pier Posted March 20, 2011 #1 Share Posted March 20, 2011 We'll be landing post-cruise in Barcelona. Most people seem to allow 3 days to see the city. Is this enough time or should we allow more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amer_can Posted March 20, 2011 #2 Share Posted March 20, 2011 3 days are ok but just...If you can take the time for longer try:D..There are places nearby to experience..ie: Monsarrat, Sigres.. But whatever happens BCN is certainly not to be missed..Where will you be staying?? B&B at the bottom of Las Rambles is central and close to the docks..Want the name?? There is a nearby car park also but public transport is VG..:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted March 20, 2011 #3 Share Posted March 20, 2011 We'll be landing post-cruise in Barcelona. Most people seem to allow 3 days to see the city. Is this enough time or should we allow more?[/QUOT If you have any interest in art and architecture 3 days is not nearly enough. Barcelona has many wonderful museums and the entire city is a fascinating architectural museum in itself. It is a city we never get enough of after 6 visits each of more than 3 days.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirkNC Posted March 20, 2011 #4 Share Posted March 20, 2011 You will be able to cover a good chunk of it but not everything. Kirk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoHoHo Posted March 20, 2011 #5 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Agreed. Barcelona is a great city with lots to see and a great atmosphere. Check out the Ports of Call section here. I am sure there are many good ideas such as a taking in a concert at Palau de Musica or the excellent, and free, light show at the "Magic Fountain of Montjuic". The whole street is filled with fountains Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted March 20, 2011 #6 Share Posted March 20, 2011 On our first real visit to Barcelona I think we had four days. In subsequent visits we haven't been able to spare that much, but by now we've been there several times -- although we started out late! Three days will give you a good flavor of the city. You will just have to be selective in what you choose to see. By that I mean: you know your own tastes. There's just about something for everybody in Barcelona. I highly recommend you tour at least one of the Gaudi sites. There are several buildings, a church in progress and a park, just to mention a few! I wouldn't have the nerve to suggest which one would be best ... Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKS Posted March 20, 2011 #7 Share Posted March 20, 2011 I agree with other statements here. We just visited Barcelona the first time on the MV of the Marina recently and allowed three days. What we found was everything we wanted to see took about twice as long as we originally budgeted because it was so outstanding. Maybe that was just my own "optimistic" planning. Sagrada Familia, La Boqueria, Parc Guelle, all are "must see's", and there is so much more! Next year we're going back and hope we can budget more time in Barcelona - maybe easier since the cruise is only 10 days. We still work, so our time is limited. Whatever you decide, enjoy. It's a wonderful city! P.S. Amer_can - we stayed near the port in a boutique hotel, but are interested in a B&B. Can you post it's name and any recommendations you have? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisecountess Posted March 20, 2011 #8 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Pier, your question implies that you have more time to spend in Barcelona should it be needed. If that is the case, allow more time. As all the others have stated, there is so much to see and do. Whatever your interests, you will find places to explore them. I took a cooking class that was preceded by a visit to the Bouqueteria to purchase the food we would be cooking. I can provide you with the name if you like. The city is exciting and meant to be walked. We stayed at a small hotel in the Gothic area, a stone's throw from the Cathedral. We walked and walked and took in the sights and feel of the area. We took public transportation to get to the Segrada Familia. People are friendly and helpful (but watch your wallet!) Take as much time as you can spare / afford and enjoy wonderful Barcelona. Harriet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted March 20, 2011 #9 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Harriet, I for one would love the information about the cooking class. We did go through Boqueteria (finally!) on our most recent visit and I was entranced with the items being sold ... but had no way to use them! I'm not sure we're really taking the first leg of the Riviera inaugural but I'm hoping to do so, and this would be a fun project! We also took public transportation to Sagrada Familia as well as to Park