We are trying to plan a trip to Barcelona in early August. (We know it might be hot and humid, but we're from Houston so we're used to it and don't mind it.)

Will there be enough to keep us occupied if we stay in Barcelona for 7 days?

We don't take organized tours. We like to walk and explore. Day trips are not out of the question for us.

There should be *lots* to do in Barcelona and with daytrips to the surrounding countryside. If you email me, I can send you a Weissmann Report for Barcelona, which is a 20+ page summary for leisure travelers.

Try a daytrip to Mont Serrat. I posted this recommendation before....if interested, do a search in this forum.

If you like just wandering, and are interested in architecture and art then you probably could spend 7 days in barcelona. However (and the above describes me pretty well) you'd be luxuriantly spending time if you did.

If you will return to Spain often - no probs - being luxuriant with time is the way to go. But if you will not - then you should perhaps look around.

Aren't you curious as to what else there might be to see? How about 4 days in the city and 3 on a trip - hire a car and go wander.

Get a guide book and work out what might appeal. I could suggest some possibilities but do believe that this sort of exploring from home is for you to do.

If you don't know how - learn. If learning doesn't appeal - then stay in Barcelona for seven days.

Your choice.

Ooh, Fuzzy, you must not go over to Slow Travel very often. I love the idea of having 7 days in Barcelona. One day for Montserrat. Perhaps Girona.

It's probably becauseI'm a working mother of three, but the idea of running out of things "to do" on a European vacation appeals to me...maybe having a day of sleeping in a bit, shopping for picnic ingredients, having a picnic in a park, doing a bit of clothes shopping, stopping in every chocolate shop we pass...it sounds pretty good to me!

Figueras and the Dali Museum works fine for a day trip. But I don't think you run out of things to do in Barcelona.. Just don't run to see things and enjoy

My husband and I spent nearly a week in Barcelona last Jan. We were up early and out late and were no where close to seeing or doing it all. We used the DK Top 10 book as our main guide and it was a great help for consolidating sites in different parts of the city. Barcelona has lots to offer and I can't imagine running out of things to occupy your time.

check out maribelsguides.com -- she has one for Barcelona. Free and incredibly useful.

If you do a search with Barcelona in the title, also check out laclaire's responses to previous questions -- she's a wealth of "local" information. I absolutely loved Barcelona and wished I had more time there, it may be my favorite Europen city, largely due to the help of maribel, claire, and Robert (who is particularly good with the Basque region).

My husband and I EASILY filled 7 days in Barcelona, and still didn't get to see everything we wanted to see. That said, we enjoy fully immersing ourselves in a city and exploring it leisurely...speed sight-seeing and city hopping every day or so is not our bag. Barcelona is the most fabulous and beautiful city I have ever visited...enjoy!

Here's a link to my trip review on epionions if you're interested.
http://www.epinions.com/content_141018828420

Thanks for the replies. I think we will go for it. We love to wander around and can't wait to go to some of the beaches in and around Barcelona. Of course, we won't stay in town for the entire 7 days.

Our last trip to Germany was filled going here and there and I feel I missed too much, so that's why I didn't want to spread myself thin, but I also didn't want to feel like I was spending too much time in one place.