Help with Barcelona Plans Please!

Old Mar 11th, 2014, 12:21 PM
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Help with Barcelona Plans Please!

Hello Fodorites!

Bikerscott and I are off to Barcelona and San Sebastián next month and having never been to Spain I could really use your help!

Our main interests are food, wine and photography. Sorry, not art fans here, shameful I know! Will definitely stop off at the market at some point as well. Based on this we have the following planned:

We land in Barcelona the morning of Saturday 12 April. No real plans this day...just want to walk around the gothic area and hit up some wine bars. Dinner reservations tonight at Tickets.

Sunday 13 April we plan to tour Casa Batllo first thing at 9am. We will buy tickets in advance. We then plan to hit up some wine bars etc in the afternoon, wander neighbourhoods etc. We plan to then tour Casa Mila at the last entry 18:30, will buy tickets in advance.

As this is Sunday - any great recommendations for dinner?

Monday 14 April we plan to tour La Sagrada Familia and will book the guided tour in advance. No plans for the rest of the day - may go to Parc Guell but not too stressed about missing that.

Tuesday 15 April we plan to tour Palau de Musica, booking the first tour of the day in advance.

Wed we fly to San Sebastián.

I know it doesn't look like much but we enjoy doing 1-2 sites a day and then wandering taking photos, chilling in wine bars etc.

Do the days make sense for what we have planned?

Does anyone have a recommendation for Sunday dinner?

Any great wine bars you can recommend?

We will have a transit pass so don't mind heading out of centre for great food!

Thanks for the help and we will pay it back with a trip report as usual!
jamikins is offline  
Old Mar 11th, 2014, 12:46 PM
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Your plan to see La Pedrera and Casa Battlo first and last is a good one. And, by going on a Sunday you'll miss the hoards of Visigoths (AKA students whose only interest is flirting and texting and not looking at where they're going).

Advanced tickets are necessary for these venues as the lines are long.

You'll want plenty of time for Sagrada Familia - it's very cool. And the Music Palace is wonderful to see when it's empty of patrons.

Check out the geese in the cathedral cloister. I enjoyed the walking tour of Bari Gotic given by the TI.

I would try to get to Parc Guell, if you can. The tile is beautiful and Monday should not be too crowded.

Can I ask a favor? I forgot to take one photo that I really wanted inside Sagrada Familia (don't ask me where my mind was but I was busy looking here, there, and everywhere and spaced out). The choir loft has a railing that looks like a musical score. I pointed this out to my friend, then became distracted, and forgot the photo. If you remember, can you take a photo of this and send it to me? My email is in my profile. No big deal if you don't remember. Thanks!

Sorry I can't help with wine bars and fancy food. You can get good gelato and sorbet on Calle de Ferran, near the Ramblas, across from MacDonalds.

Enjoy Barcelona!
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 12:48 PM
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No trip to Montserrat while in Barcelona - A short commuter train trip to one of Spain's most holy and popular pilgrimage destinations - join the queue to see the venerated Black Madonna icon behind the ornate church alter - buy some of the monks potent alcoholic brew for later. I really enjoyed the place - walking around the Stages of the Cross on the mountain, etc.

But I see you have most time slots full.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mont...bih=1075&dpr=1
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 12:50 PM
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Thanks Adrienne, great thoughts!

I will definitely try to get you a photo...if you see our trip report feel free to remind me again just in case! I will do my best to remember!
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 12:51 PM
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PalenQ - I know we are missing it this time! Based on research I think we will be heading back to Barcelona so that will be top of the list for next time!
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 12:53 PM
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Sorry, can't help with food and wine, but would strongly encourage you to move Parc Güell to a higher priority. It's unique, magical, and quintessential Gaudi. You don't need to spend a lot of time there, but it's very photogenic and I know you would get some great shots there.

https://www.google.com/search?q=parc...w=1280&bih=685
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 01:05 PM
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Ok you have sold me on the parc!! Those photos are amazing!

Thinking of putting it in the late afternoon after sagrada familia on Monday. Or would it make more sense to do that first thing in the morning Tuesday and do the music palace tour Tuesday afternoon? The music palace tours appear to be organised so the crowds appear to be more controlled...? I figure once in the parc people don't have to leave so perhaps it may get crowded in the afternoon even with the tickets to enter? We want to take photos so less people the better...

