pass) to the Funicular (T10 pass) back down to Paral-lel station. Located the green L3 line and took it one stop to Drassanes. Walked two blocks to the Christopher Columbus statue. (Can't miss it). Then another block South (towards the ship) and where we found the Cruise Buses lined up (€3 one way, if you didn't get a roundtrip ticket earlier). Tell the driver which ship you're on and he'll make sure you get off at the correct terminal.

 

 

Complete detailed review of Celebrity Reflection and 8 Western Mediterranean Ports

http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/western-mediterranean.html

 

Secrets of the Mediterranean: details, hints, and tips for over 20 Mediterranean Cities

http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/mediterranean-secrets.html

[Sea4sea]

We are booked to be in Barcelona in September for 2 days, pre-cruise, for the first time and have done quite a bit of research. After visiting a lot of info sites and forum posts still had so many questions. Your post has answered everything!!! CaribbeanBound, you should write travel guides professionally....Thanks so much for all the great information, I think we'll just print this post and use it as a guide!!!

[Wingman2010]

Excellent review and pics!! Thank you for posting.....

[CaribbeanBound]

Thank you for the nice comments.

[frantic36]

I agree with the other comments, your posts are very helpful. We have visited Barcelona a few times and totally agree with your suggestion for early entry La Sagrada. We opted for the audio guide as well and found it excellent. There was so much fascinating information we ran out of time to get to the museum below, and we were there 3.5 hours. We did go up one of the Towers though so that added to our time.

 

I really appreciate the guidance you have posted about Montjuic as I haven't done this yet. Your guide has made me decide to do this next month when we visit.

 

Julie

[CaribbeanBound]

Thanks Julie, have a great trip!

[scluvsrain]

One of the highlights of my life, believe it or not, was walking into the inside of La Sagrada Familia last year, while on a cruise that visited Barcelona. I had seen the outside a couple of times before, but to go inside was absolutely jaw dropping! I'd recommend it to anyone, and for sure, book online before you go, otherwise you stand a good chance of not being able to get in at all when you're there, or having to wait several hours at best.

 

Thanks for your review and for the memory of a beautiful place.

[samavarcruiser]

LOVED your review and pics!!

[Biris]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I just got back after staying in Barcelona for 4 nights, and there’s no way I could give a review such as yours. Your review is very useful for first timers, myself included as I plan to go back to Barcelona :D

[CaribbeanBound]

Thanks for the nice comments. Agree with scluvsrain, as the inside exceeds any expectations.

[anuenue]

Thank you so much for your review of Barcelona!! planning to stay there two nights before our cruise on Princess Crown 9-15-18. I very much appreciate your info on the metro as I thought it might be the best way to travel throughout the city.

Pam