Barcelona in ten hours for 1st Timer--is this doable?

[loriva]

DH and I will be visiting Barcelona in early December. This will be his first time (I was there 20 years ago, so not much more experience). Our ship docks at 1000 hours and departs at 2000 hours. Here is what I have mapped out, starting with the parts farthest out and working inward (initially more sideways). Is this doable for a taste of the city but not too ambitious?

 

--take taxi to Montjuic - 1 hour

--take taxi to Park Guell - 1 hour

--take taxi to Sagrada Familia - 1 hour

--take taxi to Catedral - 1 hour

--walk through the Gothic Quarter - 1 hour

--La Boqueria - 1 hour

--walk up Las Ramblas to Placa Catalunya - 1 hour

--bus back to port terminal

 

We are using what we believe to be the quickest modes of transportation--sacrificing economy for speed. We have no mobility issues.

 

Does someone have an estimate of the taxi fares between sites? Do the estimates of time at each sound about right? We'll probably use our Boqueria stop for a late lunch--any recommendations there?

 

Thanks,

[MeHeartCruising]

Hmmm. Well, my take on it is that you can certainly only spend one hour at each of the locations, but if you plan on exploring Parc Guell and Montjuic fully or significantly, you will need more than an hour at each one. Both are spread out areas with nice walkways to explore and vistas to admire the city from. I think we also spent more than an hour at Sagrada Familia by the time we explored both the inside and the outside. It all depends on you, I guess. I do recommend just taking taxis between the locations as you indicate.

 

Also, you'll have no problem finding a taxi to take you up Montjuic, but from my recollection, there wasn't any place where I recall seeing taxis waiting to take you away until we walked down (in our case, toward Placa Espana -- but there are other exit points too). It's a very nice walk, but took probably 20-30 minutes in itself from the top of fortress on Montjuic. Taxis to and from Parc Guell will not be a problem nor will it be at the other locations you list.

[manateemike67]

DH and I will be visiting Barcelona in early December. This will be his first time (I was there 20 years ago, so not much more experience). Our ship docks at 1000 hours and departs at 2000 hours. Here is what I have mapped out, starting with the parts farthest out and working inward (initially more sideways). Is this doable for a taste of the city but not too ambitious?

 

--take taxi to Montjuic - 1 hour

--take taxi to Park Guell - 1 hour

--take taxi to Sagrada Familia - 1 hour

--take taxi to Catedral - 1 hour

--walk through the Gothic Quarter - 1 hour

--La Boqueria - 1 hour

--walk up Las Ramblas to Placa Catalunya - 1 hour

--bus back to port terminal

 

We are using what we believe to be the quickest modes of transportation--sacrificing economy for speed. We have no mobility issues.

 

Does someone have an estimate of the taxi fares between sites? Do the estimates of time at each sound about right? We'll probably use our Boqueria stop for a late lunch--any recommendations there?

 

Thanks,

 

Well i can only comment on two places, i visited in April last year. There was a huge queue (looked at least 20mins) waiting to enter Sagrada Familia. So if you can pre purchase tickets for there that would certainly save time. And Las Ramblas can easily be walked in a lot less time but we spent longer than an hour just watching all the street performers.

I'm sure someone will correct me, because i have not used it, but i think if you walk the other way (down to the port) there are buses that you can catch back into the port by the statue.

 

Edit. I was right about bus.........."You can also take the shuttle bus (Blue Bus) at the cruise terminal to Plaza de Colon which has the Christopher Columbus Monument. From here you can walk up the famous La Rambla until arriving to Placa de Catalunya".

Above information sourced from here, its a great website with so much helpful information.

[riffatsea]

Montjuic is a very large area! It is a park on a mountain that stretches from overlooking the port inland to Placa Espana.

WHERE on Montjuic were you planning to go?? You need a specific destination for example: fort(facing port)Miro Museum,

MNAC museum(facing Placa Espanya) etc.

I agree that at places like the fort you won't find taxis waiting BUT at places like Miro and MNAC you will!

Actually Park Guell is the farthest from the port NOT Montjuic.

Also as mentioned above, Sagrada Familia will take time if you go inside sooo perhaps you should taxi there first?? Then to Park Guell and THEN back to the Cathedral which is IN the Gothic quarter. After you do all that you can decide IF you also want to go up to Montjuic to do something there.

 

[cruisemom42]

I think you'll find your schedule a little tight. I know it's tough, but I'd probably recommend that you a) only see the outside of Sagrada Familia, and b) choose to eliminate either Montjuic or Parc Guell from your schedule. That will free up enough time that you won't feel like contestants on The Amazing Race trying to get to all the sights in the time you have.

[loriva]

Thanks to all for the very useful commentary. Yes, we were planning to see only the outside of Sagrada Familia. And that might have to be it for our taste of Gaudi in Barcelona, as time seems to be against us for Parc Guell. The reason for visiting Montjuic is to see the Olympics area.

 

Has anyone taken the cable car from the port area (World Trade Center) to Montjuic? It ends at the base of Montjuic at Placa de l'Armada, from which it appears to be about a 1 km walk (up, I realize) to the stadium area across from the MNAC and Joan Miro Foundation. I guess this could be a nice weather option or just taking a taxi up the not-so-nice weather option.

 

And, yes, I was heading the wrong direction on La Rambla, toward Place Catalunya instead of toward the Colombus monument, where the port bus runs. So, the revised plan is:

 

--taxi or cable car to Montjuic to visit Olympic sights (2 hrs)

--taxi to Sagrada Familia (exterior only -- 1.5 hr)

--taxi to Placa Catalunya and walk down La Rambla to La Boqueria (lunch -- 2-3 hrs)

--walk around Barri Gotic to see cathedral and other sights making way toward Colom monument (2-3 hrs)

 

Did anyone have any estimates of taxi costs between these sites?

 

Thanks again,

[manateemike67]

I have no idea how accurate this site is for calculating fares but give it a go and post the result. Maybe somebody else will tell you if its realistic or not.

[Billiam]

You should consider the Ho Ho bus since you want to see so much in a short time. You can always get off, take pictures, go inside if you want to and catch the next bus. They are timed to run 10-20 minutes apart. I do this in most cities so I can see almost all the "must sees" and still linger when I want to see a little more than a drive by. It will also be much cheaper than catching cabs. You can get it by the port and it will bring you back. Happy cruising