How fun!!! Can't wait to see the pics!!! And PS ... thanks for the inspo ... http://thetuckerwolekclan.blogspot.com/2014/02/always-forever-reach-for-stars.html :)
Hi Paige, Barcelona is one of my favorite cities. I've been there two times and want to go again and again :) Barcelona is a beautiful city, with its monuments, weather and atmosphere. Everything in this city deserves to be seen, but you need a lot of free time :) My top 5 places in Barcelona are : Park Güell The Magic Fountain and Montjuic La Pedrera La Sagrada Familia Parc de la Ciutadella
Yay! Somewhere I can actually suggest places to go! I went on a mission trip with my church to Barcelona in 2004. Definitely Park Guell and La Sagrada Familia. We took a bus tour of the city and one of my very favorite stops on the tour was Poble Espanyol de Montjuic (known as the Spanish Village). And you must walk up and down Las Ramblas (I believe it is the longest street - definitely the most famous) and go all the way to the end where you will find the beach.
How fun, Paige! I love seeing all your adventures you get to take while living there. So glad you're taking advantage. I can't wait to see your pictures of Barcelona. :)
You can see Parc Guell and Sagrada Familia in one day; be sure to book tickets ahead for the cathedral to avoid long lines: http://www.sagradafamilia.cat/sf-eng/index.php If you go to Parc Guell first, you can walk (downhill) to Sagrada Familia, stopping along the way for a snack at an authentic tapas bar.
El Born is great for a short and first visit. Depending on availability you may be able to get an apartment there; we've stayed here: http://tinyurl.com/l3ua5lz
From there you can reach many key sights within 15 minutes on foot: Las Ramblas, Parc de la Ciutadella, the cathedral and other churches and lots of eating and shopping places.
If you like art, the Picasso Museum is near here and there are many other choices; I really like the Joan Miro Foundation, which gives you an excuse to go to Montjuic: http://www.fundaciomiro-bcn.org/
You will love Barcelona - we went for the first time last year and were bowled over by it - and Spain in general. It's great just to wander round the old parts of the city, like Barri Gotic - very photogenic - lots of cool graffiti everywhere, if that's your bag (my daughter loved it!) Park Guell is fab - and free! We couldn't get into Sagrada Familia as the queue was about 6 hours long! (Granted it was the summer, but I agree with the commenter who said book before you go - definitely a lesson learnt for us for next time.) If the kids don't want traditional Spanish food, and you want to be slightly more authentic than McDonalds, there's a great fast food chain called 'Viena' which does hotdogs, chips/fries (I'm English, so they're chips to me!) & 'bikinis' (which are cheese & ham toasted sandwiches. Again, my daughter, who is a slightly picky eater, thought this was fab. You have to have chocolate con churros in a cafe somewhere. Until you've tried it in Spain, you have no idea! Its a very thick, hot chocolate sauce & it's divine! We didn't go in, but all the Gaudi buildings, like Casa Batllo, are fantastic even if you just walk past them & look from the outside. Go to the Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria food market (its off the Rambla) - it's a riot of colour & smells - great for photos, and you & the kids can try all the lovely fruit juice/smoothies that they sell on almost every stall in a great variety of flavours. I hope you have a wonderful time - we loved it so much we're back for round 2 this summer - next time you go the Costa Brava is very close and beautiful, though that's probably better saved for the summer.
