suchda

It is our time for planning. For Barcelona 4 days and for Lisbon - 3 days. Only advanced purchased made for Sagrada Familia tkts, nothing else. As we are a family of four with two girls of 7 y and 17 y, do we need to buy any other tkts in advance to make our life easier in these two beautiful cities ?
Our trip will be as belows:
1. Will arrive at noon on the 1st Sunday, so will be cover two museums ( Picasso and MUHBA ) for free.
2. Day 2 - Sagrada Familia ( biught tkts ), later parc Guell, Las Rambas
3. Day 3 - trip to Montserrat
4. Day 4 - Other sites to visit ( not decided, not purchased any other tkts )

For Lisbon : nothing purchased as of today. Need some advice regarding our planning !

Thank you in advance for all your valuable suggestions.

RonZ

Re Monserrat this should be helpful:

http://www.montserrat-tourist-guide....rat-train.html

BigRuss

<<Will arrive at noon on the 1st Sunday, so will be cover two museums ( Picasso and MUHBA ) for free.>>

Yeah? How patient is your baby girl? The lines for the Picasso will be long.

kimhe

When going to the Picasso museum, take som time to just relax in the medieval and wonderful Born district. The Picasso museum is in narrow Carrer Montcada, the most important street in the city from the 12th century with several medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Palace houses. http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/page/390/.html

100 meters from the Picasso museum, you'll also find the 14th century Santa Maria del Mar Church, the so called Cathedral of the Sea. One of the finest Gothic buildings in Europe: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...-del-mar.html?

Go to the roof top for fabulous views over Barcelona: http://bcnshop.barcelonaturisme.com/...l-mar.html?o=b

Three great and very different tapas bars in the Santa Maria del Mar end of Carrer Montcada, 50 meters from the Picasso museum:

- Cutting edge Tapeo: http://www.tapeoborn.cat/tapeo-del-born.html
- Traditional Xampanyet: http://www.worldsbestbars.com/bar/ba...r/el-xampanyet
- Basque pintxos in the Basque Cultural Center, Euskal Etxea: http://www.euskaletxeataberna.com/en...rra-de-pintxos

The Picasso museum is also only two hundred meters from the Catalan Cultural Center with excavations of Barcelona anno 1700: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...-cultural.html

You are also close to Barcelona classic 7 Portes from 1826, an institution in town and tons of history in the walls. The best atmosphere and great paella/arroz/rice dishes as well as other traditional Catalan goodies. I always go here, as Barcelona as it gets. http://7portes.com/en/

denisea

Outside of Lisbon, do not miss Sintra. We wish we had spent more time there but it was beautiful.

Loacker

I would skip the Picasso museum in Barcelona. It's not the best Picasso Museum. You won't find any of Picasso's masterpieces there. Mostly his sketches.

HelenaFatima

Suchda, just to advise you that Lisbon is in Portugal, and Portugal is not a province of Spain.

suchda

Thank you all.

danon

"I would skip the Picasso museum in Barcelona. It's not the best Picasso Museum. You won't find any of Picasso's masterpieces there. Mostly his sketches."

Agree.

StCirq

I don't have any expertise to offer regarding Barcelona or Lisbon, but from decades of experience I can suggest that arriving after a long-haul flight (which I assume you're doing, as your profile says you're from NY) and spending the rest of the day indoors in museums is a recipe for disaster, especially with kids. Stay outdoors. Move around. Hydrate. Have an early dinner. Get to bed early and get on the local time starting the following day. Yes, I realize this formula isn't for everybody, but all afternoon inside museums after all night on a plane is risking family mutiny.

Whathello

For Lisbon buying the tickets for the tower of Belem would be a good idea. There is a limit of 120 people at any time. They have 2 queues : one with one without tickets. The one with was considerably shorter.

RonZ

Highlights for us in lisbon were the National Palace of Queluz [and gardens] and a performance of the National School of Equestrian Arts [Wednesdays]. Can recommend the Hotel Santa Justa and next door the restaurant O Rel do Bacalhau [ask for Joseph].

danon

StCirq
has a point about the first day.
A stroll on a boardwalk by the beach sounds more attractive than long lineups for
museums. ( especialy on a " free" day)
Barcelona is a lovely city to walk around.

Belem is easily reach by a streetcar from Lisbon. The Monastery is very beautiful.
Lisbon is extremely hilly ...the streets can also be slippery when wet.
comfortable shoes are essential.


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hyattlodge

Hi, this is off topic but, I was wondering what you enjoyed doing on your Western Caribbean cruise. We will have the same itinerary as you had and would love some suggestions

cruiser29

Barcelona is one of our favorite places! We have visited Picasso and concur that it is small. If in the area, the outside area just before you enter is a wonderful, small courtyard, great for family pictures. You can see that area even if you don't go inside. Your children will love Parc Guell (as will you), another picture perfect place to visit - quirky and fun. Would suggest you enter at the top of the parc (tickets ahead of time are time stamped for a particular half hour period to enter only)and then walk down the hill, instead of up! I would surely spend time on Las Ramblas, drink from the fountain (tradition), go to the huge Boqueria market, consider the RunnerBean Free tour (tips only and terrific guides of the Old Gothic area), close to the Boqueria. They get great reviews and rightfully so. Just watch your purse on Las Ramblas & men should not carry anything in their pockets. Safe day and night in the 30+ days I have been there (also from US). Montserrat is gorgeous. Know that MOST days, the boys choir sings at noon? Check the time to make sure. Lisbon aea I really enjoy is Belem area, Jeronimos Monastery (where Vasco da Gama is buried,) historic area of the Discovery of the Americas. Also close to the Monastery is the Belem Castle, the Discovery of the Americas huge statue, the river and close by, famous Belem pasteries. Can get there by tram or look at the HOHO bus/tram to various areas, including the castle. Have been to Belem three times and it never gets old. ENJOY!