Thoughts?
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 01:10 PM
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We will have a transit pass so don't mind heading out of centre for great food!>

I enjoyed riding the Tren Eskro east of Donostia - this commuter train which ends in France at Hendaye's train station - rolls right thru the streets of several Basque villages, some of which no doubt have eateries you may like.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...n-daytrips.cfm
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 01:22 PM
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Great idea Pal! Will add this to the second half of our trip! Thanks!
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 01:24 PM
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One of our favourite cities - we spent 2 months there Feb/March 2008 (so take my restaurant suggestions with a grain of salt)

But first - having read your trip reports religiously - you must have a definite plan to visit the Boqueria Market (and Santa Caterina too) - mainly to sit at the various bars and eat small bites and drink wonderful things.....many links below:


http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/l...ona---m-2.html

http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/l...ona---m-1.html

http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/l...ona---m-3.html

http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/l...ona---m-4.html


This is one of the most unusual museums we've ever seen - near the Cathedral (not Sagrada) and well worth a visit.

http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/l...ona---mus.html

And we very much enjoyed Underground Barcelona and the Maritime Museum

http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/l...ona---t-4.html

We liked this restaurant in Barceloneta (by the beach) very much

http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/l...ona---a-s.html

4 restaurants we enjoyed - particularly Paco Meralgo (although Mam i Teca was fantastic too and still has good reviews on TA I just noted)

http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/l...ona---4-r.html
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 01:33 PM
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Oh my, your photos are fantastic and making me so excited to get there!

Paco Meralgo is on our list already...good to know it is well liked!

Thank you for the tips!
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 01:37 PM
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I couldn't get a photo of the dragon in Parc Guell as there were so many people sitting on it.

The Frederic Mares museum looks wonderful. I don't remember reading about it and wished I knew about it before my trip.
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 01:38 PM
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That's what I am afraid of - too many people...thinking first thing in the morning may be the way to go...
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 01:40 PM
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I agree with the Elizabeth about Paco Meralgo. Get there at 7:50 and get in line to sit at the bar. They had this tapa of nut bread with foie on it that was so good I ordered a second plate. Great seafood too, and very friendly service.

Another place I really enjoyed on my last trip was Mont Bar -
http://www.montbar.com/
The website doesn't give much of an idea, but I had tapas one afternoon and dinner another time. They have excellent food and again, very friendly staff. If you like pinot noir I was pretty enthralled with one from a winery in the mountains... unfortunately they only had one bottle when I was there, but it is worth seeking out.
Here's the winery - http://www.batlliudesort.cat
Mont Bar is open Sundays.

Another place I always make a point to go to is La Llavor dels Origens - they do "historical" dishes. I love their canalones and also their stuffed onion.
http://www.lallavordelsorigens.com

If you ever do decide to go to Montserrat don't go during the day, go up and spend the night. All the day trippers leave and it becomes the spiritual place it is suppose to be when the Cha Ching of the cash registers stop ringing.
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 01:45 PM
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I too really liked Parc Guell and lucky you ref snagging a reservation at tickets it's FANTASTIC. Make sure you have the "olives"

I absolutely loved runnerbeantours.com. We did the Gaudi one and the old town one ( they are 2 hours each) and were very enjoyable( and free!) check them out.

Be very very careful with you bags ( as you should be anywhere) pickpockets everywhere BUT if you are sensible you will have no problems.
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 01:45 PM
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You could visit Parc Guell between Casa Batllo and La Pedrera and still knock over a wine bar or two in the afternoon. The parc is a short cab ride from La Pedrera/Casa Batllo (UPhill, it's downhill on the return trip). If you get out of Batllo at 11 and have a hobbit's meal (second breakfast, elevenses?) you could then go to the Parc, wander back later, hang around the area near Casa Mila and then go in at the last entry.

Beware, the Parc is proposal central in Barcelona - you may well see one. We did. They refused our offer of two free children to start their wedded bliss off right . . .

<I couldn't get a photo of the dragon in Parc Guell as there were so many people sitting on it. >

Yeah, that probably won't even end when the park closes and opens. Bit of a mob scene.
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 01:48 PM
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You could also do a Fat Tire Bike tour, they're pretty low key and won't draw too much time away from the fermented grape juice and will let you hit some of the "dang, we could've seen that" spots that you might otherwise miss. Plus, they're given by young Aussies and Americans and Brits living abroad so the tour guides are just a step away from being in their cups.

;-)
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 02:05 PM
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Fabulous suggestions everyone! Will sit down tomorrow when I have our food reservations in front of me and try to fit all this in. We want to get reservations at Cinq Sentis as well...hoping for Tuesday lunch!

How am I going to wait 31 more days??
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 02:06 PM
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Ha BigRuss you know us well!
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Old Mar 11th, 2014, 05:43 PM
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My recent TR for some foodie suggestions - couple of bars included.

Can't wait to see your pics and hear grub choices!

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm
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