ceekay126

Hello! My husband and I will be visiting Spain for the first time at the end of May. We will be starting in Madrid, on to Logrono, San Sebastian, and finally ending in Barcelona and would like some help fine tuning the Barcelona leg of our itinerary. We enjoy walking, food & wine, shopping, and although we are not exactly art connoisseurs, we would love to see some of the major historical sites, including Gaudi's great works. We are staying at Hostal Colkida. The rough itinerary I have come up with is below:

Monday May 30th:
- Train from San Sebastian to Barcelona (need to figure out times; likely BCN by mid-late afternoon?)
- Evening walking tapas tour?

Tuesday May 31st:
- Place de Catalunya
- La Boqueria Market
- La Rambla
- Placa Reial
- Gothic Quarter
- Barcelona Cathedral
- Palace of Catalan Music?
- Casa Calvet?

Weds June 1st:
- Casa Battlo
- Casa Mila
- Libertat Market?
- Park Guell
- Hospital of the Holy Cross
- La Sagrada Familia

Thurs June 2nd:
- Tour of Cavas Freixenet & Cavas Codor Niu

Fri June 3rd:
- Day trip to Montserrat
- Magic fountain at night?

Sat June 4th:
- Olympic Port
- Barceloneta Beach
- Parc de la Ciutadella
- Arc de Triomphe

Some items I have put ? as I am unsure whether they can fit in the itinerary, I just added them because it seemed to make sense passing by on the walk. I also have heard a lot about the Magic Fountain at night time and the Montjuic castle, but am unsure whether these fit in/are worth it in the itinerary, or if I should cut something else out.

Any tips or suggestions would be much appreciated!! Thank you in advance

ribeirasacra

The trouble with any intense plan like this is you will either exhaust yourself trying to fit it all in or you will end up seeing nothing of what you are visiting.
It is good to have an idea, but take it step by step and allow a lot of flexibility.
For example some things would not be nice to see if it rains, then opt for those which are inside. On some day visit things will require tickets to be purchased in advance. Ensure you have those tickets before planning that day.

kimhe

You have covered much here, and it's a tight scehdule. You should perhaps plan for some time to relax and just explore and absorbe some of the great neigbourhoods in town. Take a look at:

Vibrant and medieval El Born, a cradle of Catalan identity and culture, plenty of sights, fabulous tapas bars and cafes: http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...s/el-born.html
http://www.barcelona-life.com/barcel...page/423/.html

Local atmosphere Poble Sec with a great tapas bar and cafe scene. At the foot of Montjuic with all the museums, theaters, olymic arenas and the Castell on the top:
http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...to-bodega.html
https://www.telefericdemontjuic.cat/en/welcome

The laid-back and fun Barceloneta district, just inland from the beach: http://www.theguardian.com/travel/20...taurants-spain

Gracia, just on top of central Passeig de Gracia, is a small town of its own:
http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...ia-barrio.html
http://www.timeout.com/barcelona/things-to-do/gracia

AND:

Up and coming local flamenco star El Yiyo premieres his new show in Teatre Casino l´Aliança on May 1 and 2.
http://elyiyo.com/es/
http://www.casinoalianca.cat/es/
Tickets: http://www.ticketmaster.es/en/ticket...&venue_id=1553

Fabulous guitarist Alferdo Lagos and singer Solea Morente, youngest daughter of flamenco legend Enrique Morente, performs on May 2 at 8pm in El Dorado, just by the Ciutadella park and the Arc de Triomf. In Calle Buenaventura Muñoz, 21. Mostly a local audience, entrance 10€: http://www.deflamenco.com/revista/co...-dorado-2.html

Alfredo Lagos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt0DiqpuVAQ
Solea Morente:
http://www.soleamorente.com/

kimhe

... the concert dates are of course June 1. and 2. (El Yiyo) and June 2. (Lagos/Morente).

kja

You've already gotten some great advice from two experts -- ribeirasacra and kimhe. I'll just add my thoughts as someone who plans extensively and with an idea to using every moment possible -- I think you are being overly ambitious. For example, I cannot imagine making your "Weds June 1st" work -- you are, IMO, simply trying to do too much that day. Of course, YMMV.

