Advice for Barcelona

WE have a sort of unusual situation. We are doing a Mediterranean cruise from Nov 27 to Dec 7, round trip from Barcelona. The next day, Dec 8, we board another cruise, trans Atlantic, back to the USA. So we have really limited time in Barcelona.

Questions

We need a hotel for one night so where should we look?. We are really on a budget but we do have some points from Hilton. Are any of their hotels around the area?. I would think we should we stay around the port area, as we need to go back there the next AM.?? If we do, are we far from the 'main' attractions?

Since we have never been to Barcelona, figuring we should be able to get off the ship by 9AM, what can we do with our luggage till we can get to a hotel? And what would be the most interesting things to see in that short time frame?

 

Thanks for any advice and help

 

Cheers

Len

Len,

 

If it were me, I would take the luggage straight to the hotel and let them store it until its time to check in. We did this in Rome since our plane arrived early. We cleared the idea with the hotel when we made reservations. They even gave us a free breakfast when we dropped off the bags. When we came back to check in they had already taken our bags to our room.

 

Staying in the port area makes sense, especially since that's also where most of the sights are. Taxis are plentiful and the Metro is very good.

 

The single most spectacular site in Barcelona is the interior of La Sagada Familia.

 

Here are my detailed notes on Barcelona and other ports we visited in the Mediterranean:

http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/mediterranean-secrets.html

Check out Barcelona Day Tours they have a great 1/2 day Barcelona tour they would pick you up at the ship and take you around to the city highlights including Segrada Familia and Park Guell then drop you at your hotel.

 

 

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We took them from the port. Worthy tour. Note that they do not take you inside Segrada Familia. They do go inside Park Guell however, which is also fun.

Find a hotel convenient to the port and the Metro. Drop off your luggage right away. It is a rare hotel that does not have some form of luggage storage but check in advance to be sure. Then plan the things you want to see and use the Metro as a quick and convenient travel tool. Best of all buy a T-10 card which allows ten trips but is shareable among riders. Make sure you block out time for the Sagrada Familia and pre reserve a time slot. The rest is up to your individual interests. The Gaudi stuff is wonderful but don’t miss other aspects of Barcelona. Museums to

Miro, Picasso, the Cathedral, etc. Check out one of the markets and spend some time just strolling the Ramblas. Use your full day and don’t plan dinner till about 9:00PM. That’s when the locals go. You can’t see it all but you can get a taste.

Google Hilton hotels. You should book soon. Which cruiseship are you taking for the TA cruise? We are on the Rhapsody of the Seas Ontario Cruiser

Google Hilton hotels. You should book soon. Which cruiseship are you taking for the TA cruise? We are on the Rhapsody of the Seas Ontario Cruiser

 

 

Hello fellow cruiser. We ARE also on the Rhapsody, Dec 8. I know many on the ship booked the cruise before from Venice, but we are doing an 11 day MSC cruise before the Rhapsody.

 

Cheers

Len

Thanks to all the posters who have supplied some great info for us. We will now look into a hotel in the port area and we will definitely check out that tour company that has been mentioned. We are not opposed to doing things on our own, as I am a semi avid photographer and like to sort of hang out for a particular pix at times, but we will consider all options as our time is so short. Are there any good walking tours for Barcelona or are things too spread apart?

 

Cheers

Len

Thanks to all the posters who have supplied some great info for us. We will now look into a hotel in the port area and we will definitely check out that tour company that has been mentioned. We are not opposed to doing things on our own, as I am a semi avid photographer and like to sort of hang out for a particular pix at times, but we will consider all options as our time is so short. Are there any good walking tours for Barcelona or are things too spread apart?

 

 

Cheers

Len

 

I have to disagree with the port area. Go as central as possible (within your budget). A taxi from the port to hotel will be under $20 (depends on the number of cases you are carrying) - and you will be nearer to places to see and do. Rick Steves does a good self-guided walking tour. Barcelona is very accessible. It all depends on what you want to see - Las Ramblas, Gaudi, Camp Nou, Cathedral, Magic Fountains, Montserrat, the beach - it is all good.

 

You can probably get off the ship earlier than 9 am, depends on what time you dock of course. You will probably have time to see one thing in the morning (I have done the Cathedral, Sagrada Familia, Montjuic, Casa Batllo before boarding different cruises). It depends on how much you value your sleep! I would be wanting maximum 6 hours sleep in BCN. You have lots of time to sleep on your Transatlantic.

