Some help and answers from a Barceloner

[BCNlady]

Hi again cruisers,

This week a new luxury-exclusive hotel is being inaugurated in BCN: the AC Miramar on the top of Montjuïch hill just in front of the port.http://www.ac-hotels.com

It will complete the offer with Gran Marina, Hotel Arts and my favourite:

Hotel La Florida on the top of Tibidabo Hill, just have a look http://www.hotellaflorida.com

If you can afford do it!!

 

Bea

[margaret a]

Cruising Forever:

We will be returning to Barcelona on the Voyager of the Seas on September 30th and we booked our air through RCCL Custom Air. I was told by the Custom air people that they do not book a return flight that leaves before 10:30 AM (ours leaves at 11:30 AM) because it could be too tight getting to the airport in time. Since they are doing the transfer from the ship to the airport and I we would get priority disembarkation, if I were booking air on my own, I think I would not book any flight that leaves before 11:30 or noon. In fact, I think I would shoot for something more like 1:30. I will be able to tell you more after we get back (which I will do). You may consider hanging around Barcelona for an extra day, if you can, to take the pressure off.

 

Can't help you with the Hotel Continental. Sorry.

 

Hi Crewmates,

 

Was wondering, did you have any trouble making the 11:30 flight? What time did your ship dock in Barcelona? We are on a cruise next year cruise and the ship (Brilliance) docks at 7am. We are all wondering what the earliest flight we should book?

 

Any info would be very much appreciated!

[slinks]

Hello again BCNLady ;)

 

Thank you again SO much for your help about when Barca are playing.

 

I gave in and told my son the surprise - he was SO happy :D

 

He had already told me that 'i did not realise HOW IMPORTANT this trip to Barcelona was for him' :) so you can imagine how happy he is to hear we are going to the match.

 

I am looking forward to it also :cool: it is the best football team in the world, after all!!

 

BCNLady could i ask your help once again?

 

My sister and I would like to have one very lovely meal while we are in Barcelona.

 

We wondered if we might be able to get a table at 'Gaig' for their tasting menu? my sister is going to try to phone them tomorrow (i emailed them weeks ago but did not get a reply.)

 

How would you rate this restaurant? and do you think we would be able to get a table for in just over a week's time? or is this somewhere you must book months in advance!

 

Do you think the tasting menu they do would give us a good taste of local cuisine, or do you have any suggestions for somewhere better?

 

Thanks again in advance, kind BCNLady :D

 

Regards Geri

[slinks]

forgot to say - i have been playing this at home :D :D :D :D :D

 

http://www.fcbarcelona.com/downloads/FCBarcelona.mp3

[PoohUnderstands]

Just back from the 9/20 BOS; you should make the 11:30 flight ok, but you have to plan ahead and be very efficient the day of disembarkation.

 

The most efficient way would be to have all your luggage with you and handle it yourselves. If you are taking too much or they all don't have wheels, then try to get the first color off the ship. First call was for those with no luggage to pick up at around 7:40 am or so. Also when you get out with your luggage, have already reserved a cab through Angie's Taxi, or someone like that. That will probably get you to the airport at around 8:30 or so, in plenty of time to make your flight. Also, don't worry about the time wait - the food and shopping inside the secure area is open early and is fantastic! I had a great time getting rid of all my extra Euros!!!!

 

Pooh

[BCNlady]

Hello again BCNLady ;)

 

 

My sister and I would like to have one very lovely meal while we are in Barcelona.

 

We wondered if we might be able to get a table at 'Gaig' for their tasting menu? my sister is going to try to phone them tomorrow (i emailed them weeks ago but did not get a reply.)

 

How would you rate this restaurant? and do you think we would be able to get a table for in just over a week's time? or is this somewhere you must book months in advance!

 

Do you think the tasting menu they do would give us a good taste of local cuisine, or do you have any suggestions for somewhere better?

 

Thanks again in advance, kind BCNLady :D

 

Regards Geri

 

Hello again,

I don't think you need my help at all if you know Gaig!! You are a terrific searchers!!

Gaig is one of my favourites in BCN. Even he's on the modern Catalan modern cuisine (Adrià, Arola..) he keeps a traditional touch.he's in a new location from a

couple of years that I haven't tried. It would be amazing

to have a dinner with you, your son could stay with mine (13, 11 and 4) Barça supporters too, don't pannic I'm not serious!

A tasting menu will be exellent for a first visit. If you prefer "à la carte" don't forget the hunting dishes and the mushrom season right now. A dinner for two with wine will be 120-150€. Don't think you'll have a problem with reservation.

 

Good choice

 

Bea

[slinks]

Lovely Barca Lady :cool:

 

You have made me SO happy with your post - woo hoo!

