Barcelona FAQ

[fmax]

Saw a posting on the Princess thread which might be worth duplicating. Have a posting for each of the ports where people can post tips and answers to most often asked questions and it can be the first place to look.

 

I think the idea was that people didn't ask questions in the thread it was purely for posting useful information. And if the information couldn't be found there, they could start their own new thread, or search the boards This way the link doesn't get hijacked and become irrelevant.

 

So here goes

[fmax]

Some often recommended hotels

 

Gran Havana - http://www.silken-granhavana.com/

Le Meridien - http://www.lemeridien.com/spain/bar...el_es1601.shtml

Hotel Colon - http://www.hotelcolon.es/

Hotel Majestic - http://www.hotelmajestic.es/

Hostal Opera - http://www.hostalopera.com/eng/hostal.asp

NH Calderon Hotel - http://www.hotelnhcalderon.com/

Ac Diplomat - http://www.achoteldiplomatic.com/index.english.html

Condes de Barcelona - http://www.condesdebarcelona.com/

Apsis Atrium Palace - http://www.hotel-atriumpalace.com/

Hotel Atlantis - http://www.hotelatlantis-bcn.com/

Hotel Montecarlo - http://www.montecarlobcn.com/swf/menuing.html

Hotel Regina - http://www.reginahotel.com/

Hotel Arts, Barcelona http://www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels/barcelona/

[fmax]

There's often debate on the difference between the Hotel Continentals - Continental Palacete and Continental Barcelona. At one time only one of them had air conditioning but they now both do.

 

I did stay at Hotel Continental on Las Ramblas. It's pretty basic, rooms are flowery, but it is cheap and staff are helpful. Good, convenient location if you don't want to spend a lot of money (90 euros approx).

 

http://www.hotelcontinental.com/

 

Link to a thread specific to these hotels

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showt...arcelona+hotel

[fmax]

Bus Turistic

http://www.barcelona-on-line.es/eng...ristic_info.htm

http://www.tmb.net/en_US/turistes/b...tic/horaris.jsp

 

The tourist bus has 40 stops along the three routes: Northern route-red, Southern route-blue and Fòrum route-green. You can get on and off as many times as you like along the route. This way, once you have visited somewhere that interests you, you can catch the next bus and continue along the route. And all on the same ticket! On board there is a tourist information guide who announces the stops in different languages and helps you to make the most of your visit.

 

There are two different tourists bus services that stop almost next to each other. One I believe has just the one (or possibly two) routes and bus touristic has 3 or 4. The Bus Turistic DOES NOT have audio information in multiple languages where as the other service provides a guide in each of six languages.

 

You have discounts to visit places of interest included in the price of the ticket.

1 day adult: 17 Euros 1 day child (children between 4 - 12 years old): 10 Euros

2 days adult (Must be consecutive days): 21 Euros 2 days child : 13 Euros

[fmax]

Useful websites for Barcelona

 

Barcelona airport: http://www.barcelona-airport.com/menueng.htm

Barcelona: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/

 

Day-trips

Sitges: http://www.sitgestour.com

Monteserrat: http://www.visitmontserrat.com/

Montserrat – Black Madonna: http://www.crusader.org.uk/montserrat/

 

tourist attractions

Sagrada Familia: http://www.sagradafamilia.org/eng/index.htm

Barcelona Cathedral: http://www.bcn.es/turisme/english/turisme/llocs/09.htm

Casa batllo: http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...sa-batllo.html

aquarium: http://www.aquariumbcn.com/ing/index.htm

Casa Mila: http://www.casamila.com/

National Art Museum: http://www.mnac.es/eng/index.htm

Gran Teatre Del Liceu (Opera): http://www.liceubarcelona.com/teatre_liceu.asp

Magic Fountain http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...ains-montjuic/

Museum of contemporary art: http://www.macba.es/

Miro Museum: http://www.bcn.fjmiro.es/

Montjuic : http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...uic/index.html

Park Guel: http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...ell/index.html

Port Vell - Marina: http://www.marinaportvell.com/AMpv/MPVHome.html

Palace of Catalan Music: http://www.palaumusica.org/index.asp?pIdioma=ang

Parc de la Ciutadella: http://www.bcn.es/turisme/english/turisme/llocs/04.htm

Picasso Museum: http://www.museupicasso.bcn.es/eng/index_eng.htm

 

Getting Around

Bus Turistic: http://www.barcelona-on-line.es/

Spanish Railway: http://horarios.renfe.es/hir/ingles.html

[DEL67]

I agree about Angie at taxinternacional.

