Travel Planning

Tag: Barcelona

  • Barcelona in Two Days – What to See and Do

    This post courtesy of Katie O’Hara

    Houses in Park Güell designed by Anto...

       Can you experience Barcelona in two days?  If you have only a few days to explore Barcelona, you’ll want to use your time wisely to make the most of your trip and see the best sites. Below, we’ve highlighted the top four places to see. Focusing on a few sites will give you time to truly take in each attraction without feeling rushed. It will also leave time to indulge in leisure meals. Many Barcelona hotels are in walking distance of the city’s top destinations, or you can rent a car, take a cab or try public transportation.  If you are planning on seeing Barcelona in two days, start with these attractions:

     

    Sagrada Familia
    A large Roman Catholic church and a stunning Basilica, La Sagrada Familia is a must see for any visitor to Barcelona. Construction began in 1882 and continues even to this day, with the most recent additions expected to be complete in 30 years by some estimates. The church was largely designed by famed architect Antonia Gaudi.  Although the church is a spectacular site to behold from the outside, it’s worth purchasing a ticket to tour this interior.

     

    Las Ramblas
    Stroll down this vibrant 1.2 kilometer street in the heart of Barcelona’s city center. The street is lined with various cafes, restaurants and shopping, making it ideal for a bite to eat or to find a souvenir for friends and family back home. You’ll also find the city’s opera house, museum of contemporary art, an aquarium, street performers and artists, kiosks, historic buildings and more. The area is usually crowded from day time until late into the night. Spend your time people watching or picking through the markets and stands.

     

    Gothic Quarter
    Just east of Las Ramblas lies Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter. This is the city’s original city center and is lined with narrow streets opening into squares. You’ll find beautifully designed buildings and cathedrals throughout the quarter as you walk along the cobblestone streets. The streets are closed to traffic so plan on walking to the various sites. Your best bet is to find a guided tour that will give an overview of the area’s history while showing you a few sites including Barcelona’s Cathedral, Les Quatre Gats, Santa Maria del Pi, Placa del Rei and the Jewish Quarter.

     

    Barcelona in two days - el Parc Güell
    el Parc Güell (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

    Parc Güell 
    Originally created by Eusebi Guell as a stylish park for Barcelona aristocracy, this city public park is full of unique statues, tiling and buildings.  The entrance is a curved staircase with a dragon statue on the center – easily the most recognized symbol of the park. You also find the Gran Placa Circular here, a plaza connecting to Serpentine Bench, the world’s longest bench that wraps around the plaza. A visit to the park will expose you both to Guell’s architectural genius as well as breathtaking views of the city.

    READ MORE about Barcelona

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  • Barcelona and Exactly where to Dine

    I just can’t write enough about Barcelona; let’s with start some quick information about the city then we can dine!

    Rambla de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain
    Rambla de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain

     

     

    Casa Milà at dusk in Barcelona, Spain. The bui...
    Casa Milà at dusk in Barcelona, Spain. The building is known either as ‘Casa Milà’ (the owner’s name) and popular called ‘La Pedrera’ because of its look. Taken by myself with a Canon 5D and 24-105mm f/4L IS lens. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

    Barcelona (Catalonia) is the largest cruise port in Europe and the Mediterranean and the fourth largest worldwide.  Barcelona is the perfect destination to start or end your cruise vacation with an opportunity to spend a few days on land.  Boasting a unique blend of modern, cosmopolitan attitude and a rich architectural and historic legacy, Barcelona will amaze you with its contrasts and diversity. Take a stroll through the old part of the city, the busy Rambla Avenue, the lively port area, and the Gothic Quarter with its medieval atmosphere. Discover Barcelona’s Modernist heritage, where the work of Gaudí stands out with places such as the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Casa Batlló House and Güell Park, the UNESCO-designated World Heritage site. Architects will enjoy Barcelona’s award winning design aesthetic as it is the only city to ever win a RIBA Royal Gold Medal for its architecture. Foodies will marvel at the gastronomic wonders of Catalonia, the land of master chef Ferran Adria. The province lists 53 Michelin Star restaurants, with 20 of those located in Barcelona.

     

     

     

    La Boqueria is a really nice place to visit and there are plenty of nice tapas place inside (Pinotxo, El Quim)

    Bild:ForbysBoqueria.jpg Beschreibung: Mercat d...
    La Boqueria

    Here is a list of where to dine (courtesy of Sandrine Velia from Grand Hotel Central – six very happy guests stayed there last year) :

     For traditional Catalan restaurants

    For Tapas

    • Lonja de Tapas: Very good tapas. It is 10 minutes walking distance to the hotel. Average price 35 euro per person. http://www.lonjadetapas.com/
    • Tapas Locas: Good variety of tapas and paellas of all kind. It is located on the olimpic Harbour. Average price 25 € per person.
    • Bar del Pla:
    • Tapas 24:

    For Fish and Sea Food restaurants

     

    For Mediterranean and fresh food from the market restaurants. Cool atmosphere

     

    For meat restaurants

    • Patagonia: For a good meat, this is an Argentinean restaurant. Located at 12 minutes walking distance to the hotel.  http://www.patagoniabw.com/ Average price 50 euro.
    • Asador de Aranda: For a good meat, this is a typical Spanish restaurant. Located at 10 minutes distance to the hotel. http://asadordearanda.com/

     

    For fashionable

    For fashionable restaurant & Club

    • CDLC (Carpe Diem Lounge Club): Just in front of the sea side, on the beach. Exclusive, craze and cool. Average price for dinner 40 euro. Free access and queue-jump to the club only if you ask for the card at reception. http://www.cdlcbarcelona.com/#00_home
    • Shoko:

    For more expensive restaurants you have the ones with Michelin’s star:

     

    Want to plan a trip built around Barcelona? Interested in a complimentary Barcelona tourist card?