Guell ... Even outside of town. Also curious as to the hotel you've used. We used 3 stars in Las Ramblas but could be moved to venture a little further away ... Mura mkievman @ nyc.rr. com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CintiPam Posted March 21, 2011 #10 Share Posted March 21, 2011 We'll be landing post-cruise in Barcelona. Most people seem to allow 3 days to see the city. Is this enough time or should we allow more? We had three days post-cruise last May in Barcelona and thought it was the perfect amount of time for a first visit, with one day spent in explorations in the Gothic Quarter (including cathedral, history museum and Picasso museum), one day all-Gaudi and one day for the Montjuic museums. However, that is the minimum for a good taste, and if you have more time, add another day. (And that is not allowing for explorations outside the city.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pier Posted March 21, 2011 Author #11 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Your responses have made our choice clear: We're allowing more time! We're going to take five days instead of three. A friend suggested that we rent a centrally located apartment since we'll be staying for close to a week. I'm not so sure about this. A good concierge at a hotel can be most helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted March 21, 2011 #12 Share Posted March 21, 2011 As to the merits of an apartment, we were considering going this route on our last visit because we expected to be meeting a friend. My recollection is that the apartments required a 4 day stay (possibly 3, but I think it was 4). In the end our friend had to cancel so we opted for a hotel. But the apartments DO have advantages -- usually laundry and cooking facilities. They can be much cheaper in the long run. (For us, once we were two people instead of 3 the cost benefits disappeared.) Yes, a good concierge can be helpful especially if this is your first visit ... but I wouldn't make my conclusion based on that. Check out apartments and see how the costs compare. We never stayed at a hotel that had a concierge, just people at the desk. We had no problems finding our way around and our spanish is not fluent, and our catalan is non-existent! If you're going to be there 5 days, I recommend a day trip down (up?) to Girona. You won't be disappointed! It's about an hour's train trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choochala Posted March 21, 2011 #13 Share Posted March 21, 2011 3 days are ok but just...If you can take the time for longer try:D..There are places nearby to experience..ie: Monsarrat, Sigres.. But whatever happens BCN is certainly not to be missed..Where will you be staying?? B&B at the bottom of Las Rambles is central and close to the docks..Want the name?? There is a nearby car park also but public transport is VG..:D I'd love the name of the B&B you suggested. We are going in December again and will have our son and D-I-L with us. We are planning one day prior to the cruise and three post and are looking for a place to stay that is central (and reasonable) so we can show them around. It will be Christmastime - yay! Recommendations are greatly appreciated. I've been trying to find the hotel recommendations thread for Barcelona but have had no luck??? To the OP - Barcelona is truly a gem and there are so many places that are "must see". You will love it - take as much time as you can! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amer_can Posted March 21, 2011 #14 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Don't know if allowed to give name:confused: but as I am not shilling for the B&B but highly reccommending it. --- Marinaview. It has it's own website and the owner Jose Maria is very helpful:). If you are going to stay longer than 3 days an apt. is probably the way to go..More economical... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruin Steve Posted March 21, 2011 #15 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Having visited Barcelona several times...and always for multiple days, let me throw in my two cents... First, stay in a hotel as close as possible to the Placa Catalunya...The northern end of Las Ramblas-- NOT the other end down by the port...The Placa is the most convenient location...as well as the better, safer neighborhood...There are several hotels in this area ranging from the very reasonable to the very expensive...depends on your tastes and budget... Personally, I find no great value in an apartment with kitchen...experience the wonderful restaurants and cafes of Barcelona instead...a great part of the experience is just the street life of the city... Staying near the Placa Catalunya allows you to have everything at your doorstep--restaurants, nightlife, shopping, sightseeing and all of the public transportation options--all of which use the Placa