Brahmama

We will arrive Barcelona at noon and leave 3 days later at 7:00 PM so have a little time to look around. We have our hotel reserved, but need some hints for tapas/small cafes around the old Gothic church area.

It's our 3rd time here and have done the HOHO bus and the fantastic Gaudi church a couple of times.

I love the Cortes Ingles Dept Store and am wondering if it is open on Sunday? I believe it opens at 9:00 AM. Am I right?

We're there on a first Sunday (in Dec) and the museums are free. Does that mean they will be way over crowded? Should we go Friday or Saturday instead?

We hope to go to Montseratt this time. Is it better to go Saturday or Sunday? We could make the Friday 6:00 (18:00) if that would be less crowded.I've found a couple of websites but still need to know WHERE to get train tickets including trams.

Tapas! Last time we went to the Cerveceria Catalana, and had to wait a l o n g time to get a table. This time there may be 6 or 8 of us. Is there a better (cheaper/more local) place to go where we can get a table?

Any other suggestions or places that you personally loved or would definitely go back to?

Thanks for your help.

kappa

El Cortes Ingles is closed on Monday usually but I thought they have special opening hours in holiday seasons and as I thought, according to the following, it will be open on Sunday 16th & 23rd Dec. It opens at 10:00.

http://www.elcorteingles.es/centros/...nidadcatal.asp

The following might help you too.
http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...christmas.html

I have had new year's day a few times in Barcelona and twice I did
Monserrat on 30 or 31 Dec. Sorry I don't remember if it was Sunday or Saturday but the train was perhaps 80 % full and was ok. I did the excursion both times by train - ropeway combo. I just bought the ticket the day I was going at the starting station (Plaça d'Espanga). There was no seat reservation I belive.
http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...ontserrat.html

What trams?

mmyk72

I heard Mont Serret can be cloudy/foggy a lot, so I suggest paying attention to forecast and be flexible to avoid the foggy days.
Also, I suggest to visit the Church and see the Black Madonna in the pm as the tour groups jam up the place in the morning. You can avoid all the lines after 3 pm as the tours leave by then. If you enjoy a bit of hiking, you can get there in the morning and walk the trails - it's beautiful. By the way, find out when the Boys Choir performs and plan that into your trip. It's an highlight.

I've been to museums during free days and don't find it too crowded. There are probably more people than normal but it's tolerable.

mmyk72

You can buy a package deal to Mont Serret that includes train from Barcelona plus trams when you get there from the underground tourist office in Plz Catalunya.

I got one that included a lunch at the restaurant on site (food was not bad, large portions), cable car, and RT train tickets. I believe the price was just under 30 euros.

If you just get train tickets (at the train station), you can buy tram tickets when you get there. I didn't do the math, but the prices are not too different either way, just a lot simpler with the package.

kenderina

I think kappa mistook the day...El Corte Ingles is closed on Sundays As said, it will be opened on Sundays in December.

kappa

Kendrina, thanks for the correction ! Yes, it is of course Sundays (except in those holiday seasons) El Corte Inglés are closed.

Peter_krynicki

Bar-restaurant Elisabets, C/ Elisabets . You might not wander into this small restaurant on your own but it is mentined in several guides and it is as good as many of the more expensive restaurants. It is a smallish, crowded, local place where a plate of ham, a plate of cheese, the local sausage, and a bottle of the vino de meson - house wine - will cost approximately 19.22e for two, a bargain!

The house wine here was brought in an open, re-used bottle, and not in a carafe. This is OK for a house wine, but just FYI if you order a bottle of wine and it is brought to you opened, send it back as there is no telling what is in the bottle. A bottle of wine should be opened in front of you after you have been presented the bottle so you can see the label. After that it is up to you whether you want to hold it up to the light, sniff it, then taste it.


Pjk

Brahmama

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. I can always count on Fodorites for up-to-date information.

kappa,
thanks for the links. We will be there on the 2 December and I don't think it will be open that early in the Christmas season, so we'll just go on the 1st! Bt that is good to know, so we will plan on Montseratt for the 2nd .

mmyk72,
Yes, the boys choir is the main reason we are going there - well one of the main reasons!I believe on a Sunday they sing only at noon - so that will drive our time there.

