Barcelona at Easter and the Sarlat Saturday market
 

We're planning a trip to Barcelona and the Dordogne, and would like to get some more specifics so we can determine the best day to leave LA.

We'd like to spend 4 or 5 nights in Barcelona, fly to Toulouse and rent a car, then drive to the Dordogne, probably staying around Sarlat (according to the bahn website - checking a December date - the train connection takes 6-7 hours, so I think a Vueling flight would be preferable). In April, Vueling only flies Thurs/Sun/Mon/Tues to Toulouse. I've read a lot about the Sarlat Saturday market and am not sure if it's so special that we should try to get there.

We'd need to arrive in Barcelona on the Saturday before Easter to depart on Thursday for Sarlat. In Barcelona we're most interested in the Gaudi sites, Catalan museum, and maybe a side trip to either Montserrat or Figueres.

What's closed over the Easter holidays (Easter is April 20, 2014)? I understand that Easter Monday is a holiday. The websites say most museums are usually closed on Mondays, but then say open on holidays with reduced hours...not sure how that translates out (do they open on a holiday Monday?). Will we regret arriving on Saturday, what's exciting or closed on Sunday, etc - these are my questions.

Many thanks for any assistance!

For us, in Italy, things that were open <i>normally</i> were still open but with shorter hours. The ferries started later and stopped sooner so DO double check online for your particular mode of transport's holiday schedule.

Again in Italy, on Easter Sunday many of the shops were open in the morning and people were in them. We were surprised. Someone will have better info but I would think things similar in Spain.

I'm going to be in Madrid on that day so will be interested in responses.

Usually that doesn't translate to opening on a Monday holiday if they are normally closed on Mondays, so I think they will be closed most likely. INdividual museum websites will give you the best info on that in case one decides to stay open abnormally for the tourists or people on holiday. Easter Monday is a national holiday (meaning people get off work, banks/stores closed, etc) in a lot of European countries.

Easter in general is a big thing in Spain, the whole week, but not as much in Barcelona as some other cities. Most shops will be closed on Sunday and some restaurants, also. There are a lot of religious processions. A lot of shops and some restaurants will also be closed Monday, most likely. the Barcelona Tourist Guide has a lot of good information on all kinds of things, I imagine their section on Easter 2013 will apply to 2014. http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...barcelona.html

I imagine hotel rates will be pretty high that Saturday before Easter, also.

You could take a train from Barcelona to Perpignan, rent a car in Perpignan and drive to Sarlat.
Easter Monday (and Good Friday) are holidays in Catalonia.
Barcelona is usually crowded during the long week-end.

Perpignan is a lovely place and well worth a night or two.

Monday would be a good day to travel as most things will be shut.

"Monday would be a good day to travel as most things will be shut."

I don't think so. It will be a long week-end in France as well and people will be going home in both directions.

I wish we could go another week, but this is the only time my teaching husband has off. I prefer to start trips in the city and end up in the countryside, so that's why I'd much rather do it in this order. I looked into the train to Perpignan, and it's a four hour ride; Toulouse is 7 hours unless you take a train arriving there at 10:00pm. So probably the flight is a better solution, unless we decide it's worth it to stay overnight.

The other possibility would be to fly on Friday to Bordeaux instead; that flight leaves BCN at 3:00 and arrives in Bordeaux at 4:20. Maybe we could get a car there and spend the night in St. Emilion or something like that. Think we'd hit traffic from the airport around the town? (keep in mind, I'm from LA and traffic is on my mind....) And fly home out via Toulouse? Is it easier to navigate to that airport than Bordeaux, from Sarlat?

Christina, thank you for the website. I see under the Catalan Museum of Archeology (usually open T-Sun): Sundays and holidays 10-2:30; then it says "closed on Mondays throughout the year" ? To me, that implies that they open when Monday is a holiday. I guess we could go and see the Sagrada Familia, etc., if we had to go on Easter.

thanks, and if anyone else has any input I'd appreciate it. Still in the early planning stages.

>>Toulouse? Is it easier to navigate to that airport than Bordeaux, from Sarlat?<<

Yep - the Toulouse airport is on the Sarlat side of the city, and not so in Bordeaux. You'll have to drive around Bordeaux. We've done both Bordeaux & Toulouse at least 4 times each. Toulouse works out better in getting to/from Sarlat.

If you get in late at Toulouse, you could stay the night near St Cirq Lapopie and visit Pech Merle the next morning.

Make sure car rental offices don't close early on holidays.

Stu Dudley

We really enjoyed the Saturday Sarlat market. Parking is a bit difficult but not impossible. Lots of vendors. Be sure to also visit Sarlat when there isn't a market so you can see the beautiful buildings without the vendors blocking the views.

>> Be sure to also visit Sarlat when there isn't a market so you can see the beautiful buildings without the vendors blocking the views.<<

Ditto

Stu Dudley

I am not sure what exactly is the timeframe of your travel since you mention both December and April.
If you visit Sarlat in December you will have the opportunity to see the Saturday Truffle Market (held only December, January and February Saturday from 10:00am to 12:00pm) which I think is quite interesting. The market of Sarlat - while very nice indeed - does not warrant a change of plans and as somebody before me put it make sure you visit Sarlat when there is NO market so you can see the main square and its architecture.

http://southweststory.com/sarlat

Barcelona or indeed any tourist city in Spain will be packed from Maundy Thursday through the Easter week, which is when many Spaniards take their holiday. I would get a reservation ASAP.

I would not rearrange a trip just to see the market. There is nothing there that you can't get in the shops that are open every day. Are you staying someplace where you can cook? If not, even less reason to go to the market. And as several people have already said, Sarlat is a beautiful town and you can't really appreciate it with all the vendors tents and the crowds of people. But I would rearrange a trip to avoid Easter weekend in Barcelona - or driving long distances on the highways. You said you prefer starting a trip in a city and ending in the countryside but if there is a good reason to reverse it, it might be something to consider.

There's a great market every day of the week (except Monday) somewhere near Sarlat. No need to go to a specific market.

What St Cirque says.

Wouldn't the Sarlat market be, like, 1/3 as interesting in April as it is in August, due to the lack of fresh produce?

Thanks for your replies. I'll forget about the Sarlat market, and try to arrive in Barcelona later in the week to avoid some of the crowds. Carla_Jung, I'm not sure where you saw December, as the trip is in late April, but thank you for the truffle tip anyway!

At this point we're thinking 4-5 nights in Barcelona and maybe 5-6 in the Sarlat area, but I'll do a separate post asking about where to base ourselves in the Dordogne. I think I have some posts bookmarked about that already. I'm leaning toward the Murmuri in Barcelona and will go ahead and make a reservation, based on your recommendations.

Thanks again for all your help.

Wouldn't the Sarlat market be, like, 1/3 as interesting in April as it is in August,>>

on the contrary, there should be loads of good stuff. We spent a night in a town on the shore of lake Geneva one April, and the market the next morning was just terrific - early potatoes, loads of fresh greens including dandelions and other salads I'd never have thought of, cheese, meat, etc. etc. plus these markets have household goods too - we still use the plastic table covering we bought, actually in Sarlat, about 10 years ago.

just don't stay too close to where they're setting the market up - they started setting up that one at about 3am and I heard it all!

The markets have so much more than fresh fruit and vegees. There are wonderful canned/bottled foods and wines, olives, breads, cheeses, nuts, housewares etc. It's a wonderful place to grab picnic items.