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Spain with 5 Families including 13 Kids! Questions!

Spain with 5 Families including 13 Kids! Questions!

Old Nov 16th, 2013, 08:26 AM
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Spain with 5 Families including 13 Kids! Questions!

Hi all.

Normally I'm planning a big trip to some far flung place for just my immediate family. But a big group of mom's and dad's have given into our children and we are booked on the Disney Cruise departing Barcelona on August 16, 2014. After we return, we will have 8 days for Barcelona and Andalusia or Barcelona and Morocco and really get to explore.

But I'm taking it one bite at a time and writing about Barcelona only. For more info, we are 5 families with a total of 10 adults and 13 children ranging in ages of 5-12 when we travel. We want to hit all the sites like the Gaudi landmarks, La Sagrada Familia, La Rambla, etc. We would also like to experience a few Tapas bars and other great restaurants. We will walk, take the subway and hire cars if necessary to see the city.

Because we are such a large group, we are in need of a great tour guide who can seamlessly plan all of our activities, purchase advance tickets, coordinate necessary transportation and show us the key sights but also some "off the beaten track" areas of the city as well. We need someone adept at planning for large groups and families with children.

Question 1

Based on this site and TA, I've come up with the following tour guides to check out and would like your feedback if anyone has used their services. If so, how were they and do you think they would do a good job with our group?

Forever Barcelona
Walking Planets!
Hi This is Barcelona!
Taste Barcelona

Question 2

My other question is how many days we should stay in Barcelona. We are thinking 3 nights after the cruise and an additional 1/2 day and night prior to our departure the following morning. This will allow us to see additional sites in Spain or Morocco. Is this enough time in your opinion? I would love your feedback.

Thanks all. I know I will be back for more, especially about Andalusia!

Have great day.
Lolazahra is offline  
Old Nov 16th, 2013, 08:54 AM
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I don't know those companies so can't comment on that, but I think 3.5 days is a decent amount of time in Barcelona to see some of the main things you want and get a taste of the city. Of course you cannot hit "all the sites" in that time, that is impossible, it is a big city. So if that is your goal,no, you probably couldn't even do that in a week, but it would be better. I've spend 4-5 days there twice now, and still haven't hit all the sites.

There are many Gaudi buildings, you don't have to see them all, for example (and couldn't in that time frame unless you didn't do much else). I'd choose Sagrada Familia, one of the apt buildings (Pedrera or Casa Batllo), and maybe Palau Guell down off the Rambla. http://palauguell.cat/
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Old Nov 16th, 2013, 09:10 AM
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You might want to rethink Morroco..Too many touts, peddlars, and for the little ones I just would not do it. Also consider HOT, HOT, HOT!!! After the cruise you will want accom. with a pool..even beach areas will be stifling and the ratio of cruise activ. and hot, boring city lackluster activ. will take it's toll on an otherwise good experience! Just my thoughts..
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Old Nov 16th, 2013, 09:47 AM
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In August Andalusia and Madrid are both likely to be hellishly hot - 100 and humid is very frequent.

If you decide you have time to go beyond Barcelona I would head to the North Atlanti coast - where the weather is decnet (all the Spaniards who can go there then to avoid the worst of the heat.)
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Old Nov 16th, 2013, 09:59 AM
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Forever Barcelona (Marta and her group of official guides) is considered the best for just about everything in and around the city. Hi, This is Barcelona (Jordan & Magen) are excellent guides for most everything in the city. We have use both and can highly recommend them.

Taste Barcelona is a newcomer in the business and not apparently not officially licensed guides for visiting the monuments.

There is another company that has been around a bit longer, one of the originals, thebarcelonataste.com, that might be a better option of a tapas and food tour of the city.

I'm not familiar with Walking Planets!, but they appear to be officially licensed tour guides.
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Old Nov 16th, 2013, 01:45 PM
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Hi again,

Thank you for all of your responses.

Very, very helpful, especially about the weather. And though my kids are used to traveling in very busy, ethnically diverse cities (Siem Reap, Joberg, Saigon, Accra, Nairobi just to name a few) some of the other kids have not, so it's something to think about. But Saigon nearly killed me last summer, so I'm not looking to be that hot again ever!

Thanks for updates on the tour guides. Very helpful feedback.

I will post next about the rest of the trip.

Much appreciated!
Lolazahra is offline  
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