Monte Carlo and Barcelona

[cactusrose]

Any tips out there on what to do, must sees or private tours in Monte Carlo or Barcelona?

1972 - Song of Norway, Caribbean
1980 - Hawaii American Curise line, Tahiti
09/01/2002 - Veendam, Alaska
05/29/2003 - Pacific Princess, Alaska
11/26/2003 - Star Princess, Australia/New Zealand

5/28/2004 - Star Princess, Venice to Barcelona
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff00ff&cdt=2004;05;28;21;0;00&timezone=GMT+0100[/img]

11/06/2004 - Diamond Princess, Mexican Riviera
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00ff00&cdt=2004;11;06;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]

[cberge]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by cactusrose:
Any tips out there on what to do, must sees or private tours in Monte Carlo or Barcelona?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You can do a private tour if you want in either place,but both are very doable on your own.If you do Monte Carlo..there is a tram that takes you around to both sides( Monaco) to see the sights.You could take the train or bus into Nice and walk around the old city as well.There is also St.Paul de Vence outside of Nice..a hilltop walled city..thatyou would need to take a taxi to and have him wait which could cost $$$.
Barcelona is very doable on your own. You can do the hop/on hop/off bus to all the sights except for Parc Guell as I don't think they go up there,but all the other sights are on the route. You can pick them up most places in the city and buy your ticket then.
Both great places to explore if you have not been!!!

Karen
Ü

[cactusrose]

Thanks Karen! I haven't been to either. I will take your advice and skip the tours since it's so easy to get around. Anything in particular that I shouldn't miss?

1972 - Song of Norway, Caribbean
1980 - Hawaii American Curise line, Tahiti
09/01/2002 - Veendam, Alaska
05/29/2003 - Pacific Princess, Alaska
11/26/2003 - Star Princess, Australia/New Zealand

5/28/2004 - Star Princess, Venice to Barcelona
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff00ff&cdt=2004;05;28;21;0;00&timezone=GMT+0100[/img]

11/06/2004 - Diamond Princess, Mexican Riviera
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00ff00&cdt=2004;11;06;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]

[cberge]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by cactusrose:
Thanks Karen! I haven't been to either. I will take your advice and skip the tours since it's so easy to get around. Anything in particular that I shouldn't miss?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

In Monaco..the palace and the winding narrow streets..the J.Cousteau Mus.,the area in general just for the views.MC..tha Casino,the gardens..stop and have a drink at the cafe by the American casino and just people watch!!!
The old city part of Nice.
Barcelona..Sagrada Familia,and other Gaudi sights.La Rambla,the old olympic sites,The Gothic Quarter and Cathedral,and many other sights...
Do check into what the ships offers and see if something may be of interest to you...sometimes they do a nice job.

Karen
Ü

[cactusrose]

Thanks again Karen

1972 - Song of Norway, Caribbean
1980 - Hawaii American Curise line, Tahiti
09/01/2002 - Veendam, Alaska
05/29/2003 - Pacific Princess, Alaska
11/26/2003 - Star Princess, Australia/New Zealand

5/28/2004 - Star Princess, Venice to Barcelona
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff00ff&cdt=2004;05;28;21;0;00&timezone=GMT+0100[/img]

11/06/2004 - Diamond Princess, Mexican Riviera
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00ff00&cdt=2004;11;06;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]

[drwong]

Barcelona has the Bus Turistic [url="http://www.tmb.net/en_US/turistes/busturistic/rutesiparades.jsp"]http://www.tmb.net/en_US/turistes/busturistic/rutesiparades.jsp[/url] (Blue and Red routes) that takes you to all the highlights in town. Also, Dwight Imboden has some useful information on his web[url="http://europeforvisitors.com/europe/cruising/port-of-barcelona.htm"]http://europeforvisitors.com/europe/cruising/port-of-barcelona.htm[/url]site:

You need to get yourself to the Oceanographic Museum to catch the train/tram - it doesn't have the same on-off privileges as Barcelona's Bus Turistic, and it's a long uphill hike from the pier. I described how to get there in my recent trip reports on [url="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OceanaCruiser/message/20233"]Barcelona[/url] and [url="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OceanaCruiser/message/20274"]Monte Carlo[/url] on another site.

Cheers,
Richard

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=0000ff&cdt=2004;4;3;17;00;00&timezone=GMT+0000[/img]
Until the Insignia Inaugural sailing (4/3/2004)

[sundial]

Thanks Richard! We are also visiting Barcelona on a Radisson cruise this summer and the information on the bus stops is particularly useful. We have heard that buses are a very efficient and economical way to visit the city.

Sue

[Hlitner]

Barcelona is actually one of the easiest cities, in Europe, to tour on your own. It is a very walkable place (particularly on the Ramblas and nearby Gothic Quarter) has friendly, reasonably priced, clean taxis (they are everywhere), a decent subway, good local buses, and well-placed tourist information booths. As to Monte Carlo, if this is where you want to spend your day, its also pretty easy to do on your own. Personally, we do not spend any time in Monte Carlo, preferring to go to other places in nearby France. Monte Carlo is a very modern city, with a good Oceanographic Museum, and an "ok" palace area. Woe to anyone who is in Monte Carlo on a Sunday, because much of the city is closed!

Hank

Hank

[cactusrose]

Thank you all of the information. I love this board!

1972 - Song of Norway, Caribbean
1980 - Hawaii American Curise line, Tahiti
09/01/2002 - Veendam, Alaska
05/29/2003 - Pacific Princess, Alaska
11/26/2003 - Star Princess, Australia/New Zealand

5/28/2004 - Star Princess, Venice to Barcelona
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff00ff&cdt=2004;05;28;21;0;00&timezone=GMT+0100[/img]

11/06/2004 - Diamond Princess, Mexican Riviera
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00ff00&cdt=2004;11;06;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]