Barcelona

**Steven** · 15th January 2007, 22:40

Hey Guy's

Im taking the wife to barcelona on the 2nd of feb for a surprise birthday present

Just booked it yesterday so not had much chance to research what to do, where to go etc...

So if anyone has been can you give me some good tips, tourist spots, bars and nice restraunts

Thanks in advance guys

**Graeme** · 15th January 2007, 22:49

Had an hour there in sept whilst on way back from a tour of the nou camp. Theres a huge department store in the sentre of the city that they give you a big map of when you go in and is on 9 floors. that may keep her occupied

**SelbyVX** · 15th January 2007, 22:54

A walk along the Ramblas is very nice, and I can recommend a boat tour of the harbour and coast. Be a bit careful with her handbag in the City, we did see one unfortunate woman actually being deprived of her handbag as she sat on the Ramblas! Thieving gits operate there like anywhere else.

**cameraman** · 15th January 2007, 22:55

I've only spent a couple of day trips there the La Sagrada Familia is unmissable (the weirdest church I've ever seen), La Rambla (street entertainers, bars, restaurants), Parc Guell, Camp Nou(Barcelona FC's 100K seat stadium), anything Gaudi (weird spainish architect), the cable car across the harbour was ok. We only spent the daytime there so the closest I got to a restaurant was KFC & McD's (with the kids).

**Mrs D** · 15th January 2007, 22:56

Hi Steven - I really hope you've got more than just one day to spend there!!! The kids and I went into Barcelona for a day trip when we were staying in Salou - I had done very little research and had expected something like a large version of Chester - however walking round, it seems more the size of London!!!!

It is truly enormous, but beautiful - well worth buying yourself a tourist map or having a look at something like this, which we found on our return and showed us where to find all the fab stuff we had been looking for when we were there!!! The site above has a little restaurant finder where you can select a price range and cuisine style and it will find you suitable places to eat.

Make sure you see the Sagrada Familia - it was the one thing we wanted to see, but we were right over the other side of the city and ran out of time - the kids and I were gutted but I have promised we will go again and do it properly next time - truly agreed to be the mose awe inspiring peiece of architecture going.

Also lots of funny little markets selling bric a brac and antiques, tucked down little alley ways, as well as proper full on shopping as well. The huge shopping centre in Place de Catalunya is called El Corte Ingles and has a huge restaurant on the top floor where you can see almost all the city - loads of designer stuff, and a huge variety of stores inside! We also enjoyed sitting in the Place de Catalunya - fountains and pigeons and watching the world go by

Enjoy!!

**cameraman** · 15th January 2007, 22:57

Originally Posted by SelbyVX

Be a bit careful with her handbag in the City, we did see one unfortunate woman actually being deprived of her handbag as she sat on the Ramblas! Thieving gits operate there like anywhere else.

Good point remember my wife stamping on some womens toes who's fingers were finding there way into her handbag on a bus

**kgsric** · 15th January 2007, 23:08

iv got a stag doo in barcelona next year, whats that scene like?

**Duncan** · 16th January 2007, 02:50

Steven, have a look at this thread - it should also help. It'll also save me typing the same reply in here as well!

AH, what the hell, I'll pop the same reply in here as well!

Do look at the other thread though as there was other useful info from other people in it.

It's a great place - been three times now. If you like culture/architecture go and see the Gaudi buildings - La Sagreda Familia is just stunning and still being built/finished off, Guell Park (bit out of town), Casa Mila (fantastic rooftop) are the main ones to see. There are others. This web site will show the buildings and where they are located in Barcelona. There are other sites but this one wasn't bad. Just do a Google for Antoni Gaudi.

Take a trip to the Olympic Stadium, you can get there by a fernicula (mountain railway). Fantastic ride as it passes through the mountain tunnel. You'll see the Olympic Statium and this fantastic bit of architecture - communication tower used to transmit TV/data for the Olympics - still used today. Yes, they're my pictures!

All I can suggest is get a Rough Guide type book and have a real good look through. I'm afraid I can't suggest accommodation in Barcelona as one of our visits was on a Med Cruise, the other two we stayed outside of Barcelona and travelled in.

HTH

D

**Steven** · 16th January 2007, 08:59

Thats excellent guy's thanks very much for the information

Thanks alot for the links Lou and D

Not sure what the weekend will entail but were definatley going to see La sagreda familla as it really is fascinating IMO

Currently waiting for my lonely planet guide to arrive as they are usuallly excellent for their maps and restraunt guides

Thanks once again

Steven

**Harry** · 16th January 2007, 09:01

Steven, you and the mrs will have a great time in Barcelona, we went last year and it was fantastic, so much to see in a relatively small city.

I would suggest you get yourself a three day pass on the tourist buses, you can hop on and off as many times a day as you like and the three routes will take you to everything that there is to see.

When we went i tried getting a hotel close to the La Ramblas, but even the budget ones are really pricey, so decided to widen the search a little, i can;t for the life of me remember the name of the hotel but i'll try and dig it out of the email confirmation for the booking. very nice hotel, short walk from the station and then 4-5 stops on the metro to the centre.