Barcelona-3 days thoughts on plan?

[Fogfog]

We arrive in Barcelona after a TA

 

Day 1 Arrival day--picked up by tour guides for overview of city, Gaudi, sites and drop off at our hotel

Includes

• La Sagrada Familia- world-famous architectural masterpiece

• Park Guell- Gaudi's greatest Park with beautiful city views - visit includes skip-the-line entry

• Passeig de Gracia- Barcelona's most luxurious strip

• La Pedrera/Casa Mila- Gaudi's most famous building in Barcelona

• Casa Batllo- Gaudi's most astounding contribution to Modernisimo

• Casa Amataller- part of the trio "Apple of Discord"

• Casa Morera- part of the famous trio

• Plaza España- most impressive plaza in Barcelona

• The National Palace- very impressive site with great views

• The Olympic Ring- see where it all happened in 1992

• Montjuic- with lots of history and great city views

• The Columbus Monument- for the world-famous explorer

• Port Olympic- marina, shops, restaurants, galleries, & more

• Plaza Cataluña- the famous plaza in the heart of Barcelona

 

Afterwards we will get lunch and then do the "free" walking tour in the Gothics Quarter...then ? and Dinner

 

Day 2 Plan to do Monserrat o our own via train.  Leaving the day completely open as we want to hear the choir, see the museum, have lunch, use the funicliare  etc 

 

Day 3 On our own... THIS is what I am trying to determine...

Do we go to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya in the morning...

Then head off to get lunch somewhere and try and see the Palau de la Música Catalana in the afternoon?

If done in that order--- thoughts about what to see/do after the Palau? 

OR would you reverse it..and then plan for a longer stay at the Museu Nacional... 

 

Has anyone had a good lunch at the museum restaurant. It gets VERY mixed reviews on Trip Advisor. 

 

Thanks in advance for all advice. We are staying in the Eixample area not far from Passeig de Gràcia metro

[Clay Clayton]

I suspect that your opening day tour is going to only cover the exterior of Sagrada Familia.  IF this is the case, I HIGHLY recommend that you immediately (or as soon as the sales window opens) purchase ticket sales to go inside.  It is incredible!   We did the self guided tour with audio guide in November and will be back in early April and will be doing a guided tour. 

 

While we are there next month we are attending a concert at the Palau.  I haven’t been inside the space but after seeing it from the outside in the fall, it was tops on my list of what I wanted to do this visit.  They have a daytime guided tour but the cost to attend a concert was only slightly more so we elected to “experience” the building rather than just tour. 

 

I cant speak to the museum restaurant but if you are anywhere near the Arc d’Triomph, Elsa y Fred is a great place!

 

Have a wonderful visit in one of my favorite cities. 

[Fogfog]

30 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

I suspect that your opening day tour is going to only cover the exterior of Sagrada Familia.  IF this is the case, I HIGHLY recommend that you immediately (or as soon as the sales window opens) purchase ticket sales to go inside.  It is incredible!   We did the self guided tour with audio guide in November and will be back in early April and will be doing a guided tour. 

 

While we are there next month we are attending a concert at the Palau.  I haven’t been inside the space but after seeing it from the outside in the fall, it was tops on my list of what I wanted to do this visit.  They have a daytime guided tour but the cost to attend a concert was only slightly more so we elected to “experience” the building rather than just tour. 

 

I cant speak to the museum restaurant but if you are anywhere near the Arc d’Triomph, Elsa y Fred is a great place!

 

Have a wonderful visit in one of my favorite cities. 

TY  The night we may go to the Palau for a concert it is a flamenco show. 

 

Have read that Elsa y Fred is excellent. If we are in that part of town for lunch or dinner we will look for them. Have starred them in my maps

 

did you see the documentary on the building of the Sagrada? Fascinating

[Clay Clayton]

I haven’t seen the documentary...but did study it in school-I’m an Architect. What is the title or where can I stream the documentary?

 

fyi, if you like octopus, Elsa y Fred’s is as good or better than any I had in Greece or Portugal. Highly recommend it if you get there. 

[Fogfog]

1 minute ago, Clay Clayton said:

I haven’t seen the documentary...but did study it in school-I’m an Architect. What is the title or where can I stream the documentary?

 

fyi, if you like octopus, Elsa y Fred’s is as good or better than any I had in Greece or Portugal. Highly recommend it if you get there. 

I'll ask DH (he's an architect as well).

The skeletal system inside is interesting. Quite a feat of engineering

 

Definitely like octopus! Good to know

[Clay Clayton]

1 minute ago, Fogfog said:

I'll ask DH (he's an architect as well).

The skeletal system inside is interesting. Quite a feat of engineering

 

Definitely like octopus! Good to know

It’s is grilled and served on a cauliflower (I think) purée...very very tasty. Of course I thought all their dishes were good, though I enjoyed the night we say at the bar with four other family members and shares tapa’s more than the meal of the day we had when we sat in the restaurant. If we eatbthere again, I will go a la carte or just share tapas. 

