Some help and answers from a Barceloner

[BCNlady]

First, I really appreciate your willingness to share tips of your lovely city to all of us. If only I could find a way to be as helpful to those coming to my part of Colorado USA...

 

I will be in Barcelona the end of April and will be meeting up with 2 other couples prior to our boarding our ship. I am planning on taking the Aerobus from the airport to Raco del Pi where we are staying. I have emailed the hotel to ask where to get off and walking directions from there. I have not heard back from them yet. If you could, which stop would be the nearest for me to get off? I should be quite mobile with easy luggage so walking should be no problem.

 

You have to take off at Pça Catalunya. It's a short walk

of about 10-15 min.

We have a full day before sailing and my husband and I plan on going to Monserrat as we are not much city people but love the mountains...we live smack dab in the middle of them! I have directions from a Barcelona website - is it an easy trip, if I leave early in the am, (on a Wednesday) trying to be back for a leisurely afternoon in the city?

 

Very special mountain. The ride is about 90 min. You will find many information at this post or at a specific one around last summer. Try to hear the choir. One morning will be enough for a first visit.

Dinner that evening is at Casa Leopoldo (our friends are making reservations) and I have looked on their website and I am freaking out because I am not very adventerous in my eating. Everything looks like seafood (I don't care to eat food that looks like it does when it's alive) or vital organs...Is there anything you can recommend I order at Casa Leopoldo that isn't those two items I mentioned? Will I, with virtually no ability to speak Spanish, be able to ask the waiter for recommendations?

 

Everything is good at Leopoldo's, seafood or meat. I'm sure you will find someone speaking English to help you.

Be sure to make a reservation.

 

As I frequent these boards prior to cruising, I like to be READY FOR ANYTHING, and my dinner options is just another thing I like to be prepared for.

 

I REALLY appreciate your help!

Jean

 

Enjoy your stay

[MTJtraveller]

Much thanks! You ARE invaluable!

[CARIBBEAN01]

WE are looking at a 1/2 day tour with Julia Tours the day we are in with the Carnival Freedom in August, you meet the tour at this location Ronda Universtat. Is thiss this very far from the Cruise port....thanks

[jezzdogg]

We have stayed in your lovely city 2x before but the hotel we stayed in has gotten very expensive. We are looking this time at the

ambassador hotel( which is not quite as pricey)

how is this hotel an is it near the Placa de Catanlunya

Many thanks for all your help, it is appreciated

[BCNlady]

WE are looking at a 1/2 day tour with Julia Tours the day we are in with the Carnival Freedom in August, you meet the tour at this location Ronda Universtat. Is thiss this very far from the Cruise port....thanks

 

Ronda Universitat is 100m from plaza Catalunya. You should better get a cab to get there. As it's said in other posts it's quite a long walk to get out the port with no interest. Sometimes there's a shuttle to get to Colon Monument, then half an hour of nice walking through the Ramblas.

[BCNlady]

We have stayed in your lovely city 2x before but the hotel we stayed in has gotten very expensive. We are looking this time at the

ambassador hotel( which is not quite as pricey)

how is this hotel an is it near the Placa de Catanlunya

Many thanks for all your help, it is appreciated

 

It was inaugurated for the Olimpic Games 92. Te basket "Dream team" stayed there for the games.

Five minutes to the Plaça Catalunya.

[Shercara]

Hello Bea,

 

I was wondering if you can take a look at this website, and give me you opinion about the location/area of the apartment that we are renting for 3 nights, pre-cruise in July. It seems to be a nice/safe area. Please let me know if you are familar with where it is, and if you have any suggestions for places to eat nearby.

 

Thank you so much for all the wonderful information in this thread.

 

Best regards,

Sherri

 

Dear Ms. Bea,

 

Opps - it looks like I asked this question and did not include the link for the apartment. If you have a moment to take a look at the info, and let me know if you are familar with the area, and can suggest any places to have lunch or dinner nearby. Thanks in advance for your help and time!

 

Sincerely,

Sherri

 

http://www.bcninternet.com/apartdet.php?apartmentid=263

[bthorn1108]

To BCNLady,

 

I'm not sure if this has been asked and answered, if it has, please forgive me. Some friends of mine will be arriving in Barcelona on a trans-atlantic sailing. They are trying to figure out which Eurorail station is closeset to the pier, as they are planning on spending the day in Barcelona and taking the evening train to Paris. Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[BCNlady]

To BCNLady,

 

They are trying to figure out which Eurorail station is closeset to the pier, as they are planning on spending the day in Barcelona and taking the evening train to Paris.

 

Barcelona Sants is the best choice.

15 min cab ride or 10 min metro from Drassanes stop line 3 at the botom of Las Ramblas.

Bea

[bthorn1108]

Barcelona Sants is the best choice.

15 min cab ride or 10 min metro from Drassanes stop line 3 at the botom of Las Ramblas.

Bea

 

Thank you sooooo much for the quick reply.

[jezzdogg]

BCn lady( or it anyone else knows)

Is the hotel clean n nice. Also is that a 5 minute walk to the Placa or a 5 minute (bus/cab) ride

Many thanks all

[BCNlady]

Dear Ms. Bea, let me know if you are familar with the area, and can suggest any places to have lunch or dinner nearby.

