barcelona

[Lainie]

im thinking of booking a 5 night break to barcelona in march. just wondered who has been? where did they book, where did they stay etc.

globespan does flights but they are not to barcelona and they dont provide transfers.

went to barcelona for the day a few yrs ago when i was in salou but really want go for a few days.

any help peeps??

[thered]

top city like it lots i have been twice same as you whilst i was in salou i would book some cheap flights and wing it when you are there

[Lainie]

no sure bout globespan now. says flights to barcelona but someone said its reus airport that globespan actually go too. flights not yet out for march. maybe give them a phone tomorrow. we did a tour of barcelona so only got 1 hour in the nou camp etc. i wanted much longer and wanted on the pitch . the statue people in las rambles amazed me.

[-Hox-]

My good lady took me there back in January for my birthday for four days - had a great time! I'll get some info from her and post it when I can. I know that we flew in, had a transfer sorted with the flight, and stayed in a lovely hotel... but I can' remember where!

[Lainie]

cheers. i would like to stay on the doorstep of las ramblas if possible.

[opsmonkey]

its a lovely city.. the european cup chose it over Manchester this year

[-Hox-]

cheers. i would like to stay on the doorstep of las ramblas if possible.

We were about a 5/10 minute wander away. I'll get that info for you!

Actually, I'll ask her to find a few hotels in the area, and give you a list of names to check. She's a corporate travel consultant, so has all of the answers, quite literally, at her fingertips!

[zaphodbb]

barcelona is one of my favorite city's, i have been many times in fact i know a american girl who lives there if you would like i will email her and ask about hotels etc. i stayed in a hotel just off the ramblas about half way down. but it takes a few days to find your way around i think, there is a bus goes right round the town and out to the beaches and also past the Olympic stadium, if you buy a day pass you can hop on and off as many times you like. i love the seafood restaurants if you walk down the ramblas and keep going it takes you down to a sort of port and a bridge if i remember right and the best food i found was over the bridge, i know hox is helping and will probably get you fixed up but just let me know if you want me to contact my friend there and maybe help you on eating out and stuff

[boothuk]

Same with me, my favourite city on the continent. Luckily, I have spent an extended period there as well as numerous visits. Personally, if I was visiting for a late end of year trip, i'd stay at the top of Rambla De Catalunya close to Avinguda Diagonal "La Avenida" area. It's close proximity to Casa Mila, the top of 'La Rambla' and 5 to 10 blocks from Paseig De Gracia. A good boutique'ish hotel in the area I definately recommend is Gran Catalunya, a 4* which should have very appealing prices from October onwards. It's a block from Diagonal metro station. Should note that the majority of the city is extremely well served by the metro system (including directly from El Prat airport - 1hr or so away). So staying anywhere within 5 blocks or so of Rambla De Catalunya will serve you well. The gothic quarter has a bit more character and there are some nice boutiques around the Arc de Triomf in particular. If you prefer to travel into and out of the city, I recommend looking in the area of Tibidabo or further back Baixador de Vallvidrera about 45 mins to central Barcelona on the metro.

Whatever you do, make sure you stroll up Tibidabo (stop on the funpark if you wish), visit Parc Guell, the palace fountains at Placa De Espanya, stroll Montjuic and definately walk from the port at Drassanes along all the beaches to 'El Forum' at the end of Diagonal. Should take a few hours if you look at the sites along the way.

[shortyball]

Its a great place, been awhile since i was there.

Camp nou is always one to take a look at if your are a sporting person, very much like when you go to new york you go to madison square garden and catch a knicks games, similar atmosphere.

Oftens has some sort of market on the go, if you like your leather handbags and all that.

Enjoy...

[Lainie]

cheers lads any info is much appreciated. is barcelona airport (if i can get a flight to there from glasgow) far outside the city centre ie glasgow airport is 7 miles from glasgow etc. if any of you want my email addy to send any info too etc just pm me. i hope to go mid march 2010 as both me and b/f birthdays are in march. oh must check out school hols ie easter as i will have nae chance of leave if weans are off school.

when i went for the day before it just wasnt long enough. we were on a day trip from salou and just saw a few mins of everything. im sure i remember the tour guide saying on the bus about some tree that if you fall asleep under it you are meant to wake up drunk. now zap im sure you can tell me if this is **** or no .

thanks again lads. im looking forward to it even more now .

[redbaron]

Hiya. loved Barcalona when i was there few years ago watching celtic. The airport was about 15 mins away if my memory serves me correctly by taxi. Ive never seen so many taxis outside an airport in my life. Dont know if this was cos they had numbers of fans arriving and wanted them out of airport quickly as possible. It was great city tho and will go back again.

[boothuk]

I wouldn't bother with a taxi to be honest, the RENFE (train service) is that frequent and lands you in Sants Estacion (main city hub) with probably 30 mins. I'd then allow another 30 mins to navigate to your destination. All colour coded lines, super fast and well organised to all major streets / attractions. Last time I was there, the 10 journey stub was 7EUR I think, if your there a week, perhaps a weeks pass would be better. Sants Estacion (Aka Barcelona Sants will link you to all the major lines ie Diagonal, Parall-ell, Placa Catalunya, Monjuic, Drassanes, Arc Triomf, Poble Nou, Badalona, they're all there.

March time climatically is similar to late Spring here, will be very nice, the sea will be too cold to swim though as will pools (unless heated). There's an olympic pool on Montjuic across from Espanyol's football ground. It's open air with diving board etc.

For flights your looking at Ryanair, Easyjet, Monarch, Jet2 etc etc. Note that some of these serves "Barcelona"-Girona Rues which is some 1 hour North of Barcelona proper on the train. I'd only fly here with significant undercut of a direct flight into El Prat. If you want to see further afield, Iberia serve the Balearic Islands and you can usualy get returns for sub-100 EUR or if you get a little more time ferry directly to Mallorca, Alcudia on the North is a nice little fortified town if your into that sort of stuff.

As for this tree legend, not heard it meself, but there is a bar in Placa Real that has a big tree inside it and very uniquely furnish like a cave if memory serves correct.

You may want to hang on with the stadium tour though, here's their new one IMAGES: Barcelona FC 'stadium at sea' plans | News | Construction News

[boothuk]

By Iberia, I meant return flights from El Prat to Palma De Mallorca, or Eivissa (Ibiza). Formentera is only accessable by boat and I wouldnt bother with Menorca personally, although there is an airport in Mahon.

[Walkinmyshadow]

[/IMG]

its a lovely city.. the european cup chose it over Manchester this year

You never miss an opportunity to have a little dig do you ops..