P&O Barcelona Loop Excursion

Hi,

We have booked the Barcelona Loop excursion which includes the Sagrada Familia. I've been told by one of my friends that there are always big queues to get into the Sagrada Familia. Can anyone advise if this excursion includes bypassing the queues.

Thank you.

To answer my own question.

I need to buy entrance tickets which include bypassing the queues. So the total cost of excursion plus tickets is too expensive for only 45 minutes.

To answer my own question.

I need to buy entrance tickets which include bypassing the queues. So the total cost of excursion plus tickets is too expensive for only 45 minutes.

If you're interested, you can DiY. We bought tickets before we left home giving priority access without queuing. We caught the Metro from near the bottom of the Ramblas and got off at a station just by the Sagrada. It was quite easy and definitely worth visiting. It's an amazing place. Of course you don't get whatever else might be included in the tour but you would have the freedom to spend however long you want to at the Church and it would be much cheaper!

That's a much better idea as the Sagrada Familia was my main interest for going on the P&O excursion.

Can you confirm the Metro route is L3 Drassanes (La Rambla near Columbus Column), Liceu, Catulunya, Passeig De Gracia, change at Diagonal to L5, Verdaguer, Sagrada Familia.

Can't tell from the maps if I need to walk to another station at Diagonal to switch lines.

Thanks or your help.

That's a much better idea as the Sagrada Familia was my main interest for going on the P&O excursion.

Can you confirm the Metro route is L3 Drassanes (La Rambla near Columbus Column), Liceu, Catulunya, Passeig De Gracia, change at Diagonal to L5, Verdaguer, Sagrada Familia.

Can't tell from the maps if I need to walk to another station at Diagonal to switch lines.

Thanks or your help.

Will fish out my metro map tomorrow and get back to you but we did this last year no probs.

That's a much better idea as the Sagrada Familia was my main interest for going on the P&O excursion. Can you confirm the Metro route is L3 Drassanes (La Rambla near Columbus Column), Liceu, Catulunya, Passeig De Gracia, change at Diagonal to L5, Verdaguer, Sagrada Familia. Can't tell from the maps if I need to walk to another station at Diagonal to switch lines. Thanks or your help.

Yes that's the route we took. As I remember it was possible to change lines without exiting the Metro station as the ticket was valid for both lines. But I've just found this advice in response to the same question you posed:

At m: Drassanes, ride the L2 (green) line to m: Diagonal. Transfer to the L5 (blue) line and ride it for 2 stops to m: Sagrada Familia.

Then someone else responded with the following:

That's very good advice above but I'll give you a better alternative: From Drassanes take the metro L3 to Paral.lel and there change to L-2 to Sagrada Familia. Why? because in Paral.lel the tracks from both lines are one next to the other, while in Diagonal you have to walk a long underground corridor to connect metro lines.

So either route would do but perhaps the second one addresses the issue you spotted at Diagonal about changing lines.

On the return I think we got off at P. Catalunya and walked down the Ramblas to soak up the atmosphere, detoured into Place Reial (on the left of the Ramblas) then back to the Ramblas to the Market on the right (very colourful and good to pick up street food) and down to the waterfront to look around. We felt we'd seen a lot and really enjoyed our day. Hope you do too.

Excellent advice, kruzseeka.

Thank you very much.

Excellent advice, kruzseeka.

Thank you very much.

You're very welcome. If you haven't seen it or noticed it was on, there was a programme on Monday 23rd on More4 called 'Building Giants: World's Tallest Church' which was about the Sagrada. We recorded it and haven't seen it yet but have just seen friends who said it was a fantastic programme. You might be interested to see it - I've just checked and it is available on Catch Up. (The previous week was about building flood defences in Venice which was fascinating too.)

Bear in mind that they do limit numbers going into Sagrada Famiglia and you will have to wait 1-2 hours until they clear people and start letting more in. This might only apply in high season (we were there in August), but they apply it to everyone (regardless of the ticket type you have). We were one of the last few to get in at around 10 a.m. having disembarked the ship as soon as we were given the all clear. It is absolutely stunning, hope you enjoy it!

kruzseeka - we did exactly the same route as you. DD hated the sheep's heads and unmentionables in the Boqueria!

How long would it take to walk from the Columbus statue to the cathedral do you think?

Yes, we watched the TV programme. Fascinating.

Have purchased fast track tickets with 11.00am slot. Hopefully we won't have to wait.

We went a couple of years ago and before we went I watched this visual over and over again. Turn on sound to hear the music :):):)

:)

How long would it take to walk from the Columbus statue to the cathedral do you think?

Mr Google Maps says 51 minutes. We took the metro and did not use the alternative route that was mentioned earlier, and it was one helluva walk to change lines at Diagonal.

:):)

A bit far to walk on a hot day methinks.

We got a taxi from the port straight to the sagrada -it wasn’t much about 15€. We strolled back towards the port through the Eixample area (the little windy streets sheltered the sun ) to La Ramblas then got a taxi back from the Christopher Columbus at the bottom which was around 10€. My only tip would be don’t buy drinks on La Ramblas - or if you do.be prepared to pay a fortune

My suggestion is to get off the ship as soon as possible and jump into a taxi. The earlier you get there, the less busy it will be.

IMO you still need to book tickets in advance to avoid the very long queues. Pay extra to go up one of the towers. It is worth it.

Sant Pau hospital is a tourist attraction within walking distance. Worth going to after visit to the cathedral.

Many taxi drivers don't speak English so write down destination names and show them if you are planning to use taxis to get around.

In Barcelona, I would not do a ship's tour unless Sagrada Familia was included and it was more convenient.