Barcelona?? - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Forum, Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

askdad · 03-04-2009, 09:04 PM

We will be arriving in Barcelona on July 13th. to leave our our Ruby Princess cruise on the 14th. We have a day to "look around". We are looking for ideas how to spend our day. I see there are seveal post about Barcelona so I will visit them too.

Thanks

Harry

Cruise Princess · 03-06-2009, 05:42 PM

Take the Hop On Hop Off Bus! It's the best way to see Barcelona on your own and see a lot of it. Get a 2 day pass (it's cheaper than buying 2 seperate days) You'll have time in the morning on the 14 to do one of the 3 routes. There is the Red, Blue and Green routes. The Blue route is the shortest of the Blue and Red. I didn't do the Green route last year.

My suggestion - Stay at the Royal Rambles Hotel. It's on the La Rambla and close to the Tour bus begining stop (and airport bus stop too). If your flight arrives early morn (before 9) go to the hotel drop everything off (don't give in to the temptation to take a nap. Head straight for the tour bus. You can easily do 2 routes (do red and green) that day and do the Blue route the next morn. I wish I had done that but I had to wait on 5 other people whose plane arrived 2.5 hours after mine.

askdad · 03-08-2009, 09:07 AM

Thanks Heather:

We are not sure what time our flight will be and probably won't for some time since Princess is handling that as well as our hotel arrangements. he boat does not leave port untill 7:00 p so that will give us quite some time to see the city. We will be staying at the La Meridia which is on La Rambla, again arranged through Princess.

I have heard of the on and off tour bus. Your information makes it sound very doable. I'll research it further

Thanks

Harry

*Lars* · 03-08-2009, 09:41 AM

Hi,

Here is a link to the hop on hop off bus>

Barcelona Bus Tour Review: Barcelona Tours Open-Top Bus

If you are there early in the morning you ought to go to the Boqueria market.(at Plaça de la Boqueria)
It is open Monday thru Saturday: 8:00am to 830pm but I prefer to be there at around 10am. Less crowd then.
The vendors take great pride in dispaying their goods.
Its very colourful and artistic.
You might want to have a Spanish style breakfast there.

Some places you must visit in Barcelona are:
Sagrada Familia : Gaudi's unachieved cathedral.
La Pedrera– An impressive Gaudi building at the Passeig de Gracia.
Santa Maria del Mar : XIV century Gothic Church with famous stained glass windows.
MACBA: Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona.
Picasso Museum (La Ribera, El Born)

Another must do is to visit the Gothic Quarter:
Whichis the Medieval centre of the city and a true labyrinth. Walk around the little streets around the Cathedral. Discover the most old antique dealers, or the feathers and umbrellas' merchants in the street Banys.

askdad · 03-08-2009, 12:10 PM

Thanks much for the information Lars

Harry

smitty · 03-24-2009, 07:05 PM

hi harry,
lars has given you great advice, don't miss SAGRIDA FAMILIAL it really is different.
also if you go to the old quarter where the city hall is, go into the tourist information and see the exhibits. you catch a lift down that goes back in time to roman times, there's all the roman town under there.

it's a truly wonderfull city..... have fun

davy