Anabecool

Hi y'all,
We're taking a cruise from Barcelona for 8 days. We're flying from Los Angeles 1 day before and leaving 1 day after to go sightseeing Barcelona. @bilboburgler said "Barcelona has one district famous for pick pockets but no high levels of violent crime." I would like to know where is that.
What is there that we HAVE to go see? Time is limited, I know but that's all we have.

Thanks in advance for all suggestions

jacketwatch

Easy. The Sagrada Familia.
http://www.sagradafamilia.org/en/

RoamsAround

Pickpockets will be found in most areas frequented by tourists- that's true not only in Barcelona but in most cities around the world.

Be aware of your surroundings, stay alert and you should be just fine.

abram

We spent 3 days in Barcelona before a cruise. Loved the Gaudi sites: La Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila, Casa Batllo, Parc Guell.
Strolling Las Ramblas was fun
There are some excellent museums, including a Picasso Museum.

trvlgirlmq

We are also on Vista in June (10 day). We are spending 5 days pre-cruise in Barcelona and will be focusing on outdoor activities and history. We plan to visit Montserrat, Parc Guell and the Magic Fountain as well as Parc de la Ciutadella. Also, La Rambla, Bari Gotic and the beach. For museums it will be Museu d’Història de la Ciutat, Sinagoga Mayor and Montjuic Castle. We don't care for the Gaudi architecture but will do a walk-by of some of the buildings.

burta

The best way in my mind to do a quick overview of a city is the Hop on, Hop off bus tour. Barcelona has several routes. I took our very first HOHO tour, and have been a fan every since (used it in many, many cities). It takes you to all the major sights. You can get off and on as you like, although we prefer to stay on from beginning to end, then go back to the places where we want to spend more time.

Barcelona is infamous for its very skilled pickpockets (I saw a feature on 60 Minutes that filmed pickpockets doing their thing - quite amazing!). You do have to be careful. On several trips there, including one for a cruise, we have been fortunate not to have been exposed to it. We have heard that the worse place for pickpocketing is Las Ramblas, which you will no doubt visit. So, watch your possessions.

One place I have visited on each visit is La Boqueria -- the famous market just off Las Ramblas. Love to see the colorful produce and drygoods, and, of course, eat.

fmpden

Las Ramblas (The River) is the area most frequently mentioned for pickpockets. It is basically a wide street, blvd, connecting the port to the main plaza - mile long ?? It is always crowded with lots of side shows. Personally don't think it is any worse than many large cities in Europe. We have been there four times. Have not had any problems and have never seen a pickpocket. But I am not sure I know one if I saw one.

xyz123

I've told this story before. Quite frankly, I hate Barcelona for a variety of reasons including the pick pockets and it is worse there than many other places. As a matter of fact, before a show on a cruise I was taking out of Barcelona, I was talking to the person next to me before the show started and gave my opinion on Barcelona including the pickpockets. The guy looked at me skeptically. Well the person sittng behind us, at this point, piped in and said he had been nailed the day before the cruise left in Barcelona.

So paranoid am I about Barcelona that the last couple of times I had cruised out of Barcelona, I usually couple with visits to London and/or Paris. My m.o. has been to fly into Barcelona the night before, stay by the airport and taxxi to the port the next morning. This upcoming cruise, on the Vista on 03 June, I decided to change. I am taking the TGV out of Paris the day of the cruise...leaving at 0715 from Gare de Lyon arriving in Barcelona at 1330 and taxing to the port. I know I'm taking a chance but I've always been a fan of the TGV so we'll see.

jacketwatch

That does sound a bit chancy especially for something that's never happened to you and something you are so well aware of that you will be on guard for. Just use common sense and normal precautions. Pickpockets are not ghosts or invisible so if you are on guard you should be ok I think.

thursdaysd

That is so over the top! Yes, Barcelona is pickpocket central, especially on and near the Ramblas, However, there is little reason these days to actually visit the Ramblas: it is wall-to-wall tourists, mostly in little mobs following their cruise ship tour guides. Any interesting street scenery is long gone.

Don't carry anything of value in ANY pocket. Wear a money belt and don't access it in public. If you insist on walking the Ramblas leave anything of value in your hotel. Otherwise, Barcelona is still enjoyable, but if you plan to visit any of the top tourist sites (hint, Gaudi) buy your tickets ahead of time.

For my recent visit to Barcelona start here and use the links at the top of the page:

https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...s-the-ramblas/

Sassafrass

Thursdaysd,
That is too bad. It used to be fun, sitting at a cafe, listening to musicians strolling by, etc. The food was even decent, but that was 20 years ago. Last time I was there, didn't hear a single musician, saw only one mime, lots of junk and terrible food. Well, I had been warned, knew better about the food, so tempting I did it anyway.

thursdaysd

It is a pity, and even more so for the residents. Barcelona is starting to take steps to try to limit the number of visitors, but it is probably too late for the Ramblas. They may salvage the market, I believe they are not allowing group visits Fri and Sat.

I did sit in one of the cafes in 2004, and even then the crowd was mostly tourists. Last year the mimes were just setting up around 16:00, and I saw what might have been a pockpocket handoff on the edge of one of the groups of spectators.

giro

Spent a bit of time in Barcelona and specifically las Ramblas area. Like others have said, pickpockets are not ghosts. Be aware of your surroundings like in any large city. If it will make you feel better have pockets with zippers. In fact online travel stores sell pickpocket proof pants etc. zippers combined with buttons!
I don't see how one avoids or would want to avoid las Ramblas. it gives you access to La Boqueria; and also access to other areas via side streets.
Barcelona is a great city to visit imo and i don't see why one should be afraid of being on las rambles.
I agree if you have only a short time the hop on bus is excellent; i think it is the red line, but the line that goes down to the port covers a lot of sites.

thursdaysd

It is very easy to avoid the Ramblas. Stay in the lovely Eixample area ( which is where the Modernisme sites are), and access the Barri Gotic from Placa de Catalunya. La Boqueria is not the only market in Barcelona.

I don't believe in the existence of pickpocket proof pockets. Much simpler and safer to have empty pockets.

giro

It's not being pick pocketed if someone gets into your pockets that are zipped and buttoned...it"s called robbery!

Eschew

We are heading out to Barcelona on June 20. Staying for 4 days before boarding on June 25.

Booked private tour for Montserrat Abbey and caves, Girona and Costa Brava, skip the line for Sarada Familia along with the other Gaudi sites.

Looking at self guided walking tour for downtown and Las Ramblas and book Flamingo dance dinner package from hotel concierge desk.

Pick pockets are everywhere, especially bad in major cities like Rome, London, Paris etc. Always be in the look out, don;t flash the cash, spread then around and small amount. Nothing in the back pockets for men and cross carry the purse for ladies.