Barcelona/Ibiza itinerary help
 

My wife and I (mid 30's Americans) will be going to Paris from July 12-17. We also want to see Barcelona for several days and Ibiza for a couple days, making it a 11-13 day total trip.

We're trying to figure out the Spain part of the itinerary. Some questions about that:

1) Do you think it makes more sense to go to Spain first in the week of July and end it with the Paris leg? Or would it make more sense to go to Spain after July 17? Maybe the first week of July will be less hot? Any other reasons to go to Spain first instead of after? Maybe it's easier to take a train from Paris to Barcelona, spend a few days there and a couple days in Ibiza, then go back to Barcelona and leave back to the US from there? Or maybe it makes more sense to go straight from the US to Spain first, and end it with Paris. Trying to figure all this out.

2) In Barcelona, what would the most desirable places to stay be? We want to stay somewhere that has access to great food, is very walkable, and can basically let us just wander around and take the city in. Any parts of the city more conducive to that?

3) I know there's an overnight ferry from Barcelona to Ibiza? Would you all recommend taking that? Is it comfortable? Or is it better to just fly? In Ibiza, where would you recommend staying? We want to party at least one of the nights but in general, we want to lay out on a beautiful beach.

Thanks in advance for all the help.

You can easily chill out by train from Paris to Barcelona, city centre to city centre in 6h25 past great scenery along the Rhone Valley, along the Med and past the southern end of the Pyrenees.

2 trains a day run all year round, 3 or 4 per day in the peak summer months, fares from €59 in 2nd class or from €99 in 1st class booked at www.captaintrain.com - request an upstairs seat for the best views on these 200mph double-decker TGV Duplex trains.

You can then sail by overnight cruise ferry from Barcelona to Ibiza with a comfy ens uite cabin with shower & toilet, see http://www.trasmediterranea.es/

PS. I've posted some photos and even a video of the Paris-Barcelona TGV journey here, http://www.seat61.com/Paris-to-Barce...-TGV-train.htm

There isn't any way you can reliably predict whether the first week of July will be more or less hot than the second or third. Several months, sure (July is likely hotter than October), but not week by week. Last year, the first and third weeks of July were about the same temps in Barcelona and it was a little lower the second week. Not enough to plan a vacation around in any case.

I'd just do whichever appeals to you the most. You'd have to check which airport is easiest to fly home from (Barcelona or Paris), but that's one way to pick. I run out of steam by the end of a vacation so personally prefer the easiest/shortest flight to be my last city in a trip.

Just so you are aware, you can easily fly from BCN to Ibiza for less than $50 each.

Thank you so much for the responses. After doing some research, it seems to make the most sense to fly into Barcelona first, then go to Ibiza for a couple days (whether by overnight ferry or flight), then fly from Ibiza to Paris.

For the Barcelona to Ibiza flights, do you all recommend any particular airline?

The berths and couchettes in Barcelona - Ibiza overnight ferries are very expensive (waste of money).
Fly with vueling or ryanair.

For Ibiza - Paris, check Transavia, Easyjet, Vueling,

Thank you necker. Going to fly from Barcelona to Ibiza, and then fly from Ibiza to Paris. I've heard not so great things about Ryanair and Vueling.

They are budget airlines. Cheap but no frills. It's especially important to read and adhere to their rules, otherwise they're fine.

In Barcelona you should consider medieval and vibrant El Born, great cafes, tapas bars, restaurants, small shops and a cradle of Catalan identity and culture. I use to stay here, close to "everything". http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...s/el-born.html
http://www.barcelona-life.com/barcelona/born

Beautiful Passeig del Born is the heart of the neighbourhood, lots of cafes and bars: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...-del-born.html

In the one end of the Passeig you have the 14th century Santa Maria del Mar church, one of the finest Gothic buildings in Spain: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...a-del-mar.html

In the other end you have the El Born Centre Cultural (in the old food market), the archeological site of Barcelona anno 1700 and much dedicated to 1714 when Barcelona lost in the War of the Spanish succession and became a part of Spain. http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...-cultural.html

Carrer Montcada, up from the Santa Maria del Mar Church and Passeig del Born, was the city's most important street from the 12th century. http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...-montcada.html

Here, in the start of Carrer Montcada, you'll find the Picasso museum and some excellent and very different tapas bars within some 50 meters, cutting edge Tapeo, traditional Xampanyet and Basque pintxos bar and restaurant Euskal Etxea:
Tapeo: http://www.tapeoborn.cat/tapeo-del-born.html
Xampanyet: http://www.timeout.com/barcelona/res...s/el-xampanyet
Euskal Etxea: http://www.euskaletxeataberna.com/en...n-euskaletxea/

And you're now also very close to institutions in town such as fabulous and expensive tapas bar Cal Pep (on the S.Pelegrino world's 100 best restaurant list a few years ago) and emblematic Set Portes from 1836 with tons of history in the walls.
http://calpep.com/Ingles/index_ing.html
http://7portes.com/en/

Thank you kimhe and all.

I ended up settling on going to Barcelona first for 5 days (staying in El Born), then flying to Ibiza for a couple days, then flying to Paris for the remaining 6 days. Thanks all for the help.