by Crumpet 28 Replies latest jw friends
Crumpet
We went to Barcelona several times in my early teens. It was a gorgeous city then. But I was too young, and it was too long ago to be of help to you. I always smile thinking of Fawlty Towers........"sorry, he's from Barcelona"!
We even visited Barcelona Bethel. Let me know if you'd like an intro!
Make sure to have a nice pitcher of Sangria and people watch, Crumpet! I can help you, if you want...
Wow - some great tips from you guys - thank you! I will definitely bear in mind the long siesta - I'm not adverse to a long siesta myself!
The Gaudi tour is top of our list definitely. We're staying at the hotel Majestic which I think is in Las Ramblas or not far off. I just need to find some good value eateries which serve quality food. Last tiem I went to Spain sad to say the food was memorable for all the wrong reasons although the scenery throughour Andalucia was utterly stunning and helped you forget how bad the food generally was.
Have a great time, Crumpet!
HOWEVER!!!! Be extremely vigilant for pick pockets and muggers, especially in the airport and especially when you're concentrating on getting your taxi, bus/ transport to your hotel! There is a very sophisticated thieving network going on there so WATCH IT!
Crumpet, my wife and I are leaving for Barcelona in July for a 12 day Med cruise and we are coming back to Barcelona for 3 extra days when you get back please let me know what you find out as far as places to see and do. I havent checked into a hotel but was looking at one on top of the mountain that over looks the city. Completely redone but please let me know as much as you can/ Thanks and have a great trip.
abr
That sounds magical avid! However I want to be within walking distance of everywhere as I have heard taxis are super expensive hence why I am choosing a central location. The hotel I am staying at is offering a deal at the moment of 3 nights for the price of 2 which works out as £380 for a superior deluxe - which is about US$750 or 570 Euros.
This hotel offers free shuttle to and and back to the city everyday, but I agree that it can get real expensive but please let me know what you see, do and where you stay, I would greatly appreciate it. Cant wait to go, luckily I have another Carib cruise booked in the middle of April but really cant wait for Greece, Rome, Ephesus, French and Spanish Med. I am looking forward to your post when back and have a safe trip.
abr
Been there last September.
For nice food I would suggest a little place at the Bouqueria (the market on the Ramblas). It's called PAPITU.
Patronised mainly by locals, it has open-air tables and it offers a vast array of "tapas" (local snacks) and traditional food. I especially enjoyed the wonderful super-fresh fried "calamari" (squids?) they go get straight from the nearby market.
The market itself is a must-see, very pictoresque. Even inside the market there are little places where you can eat like you can see in the pic.
It's a bit crowded but a nice experience anyway. And the food is cheaper and more "real" than in sophisticated restaurants. Have fun!
Behemot
Make sure you watch your personal belongings as pick pockets and purse snatching are a huge industry there.
But - it was one of the better places I have been. Architecture is amazing as well as all of the food. They have the most amazing coffee and I miss it to this day. I agree w/ the plan on staying out late cause they do stay out late and eat late. You can rent bike (at least you could about 5 years ago) and take a bike tour. That was really great. On a nice day being able to tour around on a bike. IMHO, skip Olympic village, it was not anything overly interesting. However, there are some nice restaurants around there.
If you know spanish (like in my case, the mexican kind) and you attempt to speak to them, they 1) find it hysterical and 2) seem to really want to go out of their way to help you. We got some of our best suggestions from just talking to people who were sitting around having coffee in a cafe w/ us.
And as for the prior poster that said
Paris walks all over Barca
I don't think so!!!! Paris is second rate to Barcelona!
Have a wonderful vacation Crumpet.....We plan to see Spain in the summer of this year or next. Will be the first time for me. So bring back your experiences for us.
