24 hours in Barcelona

[BobbyD]

Greetings. My family (DW and 2 DS, early 20's) will be beginning a Med cruise this summer in Barcelona, followed by 4 days in Paris. We will be in Barcelona roughly 24 hours (noon-noon). We are staying on Las Ramblas. Are there a couple of don't miss sights that we should do? We will walk up to Placa Cantalunya to check it out. What about Sagrada Familia? and what is the best way to get there? The market? Help!!! Any advice from Barcelona experts to help out a novice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Bruin Steve]

Greetings. My family (DW and 2 DS, early 20's) will be beginning a Med cruise this summer in Barcelona, followed by 4 days in Paris. We will be in Barcelona roughly 24 hours (noon-noon). We are staying on Las Ramblas. Are there a couple of don't miss sights that we should do? We will walk up to Placa Cantalunya to check it out. What about Sagrada Familia? and what is the best way to get there? The market? Help!!! Any advice from Barcelona experts to help out a novice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

To make it simple, you may want to purchase tickets for the Hop-on-hop-off bus tour...It will get you to all of the sights...Otherwise, you can use local transportation to get most everywhere...but you'll need a map of the system...I recommend buying a copy of the AAA Spiral Guide Barcelona...I've used mine for all sorts of info on Barcelona...and the maps are great...'

 

My short list of what not to miss:

1) La Sagrada Familia

2) Parc Guell

3) Casa Mila

4) Casa Batllo

5) Stroll Las Ramblas

6) Wander the Barri Gotic...

 

Beyond that, time permitting...

7) The Picasso Museum

8) The old Cathedral

9) Montjuic/Ride the Cable Cars

 

That should more than do it for one day...

You will also want to eat leisurely in a small restaurant or cafe...Try some Tapas...or Paella...

Just soak in the city...

 

Enjoy...

[riffatsea]

Placa Catalunya is just a big square.

There are MANY "don't miss" sights in the city but you cannot see them all in 24 hrs. What you choose to do will depend on your interests.

There are many Gaudi buildings,not just Sagrada Familia. There is the soccer stadium which has tours,Camp Nou. There are parks/beaches/ancient ruins/art museums/cathedral/music/shops/markets/. You could use the hop on hop off bus or you could read a bit and have each person in the family choose something that interests them. Barcelona is a magnificent city with enough to keep a person busy for a week or more!

[hubofhockey]

If you just have 24 hours, you may want to eliminate things that are a bit out of the way and concentrate on what is right near you (because there is so much). Within a few minutes walk are Casa Batllo, Las Ramblas, Boqueria, Gothic Quarter, and the Palace of Catalan Music. At night, there is the Magic Fountain show, which is festive and fun. Just doing those things, you would get a taste of Gaudi (Casa Batllo), old Barcleona (Gothic Quarter), and have some fun. If you decide to go back, then maybe it makes sense to focus on other places like Parc Guell and the Cathedral (Sagrada Familia).

[Bruin Steve]

Placa Catalunya is just a big square.

 

Well...it is just a big square, but it is also more than that...

It is a big square in that it has no significant buildings or sights...unless you are an avid shopper, for which, of special note, is the El Corte Ingles Department Store on the Eastern side of the Placa ;)

The importance of the Placa is the location--it is the central hub for all of Barcelona's transportation options...and sort of a starting place for orienting one's self...Las Ramblas stretches from the Placa southward...Gaudi's Casa Mila and Casa Batllo are just a few blocks to the north along Passieg de Gracia...and you can get a direct bus from here to Parc Guell...Also, at night, the Placa is a hub of nightlife...

 

 

If you just have 24 hours, you may want to eliminate things that are a bit out of the way and concentrate on what is right near you (because there is so much). Within a few minutes walk are Casa Batllo, Las Ramblas, Boqueria, Gothic Quarter, and the Palace of Catalan Music. At night, there is the Magic Fountain show, which is festive and fun. Just doing those things, you would get a taste of Gaudi (Casa Batllo), old Barcleona (Gothic Quarter), and have some fun. If you decide to go back, then maybe it makes sense to focus on other places like Parc Guell and the Cathedral (Sagrada Familia).