 

I would add the Hotel Apsis Splendid to the list.

 

Go to the Cortes Ingles for water, snacks, groceries and even souveniers

[PoohUnderstands]

I would also add H10 Universitat to the list of hotels. It is decently priced and the location can't be beat-just on north end of Las Ramblas near Placa Cataluna.

 

Pooh

[Tropic]

We have made reservations at the Continental.... are there better alternatives for next May. Unfortunately (or fortunately) the weekend we are there is also the Grand Prix of Spain race in Barcelona. Thanks for any comments

[itsanita]

There's often debate on the difference between the Hotel Continentals - Continental Palacete and Continental Barcelona. At one time only one of them had air conditioning but they now both do.

 

I did stay at Hotel Continental on Las Ramblas. It's pretty basic, rooms are flowery, but it is cheap and staff are helpful. Good, convenient location if you don't want to spend a lot of money (90 euros approx).

 

http://www.hotelcontinental.com/

 

Link to a thread specific to these hotels

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showt...arcelona+hotel

 

We are staying at the hotel Continental on Las Ramblas. I chose it after reading good things about it on this board. And we are paying MORE than 90 euros! I'm a little disappointed to read that it is "pretty basic". May need to start looking again!!

[fmax]

Great Location

Good size Rooms although flowery

Good self-serve continental breakfast available all day

Free internet

 

[atb]

We are cruising out of Barcelona in November, 2006. There are 2 of us. Is it better to book with Angie - or to just grab a taxi at the airport.

Same goes for transfer from hotel to pier.

I can understand if you have more people in your group that prearrangements are good - but for 2 - is that necessary?

Thanks for the info - trying to plan ahead - be prepared - all that good stuff.

[fmax]

La Sagrada Familie (http://www.sagradafamilia.org)

 

Construction has been in the works for over a hundred years, but is not yet complete. If short on time, you can view from the outside. If you want to enter there is a charge anywhere from 3 to 8 euros, depending on what you want to see. The detail on the towers is amazing.

[fmax]

Parc Guell (http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/gaudi/park-guell.html)

 

Guell park contains amazing stone structures, stunning tiling and fascinating buildings.

 

The walk to Güell park from the nearest metro (Lesseps) is a steep walk. You can take a taxi from the metro station or catch bus 24 from Placa de Catalunya, which will drop you right outside the main entrance. The Turistic Bus stops at the bottom of the hill and you have to walk up. Best to go early in the day as it gets extremely busy. It's free to enter.

 

There are seven entrances into the park but the main entrance (also the lowest point) is at Carrer d'Olot. As you enter park there is a double staircase - either side of a lizard water fountain.

[fmax]

Las Ramblas

 

If you're not actually staying on this street, it's still worth making the effort to visit.

 

It's a 2km boulevard lined with trees, hotels, cafes, restaurants, news stands. At the top is Plaça Catalunya which is where you can pick up the tourist bus. At the bottom you're heading towards the Port.

 

The Ramblas is split into sections as you walk down it, one section where you find street artists doing drawings and caricatures, known as the Rambla de Santa Monica, Rambla del Centre comes next, followed by Rambla de les Flors, where there are many colourful flower seller stands, next is La Rambla dels Ocells, where you can find sellers of birds and baby animals in cages and lastly La Rambla de Canaletes. All along you can find street performers and living statues.

[SheilaNC]

Wonderful Thread...we agree with the recommended sites..if you're there on a Saturday night, be sure to walk La Rambla then...it's an amazing experience and be sure to walk through the Market (entrance on the main street) for a display of foods hard to match even in Venice.

 

We stayed at the Continental Palacete in November and will return in March - good all day buffet, lovely staff and lounge area, convenient location to transportation and La Rambla but off the main street so quiet. Prices are high in Barcelona so the 130 Euros we paid seemed reasonable given the context. Rooms were small but very clean and service was excellent. Can't wait to go back to one of our favorite cities. This time we'll do a day trip to Monserrat and see the things in the city that we didn't have time for post cruise.

[fmax]

La Pedrera (Casa Mila)

 

La Pedrera (1905) can be found at No 92 Passeig de Gràcia at the junction with Calle Provenca. The Pedrera which means "Quarry" because of its stone like appearance, was originally called Casa Milà. One of the apts in the building is open to the public and decorated as it would have been when the building was first occupied. It was built entirely on arches and columns without a single straight line or right-angled corner.