You will LOVE Barcelona! Here are my posts about this amazing city: http://virginialusblog.blogspot.ca/2013/01/mediterranean-cruise-part-1.html and http://virginialusblog.blogspot.ca/2013/02/mediterranean-cruise-part-8.html
October 23rd-25th - She Loves Color hosted by Bella Blvd at the Brookfield Conference Center in Brookfield, WI: register HERE - SOLD OUT - join the waitlist by sending an email to info@bellablvd.net
How fun!!! Can't wait to see the pics!!! And PS ... thanks for the inspo ... http://thetuckerwolekclan.blogspot.com/2014/02/always-forever-reach-for-stars.html :)
ReplyDeleteHi Paige,
ReplyDeleteBarcelona is one of my favorite cities. I've been there two times and want to go again and again :) Barcelona is a beautiful city, with its monuments, weather and atmosphere. Everything in this city deserves to be seen, but you need a lot of free time :)
My top 5 places in Barcelona are :
Park Güell
The Magic Fountain and Montjuic
La Pedrera
La Sagrada Familia
Parc de la Ciutadella
Wish you a good weather and enjoy your time :)
Yay! Somewhere I can actually suggest places to go! I went on a mission trip with my church to Barcelona in 2004. Definitely Park Guell and La Sagrada Familia. We took a bus tour of the city and one of my very favorite stops on the tour was Poble Espanyol de Montjuic (known as the Spanish Village). And you must walk up and down Las Ramblas (I believe it is the longest street - definitely the most famous) and go all the way to the end where you will find the beach.
ReplyDeleteHow fun, Paige! I love seeing all your adventures you get to take while living there. So glad you're taking advantage. I can't wait to see your pictures of Barcelona. :)
ReplyDeleteYou can see Parc Guell and Sagrada Familia in one day; be sure to book tickets ahead for the cathedral to avoid long lines: http://www.sagradafamilia.cat/sf-eng/index.php
ReplyDeleteIf you go to Parc Guell first, you can walk (downhill) to Sagrada Familia, stopping along the way for a snack at an authentic tapas bar.
El Born is great for a short and first visit. Depending on availability you may be able to get an apartment there; we've stayed here: http://tinyurl.com/l3ua5lz
From there you can reach many key sights within 15 minutes on foot: Las Ramblas, Parc de la Ciutadella, the cathedral and other churches and lots of eating and shopping places.
If you like art, the Picasso Museum is near here and there are many other choices; I really like the Joan Miro Foundation, which gives you an excuse to go to Montjuic: http://www.fundaciomiro-bcn.org/
You will love Barcelona - we went for the first time last year and were bowled over by it - and Spain in general. It's great just to wander round the old parts of the city, like Barri Gotic - very photogenic - lots of cool graffiti everywhere, if that's your bag (my daughter loved it!) Park Guell is fab - and free! We couldn't get into Sagrada Familia as the queue was about 6 hours long! (Granted it was the summer, but I agree with the commenter who said book before you go - definitely a lesson learnt for us for next time.)
ReplyDeleteIf the kids don't want traditional Spanish food, and you want to be slightly more authentic than McDonalds, there's a great fast food chain called 'Viena' which does hotdogs, chips/fries (I'm English, so they're chips to me!) & 'bikinis' (which are cheese & ham toasted sandwiches. Again, my daughter, who is a slightly picky eater, thought this was fab.
You have to have chocolate con churros in a cafe somewhere. Until you've tried it in Spain, you have no idea! Its a very thick, hot chocolate sauce & it's divine!
We didn't go in, but all the Gaudi buildings, like Casa Batllo, are fantastic even if you just walk past them & look from the outside.
Go to the Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria food market (its off the Rambla) - it's a riot of colour & smells - great for photos, and you & the kids can try all the lovely fruit juice/smoothies that they sell on almost every stall in a great variety of flavours.
I hope you have a wonderful time - we loved it so much we're back for round 2 this summer - next time you go the Costa Brava is very close and beautiful, though that's probably better saved for the summer.
Gah, SO jealous! Never been so I have no recommendations but have so much fun and take lots and lots of pictures!!!!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely the rec's mentioned above like Parc Guell and La Sagrada Familia.
ReplyDeleteI love the area by the W Hotel - http://www.amytangerine.com/2013/07/w-hotel-barcelona.html
7 Portes restaurant for amazing paella - and it's kid friendly
The Impossible Project store for some photos and good camera inspiration.
LOVED MAC Barcelona as well - the contemporary art museum
Oh it's one of our favorite cities ever - hope you think so too!!
You will LOVE Barcelona! Here are my posts about this amazing city: http://virginialusblog.blogspot.ca/2013/01/mediterranean-cruise-part-1.html and http://virginialusblog.blogspot.ca/2013/02/mediterranean-cruise-part-8.html
ReplyDelete