Barcelona for New Years
 

My husband and I will be in Barcelona for a few days - including New Years Eve. I wanted to know about "must see" destinations - that might not be in a guidebook. Also, our flight leaves at 7 a.m. New Years Day, so we're planning to just stay up all night. We're hoping for suggestions on where to go for New Years Eve and after.

Thank you!

I had New Year's Eve in Barcelona 2 consecutive years, maybe it was 2001 and 2002. I will do it again this year.

For the eve night, the obvious thing to do is see the firework show on the harbor, that I have not done yet. In order to see it, instead I went to the National Museum that is next to Palace d'Espagna, slightly out of city center but can be reached easily by subway. People gathered around it's terrace and stairways before midnight. Perhpas it was not the best place for fireworks (but still can be seen) but it was one of the places people got together and there may have been some laser show on Place d'Espagna but my memory is vague. Another thing is go to the square of the Cathedral. A Catalunya custom is you eat grapes while counting down, as many as you age or 12 grapes ? again I don't remember the details but it was fun being there with spanish (locals?) and other tourists, sharing champagne and cava. Supermarkes and grocery stores sell grapes on eve day especially for this. During the same day, we did a 30 minute train ride to Sitges, and had a very pleasant sunny day on the beach. We also did Monserrat and Girona, different days, different years. We enjoyed all.

Placa de Catalunya by Las Ramblas on the even night was mess. People threw bottles on the street and riot police (seemed to me) intervened. Fun may be but better be careful if you found yourself around there.

Palace d'Espagna, Place d'Espagna > should be Placa d'Espagna.

We'll also be in Barcelona on 12/31... Thanks Kappa for the suggestions. Anyone else have any experience?

Liz

Liz, thanks for YOUR thanks. Glad at least there is someone who says that even if it's not the OP.

Kappa,

Thanks from me as well. I appreciate it. (and sorry for not saying it sooner - I haven't been on the forum for a while).

Also, I second Tim & Liz's request for even more info. if anyone has it.

Merry Christmahanakwanzeid!

ebflo, Merry Christmahanakwanzeid to you too (whatever it means !). Sorry you have not got other advices so far. Anybody?

Thanks Kappa!

I find Happy Holidays to be too generic and boring. I'm a social studies teacher, so (along with help from other teachers) I am using Christmahanakwanzeid instead. It combines the winter holidays of Christmas (Christian), Hanakuh (Jewish), Kwanzaa (African American), and Eid (Muslim) into one.

I think I did once Montserrat by train/cable car combo on 30th. The location was surreal, those big god's finger like rocks, view from the terrace up there was gorgeous over far away snowy Pirenée mountains.

This is a bit more than half day (or almost full day)trip. If this is your first time in Barcelona, of course before considering Montserrat you have lots more places to visit in Barcelona city itself, Gaudi related monuments and parks, strolling on Las Ramblas, etc.

Thanks for the explanation on Christmahanakwanzeid.