2 Full Days in Barcelona - recommendations?
Sep 21st, 2016, 11:08 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 153
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2 Full Days in Barcelona - recommendations?
Hello ~ A friend and I will be in Barcelona for 3 days in mid-October. 1 of the 3 days will be spent in Girona (not an option). So, we will have 2 full days in Barcelona. Any suggestions as to what is a MUST and how to capture all in such a short time? I've done some searches and there appears to be some discrepancy as to how to assume the venture of exploring with our limited time in Barcelona. Thank you for your responses and especially, your recommendations.
Sep 21st, 2016, 12:49 PM
#2
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,248
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Can you be more specific about the "discrepancies" and your specific interests? Without them, most of us won't do any better than a generic Top Ten Things in Barcelona sort of list.
Obviously La Sagrada Familia is a must-not-miss for many people (I didn't fall in love with Barcelona generally, but that cathedral is one of my favorite things I've ever experienced, anywhere). Otherwise it's hard to know without knowing your interests - I really enjoyed the two Gaudi home tours we did (Casa Batllo and Palau Guell), but others might get bored with that kind of thing.
Obviously La Sagrada Familia is a must-not-miss for many people (I didn't fall in love with Barcelona generally, but that cathedral is one of my favorite things I've ever experienced, anywhere). Otherwise it's hard to know without knowing your interests - I really enjoyed the two Gaudi home tours we did (Casa Batllo and Palau Guell), but others might get bored with that kind of thing.
Sep 21st, 2016, 12:53 PM
#3
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,350
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sep 21st, 2016, 07:01 PM
#4
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,116
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
None of us can say what will be a "must" for you, and with so very little time in Barcelona, only you can decide on your priorities. My very strong recommendation is to go to your local library and consult a few good guidebooks to see what YOU most want to see and experience.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Sep 22nd, 2016, 12:24 AM
#5
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,527
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We spent three days in Barcelona this May and pre-booked tickets to the Picasso museum and la Sagrada Familia, not to be missed IMO. We also did a free walking tour of the Gothic/Old Town with Runner Bean Tours which was excellent. They also do a free Gaudi tour, unfortunately we didn't have time for that. (runnerbeantours.com)
We also enjoyed walking around the city, including on the Ramblas from Placa Catalunya to the Columbus statue on the beach front. Yes, it's touristy and tacky in parts, but there are also several old buildings and churches and we rambled along, popping into different places along the way. A fun way to spend and afternoon
You don't say what your interests are, suggest you read a couple of good guide books to get an idea.
We also enjoyed walking around the city, including on the Ramblas from Placa Catalunya to the Columbus statue on the beach front. Yes, it's touristy and tacky in parts, but there are also several old buildings and churches and we rambled along, popping into different places along the way. A fun way to spend and afternoon
You don't say what your interests are, suggest you read a couple of good guide books to get an idea.
Sep 22nd, 2016, 02:30 AM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,934
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A two days tour of Barcelona could include
Spectacular Sagrada familia, "a cathedral for our times": https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...-for-our-times
A lunch inside the Boquería market, one of the world's finest food markets: http://www.gardenista.com/posts/la-boqueria-market/
An exploration of the medieval and vibrant Born district, a cradle of Catalan identity and culture, lots of sights and some of the best tapas bars, cafés and designer shops in town:
http://www.barcelona-life.com/barcelona/born
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/ba...tour-barcelona
A meal in Barcelona classic 7 Portes from 1836, an institution in town and fabulous traditional Catalan food:
http://7portes.com/en/
A concert in Art nouveau Palau de la Música: http://www.palaumusica.cat/en/the-ar...building_23602
And some of the finest flamenco artists around in legendary Tablao Cordobés right on Las Ramblas: http://www.tablaocordobes.es/en
Spectacular Sagrada familia, "a cathedral for our times": https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...-for-our-times
A lunch inside the Boquería market, one of the world's finest food markets: http://www.gardenista.com/posts/la-boqueria-market/
An exploration of the medieval and vibrant Born district, a cradle of Catalan identity and culture, lots of sights and some of the best tapas bars, cafés and designer shops in town:
http://www.barcelona-life.com/barcelona/born
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/ba...tour-barcelona
A meal in Barcelona classic 7 Portes from 1836, an institution in town and fabulous traditional Catalan food:
http://7portes.com/en/
A concert in Art nouveau Palau de la Música: http://www.palaumusica.cat/en/the-ar...building_23602
And some of the finest flamenco artists around in legendary Tablao Cordobés right on Las Ramblas: http://www.tablaocordobes.es/en
Sep 22nd, 2016, 08:51 AM
#8
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,858
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
YOu obvioulsy cannot capture it "all" in a couple days so you have to choose what is more important to you.
