Barcelona

PamDen3

I need some help.

Myself and my friend are looking into booking a short holiday. I have always wanted to visit Barcelona but wondering is this a weekend city to visit or can we fit enough in for the week to keep us entertained?

I have had a quick look into booking it but I dont know anyone who has been, so if anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated.

Hotels, places to visit, bars, anything at all that may help.

Thank you

Jugs82

I was there for 7 days last summer and loved it, its such a cool city

You have the city itself with its countless bars, tapas places & cafes to wander around, lots of shopping if thats what your into, the beach to chill out and lots of attractions, Las Ramblas (dont eat there though, its a rip-off), Sagrada Familia, The Cable Car, Gaudi's Buildings littered throughout the city, Nou Camp and more that im sure I've forgotten

PamDen3

Super Jugs.

Tell me, do you recommend any hotels?

damoz

Advice? Mind your pockets ! Get a good money belt. So many stories (some from my friends) of people parting ways with wallets etc - especially on the Ramblas.

Apart from that great city. If its Septemeber on the go see Barca play at the Nou Camp, a bull fight at Plaza del torros etc. Lots to do there, but 3/4days would be plenty IMO

Firetrap

I can't recommend a hotel really because when I was there, our hotel was about 15 minutes away from An Lár by metro. Trip Advisor is great I find. You'd see pretty much everything in a short break.

If you've got any sort of interest in football at all, the Camp Nou is great. I also liked Gaudi's buildings. He also designed what was meant to be a village but ended up as a park - it's called Park Güell. And unlike the others, it's free and is pretty fab IMHO.

The Gothic Quarter which is just off La Rambla is pretty interesting too. The cable car is fun too if cable cars are your thing.

A couple of things to keep in mind

• Get a money belt and watch out for pickpockets.
• Don't eat on La Rambla.
• Don't be tempted to go into the Poble Espanyol. It's supposedly a replica of a Spanish village but in reality you've just paid money to visit a glorified shopping centre :mad:

slave1

Barcelona = lovely
also
Barcelona = pickpockets
pity

Jugs82

PamDen3 wrote: »

Super Jugs.

Tell me, do you recommend any hotels?

We booked an apartment for the week - there was a good few of us (7-8). Another girl organised the apartment but I would say a Google, Tripadvisor, Booking.com look and you'd find something similar

maynooth_rules

As has been mentioned, watch out for pickpockets, they are everywhere. If you are a guy and you get 2 or 3 prostitutes rubbing you all over on the street, don't think its because you are that good looking. They are trying to get your wallet.
Fantastic city though. Great vibe in it and arguably Europe's best city.
Don't get caught out n 3 card monte like my friend:pac:

PamDen3

Can anyone tell me if i was to book a hotel outside the main city is the bus and metro service ok? Would i just be better off staying in the main area and not causing hassle on ourselves?

LimeFruitGum

Poble Espanol is not worth a special detour, so you could give it a miss.

I liked Montserrat monastery outside the city. Also Mont Juic and Barrio Gotico are worth visiting.

We stayed in the centre, but I can't remember the name of the place. But be on your guard the whole time, only take a small shoulder bag that you could strap under your coat so you don't get robbed. Pickpocketing is a **massive** problem in Barcelona.

FunkyDa

PamDen3 wrote: »

I need some help.

Myself and my friend are looking into booking a short holiday. I have always wanted to visit Barcelona but wondering is this a weekend city to visit or can we fit enough in for the week to keep us entertained?

I have had a quick look into booking it but I dont know anyone who has been, so if anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated.

Hotels, places to visit, bars, anything at all that may help.

Thank you

Me'n'FunkyMa stayed in the Barcelo Sants Hotel, right above Sants train station. The trains are below ground, so are not seen or, more importantly, heard from the hotel. There's a direct train line from the airport into Sants. From the hotel/train station, there are buses, taxis, metro lines, and of course trains. Take a suburban line train up the coast as far as Blanes, for a day out.

Firetrap

PamDen3 wrote: »

Can anyone tell me if i was to book a hotel outside the main city is the bus and metro service ok? Would i just be better off staying in the main area and not causing hassle on ourselves?

The public transport is pretty good. When we went, we stayed in a hotel that was about 10 or 15 minutes away from the city centre but a stone's throw from a metro station. It all depends whether you want to add a 15 minute train journey onto your day. Also, you can be pick-pocketed in metro stations and on trains just as handily as on the street. Don't let it ruin your holiday but be aware that there's always someone watching out for unattended bags etc.