as a hub... There is a lot to see in Barcelona...My short list, in order of importance: 1) La Sagrada Familia 2) Parc Guell 3) Casa Mila 4) Casa Batllo 5) Barri Gotic and Old Cathedral 6) Las Ramblas 7) Picasso Museum 8) Montjuic... But, really, an additional "must" is to experience the city itself...eat in outdoor cafes, stroll Las Ramblas....take in a Flamenco show --try El Tablao de Carmen: http://www.tablaodecarmen.com/ If you have lots of extra time, there are some recommended day trips outside of the city-- 1) The monasteries at Montserrat 2) The towns of Girona and Figueras (Dali's home and museum) Tip: When you visit La Sagrada Familia, take an inside tour...then take the passage up the rear elevator and the walk down... Another: When visiting Casa Mila, make sure to go up onto the roof... Good luck... Ps. A couple of hotel recommendations near the Placa: High end: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1931 Very reasonably priced: http://www.hotelcontinental.com/web/ Last time, we stayed at the Continental...sort of a funky old hotel with small rooms and tacky furnishings...but the most perfect location...We had a Las Ramblas view balcony--incredible... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raffeer Posted March 21, 2011 #16 Share Posted March 21, 2011 For what it's worth we stayed at the (Starwood) Meridien just prior to the Marina maiden voyage. We were less than impressed. Maybe different strokes and all that but normally we find Starwood products please. This one didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreastman Posted March 22, 2011 #17 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Steve—what did you think of the Flamenco show? Did you try the dinner there, or just the show? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rim2rimhiker Posted March 22, 2011 #18 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Bruin Steve, thanks for all the information about Barcelona. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruin Steve Posted March 22, 2011 #19 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Steve—what did you think of the Flamenco show? Did you try the dinner there, or just the show? We've done two Flamenco Shows in Barcelona... The first time, it was a cruise line shore excursion...and it was horrible...chips and a small pitcher of Sangria for every four people and the show was fairly amateurish...I don't remember the name of the place...(Different place)... This last time, we did the Tablao de Carmen with a group of friends we met through our Cruise Critic Roll Call (July 2009 Nautica)...We did the full dinner and show...and thought both were fairly good...One of our party made the reservations in advance and they gave us a table front and center...service was excellent...of course, the best part was sharing it with our friends from our Roll Call...actually, this is where we met before the cruise hich embarked from Barcelona... Also, the complex the restaurant is in "El Poble" is worth getting there a little early for...It was built for the 1929 World's Fair and has interesting shops and architecture...We all arranged to meet there about an hour before our show/dinner time and wandered the complex... http://www.poble-espanyol.com/pemsa/en.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pier Posted March 25, 2011 Author #20 Share Posted March 25, 2011 First, stay in a hotel as close as possible to the Placa Catalunya...The northern end of Las Ramblas-- NOT the other end down by the port...The Placa is the most convenient location...as well as the better, safer neighborhood...There are several hotels in this area ranging from the very reasonable to the very expensive...depends on your tastes and budget... Personally, I find no great value in an apartment with kitchen...experience the wonderful restaurants and cafes of Barcelona instead...a great part of the experience is just the street life of the city... Staying near the Placa Catalunya allows you to have everything at your doorstep--restaurants, nightlife, shopping, sightseeing and all of the public transportation options--all of which use the Placa as a hub... Bruin Steve: After reading your post and thinking about it, we absolutely agree--a hotel is the right choice for us. I had read about some Barcelona hotels a while ago--Regencia Colon, Hotel Jazz, and Hotel 1898--but don't know much about them or their locations. Thank you for the splendid job you did in guiding us through Barcelona. We have your post printed and ready to pack with us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CintiPam Posted March 26, 2011 #21 Share Posted March 26, 2011 We spent three nights at the Hotel Jazz after our cruise last May, and we thought it was excellent. Modern, stylish, good soundproofing, perennial #8 on sister website tripadvisor, key card needed to use elevator, excellent