 

Your hubby should plan in visiting Mies Van Der Rohe’s pavilion for Germany from the World’s Fair-known internationally as “The Barcelona Pavilion”. It’s pretty great to walk through a structure that we studied in school. I suspect he would be very happy if you surprised him with it!

[Fogfog]

1 hour ago, Clay Clayton said:

It’s is grilled and served on a cauliflower (I think) purée...very very tasty. Of course I thought all their dishes were good, though I enjoyed the night we say at the bar with four other family members and shares tapa’s more than the meal of the day we had when we sat in the restaurant. If we eatbthere again, I will go a la carte or just share tapas. 

 

Your hubby should plan in visiting Mies Van Der Rohe’s pavilion for Germany from the World’s Fair-known internationally as “The Barcelona Pavilion”. It’s pretty great to walk through a structure that we studied in school. I suspect he would be very happy if you surprised him with it!

Hey Thanks for this. Just showed DH and he said "hey I didn't know Mies Van Der Rohe had anything in Barcelona. 

Have added it to day 3 of my original question....

 

I asked him about the building of the Sagrada that we were watching... he said it was like a "modern marvels" or something like that--- The interior skeleton of wiring that is holding it together ...  

Total engineering/building/architecture nerds here... whether it is a bridge/tunnel/building construction...

😉

 

Edited March 18, 2019 by Fogfog

[GeezerCouple]

3 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

I haven’t seen the documentary...but did study it in school-I’m an Architect. What is the title or where can I stream the documentary?

 

fyi, if you like octopus, Elsa y Fred’s is as good or better than any I had in Greece or Portugal. Highly recommend it if you get there. 

 

Yes - please 

 

Can you post a link about building La Sagrada Familia?

 

Many thanks!

 

GC

[mskaufman]

Day 1 just seems like a whirlwind drive by, especially if it will be completed before lunch.  If it is only two of you, I would think about a taxi to your hotel and then the HOHO bus.  That seems like it should be more relaxed and you can explore wherever you want.  To go inside the S.F., you will need a timed ticket (same for Parc G).  If you go with the guide on day 1, day 3 might be going to these sites for a more in depth visit.

[Fogfog]

11 minutes ago, mskaufman said:

Day 1 just seems like a whirlwind drive by, especially if it will be completed before lunch.  If it is only two of you, I would think about a taxi to your hotel and then the HOHO bus.  That seems like it should be more relaxed and you can explore wherever you want.  To go inside the S.F., you will need a timed ticket (same for Parc G).  If you go with the guide on day 1, day 3 might be going to these sites for a more in depth visit.

Yes Day 1 Arrival day--picked up by tour guides for overview of city, Gaudi, sites and drop off at our hotel.

Honestly--some of the important parts of Gaudi are the exteriors of those sites...

Getting our bearings re plazas, monuments with a history briefing etc is fine.

 

 

Day 3 On our own... THIS is what I am trying to determine...

Do we go to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya in the morning...

Then head off to get lunch somewhere and try and see the Palau de la Música Catalana in the afternoon?

If done in that order--- thoughts about what to see/do after the Palau? 

OR would you reverse it..and then plan for a longer stay at the Museu Nacional... 

 

Has anyone had a good lunch at the museum restaurant. It gets VERY mixed reviews on Trip Advisor. 

 

 

[marazul]

47 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

 

Honestly--some of the important parts of Gaudi are the exteriors of those sites...

 

Honestly, you need to see the interiors, especially Casa Mila and Casa Batllo.

And, most especially, the Sagrada Familia. 

 

[Fogfog]

2 minutes ago, marazul said:

Honestly, you need to see the interiors, especially Casa Mila and Casa Batllo.

And, most especially, the Sagrada Familia. 

 

Thanks for your opinion

 

as for the other issue at hand--thoughts? Have you been to that museum or the concert hall?

[marazul]

Yes to both.  I would go to the museum in the morning and save the Palau and other sites for the afternoon and evening.  I have not eaten at the museum restaurant.  There are good places for lunch at the Port Olimpic.  There are many restaurants on the pier.  Taxi there and then get on with the rest of your sightseeing. 

[Fogfog]

17 minutes ago, marazul said:

Yes to both.  I would go to the museum in the morning and save the Palau and other sites for the afternoon and evening.  I have not eaten at the museum restaurant.  There are good places for lunch at the Port Olimpic.  There are many restaurants on the pier.  Taxi there and then get on with the rest of your sightseeing. 

The Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya isn't near the pier...

We had planned on metro for most everything.

though quiment & quimet is about a 15 min walk from the museu

Perhaps eating over by the concert hall has options too

[marazul]

2 hours ago, Fogfog said:

The Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya isn't near the pier...