 

I really have to disagree here in a major way...

24 hours is enough time to visit La Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell along with many of the sites near the Placa...and, IMHO, having visited Barcelona many times and having spent many nights there, those two sites are at the top of the list and should NOT be missed...In fact, I visit both of those places on EVERY visit...

If you think time may be tight, take a taxi...neither of those sites is really that far away...

 

La Sagrada Familia is quite simply the MOST FASCINATING building I have ever seen in any of my travels...and I have travelled quite a bit...It is a masterpiece inside and out...unmatched anywhere in the world...Take a tour inside...ride the elevator (opt for the rear elevator) up to the top and walk down...If you miss this, you have not seen Barcelona at all...

 

Parc Guell is a fantasyland...it really shows off the mad genius that Antoni Gaudi was...

 

With 24 hours, I would do those two sites FIRST...then head to the sites along and near the Placa...Las Ramblas can be strolled at night...Spaniards eat dinner late...The next morning, you can wander the Barri Gotic and visit Casa Batllo and Casa Mila, depending on time...

 

With time short, I would skip the Picasso Museum, Montjuic, the old Cathedral, the Paleu de Music...and I would not bother with the Fountain show...I've seen it twoce and was not all that impressed...and the crowds are not worth it...

 

JMHO...

[hubofhockey]

You are free to disagree. Just offering my opinion. Neither of us knows the things OP likes to do. We know YOU have to see the sagrada familia every time you go to Barcelona. Some of us don't. :D As for Parc Guell, it's great. It's also out of the way. Is it as impressive as the Palace of Catalan Music? You might think so. Others may not. The Palace is the top rated attraction according to Trip Advisor and is a World Heritage site. But Parc Guell is not far behind. But if you have 24-hours, the Palace is much more convenient and you can do more if you tour the Palace and pass on the park this time around. There is so much to see and do in Barcelona. Visitors should see and do things that might interest them.

[Turtles06]

To the OP: It is very easy to get around Barcelona on foot, by metro, and by taxi. If you haven't yet come across this guide on the web, we found it very useful in planning our trip and figuring out the best ways to get around. (Even has instructions on how to buy metro tickets, plus a map.)

 

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/

 

Obviously, none of us on here knows what you like to do. Gaudi is not for everyone; in fact, I would have to agree with what someone posted here on another Barcelona thread: "A little Gaudi goes a long way." That said, I'm glad to have visited La Sagrada Familia, inside and out, and gone up the elevator in the Nativity facade towers, and seen La Pedrera (particularly the roof). But if I only had 24 hours, I probably would not be adding the other Gaudi stops, as it would be overload and we'd miss other things. But that's me.

 

I would strongely second the recommendations of La Boqueria (the market along Las Ramblas) as a "must see," as well as a walk thru the historic Barri Gotic (be sure you have a good map). If you really want to enjoy that, there are guided walks (see the web site above); just fantastic.

 

Have a great cruise. (And enjoy Paris!)

[Got2Cruise]

You are staying on Las Ramblas, so even if you don't do any other thing in 24 hours, you will be happy.:) That said, you might want to investigate tours only because you have a short span of time. I noticed that at La Sagrada Familia, tour groups walked right in, there was a separate entrance. You will not waste any time thinking, now how do I get from here to there?

[BobbyD]

Thanks to everyone for all their responses. This info gives me a good starting point. Like most novice European travelers, I am not sure what I want! I am just going to have to do a bit more research, based on this information and realistically see what we can do in such a short period of time. I do agree that since we are staying on Las Ramblas, we can't lose. Thanks so much!

[chipmaster]

You got a good list.

 

We had little had about the same amount of time. Like you we stayed close to Las Ramblas.

 

1) Visited the Open Market La Boqueria , make sure to do it before it closes for the evening

2) Walked Las Ramblas at dusk when things came alive

3) Visited La Sagrada Familia

4) Visited La Pedrera including

 

We did everything by cab, with such little time I'd think hard about whether the Metro make sense. It was like a 5-10 euro for each stop.