[fmax]

The following are some restaurants I've seen recommended on the boards.

You'll find additional info/recommendations at the following site http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Spain/Catalunya/Barcelona-274654/Restaurants-Barcelona-TG-C-1.html

 

Les Quinze Nits at Placa Reial (off Las Ramblas)

Les Quatre Gats

Agua Restaurant

El Cafeti, 99 C. Hospital, http://www.elcafeti.com

Meson David, 63 C. Carretes

Quasi Queviures on the Passeig de Gracia

The Attic.

El Asador De Aranda restaurant (http://www.asadoraranda.com)

La Paradeta, 7 C. Comercial.

[fmax]

In the summer months (July/August) on Friday and Saturday evenings, you can have cocktails on the rooftop of this building and enjoy live music.

 

Photos of this amazing building

http://www.gaudiallgaudi.com/AA009.htm

[fmax]

If you're lucky, you'll be in Barcelona when the Le Merce takes pace - 24th September. We arrived in on the Wednesday, knowing this was taking place and the stores would be closed on the Friday as a public holiday. Celebrations take place for several days prior to Sept 24th.

 

On Thursday night as we came out of a restaurant on Las Ramblas, coming down one side was a large parade with giant figures. And on the Friday night, early on there was another parade coming down Las Ramblas (we just happened to be eating at one of the side walk cafes so had a great view) and then the correfoc" (fire-breathing dragons from all over Catalonia) was on later that night. Crowds were ten deep and the sound of firecrackers going off was deafening but it was an amazing performance.

 

It was great to experience the festival.

 

Frances

[fmax]

Montserrat - additional info from other threadsFro

 

From Adros: "We took the subway to the Espanya station and went from there. They had people in the train station who directed us to the ticket machines. When we got there a person helped us purchase our round trip tickets for the train and cable car to get there. Total each was 12.30 euros or about 15 dollars american.This place was spectacular and I would reccomend anyone to at least check it out."

Andros

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From Medsailing:

 

 

 

 

 

"we were able to purchase a 1/2 day escorted tour to Monserrat by bus. We walked to the bus station which was only a couple of blocks away from our hotel. If you go to Monserrat by bus you will need to depart early morning. It takes about an hour to get there. One of the highlights of this tour is being in the basilica to hear the boys choir sing. This takes place at 1pm each day. Going on the morning bus allowed us to see the area prior to the crowds getting too large, and securing a seat in the church well before 1pm. The church was wall to wall people by 1pm. The boys sing 2 songs and that's it. The bus leaves immediately after that so you have to hustle a bit to get to the parking lot in time - the bus may leave without you as it needs to get back to Barcelona for an afternoon city tour. The route on the way back takes you through the city and we got off right at Las Ramblas and spent the rest of the day in the heart of the city. We also purchased tickets to the double decker bus for the day and saw everything we wanted to see in a fairly short time. I would do the exact same thing again."

 

More info at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=279550

 

 

Frances

 

[njtom]

fmax,

i am going to be in barcelona for my honeymoon from sept 20 to sept - sept 22nd. i was just wondering how barcelona is leading up to the festival on sept 24th. also any other useful info on barcelona, if you have anything else to share, we are staying at the hotel majextic right by las ramblas.

NJTOM

[canadiansnowbird]

We are staying at the Contintental Barcelona on Las Ramblas for three nights in September before our 12 day Brilliance cruise. Have good reveues from prior guests as being clean, very friendly and helpful staff, snacks and beverages all day, free internet and a recommendation to book the balccony rooms facing Las Ramblas. Which we did, the price in September is 105. Euro per night. Luxury it is not, but who is in the room all day.

 

Snowbird

[Kenwoody]

There's often debate on the difference between the Hotel Continentals - Continental Palacete and Continental Barcelona. At one time only one of them had air conditioning but they now both do.

 

Question?

Would there be a reason to pick one of these hotels over the other?

Does the extra $45.00 for all day buffet seem worth it. I saw meals listed at 18 eruo in resturants. Is eating expensive in Europe? Is there a variety from lunch to dinner here at the Continentals? Thanks

[fmax]

Here's a thread that has more discussion on the differences. I think the Palacete is the newer of the two.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=188235&highlight=continental

 

 

 

Frances

[fmax]

Fodor's guide to Barcelona with suggestions for side trips

http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=barcelona@23

 

 

Frances