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  • Mediterranean Travel: Cruise vs.Tour Throwdown Part 1

    Mediterranean Travel: Cruise vs.Tour Throwdown Part 1

    First time visitor to the Mediterranean?  Past Cruiser?  Well, then cruising wins…maybe!  Read on to understand why.

    Sagrada Família church, Gaudi's masterpiece
    Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia Image via Wikipedia

    If you’ve always wanted to visit the Mediterranean Sea (actually means “Inner Sea”), experience the comfort
    and familiar surroundings and conveniences of a cruise ship:

    • familiar accommodations and creature comforts
    • familiar cuisine
    • same staff each day
    • no language barriers
    • convenience of unpacking only once

    A great first time itinerary is a round trip from Barcelona for a “Western” Mediterranean itinerary (focus on Spain and Italy).  Port calls can include:  Villefranche for Nice or Monte Carlo, Monaco,  Civitavecchia for Italy, Livorno for Pisa and Florence, and perhaps Naples.  Some considerations for a cruise:

    • your time ashore to explore these great destinations is limited (OK for your first time in the Med.)
    • you may not get a chance to experience life in the evenings like the locals (also OK for your first visit)
    • pace and duration of the excursions may be long as Rome and Florence are far from ports
    • limited exposure to culture and local dining

    Note: there are many round trip itineraries from different lines, and many voyages begin and end in different cities to provide the opportunity to visit even more ports.  Also note that some lines include either evening or overnight port stays to take in the cities like the locals do as the sun sets.

    Plan to maximize your time ashore.  There are some longer port calls!  Civitavecchia, port call for Rome is normally 12 hours.  What will you do in those twelve hours?  The city is about 1’15” from port.  If you take the tours offered by the cruise line, you may be crowded on a long caravan of buses.   You will “see” many sights for sure…breeze by photo ops.  Will you have time to leisurely tour the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and Colosseum?

    English: Trevi Fountain Panoramic
    Trevi Fountain Image via Wikipedia

    More considerations for your shore excursions:

    • Is there a better way to spend your twelve hours in port (maybe 8 hours for touring)?
    • There are other tour operators that offer a more in-depth tour with far fewer people featuring less time waiting.
    • May even be less costly to to get the most out of your limited time

    Another question, why are you in Europe?  Consider staying a night or two either before or after to experience a wonderful city that offers so much – Barcelona in this example voyage!

    Some experiences to take in during a pre/post stay in Barcelona include:

     

    Have questions?  We’ve got answers! dave@daydreamex.com

    Next time, we’ll explore Mediterranean touring.

     

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  • Getting around Barcelona: The tips

    I welcome this guest post with tips and hints to get from the Barcelona airport (airport code BCN) to hotels, cruise ships, and around the city.

    Barcelona is a beautiful city but it is a good idea to research travel[…] options and [hotel] transfers before arriving. Barcelona Airport is situated just 14km away from the centre of the city and is the main airport.

    Airport to Hotel Transport

    Bus
    There are two bus services which run from Barcelona Airport to the centre of Barcelona. The first is the Aerobus, which is the fastest service and will take passengers from the airport to Plaça de Catalunya. This is a great option if the hotel is not far from this area or one of the places it stops at along the way. The other bus available at the airport takes slightly longer than the Aerobus but is cheaper.

    Train
    There is a train station at Terminal 2 of Barcelona Airport and there is a shuttle bus which will take passengers to it from Terminal 1. The trains run every half hour, Monday to Sunday and travel to Sants then through Passeig de Gracia, ending up in Barcelona-Sant Andreu Comtal. There are connections to bus and metro lines if the train does not stop near your hotel.

    Taxi or Car Hire
    There is also a taxi service available at the airport, which takes about 20 minutes into the city. This can cost 30 Euros plus but it will take you straight to your hotel, making it more convenient if you have a lot of luggage. The cabs are yellow and black and available at every terminal. There is also the option of car hire and there are plenty of companies to choose from at the airport.

    Hotel to Cruise Ship Transport

    Bus
    If you are traveling to a cruise ship, the Blue Bus runs from each of the cruise port terminals to the Christopher Columbus monument (in Barcelona city centre) and back. It runs in coordination with the arrival and departure of the cruise ships and has no set timetable. Some of the terminals are within walking distance of the city centre, but this is probably not advisable in the hot weather with luggage.

    Taxi
    Taxis can be easily caught on the street but can also be hired from any hotel. They take around 10 minutes to the cruise ship terminals and only cost around 8 Euros.

    Other Options

    There are plenty of transport options for getting around the city and visiting the attractions. Barcelona has a great metro system which runs regularly and punctually. It is especially useful for short journeys when the weather is just too hot to walk around in. This is the cheapest transport option for short journeys, although taxis are relatively inexpensive at 10 Euros for a 15 minute journey.

    If you are interested in car rental Barcelona Airport has a range of car-hire companies to choose from, including Europcar, Avis and Hertz. This is a good option if you want to get from place to place without the need for public transport

    EMID – EM-CL1

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