Barcelona

alexiadexia

Can anyone suggest some nice apartments/ hotels in Barcelona?
Tight budget so cheap & cheerful would be nice,
What areas are best??

BumbleB

Anything around la Rambla is very central but around there is dangerous at night .dont venture down the back streets after dark but it is a beautiful city.

Mac Masters

Well when I went to Barcelona with my friends we stayed in appartments in Salou only like 10/15 minutes from Barcelona and Taxi's are dirt cheap there. The hotel was class too, it was next to the sea, it had a pool, bouffe, games room and it was dirt cheap! Good times! :rolleyes:

olaola

http://www.hoteljardi-barcelona.com/eng/index.php?module=inicio

I've stayed here a few times, reasonable and IMO it has the best location in Barca. Ask for a room on the corner -you'll have two balconies overlooking two different squares.

Zaph

Mac Masters wrote: »

Well when I went to Barcelona with my friends we stayed in appartments in Salou only like 10/15 minutes from Barcelona and Taxi's are dirt cheap there. The hotel was class too, it was next to the sea, it had a pool, bouffe, games room and it was dirt cheap! Good times! :rolleyes:

Salou is a hell of a lot more than 10/15 minutes from Barcelona. It's about 80-90km from Barcelona.

old boy

we stayed in the hotel princess recently, brilliant place nice area, almost on the beach, next door to the diagonal del mar, for shopping and dining. tour bus stops outside it.

cson

BumbleB wrote: »

Anything around la Rambla is very central but around there is dangerous at night .dont venture down the back streets after dark but it is a beautiful city.

You know I read an awful lot about how dangerous et cetera et cetera Barcelona was before I went there about 2 weeks ago. I almost felt like packing the bullet proof vest and my 12 gauge.

Ladies and Gentlemen can we tone it down a bit? Its Barcelona, the Catalan capital not Kabul your going to. I spent a week there, wandered around Las Ramblas and a lot of the city. Even chanced going on the metro. Shuffled home after 5/6 pints through the Ramblas back streets a couple of nights too. By all accounts I should have been lucky to come out of it with my life. Not so. The city is like any other, so long as you're mindful and don't look overtly tourist you'll have a great time. Hell even look overtly tourist, just do it in the day!

A couple of tips anyway;
- Only bring out enough cash that you think you may need. That is, if you're going sight seeing and grabbing a bite to eat after bring out enough that you think will cover it. 50 on a tight budget sounds about right.

- Leave your wallet or purse at home as much as possible. Take out any cards you have and if you must bring the wallet bring only the cards you'll need.

- If you do bring wallets and purses out, put them in the front pocket at all times for the fella's and on the arm for the girls and another tip for the girls; If you're eating/drinking/even just grabbing a coffee, always place your bag on your lap and never down by your side. Referring to point 1 also; keep the cash in your front pockets too.

- Taxi's are your friend. If you ever feel in danger for whatever reason, hail the nearest cab. There are plenty in Barcelona and they're pretty cheap.

- If anybody remotely dodgy looking comes up to you this is the default defence; Remember all that Irish you spent years trawling over in school? Put it to use, start talking in Irish to your approacher and they'll soon tire of you and move on. Ni ceapaim

On Barcelona itself, my quick thoughts are this; Taxi it everywhere at night, metro during the day. Taxi's are dirt cheap. If you're eating go away from the Ramblas for a cheaper and more authentic eat. Plenty of guidebooks will give you places. Plenty of water, it gets hot out there so keep sipping water.

Spend a day at the beach, definitely buy the bus tour and you'll see everything. The fountains at montjuic are worth a look for the show at7pm-ish. Sagrada De Familia is a big rip off for whats more or less a building site. Unless you're majorly into architecture by all means go to it, but don't pay in. Nou Camp is most definitely worth the tour and lastly don't be afraid to go off and do your own thing!

Zaph

Excellent advice cson. I've been to Barcelona three times and am going again next month and have never once felt unsafe, despite the fearsome reputation it has somehow acquired. Once you're sensible you should be fine, but that goes for any big city. Tbh there are parts of Dublin I'd be more nervous about walking around at night.

BumbleB

cson wrote: »

You know I read an awful lot about how dangerous et cetera et cetera Barcelona was before I went there about 2 weeks ago. I almost felt like packing the bullet proof vest and my 12 gauge.

It is very dangerous , and you need to keep your wits about you. I was raised in the Bronx in New York and I think I should be able to know danger when I see it.

My friend was drunk got robbed at the atm 300 euro,he staggered to another atm got beaten up again and robbed 200 euro, he got concussion didn't know where he was . We found him 3 days later residing at the irish bar right beside the segrada familia . We went to the police station and what I seen there was unbelievable. All sorts of low lifes are selling drugs in the night on the street,the police presense is non existant.This is not an isolated incident .I have heard other stories from other people .

But I may reiterate it's a fantastic city .I would go back in a heartbeat.

ve

BumbleB wrote: »

My friend was drunk got robbed at the atm 300 euro,he staggered to another atm got beaten up again and robbed 200 euro, he got concussion didn't know where he was . We found him 3 days later residing at the irish bar..."

You start off by telling us "he was drunk", which in any city at night on your own means that you will have lost the ability to keep your wits about you. Secondly you tell us that he was found "3 days later residing at the Irish bar". If I was kicked about the place and had 500 quid lifted on me the last thing I'd do is repeat my mistake.

I am heading to Barcelona in 2 weeks (been there before), I will post my up to date experience. I felt very safe there during the day. Just as safe as I felt walking around New York or Dublin during the day. It is a beautiful city, the architecture is amazing.

BumbleB

ve wrote: »

You start off by telling us "he was drunk", which in any city at night on your own means that you will have lost the ability to keep your wits about you. Secondly you tell us that he was found "3 days later residing at the Irish bar". If I was kicked about the place and had 500 quid lifted on me the last thing I'd do is repeat my mistake.

I am heading to Barcelona in 2 weeks (been there before), I will post my up to date experience. I felt very safe there during the day. Just as safe as I felt walking around New York or Dublin during the day. It is a beautiful city, the architecture is amazing.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055089627