Edited June 18, 2018 by ollienbertsmum
pressed too soon

Thanks to all the posters who have supplied some great info for us. We will now look into a hotel in the port area and we will definitely check out that tour company that has been mentioned. We are not opposed to doing things on our own, as I am a semi avid photographer and like to sort of hang out for a particular pix at times, but we will consider all options as our time is so short. Are there any good walking tours for Barcelona or are things too spread apart?

 

Cheers

Len

Check Runnerbean Walking Tours and Sandemanns. We are doing one of each in September 2018 - Modernist walking tour and Barri Gotic walking tour.

 

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I agree with Olliebertsmum that there is no need to get a hotel in the port area, just go for central Barcelona, which is close by and only a short inexpensive taxi ride away. Indeed there aren’t any hotels by the cruise terminals as these are across a bridge from the city.

 

 

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Once again, thanks you all so much for all your helpful suggestions. We are open to anything and everything.

Now, excuse my ignorance of Barcelona. Are there different sections that each have their own names? So, if one particular 'section' is preferable over another, we can do a hotel search and see what comes up. As I have said, we do have points with Hilton that we would like to use, but without knowing what 'section' or part of t he city is preferable, it doesn't help me to look on their site to see what may be available.

Like last year we were in Rome and many people recommended Termini as a good place to stay, convenient to many things. Does Barcelona have a more preferable area to look at?

Cheers

Len

I have not been before but my understanding is that current Barcelona has grown to encompass many small villages and towns so there are distinct districts. Berri Gotic or Gothic Quarter is I believe the oldest. There are many hotels there and off Las Ramblas but as Spanish night life does not start until 11pm to midnight they can be quite noisy. We came to realise that hotels near Placa Catalunya are quite central and within walking distance of Las Ramblas plus the HoHo buses start there. Also it is the terminus for the Airport Bus.

 

We ended up booking Hotel Lleo 250metres from Placa Catalunya and close to Metro.

Once again, thanks you all so much for all your helpful suggestions. We are open to anything and everything.

Now, excuse my ignorance of Barcelona. Are there different sections that each have their own names? So, if one particular 'section' is preferable over another, we can do a hotel search and see what comes up. As I have said, we do have points with Hilton that we would like to use, but without knowing what 'section' or part of t he city is preferable, it doesn't help me to look on their site to see what may be available.

Like last year we were in Rome and many people recommended Termini as a good place to stay, convenient to many things. Does Barcelona have a more preferable area to look at?

Cheers

Len

 

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WE have a sort of unusual situation. We are doing a Mediterranean cruise from Nov 27 to Dec 7, round trip from Barcelona. The next day, Dec 8, we board another cruise, trans Atlantic, back to the USA. So we have really limited time in Barcelona.

Questions

We need a hotel for one night so where should we look?. We are really on a budget but we do have some points from Hilton. Are any of their hotels around the area?. I would think we should we stay around the port area, as we need to go back there the next AM.?? If we do, are we far from the 'main' attractions?

Since we have never been to Barcelona, figuring we should be able to get off the ship by 9AM, what can we do with our luggage till we can get to a hotel? And what would be the most interesting things to see in that short time frame?

 

Thanks for any advice and help

 

Cheers

Len

 

 

Our cruise ends in Barcelona and we are staying 3 nights, we wanted to forget about our luggage on the morning we arrive and head into town to start our vacation in Barcelona immediately, without the stress of hauling luggage to the hotel first.

 

We booked with bagsandgo.com, they pick up your bags at the ship and drop them at your hotel for you at a time of your choosing, leaving us free to enjoy our full day. so we get off the ship, enjoy our luggage free day and find them at the hotel when we get there. Cost for 2 cases was 24 euro.

 

They have great reviews here on cruise critic, they also offer this service allowing you to pick up in the afternoon at the airport if you are flying out later that day and want to be luggage free to enjoy the morning in Barcelona, costs 8 Euro per case to get to the airport.

Len

You really don't need a tour. Book Sadgrada Familia tickets on line. We took the audio

Tour You can also book Parc Guell and walk las Ramblas. We stayed in a small hotel Sant Agusti 3 minutes from Las Ramblas and the subway is very close. We booked through get your guide. We also booked hop on bus

See you on the Rhapsody Ontario Cruiser