Trip to Barcelona

[Theatre of Trees]

Walk up to the top of Montjuc and visit the fort for spectacular views across the city. Olympic stadium is on the easier western slope on the way down the other side along with the modern art gallery.

Had the misfortune to stay in a hotel on Las Ramblas, never again.

 

[Happy Seagull]

I would say definitely make a trip to Montserrat too, it's awesome up there

 

[Woodingdean Gull]

We’ll be staying at the 4 star Barcelona Princess, Avinguda Diagonal, close to Diagonal Mar. Any comments on location and accessibility to the rest of the city guys?

 

[Frutos]

Diagonal is fairly central if my memory serves, and in any case the subway network makes everywhere accessible enough with very little difficulty.

 

[The Large One]

Beautiful town of Cadaques, again not too far from Barcelona

I've been to Cadaques. Salavador Dali had a summer home there. It's quite a traipse from Barcelona (about 100 or so miles), and only accessible by road or (and this was the case until about only 25 years ago) sea.

But you are right, it is BEAUTIFUL there.

 

[The Large One]

We’ll be staying at the 4 star Barcelona Princess, Avinguda Diagonal, close to Diagonal Mar. Any comments on location and accessibility to the rest of the city guys?

Go to www.mulitmap.com and type in 'diagonal mar, barcelona' and make sure you click on 'Spain', and it should tell you where you are in comparison to everywhere else.

It does look as though you are fairly central, and near the Ramblas.

 

[Happy Seagull]

We’ll be staying at the 4 star Barcelona Princess, Avinguda Diagonal, close to Diagonal Mar. Any comments on location and accessibility to the rest of the city guys?

You mean the Princess Sofia? If so a top choice of hotel. The Camp Nou is literally on the doorstep and all the Barca players are there pre match. Also a great restaurant just around the corner called Mango's.

Avinguda Diagonal is the main road, it goes from one side of the city to the other. To be honest no where is too far from anywhere else in Barna. The nearest metro stop is no more than 5mins walk from the hotel.

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

When I went, we stayed in Barceloneta, which is where the beach and marina-y bit is. There are some truely brilliant fish restaurants around there.

It's only about a 10 minute walk away from the bottom of Las Ramblas.

Like csider said, you want to avoid the very bottom of Las Ramlas at night unless being harrangued by Nigerian prostitutes is your bag, in which case you'll be in your element!!

 

[Djmiles]

I've been to Cadaques. Salavador Dali had a summer home there. It's quite a traipse from Barcelona (about 100 or so miles), and only accessible by road or (and this was the case until about only 25 years ago) sea.

But you are right, it is BEAUTIFUL there.

Oh I didn't realise it was so far away! Memory is a bit vague as I went when I was 14, so we must have gone there from Calella, where we were staying.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Mode of transport ...

Try the overnight Trenhotel train service from Paris Austerlitz. Go for a premier first class sleeper ticket. You get a private compartment, complete with a shower, and a complimentary pair of slippers. And a free meal as well.

Costs a bit, but arriving at 0824 is a great way to squeeze extra time in Barcelona into your holiday.

 

[The Large One]

Oh I didn't realise it was so far away! Memory is a bit vague as I went when I was 14, so we must have gone there from Calella, where we were staying.

Spooky. I stayed in Calella as well, in 2001 - the first holiday I had with my missus, and her VERY fractious 14 year-old daughter.

It's one of those unspoilt Costa Bravan coastline villages which became spoilt in the 1970s and 80s, although they were still building this town when we were there. We took the local train into Barcelona. Only about 30 miles away, but it took an hour to get there.

Cadaques is about 70 miles up the coast, and only about 20 miles from the French border, and near a very small town called Rosas which boasts, according to the critics, the world's best restaurant - El Bulli.

 

[Woodingdean Gull]

You mean the Princess Sofia? If so a top choice of hotel. .

It's quite definitely the Barcelona Princess, link to it below.
http://www.hotelbarcelonaprincess.com/en/index.php

Any recommendations on getting there from the airport. We land, local time, at 9.30 p.m. Are their cabs expensive?

 

[NMH]

Transport is fairly good, it's a good city to walk in, and they have an underground.... though I found that a bit confusing.

Compare Las Ramblas to The Laines

Watch out and don't get 'taken in' by the way. Some 'swarthy dodgy N.Africans' around, and of course some shifty types looking out for innocent tourist victims.

 

[NMH]

It's quite definitely the Barcelona Princess, link to it below.
http://www.hotelbarcelonaprincess.com/en/index.php

Any recommendations on getting there from the airport. We land, local time, at 9.30 p.m. Are their cabs expensive?

Cabs no worse than Brighton, but it's a pain in the rush hour times, as you can walk in the city faster than a cab can go.
There might be shuttle buses from the airport.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Visit the Lacoste shop.

 

[keaton]

Go the Zoo, and the well nice fountain at the top of the park. Go to the market off Las Ramblas

 

[The Oldman]

Great City but watch out for pickpockets. Usual trick which I nearly fell for. Gypsy woman offering me a red rose with one hand whilst trying to put her other hand in my pocket. There was nothing in there but as soon as I shouted out WTF she disappeared into the crowd

 

[Happy Seagull]

It's quite definitely the Barcelona Princess, link to it below.
http://www.hotelbarcelonaprincess.com/en/index.php

Any recommendations on getting there from the airport. We land, local time, at 9.30 p.m. Are their cabs expensive?

Different hotel on the other side of Barna then. It is abit out of the way nightwise, but near the beach if you want to spend time there.

To get there you could take the bus to Sants Estacio from the airport which costs 3.90euro. You would then need to take the metro from there. Easiest way would be to take the blue line 5 towards Horta and change at Verdaguer then change to the yellow line 4 towards La Pau and get off at Estacio el Maresme-forum. Using exit rambla prim it shouldn't be more than a 5min walk.
You can get a T-10 on the metro which gives you 10 single trips, this has just gone up so not sure of the exact price, but it's about 7euro.

A taxi would probably cost around 30euro, but at the time of night you land i would say this is your best bet to save messing around.

 

[Happy Seagull]

Btw, Barca will be at home on the 5th or 6th of April if you're there the 1st week.

 

[the right footed denilson]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio4_aod.shtml?radio4/travellerstree