 

So it sounds like Gaig is the perfect choice - great - my sister phoned this morning and we are booked in for the tasting menu for next Thursday evening at 9pm (19th October) the day we arrive in Barcelona.

 

Ha ha!!!!! i don't think my son will be very happy to be told he has to stay with the children and can't come to the meal with the adults!! much as i am sure your children are lovely :D He is at that age (nearly 16) where he thinks he is one of the adults but is really still a child!)

 

Am very happy about your comments about the restaurant, sounds like this will be a very good introduction to local GOOD cuisine. Feel free to let me know if you would like to come down to join us yourself, you say it has been some time since you have been to Gaig. You would be a great guide to what we will be eating :o Let me know BCNlady/Bea, you would be more than welcome

 

Regards and thanks again Geri x

[BCNlady]

Feel free to let me know if you would like to come down to join us yourself, you say it has been some time since you have been to Gaig. You would be a great guide to what we will be eating :o Let me know BCNlady/Bea, you would be more than welcome

 

Regards and thanks again Geri x

 

Thank you for your offer, but I'm too busy during the week to go out for diner.

Barça is first in the league after this weekend. Next week we play against Real Madrid (very bad this week)

and with Chelsea in Champions League. If everything works you will find a grat ambiance at the Camp Nou.

 

Don't hesitate for last minute questions. Good packing!!

 

Bea

[dusababy]

Bea BCNLady --- I LOVE BCN and will be arriving aboard Silver Wind at the end of the month.

I've enjoyed reading your advice on these boards.

Perhaps you can give me a quick advice: Is it easy to get public transport (not a taxi) from the Colom statue (or World Trade Center) up to La Pedrera, walk back down Passaig to Placa Cataluna, walk to Cathedral and then to La Boquiera, then back down Rambla to return to the ship?

We are two senior ladies -- fit but not marathoners:cool:

What would you suggest? Thanks in advance.

- from California

[BCNlady]

Bea BCNLady --- I LOVE BCN and will be arriving aboard Silver Wind at the end of the month.

I've enjoyed reading your advice on these boards.

Perhaps you can give me a quick advice: Is it easy to get public transport (not a taxi) from the Colom statue (or World Trade Center) up to La Pedrera, walk back down Passaig to Placa Cataluna, walk to Cathedral and then to La Boquiera, then back down Rambla to return to the ship?

We are two senior ladies -- fit but not marathoners:cool:

What would you suggest? Thanks in advance.

- from California

 

It's very easy.

From Colon you have a bus-turistic stop.

If you prefer 200 hundred meters from Colon up the Ramblas you have a Metro station, green line (L3)

direction Canyellas, 4 stops to Diagonal station.

Then you can do your suggested tour walking, very easy as is always down.

 

Bea

[BCNlady]

For those looking for guides in and around Barcelona I have found a selection of links of official and private guides that may help you

http:///www.barcelonaturisme.com/?go=gNTyP9CnoMELYyo6V+xHENPy08VUIe9HX57+KeqyzQO4AYR8kOxyadF+avdp7itmS3W5wCJG6N9WUYKzg+btKkoH47WNL9biX4ex8z4bkMpGFPwWbJjJ

[Host Karen]

The website address should read: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com

[Crewmates]

Hi Crewmates,

 

Was wondering, did you have any trouble making the 11:30 flight? What time did your ship dock in Barcelona? We are on a cruise next year cruise and the ship (Brilliance) docks at 7am. We are all wondering what the earliest flight we should book?

 

Any info would be very much appreciated!

 

Sorry for the delay in responding but we are now just coming down to earth after the cruise. In answer to your question, we did not have any problems making the 11:30 flight (I would not book anything earlier). We had booked our air through RCI so had a transfer to the airport included. We left the ship at 7:40 and and was probably at the airport by 8:15. We even had time to go through the hassle of redeeming our VAT (which entailes standing in two long lines. As a side note, make sure you get your VAT stuff for items purchased aboard the ship: photos, etc., taken care of on the ship the night before).

 

OT: We lived in Carbondale for 3 years - know Glenwood Springs well. Fans of the Italian Underground and know Kurt and Lizbeth at the Sopris and Buffalo Valley (has Kurt sold the Sopris yet?) We have ties going back 40 years with Glenwood.

[mytime53]

Bea, this has been wonderful reading your posts. In one week we leave for Barcelona. We (four of us) will spend 3 nights there before getting on the cruise ship. Of course we want to see what all the other travelers want to see, but we also prefer to get a taste of normal local life, like eating at non-tourist restaurants, seeing local festivals, and going to see residents' favorite places. You have been a tremendous help, and I hope that I can be as helpful to people visiting my home area.

 

I'm wondering if there are any particular places to go or things to see on Nov. 1 that are special to that day. Will most museums, shops, restaurants, etc. be closed? I have waited a long time to get to Europe, and wish I could stay longer to see more. But this cruise and stay in Barcelona will get me started. By the way, your English is excellent. Far better than my Spanish.

