4 days in Barcelona
 

We have five nights in Barcelona arriving late afternoon on Wednesday 24 May.
We will have four full days to explore.
* Is it worth doing a day to Montserrat? From reading forums I gather is it best to DYI using the train, if so I am thinking of doing it Thursday or Friday to avoid the weekend crowds.
* Do we need to use the Ho Ho or is it a walkable city - we are big walkers so distance is not an issue if it is easy to navigate.
* Other than the Gaudi sights are there any other MUST do's?
Many thanks Sharon

Montserrat was a favorite for me -need not take the whole day either. Easy on your own - train to base of mountain then cable way or hoof it up. Be sure to see the Black Madonna or whatever icon that pilgrims flock to.

Can also buy potent liqueur the monks brew up - cafeteria/restaurant there too.

suburban train no need to buy or book ahead.

Come for the views if nothing else.

<< Do we need to use the Ho Ho or is it a walkable city - we are big walkers so distance is not an issue if it is easy to navigate. >>

Walk it in sections, take Metro between sections. E.g., take Metro if going from La Rambla to Placa Espanya or from Sagrada Familia to Montjuic area.

Anything you don't want to do is not a must do.

I'm glad a spent a night in Montserrat, but I had more time in the area. Whether it makes sense for you to go there, for a night or just as a day trip, depends on your priorities. And yes, it is very easy to go on your own.

There are many, many, many things to see and do in Barcelona in addition to the Gaudi sites. Whether any of them are priorities for YOU is not something any of us can say. To get a sense of your options, consult a few good guidebooks, read some trip reports, and review some of the many planning threads on this board. With four full days, you'll be able to see a fair amount, but you might need to be selective.

Most sites that I chose to visit were in what I considered walking distance. A few were not.

Enjoy!

We walked almost everywhere - it's a very walkable city. Otherwise we took a taxi; they're not expensive and more direct.

Any time we saw a HOHO bus, they were chock-a-block full and the queues at each stop with people waiting to get on were very long. I think we walked between sights faster than those passengers travelled.

We primarily visited Gaudi sites; for me the other outstanding one was the Palau de la Musica. The guided tour was fantastic and to go to a concert as well would be the icing on that cake! Di

As kja says, tons of more things to Barcelona than the Gaudí sights. You could start with the medieval and vibrant Born area, a cradle of Catalan identity and culture, lots of sights, museums etc and some of the finest tapas bars and cafés in town. And Montjuic with the Castle on top, all the theaters, museums, Olympic sports arenas, the greens and the best views of the city and the sea.
El Born: https://www.barcelona-tourist-guide....s/el-born.html
http://www.barcelona-life.com/barcelona/born
Montjuic: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...-montjuic.html

"100 reasons to visit Barcelona": http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/

Glad I found this - leaving for Barcelona Monday!

Hope you don't mind if I ask a quick question - would you recommend Montserrat in February or would it be too cold?

@ kwren: I don't know what the whether on Montserrat would be like in February, but if you take some lightweight layers -- silk gloves, silk scarf, silk Tneck, a jacket that would break the wind, maybe even a pair of 180s -- I can't imagine that you would have trouble making it from the transportation station to the basilica (try to hear the boys' choir!) and museum and to take a quick walk around for the stunning views. I could be wrong....

Ack. "weather" not "whether"