If you haven't already done so, try plotting things out on a calendar, with attention to opening hours, transit times, and time to actually see things. Then identify your priorities, reserve THOSE things at the times that you are sure will work, identify the other things you would like to see that are near them, and -- once on the ground -- fit those other things around your reservations insofar as possible.

Good luck!

BigRuss

Well, your May 31 is a lot of walking around without much purpose. That's all well and good. But it's a lot of territory.

Your June 1 is fairly impossible - you'll be going all over the city and trying to hit three fairly major attractions: Casas Batllo/Mila, Parc Guell and Sagrada Familia. And trying to add in Sant Pau on the same day (it's Hospital de Sant Pau, calling it Hospital of the Holy Cross while in Barcelona will be confusing) probably won't happen.

anchyangel

All of Gaudi's major work in one day will at the end result with bitter taste, feet sour from standing in line, and starting point for cursing in catalan
I would take one sight at a day, that would be eyes and soul pleasing...
Would consider La Pesrera at night for example...
Las fontanas magicas, aaaahhh... tourist must see in most cases.. in general nothing so special but a must, right?
Quite beautiful at night, all the lights light and everyhing but too crowded a meca for getting robbed..
Last day wold be a bit borring thou... walk, walk and some more walk...

RonZ

Sagrada Familia you can get tickets on their web site, avoid the line.

rialtogrl

I agree with the above posters, that May 31st and June 1st are just too packed with stuff. Honestly I would drop the cava houses, just stay in Barcelona and drink cava there, in between visiting some other places. Montserrat is beautiful but the crowds there can be off-putting. So you might consider saving that for another trip as well, and focusing on all there is to see and do in Barcelona. If you end up having time for a day trip, great, you can make that decision when you are there.

ceekay126

Wow thanks everyone for the feedback! As it is my first big trip to Europe I'm sure I have been overly ambitious - I have attempted to tone down the itinerary according to some of your suggestions and have come up with the revised version:

Monday May 30th
- Casa Batllo
- Block of Discord
- Evening tapas walking tour

Tuesday May 31st
- Sagrada Familia
- Parc Guell
- Explore Gracia

Weds June 1st
- Place de Catalunya
- La Boqueria Market
- La Rambla
- Placa Reial
- Gothic Quarter
- Barcelona Cathedral

Thurs June 2nd
- Cava tours? Undecided

Fri June 3rd
- Montserrat

Sat June 4th
- Barceloneta Beach
- Parc Ciutadella
- Explore El Born

Any better? I totally agree on ensuring we have some time to absorb the culture and neighbourhoods, and hopefully this frees up a bit more time. Also, do you think the days that I have planned work? ie. day trips on Thurs & Fri, with Sagrada Familia etc. on Tues Weds.. As I have not reserved anything just yet, the order of the itinerary is totally flexible.

Thanks again!

Lilibug

DEFINITELY get your reservations for Sagrada Familia and that may change your plans once again! We spent probably 3 hours there and my husband didn't even think that he would be interested in it and he ended up thinking it was one of THE best things in Barcelona! June 1st still looks a little overbooked IMHO with a lot of walking and we walked everywhere so it's not that I'm not saying that you can't do it!

thursdaysd

You should buy tickets for any Gaudi sight ahead of time. Also, there are two other houses in the Block of Discord open for visits, and worth seeing. See:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...omment-9517559

Try to find time for the Palace of Music, too.

kja

I agree that the Palace of Music is well worth visiting -- and it's another place for which reservations would be we well advised.

ceekay126

Thanks for the suggestions! I have also heard lots about the Palace of Music and have decided to put it back in, and also opted out of the Cava houses day trip to open up more time in Barcelona. What do you think about these two revised days:

Thurs June 2nd:
- Palace of Music
- Parc de la Ciutadella
- Explore El Born

Sat June 4th:
- Barcelonata beach/Olympic port
- Cable car to Montjuic gardens
- Montjuic castle
- Magic Fountain at night

I know June 1st still might seem a bit crowded, I think all I can think of is if anything we might skip the Cathedral and just spend more time walking around the Gothic Quarter?

kja

Your plans seem to me to be getting better and better -- good job! That said, I still encourage you to approach your visit with a bit more flexibility: Reserve those core priorities that can be reserved, and then have a plan in mind for the rest of each day that allows you maximum flexibility.