 

The area is just as it's said in the web. Well connected with Born distrist and Olimpic port, both nice areas for dinning and having fun in the evenings. "cool" shopping at Born district.

Only 15 min walking to plaza Catalunya and well connected with Sagrada familia too.

[BCNlady]

In http://www.qdq.com you can find from yesterday a 3Dvirtual map of Barcelona with useful commercial info. You can find restaurants, hotels and touristic sites in every location.

[BCNlady]

BCn lady( or it anyone else knows)

Is the hotel clean n nice. Also is that a 5 minute walk to the Placa or a 5 minute (bus/cab) ride

Many thanks all

 

It's only five minutes walking. I don't know it inside but I've read good reviews at tripavisor.

You can also try hotels at Peli st. also near plaza Catalunya.

 

Bea

[cruising forever]

Thank you so much, Bea! We're coming in October so I read this thread often for your helpful tidbits! Is there a button on that website to read it in English? I haven't found it yet :eek:

[BCNlady]

[quote name='cruising forever']Thank you so much, Bea! We're coming in October so I read this thread often for your helpful tidbits! Is there a button on that website to read it in English? I haven't found it yet :eek:[/quote]

October is a good month to visit. Not so hot and crowded.
After openning the 3Dplan you will find flags on your right for differents languages.

Bea

[cruising forever]

Aha! I haven't downloaded the ActiveX needed to run the 3D map ~ guess that's why I haven't seen the flags yet.......LOL Thanks for the tip!

Thanks, as always! Yes, October seemed like a good time for us.........but it's been tough on the flights as we are coming late October and returning a few days into November; apparently airlines now consider November out of season and reduce the number of flights. We had to change airlines once already but hope we're all set with Continental now!

[JERMEY]

Hello BCNLady,

We are coming to Bcn in Oct, and ae staying 2 nights before our cruise. I am looking for a small family run hotel, near the center of things. We stayed at the Colon hotel years ago and liked it, but would like to experience a more quaint hotel. We are 50 years old, and would just like a friendly place to stay.I hope you can help me. Thanks

[BCNlady]

[quote name='JERMEY']Hello BCNLady,

We are coming to Bcn in Oct, and ae staying 2 nights before our cruise. I am looking for a small family run hotel, near the center of things. We stayed at the Colon hotel years ago and liked it, but would like to experience a more quaint hotel. We are 50 years old, and would just like a friendly place to stay.I hope you can help me. Thanks[/quote]
You could perhaps try the five rooms, I've read good critics about it last summer on this boards. It's something different. Have a look:
[URL]http://www.thefiverooms.com[/URL]

Bea

[charlielinda]

A friend of mine is sailing out of Barcelona this summer and wanted to know if there was anything around the pier area. She is thinking about checking in and getting on the ship and then getting back off to sight see. Do you have any ideas? Thanks.

[Debbierpof]

BCN - I'm so happy to see your thread! We were in Barcelona two summers ago and it is one of our favorite places in Europe. We will be back for a very, very short time this July (for 6 hours). We didn't go to el Tibidabo the last time. Would you recommend it? Also, is that the only funicular in Barcelona or is there one that takes you to the beach? I imagine there's not enough time to go to Montserrat... :(

[bigwally]

Let me also thank BCNLady for the gracious gift of her knowledge and time on this thread. I don't think I know as much about anyplace (including the town where I live) as she knows about Barcelona.

[Shercara]

[quote name='BCNlady'][quote name='Shercara']Dear Ms. Bea, let me know if you are familar with the area, and can suggest any places to have lunch or dinner nearby.

The area is just as it's said in the web. Well connected with Born distrist and Olimpic port, both nice areas for dinning and having fun in the evenings. "cool" shopping at Born district.
Only 15 min walking to plaza Catalunya and well connected with Sagrada familia too.[/quote]

Dear Ms. Bea,
THANK YOU SO MUCH - for your reply and all of the helpful information you have provided on this thread. I really appreciate all of the great tips you have given to everyone.
Sincerely,
Sherri

[PURTYPAT1]

[B]Need car service Barcelona airport hotel to port[/B]
Hi There BCNLady,

I have been reading your posts for the last year, & enjoying them.

I have a question, maybe you can help us with. There is 5 of us, 3 Single women & 2 children.We are staying at the Renaissance Barcelona Airport Hotel. Anyone stay there??? reviews???

We need a van to pick us up at the hotel, & drive us to the port. I have been searching the web for 2 days now, with no success.

Does anyone have any links or know of any car service companies?

We are going on the Disney Cruise Magic June 16 2007

Any information would be great.

Much thanks

Patricia

[Ladydee]

[quote name='hyacinth']BCN Lady and all on this thread may be surprised at my question. I have to ask since my 11 year old is the reason why we decided to spend some time in Barcelona before the cruise. She has watched Cheetah Girls in Barcelona until I am sick of it and she prances around the livingroom singing all the songs, even the ones in Spanish. Does anyone know where they filmed in Barcelona? She wants to be there and experience all the sights in the movie.[/quote]

Hyacinth, I was really hoping someone knew the answer to you question. My daughters are interested in seeing the spots where the Cheetah Girls were also. I have searched the internet and I can't come up with any specific locales. If you do find anything out, could you please report back? Thanks!