BCNWriter

Renfe is a great choice if you each have one piece of big luggage. Any more than that can be a pain. But, as you pointed out, the airport train stops at Passeig De Gracia. It's an effortless trip, really, depending on how far your hotel is from the station. Also, the "station" is underground. You'll probably take a few escalators to get up to the street. Takes about two or three minutes from train to street.

Unfortunately, there aren't any budget restaurants from which you can watch the fountains. There's a really expensive cafe in front of the museum above the fountains, and there are some snack-shack type places next to the fountains that are cheaper but aren't restaurants. I suggest eating in Poble Sec (one metro stop away) and then heading to the fountains, or going to Poble Sec afterwards. Carrer Vlai is the street you want...plenty of bars and restaurants with cheap food.

BCN Writer,

 

I am planning to arrive in Barcelona in April & would like to spend 4-6 weeks there & visiting other cities in a reasonable economic manner. What are your best suggestions?:confused:

@ref303, good to hear from you! The weather is pretty awesome in April...not to cold, not too hot. With 4-6 weeks to explore the area, you can get a lot accomplished. What other cities do you plan on visiting?

I don't know much about other cities in Spain, as most of my experience and research pertains to Catalunya. I'll say this, in response to you asking for my best suggestions:

1. Give yourself time to enjoy Barcelona. It's a beautiful, multi-faceted city that deserves at least a good week. Get yourself a metro pass (30,50, or 70 trips depending on how long you are staying).

2. One of the easiest ways is to break down the city into its cultural chunks: art, food, sea and mountains, shopping and history. There's plenty to see and experience in each of these categories.

3. Enjoy Catalonia. Tarragona and Sitges to the south, along with Girona, Besalu, Tossa del Mar and Figueres to the north are great cities to visit.

4. If you are interested in driving around Catalonia, car rentals are pretty cheap. Www.rentalcars.com is a great site that we use all the time. Buy insurance on the car through rentalcars.com and you'll be set.

5. As far as sites: Sagrada Familia, Montjuic and Tibidabo are great, and they're all accessible by public transportation. Poble Sec is a great neighbrhood for delicious, non-touristy tapas. The rambla in Poble Nou is also a non-toursity, up-and-coming area in Barcelona you should visit.

I don't want to bog you down too much. If you have any more questions, just ask. As for transportation, my wife and I pretty much are experts and we can help you with finding the fastest routes to places in the city.

-BCNWriter

@MattnDJsMom

I'm glad you want to sneak into the city for a few hours. It's an amazing place. My wife and I are from Florida, but we've been living in BCN for six months now and we love it.

Some creative ideas (some of which have been mentioned) are:

1. Take a free walking tour with Runner Bean Tours. They give great tours through the Gothic Quarter, which is right smack in the middle of Barcelona's Old City. The tours last about 2 hours. You can go to their website and book a spot in advance. Guides take donations at the end of the tour.

2. Stop into La Boqueria market. It's quite an experience, partly because it's jam-packed with people, and partly because it's jam-packed with the bright colors and lively aromas of Barcelona life. Pick up some tasty fruit cups if you want the tourist experience. Snag some cones of cured meat or small bags of olives if you want to eat like a Spaniard.

3. See Sagrada Familia. The church is as amazing as people say it is. You won't forget it!

I suggest doing two of the three...it will give you time to experience the city without feeling rushed.

If you have any questions, you can message me or shoot me an email at james.duren at gmail . com.

-J.R.

Barcelona Experience

Everything you've read on here is true....pickpockets have quite a racket going in Barcelona.

However, you can do a couple of things to keep yourself safe:

1. Don't get drunk. Nothing says, "Rob me!" like a fair-skinned tourist stumbling down the street trumpeting "Hola!" and "Me gusta Barcelona!" in alcohol-soaked tones.

2. Leave your valuables at home. There's no need to flash expensive watches, flashy jewelry or fancy phones and laptops.

3. Be wary where wariness is due. Be observant of your surroundings when in the Old City: the Gothic Quarter, Las Ramblas and Born. Thieves make a living in these areas.

Here's a couple of things you can't do to keep yourself safe:

1. Not look like a tourist. There's nothing you can do to make yourself blend in, unless you can sport skinny jeans, tan skin and a beard (guys); or skinny jeans, tan skin, slick fashion and dark hair (ladies). You're going to stand out, no matter what.

2. Completely avoid danger. Even when you do everything right, something can go wrong.

Enjoy Barcelona. It's an amazing city. Spain is an amazing country; a completely fascinating study in democracy, freedom, independence and culture.

The country is home to the world's best wine, two of the top five fashion capitals in the world, two of the most famous artists in the world and a rich history that dates back to the Roman Empire.

Enjoy it to the fullest!

J.R.

Barcelona Experience