Booked My Hotel, suggestions for day 1 of 2 day visit Pre Cruise BARCELONA.......

Good morning:)....I booked Hotel Pulitzer for my upcoming stay in Barcelona:D...the reviews are excellent/looks lovely

and the price was right.

I am arriving on a Monday morning and on Tuesday I have plans to do a tour with "Barcelona Day Tours". Just inquiring

what would be an easy thing to do for day of arrival......I don't want to sleep too early so want to walk around, etc.....

but I am pretty sure sometime in the afternoon I am going to "lose my 2nd wind":eek: (after flying all night).

I have been doing lots of reading and can tell Barcelona is very walkable but have also seen there is HOP ON/HOP OFF

bus.......thoughts on this from any of you experienced folks who have been to Barcelona before? This is my first visit:)

And if it matters, I am going in August.

Thanks for the help:D

Here is our itinerary for our last post cruise stay in Barcelona. I put together a Gaudi themed trip as I really knew nothing about him.

Day 1

Free walking tour of Barcelona about Gaudi - we though it was excellent and gives great overview of modern Barcelona and Gaudi

Meeting point: Plaça Catalunya

Days: Every day

Time: 11:00

Duration: 2-2.5 hour

Extra info: You will only need 1 metro ticket for the tour. Recommend getting the T-10 which costs 10€, has ten trips, and you can share it! :) http://freewalkingtoursbarcelona.com/tours-en/free-gaudi-tour-barcelona/

Day two Morning

Parc Guell is a Gaudi must see a huge park with amazing sights

There are two areas - The Park which is free and the Monumental Zone which you pay for - you will want to go in the monumental zone it is a bargain 7 euros BUT BUY IN ADVANCE not only do you save a euro but you are guaranteed entry. They restrict the number of people allowed in at any one time so you may arrive to find you can get in if you don’t buy in advance.

http://www.parkguell.cat/en/buy-tickets/

The park is not in the centre but it is on the line 24 bus (use the same ticket as metro)

the bus goes from Plaça Catalunya to Parc Guell every 7 minutes here is the route

http://www.mapametrobarcelona.net/bus-barcelona-info/en-barcelona-bus-map-line-024.php

Afternoon Casa Batllo is the best Gaudi house and very very well presented - big comfy ear phones for the audio guide and handsets which show you what the rooms looked liked furnished - lots and lots to see it is amazing. You even get to go out on the tiny balcony and have your picture taken. Again get tickets in advance to avoid the lines.

https://www.casabatllo.es/en/online-tickets/

All the information dates from May 2016 when we visited.

Lois R

The Pulitzer is a nice hotel, we have stayed there. It is only about 50m from Plaza Catalunya, so we took the Aerobus from the airport which tops in the square.

I didn't have a good experience with the HOHO bus in Barcelona. Very crowded. Once I got off I had to wait for several buses to pass before I could get back on (they were too full and no one was getting off)....

Places I'd recommend in Barcelona, without knowing where your tour goes:

-- The old cathedral in the Gothic quarter, and the Roman ruins underneath it (entrance around the back).

-- Casa Mila (La Pedrera) and/or Casa Battlo, to see one of Gaudi's residential buildings. I enjoyed La Pedrera more.

-- If you like art, I thought the Picasso museum interesting but liked the Miro museum on Montjuic more. Montjuic itself is worth invesigating -- could definitely spend an afternoon there.

Glad you found a hotel, looks really nice.

For me, the first day is all about getting out in the sunshine so my body can adjust to the time change. As you're within easy reach of the Gothic Quarter, I recommend you go and wander there - really enjoyed that when we were in Barcelona last summer.

I didn't have a good experience with the HOHO bus in Barcelona. Very crowded. Once I got off I had to wait for several buses to pass before I could get back on (they were too full and no one was getting off)....

 

Places I'd recommend in Barcelona, without knowing where your tour goes:

 

-- The old cathedral in the Gothic quarter, and the Roman ruins underneath it (entrance around the back).

 

-- Casa Mila (La Pedrera) and/or Casa Battlo, to see one of Gaudi's residential buildings. I enjoyed La Pedrera more.

 

-- If you like art, I thought the Picasso museum interesting but liked the Miro museum on Montjuic more. Montjuic itself is worth invesigating -- could definitely spend an afternoon there.

Hi Cynthia:)......a friend of mine also suggested the Picasso Museum!......that would be good.

Lois R

 

The Pulitzer is a nice hotel, we have stayed there. It is only about 50m from Plaza Catalunya, so we took the Aerobus from the airport which tops in the square.

Thank you:)

1. Do not miss the Palau de la Musica. Most beautiful art nouveau building ever! You can take a one hour tour inside at prearranged times and it is so worth seeing.
   
2. Also would recommend La Boqueria, Gothic Quarter, all the major Gaudi buildings and Parc Guell. These are must see sights.
   
3. If you have time after that, I like the Picasso Museum and wandering around El Born.
   

Would also recommend against the hoho bus as someone else said, it takes way too much time. I will be in Barcelona in April and can't wait to go back even though I have been there so many times... so much to see and do, great food, wonderful architecture and friendly people. Have fun!

Thanks for the replies:) I will probably just play things by ear then.......I have an email in to the hotel asking them about

checking in early but have not received a reply back yet.