Id say Sagrada Familia and maybe one other Gaudi building, but that would not be so important to someone with zero interest in art/architecutre. I would not choose Parc Guell as that important.
Probably the cathedral, Ramblas (at least to see it, just walking between areas), and an art museum. But again, that's just mean, I always go to a major art museum if it is special to that art, not so much if it's just more of stuff you an see elsewhere, unless there is some iconic piece there. IN Barcelona, to me, it would be the Catalonian art museum.
I also enjoyed seeing the Palau de Musica but I don't think it's necessary to go to a concert there.
Actually, I really enjoyed the naval museum down on the water as that is important to Barcelona history.
Id say Sagrada Familia and maybe one other Gaudi building, but that would not be so important to someone with zero interest in art/architecutre. I would not choose Parc Guell as that important.
Probably the cathedral, Ramblas (at least to see it, just walking between areas), and an art museum. But again, that's just mean, I always go to a major art museum if it is special to that art, not so much if it's just more of stuff you an see elsewhere, unless there is some iconic piece there. IN Barcelona, to me, it would be the Catalonian art museum.
I also enjoyed seeing the Palau de Musica but I don't think it's necessary to go to a concert there.
Actually, I really enjoyed the naval museum down on the water as that is important to Barcelona history.
Sep 22nd, 2016, 01:49 PM
#9
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,934
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Miró museum in Barcelona is excpetional and as Catalan as it gets. http://www.fmirobcn.org/en/
Hemingway wrote of Miró's La Masia/The Farm (which he later bought): “It has in it all that you feel about Spain when you are there and all that you feel when you are away and cannot go there. No one else has been able to paint these two very opposing things". http://www.joan-miro.net/the-farm.jsp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Mi...Miro21to22.jpg
After the Spanish Civil War and WWII, Miró was allegedly totally disillusioned and meant that all that was left counting on was poetry. Towards the end of his life he made three huge tapestries. One of them is in the entrance part of the Fundacion Miró in Barcelona: http://www.fundaciomiro-bcn.org/cole...a=736&idioma=2
The second - "Woman" - is in the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC: http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Co...age.56618.html
The Third - 6 x 10,5 meters - was in the lobby of the South tower in the World Trade Center: http://biblioklept.org/2013/09/11/wo...try-joan-miro/
Hemingway wrote of Miró's La Masia/The Farm (which he later bought): “It has in it all that you feel about Spain when you are there and all that you feel when you are away and cannot go there. No one else has been able to paint these two very opposing things". http://www.joan-miro.net/the-farm.jsp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Mi...Miro21to22.jpg
After the Spanish Civil War and WWII, Miró was allegedly totally disillusioned and meant that all that was left counting on was poetry. Towards the end of his life he made three huge tapestries. One of them is in the entrance part of the Fundacion Miró in Barcelona: http://www.fundaciomiro-bcn.org/cole...a=736&idioma=2
The second - "Woman" - is in the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC: http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Co...age.56618.html
The Third - 6 x 10,5 meters - was in the lobby of the South tower in the World Trade Center: http://biblioklept.org/2013/09/11/wo...try-joan-miro/