front desk staff, good diverse breakfast buffet, small pool on rooftop (not used by us) and also the largest hotel room we have ever had in Europe (with the exception of business trips paid for by clients!:)). It was a five-minute walk from Plaza Catalunya (between there and Universitat metro stops). I only wished I could have found the Hotel Jazz of Copenhagen and Stockholm for my June cruise. BTW, I think frequent poster hondorner has stayed at the Regencia Colon happily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vdlcruiser Posted April 2, 2011 #22 Share Posted April 2, 2011 we stayed at the Regencia Colon near the Gothic Cathedral and the north end where Steve mentioned and it was great. Clean and reasonable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juli2020 Posted April 21, 2011 #23 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Having visited Barcelona several times...and always for multiple days, let me throw in my two cents... First, stay in a hotel as close as possible to the Placa Catalunya...The northern end of Las Ramblas-- NOT the other end down by the port...The Placa is the most convenient location...as well as the better, safer neighborhood...There are several hotels in this area ranging from the very reasonable to the very expensive...depends on your tastes and budget... Personally, I find no great value in an apartment with kitchen...experience the wonderful restaurants and cafes of Barcelona instead...a great part of the experience is just the street life of the city... Staying near the Placa Catalunya allows you to have everything at your doorstep--restaurants, nightlife, shopping, sightseeing and all of the public transportation options--all of which use the Placa as a hub... There is a lot to see in Barcelona...My short list, in order of importance: 1) La Sagrada Familia 2) Parc Guell 3) Casa Mila 4) Casa Batllo 5) Barri Gotic and Old Cathedral 6) Las Ramblas 7) Picasso Museum 8) Montjuic... But, really, an additional "must" is to experience the city itself...eat in outdoor cafes, stroll Las Ramblas....take in a Flamenco show --try El Tablao de Carmen: http://www.tablaodecarmen.com/ If you have lots of extra time, there are some recommended day trips outside of the city-- 1) The monasteries at Montserrat 2) The towns of Girona and Figueras (Dali's home and museum) Tip: When you visit La Sagrada Familia, take an inside tour...then take the passage up the rear elevator and the walk down... Another: When visiting Casa Mila, make sure to go up onto the roof... Good luck... Ps. A couple of hotel recommendations near the Placa: High end: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1931 Very reasonably priced: http://www.hotelcontinental.com/web/ Last time, we stayed at the Continental...sort of a funky old hotel with small rooms and tacky furnishings...but the most perfect location...We had a Las Ramblas view balcony--incredible... Looking into these Hotels: Hotel 1898, W Barcelona, Hotel Arts Barcelona, Le Meridien or the Mandarin Oriental.......any feed back as far as location, service etc. __________________ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiks Posted April 21, 2011 #24 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Hotel 1898 and Le Meridian are right next to each other on Las Ramblas, just a short walk to Plaza Catyluna in one direction and the Boqueria Market in the other--great location. We stayed at the 1898 and it was great, but it is expensive. Are staying at the Hotel Montecarlo in May (just one night) which is about across the street from Hotel 1898 and is a little less pricey--great reviews on Trip Advisor. Wiks:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
findacruise Posted April 21, 2011 #25 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Looking into these Hotels: Hotel 1898, W Barcelona, Hotel Arts Barcelona, Le Meridien or the Mandarin Oriental.......any feed back as far as location, service etc.__________________ I know it's not on your list but we just returned from 3 days in Barcelona after the Marina TA and had a great stay at the small hotel Casa Camper. It's not inexpensive, but it's location is excellent and it's quiet. You also have 2 rooms - a bedroom and a lounge - and food available 24X7 incleded. We loved coming back mid-afternoon from siteseeing, grabbing a snack and going either to our lounge room or the roof top terrace to relax before heading out again. One day I was able to rest in one room ehile my husband was on his ocmputer in our lounge. The staff was friendly, knowledgable and remembered us by name each time we came in. Even remembered at breakfast that I needed decaf. Check them out on TripAdvisor and their website. Might not be your style of hotel, but we found it very interesting and fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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