Glad you found a hotel, looks really nice.

 

For me, the first day is all about getting out in the sunshine so my body can adjust to the time change. As you're within easy reach of the Gothic Quarter, I recommend you go and wander there - really enjoyed that when we were in Barcelona last summer.

Ahhhh.........you hit it correctly:).....I don't want to have to be somewhere at a specific moment. So, the Gothic Quarter

sounds good (been reading about it)........I will find a nice place for lunch too:D

The other things that were posted sound good but it sounds like ALOT to do........I know sometime later in the day I will

eventually lose my 2nd wind....:eek:

1. Do not miss the Palau de la Musica. Most beautiful art nouveau building ever! You can take a one hour tour inside at prearranged times and it is so worth seeing.
   
2. Also would recommend La Boqueria, Gothic Quarter, all the major Gaudi buildings and Parc Guell. These are must see sights.
   
3. If you have time after that, I like the Picasso Museum and wandering around El Born.
   

Would also recommend against the hoho bus as someone else said, it takes way too much time. I will be in Barcelona in April and can't wait to go back even though I have been there so many times... so much to see and do, great food, wonderful architecture and friendly people. Have fun!

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Hi Cynthia:)......a friend of mine also suggested the Picasso Museum!......that would be good.

The Picasso museum is fascinating if you're a fan of Picasso. It shows how his art changed over time to the abstract he is famous for.

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How much time would you a lot for the Picasso museum? Does it require tickets to be bought ahead?

How much time would you a lot for the Picasso museum? Does it require tickets to be bought ahead?

it took my wife and I two hours and you will need to have the audio guide or you will not have any idea of the significance of anything you are seeing. This is Picasso's early stuff, nothing famous, so the audio is needed.

I would buy tickets ahead of time or chance that you will wait a long time. The tickets are for a specific entry time. but once you enter you can stay as long as you like (until closing)

Do NOT miss La Bouqueria - this is the oldest market in Europe and it is a photographer's dream - also, since it is your first day there, you can buy some snacks for your hotel room - bread, spanish cheese, ham, chocolates...This is usually our first stop in Barcelona. It's absolutely wonderful!

... Museu Picasso, Casa Batlló, Park Güell, La Pedrera, Palau de la Música Catalana, etc. etc. HAVE to be pre-book or else you risk not being able to visit on the day, especially if you're visiting in summer or autumn. Period. :)))

Do NOT miss La Bouqueria - this is the oldest market in Europe and it is a photographer's dream - also, since it is your first day there, you can buy some snacks for your hotel room - bread, spanish cheese, ham, chocolates...This is usually our first stop in Barcelona. It's absolutely wonderful!

I love markets:)....

Oh...WOW....I just googled that Market:D:):D..........this is my kind of stop.....and would be something I would love

to see so that would be awesome for my arrival day. I wonder if I can walk there from my hotel.

Oh...WOW....I just googled that Market:D:):D..........this is my kind of stop.....and would be something I would love

to see so that would be awesome for my arrival day. I wonder if I can walk there from my hotel.

It's an 8 minute walk down La Rambla. Have fun and bring your camera!

Here's a guide to help you get the most out of your visit:

https://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/tour/barcelona-city-centre/guide-la-boqueria-barcelona.html

Thank you for the link:)....I will be going to the Market:D....someone also mentioned a big Dept Store across the street from my hotel.........I will check it out too.;)

Lois R

The department store near your hotel is El Corte Ingles. It is part of a chain all over Spain. It has a restaurant/coffee shop on the top floor with some good views over the city.

These days La Boqueria market is, unfortunately a crowded, expensive, Tourist filled tourist trap. Last time I was in Barcelona I went in there as I have known it for years and I was very disappointed and made a hasty retreat.

Lois R

 

The department store near your hotel is El Corte Ingles. It is part of a chain all over Spain. It has a restaurant/coffee shop on the top floor with some good views over the city.

 

These days La Boqueria market is, unfortunately a crowded, expensive, Tourist filled tourist trap. Last time I was in Barcelona I went in there as I have known it for years and I was very disappointed and made a hasty retreat.

Hi, thanks for the information about the Market........I don't mind crowds and as for being a "tourist trap", I don't have

to buy anything really....the pictures on line look lovely.:)

Lois, La Boquería is a must see in Barcelona. You don't have to buy anything, but the ambiance is spectacular. However, the food is really good and it's a genuine city market; we saw mostly locals buying there. There's an array of meat, sausages and cheeses which are artisanal, and delicious. Actually, we bought some of these and wine and had an excellent meal in the terrace of our room in Hotel Colón.

Oh...WOW....I just googled that Market:D:):D..........this is my kind of stop.....and would be something I would love

to see so that would be awesome for my arrival day. I wonder if I can walk there from my hotel.

Lois, you will love the market and it is an easy walk from where you are staying.

We stayed at the Colon in the Gothic Quarter and that is a nice area to spend time in too. Enjoy your trip! I don't get to go until 2018.....:(

Lois, you will love the market and it is an easy walk from where you are staying.

 

We stayed at the Colon in the Gothic Quarter and that is a nice area to spend time in too. Enjoy your trip! I don't get to go until 2018.....:(

HI Linda, good morning:)......2018....that is my BIG 60 and I am trying to decide what to do for it....something really

special for that milestone birthday.