I'd forgotten about Montserrat - that's a nice day out even if you're not into monasteries. Lovely mountain scenery and walks. You can get to the top of the mountain by a cable car or a funicular railway.

kennyb3

hotel atrium palace, stayed there for 4 days in barca. nice hotel, very very central

stillcrazy

kennyb3 wrote: »

hotel atrium palace, stayed there for 4 days in barca. nice hotel, very very central

Stayed there also in March of this year - nice central hotel & pleasant staff

SQ2

Park Hotel is close to everything and it's in front of the Born area, lots of cool little spanish pubs and restaurants, stayed here and loved it.

dub45

I love Barcelona and would recommend it highly with the reservations that others have expressed particularly on the Ramblas where the prostitution has become ridiculously aggressive.

Having said that here are some pointers:

Fly with Aer Lingus – they fly to Barcelona airport only about 30 mins from City Centre on the bus.

The flight into Barcelona is amazing you come in over the Pyrenees really beautiful and well worth getting a window seat for.

It’s worth doing the bus tours from Placa Catalunya – gives a good perspective on the city.

Have a cup of coffee in the coffee shop on the top floor of El Cortes Ingles in Placa Catalunya gives a terrific view of the city.

There are loads of places to visit as well as those already mentioned Tibidabo – which has a carnival – overlooks the city and gives a great view – short bus journey from Placa Catalunya.

Placa d’Espanya has dancing fountains and leads to Montjuic.

As people have already mentioned Montserrat is well worth a visit – as is Sitges which is a short train journey down the coast – beautiful town. Girona which Ryanair fly into is also well worth a visit.

I don’t think anyone has mentioned the beach so far either.

I have stayed in the Hotel Principal several times –
http://www.venere.com/hotels/hotel-principal/

Its just off Los Ramblas about halfway down – there’s a metro stop close by – www.venere.com is a good place to check for hotel prices.

If you like music there are some really good shops on Tallers a street just off the Ramblas at the very top of it. FNAC is well worth a visit too again in Placa Catalunya.

If you decide to go buy a good guide book its well worth it and there is lots of stuff on the net to help you too.

http://www.bcn.es/english/ihome.htm
http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/

SQ2

I agree, the bus tour is a must to get your bearings as the city is pretty vast!

JamesTaylorfan

Firetrap wrote: »

I can't recommend a hotel really because when I was there, our hotel was about 15 minutes away from An Lár by metro. Trip Advisor is great I find. You'd see pretty much everything in a short break.

If you've got any sort of interest in football at all, the Camp Nou is great. I also liked Gaudi's buildings. He also designed what was meant to be a village but ended up as a park - it's called Park Güell. And unlike the others, it's free and is pretty fab IMHO.

The Gothic Quarter which is just off La Rambla is pretty interesting too. The cable car is fun too if cable cars are your thing.


A couple of things to keep in mind

• Get a money belt and watch out for pickpockets.
• Don't eat on La Rambla.
• Don't be tempted to go into the Poble Espanyol. It's supposedly a replica of a Spanish village but in reality you've just paid money to visit a glorified shopping centre :mad:

I have to say I enjoyed a whole afternoon at Poble Espanyol....the craft shops in there were particularly interesting and the place itself is charming.

PamDen3

Has anyone stayed in Gran Silken Havana or the Eurostars Grand Marina?

Hmm_Messiah

Hi - am just back from barcelona - was there 9 days and did not get every thing in


We stayed at the Alimara - its outside the city but I would recommend it . around 50 euro a night . the metro is less than 100 metres from the hotel , green line so cuts through the centre of city

T10 metro ticket meant each trip was around 76 cent. Metro closes at 12 week nights but there is a night bus where you can use your metro card so also 76 cent - two cafes 2 minutes from the hotel for cheaper breakfasts etc

I would recommend it if you want the night life but then some quiet when you do want to sleep

I loved the underground roman remains, but then I dig that stuff (pun intended) , paying into see the Palau Musica Catalyuna was my only regret - 12 euro to look inside a bloody building - a pretty one but still a rip off)

The fountains at Mount Juic are good for the show, the crowd, and kinda romantic I guess, best go at 11pm, see the last show and then see the difference at 11.30 when the fountains and lights are turned off .

Oh yea the hotel I mentioned is near enough to Park Guell so you can visit it on way to town - otherwise its a bit far out, and do NOT get the Lesseps to get there, big hike, get


Prostitutes on Las Ramblas are pretty annoying in the night, great atmosphere

Found some nice places to eat too if thats what you are into ( i.e nice places, not eating)

Menu de dia ( not sure of spelling ) is cheaper option when eating out during day, 2 or 3 courses for a fixed price

I'd suggest you always have water for the metro trips the heat is stifling, or can be though trains themselves are airconditioned


There are free english whats on guides but I found it hard to pick up one

We flew into Gerona, was cheaper and the train journey is short

Ya can PM me if anything specific I can help with
Oh and we ate in a French place at the Boqueria marker off La Rambla and it was great - 40 euro for 3 courses and wine etc.

ALso people do go out late and stay out late, but in my experience the "late eating" happens a little earlier than people suggest - you would want to be where you are going to eat by 10pm

I spent most days in the Gothic Quarter - my favourite part of BCN