Barcelona
 

We are leaving for Barcelona for a week, beginning next Friday. Appreciate suggestions of itinerary in and around Barcelona. As we only have 7 days in the area, we would prefer not to rush to cover as many things as possible. Interests are varied : museums, food, wine, countryside.
Thanks!

Jan2,

I was just in Barcelona last week, and you are in for a treat! Off the top of my head, I would recommend the following: Take the Bus Turistic Tour, both the red and blue lines. You can get tickets at any bus stop, but the most convenient is probably Placa Catalunya, depending on where you are staying. We did the entire tour and then went back to the stops where we wanted to spend more time. Also, take the trip up to the top of Tibidabo on a clear evening, just before sunset--it is as spectacular as the guidebooks say. For museums, my favorite was the Picasso Museum in the Born district. It's small enough for an afternoon, but large enough that it felt worthwhile. If it's not already on your list, Parc Guell is a good stop too. It's much larger than I expected, you could easily spend an entire afternoon exploring the grounds and the small Gaudi musuem.
There's obviously much more I could say, but I'll stop there. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have, and have a wonderful trip!

Don't miss the National Museum of Catalonia, if only for its Romanesque section. Nearby is the Joan Miró Foundation. At the bottom of the hill you can see Mies van der Rohe (sp?) Barcelona pavilion, which is a striking contrast to the rest of Barcelona's architecture. The Sant Pau (sp?) hospital is worth a visit--you can walk freely through the grounds and the entrance building.

ttt

Thanks all.
Would you have any hotel recommendations? What do you think of the Ramblas? Also, any side trips recommendations from Barcelona?

We have just returned from Barcelona and stayed at Banys Orientals Hotel in the born district. Ideal location well within walking distance of alot of the major attractions, very near to the metro, not at all noisey, close to resturants and bars and all for 89 euros per room, check out their web site www.hotelbanysorientals.com

Thanks. Any ideas for side trips out from Barcelona? ;-)

I read on other threads that Barcelona is no fun over New Year's. Is this true? Some of the reasons listed were that museums and restaurants tend to be closed around then.

Jan2,

For sidetrips, I'd suggest anywhere on the Costa Brava, but especially Aiguablava if you're planning on driving. I also enjoyed Girona, which is easily doable in a daytrip by train. If you are interested in Dali, the museum in Figueres is very interesting. If you are not a Dali enthusiast, you could easily leave that one off the list.
Other places that we did not get to, but would love to try when we go back, include Montserrat, Penedes wine country, and the coast south of Barcelona, Sitges etc. Hope that helps a bit. Good luck!