 

Gracias.

[nanaguz]

Hi Bea,

We were in Barcelona last month when our ship docked there for one day. Next Sept we are going on another cruise that embarks in Barcelona and wanted to do 2 days precruise. We are looking to book a room at the Courtyard by Marriott near the airport. I wanted to ask, how far would an airport hotel be from the Las Ramblas area?

Thanks for all your posts. Learning a lot about your great city!

[BCNlady]

We are looking to book a room at the Courtyard by Marriott near the airport. I wanted to ask, how far would an airport hotel be from the Las Ramblas area?

quote]

 

It depens on traffic but about 20 min.

Bea

[BCNlady]

Of course we want to see what all the other travelers want to see, but we also prefer to get a taste of normal local life, like eating at non-tourist restaurants, seeing local festivals, and going to see residents' favorite places.

I'm wondering if there are any particular places to go or things to see on Nov. 1 that are special to that day. Will most museums, shops, restaurants, etc. be closed?

Gracias.

 

Shops will be closed (excepted Maremagnum shopping center in the port). Museums will be openned, my favourites are Picasso (Montcada st) and MNAC (Montjuich hill) this one will take you a whole morning with unique Catalan Romanic and Gothic collections.

The 31 Oct night we celebrate "la catanyada" (the walnut day) we eat grilled walnuts, "panellets" almond little pastries and drink sweet wine (Moscatel). You can buy grilled walnuts on the street, on the Ramblas a little up from Portaferrisa st. and you must buy and eat "panellets" at Escriba next to the Boqueria market or Mauri at Rambla de Catalunya/Provença.

You can have catalan cuisine at L'Olivé(Diputació/Balmes)http://www.rte-olive.com

or near the beach in the Olimpic Port at Agua http://www.aguadeltragaluz.com.

As I've said in previous posts the coolest now in BCN is the Born district, for shopping, little restaurants and nightlife.

Good stay,

Bea

[mytime53]

Thank you--that's just the kind of information we want!

[dmk]

Bea

Could you tell me what "panellets" are?

[BCNlady]

 

Could you tell me what "panellets" are?

 

Panellets are little traditional pastries for first November.

We can buy them but many people prepare them at home. Children usually cook them at school too.

They are made with and almond, potato and sugar dough decorated with pine nuts, quince preserve, coconut and other flavours.

In Catalunya almost every celebration (most of them religious) has an especial traditional sweet or pastry.

Don't miss panellets if you visit BCN in October-November

 

Bea

[dmk]

 

Panellets are little traditional pastries for first November.

We can buy them but many people prepare them at home. Children usually cook them at school too.

They are made with and almond, potato and sugar dough decorated with pine nuts, quince preserve, coconut and other flavours.

In Catalunya almost every celebration (most of them religious) has an especial traditional sweet or pastry.

Don't miss panellets if you visit BCN in October-November

 

Bea

 

YUMMY! Will I be able to get these at the end of November?

[cruising forever]

Our group sails one year from today in Barcelona~! We're all coming in a few days early so it looks like we can look forward to some yummy pastries I hope!

[ackc]

Thank you for all your helpful information. We just returned from a 3 day precruise stay in Barcelona and had a fabulous time. Your restaurant suggestions were fabulous. We loved the food so much at Senor Parellada we ate there more than once. We had excellent paella at 7 Portes, and .......probably had our best meal at Can Majo. It was an interesting story there. We got there right as they opened at 1 o clock on Sunday afternoon and fortunately they found us a table, right outside by the beach. I had your suggestions of pica pica with me and showed them what I had printed out. Something got lost in the translation as only 1 of the people spoke some English. Basically, we let them pick out what we should have. They ended up giving us there house specialty for free, we also had the fried baby squids, some kind of recommended seafood and lobster paella. It was FANTASTIC!!! We also bought several bottles of wine at El Corte Ingles and even bought some fresh bread and meats and picnicked on the hotel balcony. The people could not have been friendlier to us and we had a great time. Thanks again for taking the time to post your recommendations.

[BCNlady]

Thank you ACKC.

I'm always curious about the results of my suggestions.

When I walk every day the Ramblas up after work I wander if any of the tourists walking around are one of you.

Where you able to visit BCN after your "gastronomic" tour?

I took 3 Kg in my cruise in july, without precruisig, what about you?

Very happy hearing from you.

Bea

[Normandie-BCN]

BCNLady, I read almost daily your posts in Cruise Critic but I do not know whether, being from Barcelona as I, you participate or not in Spanish forums like:

 

http://www.forocrucero.com/ or http://www.infocruceros.com/

 

I would like to meet you also there. I use always the same nickname.

 

I am unable to send you a private mail.