We are hoping to purchase the tickets that include lunch. I haven't yet found the site that tells about that - only have heard people refer to it. Did you get your tickets at the station from a machine? Are they easily marked?

Peter,
I have read your list of tempting places to eat in Barcelona; matter of fact, I have printed it out and it's with my notes! Elisabets sounds like our sort of place. I haven't found it in a guide but I assume it's in our general area of town? Interesting about the house wine - thanks for your hints and advice.

In my new National Geog Traveler, there is a great article about a couple visiting Barcelona. They are total opposites. One likes to plan every moment - the other likes to just "let things happen"! The pictures are wonderful and I can't wait to get there - about a month from now.

I do hope the dollar and Euro settle down - of course we are still going, but we will have to downscale where and what we eat! No matter - we will have a wonderful time.

Peter_krynicki

C/ Elisabets is IIRC just off the top of Las Ramblas to the west. The restaurant is like a college tavern with a lot of young people there just having a drink.

For some reason our guide book mentioned Friday night as the best time to go. Friday was our first night in Barca so we went there and were glad we did.

Pjk

yourguide

Hopefully these websites will answer some questions regarding Montserrat.

http://www.montserratvisita.com/How%...cD67HnRGDEcA2A

http://www.fgc.net/accesible/cat/viatjar/oci.php

mmyk72

About the package tickets, I purchased mine at the tourist office counter, not a machine. Although when I arrived at the train station, there was a temporary booth with someone promoting it....though I doubt that is there all the time.

Brahmama

mmyk,
do you happen to remember the cost? I can't find prices anywhere.

CathyM

During the weekdays I noticed many restaurants with mid-day 3 course (including wine) menus for 8-10 euros.

I didn't see this in El Borne but in the Gracia neighborhood and deep in the Old quarter. In the Gracia I had a decent lunch at La Llar De Foc, C/Ramon i Cajal 13- not incredible but for 8euros including drink it did the trick. Origins 99 just across the street also had a menu for 10 euros.

yourguide

Sorry, I think I gave you the webpage in Catalan. Go to www.montserratvisita.com. On the far right there is a tab for English. Click on "How to get here". Then click on the red/green "Tot Montserrat" cards. A pdf file will open explaining what is included. The FGC link (Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya)will show prices.

JJBhoy

Brahmama,

I have two suggestions - nothing fancy but somewhere to stop for a snack or a coffee & take the weight off your feet.

When you're in El Corte Ingles, try out the cafeteria on the top floor - if you can get a seat at the window you will get a terrific view of the Placa de Catalunya or the Passeig De Gracia (depending on where you sit).

Directly opposite the Picasso Museum on the Calle Montada is the Textiles & Clothing Museum. The entrance to the latter is situated in a charming courtyard in which there is also a cafe (you don't actually have to go into the Museum to visit the cafe). It's a pleasant place to get a bit of peace & shade away from the busy street.

Jim

Brahmama

Thanks for the replies.

I have just read about the problem with the train - and that service to Montserrat may be curtailed for a couple of months - and we'll be there on the 30th November, so we may have to put that on hold.

Thanks for the tips about the places to stop for a coffee.

I'm hoping that El Cortes Ingles will be open on the 2nd December, even though it's a Sunday - since it is in December. We're also hoping to visit a couple of the Gaudi houses - but not sure what *is* open on Sundays.

Can't wait to get back to Barcelona!

kappa

Brahmama, the link I posted above says "Holiday Open Dec.6, 8, 16(sun), 23(sun)" so they seem to be closed on Sunday 2 Dec. I only tell this to you so that you will be prepared.

Brahmama

Kappa,
You're right - and you know, I did look at that, but immediately forgot what it said! Oh well, I'll just go there on the 1st. But I have friends joining me on the 2nd who would have really enjoyed it there.

I couldn't believe how many "chains" there were listed on that page either!

BowenLinda

Brahmama, which hotel are you staying in for your third visit?

Brahmama

We will stay at Hotel Continental for the 3rd time. It is a budget hotel - and suits us just fine. The first time we had a balcony which looked right out on the Ramblas which was great fun.

Last time they were sold out of the balconies, but we got a special sort of room that had two adjoining rooms (one quite small) and an interior courtyard so it was quite light.

We have this same room reserved this trip also as the balconies were gone.

I have written more about this hotel in a trip report, so let me know if you would like more information.