FWIW, I think your revised plan for 1 June could be manageable -- assuming you don't plan to visit any of the museums in the area. Even so, though, I would make sure you know in advance what your priorities are. For example, I would not make it a point to visit the Placa de Catalunya, and if I did, I might try to visit it on the way to or from the sites you visit on May 30 -- but that's just my opinion and one example.

kimhe

Your Thursday looks compact and fine, the Palau de la Musica and the Ciutadella park are both just outside the Born district.

Some Born highlights, all within a couple of hundred meters:

The Gothic Santa Maria del Mar Church, built in only 55 years (1329-1384): http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/page/423/.html
The rooftop of the church, the so called Cathedral of the Sea: http://bcnshop.barcelonaturisme.com/...a-del-mar.html
The Picasso museum: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...u-picasso.html
Medieval Carrer Montcada, the most important street in the city from the 12th century: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...-montcada.html
The Born Centre Cultural with excavations of Barcelona anno 1714 when the city and the region lost its independence to Spain: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...-cultural.html
Els Forsar de les Moreres, the memorial site of the fallen during the 1714 siege of the city: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...s-moreres.html

Four great and very different tapas bars within 100 meters of the church:
Tapeo: http://www.tapeoborn.cat/tapeo-del-born-en.html
Xampanyet: http://www.worldsbestbars.com/bar/ba...r/el-xampanyet
Euskal Etxea (Basque cultural center, serves Basque pintxos): http://www.euskaletxeataberna.com/en...rra-de-pintxos
Cal Pep: http://www.calpep.com/Ingles/index_ing.html

ribeirasacra

What are you doing? Several of us said words to the effect of "slow down and go with the flow" but you still keep planning.
Have a list of what you want to see (which is what you have got)and take each day as it comes when you are there. It is far more relaxing. Is that not what a vacation is about?

kja

I fully understand the urge to plan -- I plan my trips quite obsessively! But I do so with extensive knowledge of my travel style and interests, and I do so with an eye to maximizing my flexibility, so I know in advance how I will adjust my plans as I choose my options once on the ground.

I would also note -- and I am speaking ONLY for me just now -- that <b>MY vacations have NOTHING to do with relaxation!</b> I, personally, want to spend EVERY possible moment I can seeing and doing things that I cannot see or do at home. I have returned absolutely exhausted from every one of the 15 trips abroad that I have been fortunate enough to take -- and I wouldn't have it any other way!

I can fully understand and appreciate that relaxation IS the goal for many people. Vive la difference!

Wouldn't it be nice if we ALL agreed that other people might have different goals for travel than we, as individuals, do? After all, it seems to me that life would be pretty boring -- and much more crowded -- if we ALL did the same things. ;-)

ceekay126

Thank you, so much, for all your suggestions! I finally feel pretty comfortable with the plan we have now and will definitely keep flexibility in mind. kja, I totally agree with your suggestion re: Placa de Catalunya and only added it to the itinerary since it is on our way from our hostal to the first stop.

What can I say, I enjoy planning! Particularly the peace of mind I get from knowing as much as I can before I go, so that if need be I can be adaptable once I'm there. kja, I am completely on the same wavelength with you regarding vacations - I love taking advantage of every moment! However I have gotten lots of great advice from more experienced travellers on this thread and I fully appreciate the reminder to go with the flow.

letsgeaux

We just spent a week in Barcelona April 10-16. The revision looks better. There is no way you could enjoy all four Gaudi sites in the same day. We found it necessary to get timed tickets to Sagrada Familia and Park Guell a day or two in advance. Get your tickets to the park as soon as you know the weather will be nice for that day. Casa Mila and Casa Batlio we went right in to after standing in a short line. They are just a few blocks apart. You will love Barcelona. Spend a lot of time just strolling the El Born and Gothic Quarter. There are many excellent restaurants there.