We had planned on metro for most everything.

though quiment & quimet is about a 15 min walk from the museu

Perhaps eating over by the concert hall has options too

I know it's not near the pier.  That's why I suggested a taxi to get back closer to the center of town and closer to the Palau.  But, it's your trip.

BTW - La Barca del Salamanca at the Port Olimpic makes an awesome paella, both regular and black ink.

A favorite for tapas is La Vinya del Senyor in Plaça de Santa Maria, not too far from the Palau.

Edited March 19, 2019 by marazul

[Fogfog]

2 hours ago, marazul said:

I know it's not near the pier.  That's why I suggested a taxi to get back closer to the center of town and closer to the Palau.  But, it's your trip.

BTW - La Barca del Salamanca at the Port Olimpic makes an awesome paella, both regular and black ink.

A favorite for tapas is La Vinya del Senyor in Plaça de Santa Maria, not too far from the Palau.

Thanks Will look up the restaurants

 

From what I read in several places-- paella is not the thing to eat in Barcelona... and never in restaurants frequented by tourists. 

https://spanish-trails.com/paella-in-barcelona/

[marazul]

Don't believe everything you read, especially in tourist guide sites. 

In Barcelona, I go with my BCN (born and bred) friends recommendations. 

[Fogfog]

12 hours ago, marazul said:

Don't believe everything you read, especially in tourist guide sites. 

In Barcelona, I go with my BCN (born and bred) friends recommendations. 

I would agree-- tourist info can be dicey-- I do find it interesting that restaurants serve frozen paella to unsuspecting tourists

A good paella in our experience takes time and care

 

I agree-- best recs come from locals (like your friends)

[marazul]

27 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

I would agree-- tourist info can be dicey-- I do find it interesting that restaurants serve frozen paella to unsuspecting tourists

 

You are so right.  The restaurants with the plasticized menus definitely do.  Best to be able to see the kitchen (or if you are lucky, made outdoors), but it is a good sign of the real thing when it is served in the really hot paella pan where it is cooked, with good moist shellfish and the telltale "raspa" sticking to the pan.  Valencia does not have a monopoly on the recipe(s) or the ingredients, but a good quality restaurant is a must either there or elsewhere. 

Enjoy your trip.

 

And you might enjoy seeing this:

https://www.casabatllo.es/en/skywalk/?utm_campaign=newsletter19&utm_medium=email&utm_source=marzo&utm_content=skywalk&utm_term=en

Edited March 20, 2019 by marazul

[Fogfog]

@marazul

 

TY for your advice and counsel. Appreciate it.

Do you have an opinion on the metro? There is a ticket--is it like a T-10 or something that offers unlimited use for a # of hours? 

We will be going through Plaça de Catalunya several times on day 1 in Barcelona and I thought I read somewhere we can buy this at a machine? Or am I misremembering

TYIA

[marazul]

Thanks for your kind comment.

Last time I used the metro in Barcelona was in the 90's!  We find the taxis to be so convenient and reasonably priced that we just use them all the time.   A taxi form the Plaça to the Sagrada Familia could be about 6 to 8 euros.  The metro could be 2 or 3 euros per person.  The ticket you mentioned could be worthwhile for you if you have multiple trips one day, but I am not familiar with it.

BTW - I doubled checked the prices in rome2rio.com.  You can use it to check prices in all manners of transport just about anywhere in the world.  Here is the link for my example. 

https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Plaça-de-Catalunya-Station/Sagrada-Família

[ollienbertsmum]

On 3/19/2019 at 6:30 PM, marazul said:

Honestly, you need to see the interiors, especially Casa Mila and Casa Batllo.

And, most especially, the Sagrada Familia. 

 

Sound advice.  I think I would skip the tour on day one and just get a map and walk around or do a HOHo in your own time. 

[Clay Clayton]

Just back from Barcelona and wanted to share some info. 

 

Casa Batilo is undergoing work and the exterior is scaffolded so the only way to see it is to do a hard hat tour and climb around on the scaffolding.  We elected to save visiting until our next time. Casa Mila is still amazing, and since our last visit (25 years ago) they have opened up the attic and changed the apartment you visit. My mother in law (pic below) was wowed to say the least. 

 

We did a guided tour this time at Sagrada Familia (we had done the audio tour last November). I think either is fine though the live tour moves fast so we needed up going back through to really see this wonderful basilica. 

 

We used a T10 ticket on the metro which cost 10 euros for 10 rides. It will even work to the airport though we didn’t use it for that.

 

Have a great visit!

[Host Jazzbeau]

11 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Just back from Barcelona and wanted to share some info. 

 

Casa Batilo is undergoing work and the exterior is scaffolded so the only way to see it is to do a hard hat tour and climb around on the scaffolding.  We elected to save visiting until our next time.

 

Any idea how long this will last?  We are going to Barcelona in late September.

[Clay Clayton]

Based on a quick google search, it appears they expect to be finished in May.