RT2015

Hi there,

I arrive in Barcelona from Australia on Saturday, July 4, and have only four days. Things I want to do include Sagrada Familia,, Montjuic, Barcelonetta, Parc Guell, and lots and lots of wandering. We are staying in the Gothic Quarter near Passeig de Gracia, so I am sure we will go shopping, and will of course go to La Rambla.

My questions are:
1. Which ones, apart from Sagrada Familia, do I need to book? Can I book the day before, or should I book now? I am caught between wanting to be flexible enough to go with the flow of what we see/experience in the moment, but also want to see the church. I definitely don't want four days of regimented timetable.

2. Are there any guides on pricing/best sites to book tickets through?

Thanks,
RT

Rubicund

Apart from the Sagrada Familia, there's no need to book for any of the other sites you mention. If you want to see the Palau de la Musica Catalana on the tour, you will have to book for that too.

If your hotel is near the Passeig de Gracia, you must be fairly close to the Placa de Catalunya and it's a good walk down to the old Cathedral and the centre of the Barri Gotic. Don't miss the Boqueria Market and the Magic Fountakins in the Placa Espana.

http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...nce-times.html

RT2015

Thanks Rubicund, yes we are moments from Placa de Catalunya. Is the market you mention the famous one? I would love to go there and buy our breakfasts. A friend mentioned we need to book Parc Guell but I'm glad you say there is no need. So I may book Sagrada Familia in advance and that is all. I may aim to do that on our second or third day. How long should I allow to be in there?

BigRuss

<<Is the market you mention the famous one?>>

Yeah. It's famous. And overrated - displays are pretty, merchandise is overpriced. I'd go back to the Central Market in Adelaide first - at least the bang/hype ratio isn't completely off kilter.

You'll probably need to book Sagrada Familia and it'll take 1/2 a day. Parc Guell isn't walkable from the two main tourist areas (near P. Catalunya into the Barri Gotic or P. Espana). Best to taxi or bus there. The Metro isn't close either.

I'd spend more time in Placa Real and that area than Barceloneta. If you're thinking about wandering the oceanfront, that's more Rambla del Mar and Port Vell.

Robert2533

Check out the following from Maribel's Guides: http://tinyurl.com/pzufttc

Christina

YOu won't get tickets any cheaper than their own website (Sagrada Familia or any other venue that sells tickets themself).

Parc Guell didn't sell tickets when I went, as I recall, but now they require them for those Gaudi southern monuments. The website recommends you buy in advance, but that's because they do limit the number of people per hour or something now. I would hate to be regimented like that, myself, but you can probably do it the day before as a lot of people don't get advance tickets. The website says they are a little cheaper buying online than from an ATM locally, but not enough to care about.

RT2015

Thanks everyone, that's very helpful. So I think I will pre-book Sagrada Familia and buy tickets for Parc Guell the day before we go.

RM67

La Boqueria is a great market and not overrated imho. I would suggest lunch there rather than breakfast - multiple counters where you can just pull up a stool and enjoy seafood (cooked to order), charcuterie etc.

Great to see an itinerary with wandering factored in rather than a minute by minute schedule. Enjoy one of Europes very best cities

RM67

Ps click on my ID for a trip report on Barca and links to lots of pics of the market.

kimhe

The Boqueria food market is fabulous although it's popular with tourists. http://www.gardenista.com/posts/la-boqueria-market

Go to Boqueria, see La Sagrada Familia and have dinner in Tickets and you will always come back to this city looking for this strange kind of perfection.

RT2015

Thanks RM67, I will check your report out. And thanks kimhe. I love wandering and walking and hate the programmed kind of travel that means you actually miss so much when you try to cram everything in. I really want to have a picnic in a park, wander and be surprised by what we find - even if it means we don't get to all the 'must dos'.

My only concern is that I want to go for a couple of runs while I am there. I think that the best/simplest way is for me to head from my apartment to the Avenue Diagonal and just run along it - that way seems to have the minimal amount of turns/intersections. But I am thinking that with late nights/jetlag I won't be up and out the door at my normal 6am or earlier. So does anyone know if 8am will be too late/hot/crowded to navigate a run?

RT2015

Oh and PS perhaps we will check out the market when we first arrive! We can't get into our apartment until 2pm, but can drop our things there. Our plane gets in at 8.40am, so will have about three or four hours to kill I am guessing by the time we get to the apartment and drop our bags.

kja

If you want to visit the monument zone of Parc Guell, an advance reservation can be very helpful.
http://www.parkguell.cat/en/

RT2015

Thanks kja, that is helpful.

kimhe

Fraom Passeig de Gracia, run along Ronda de Sant Pere towards Arc de Triomf and then down into th Ciutadella park. You'll be in the park in 5 minutes from Passeig de Gracia. http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...iutadella.html

RT2015

Thanks kimhe, I'm just scared of getting lost - but I can always take a map with me!

RT2015

Also - can someone advise on whether 8am is too late (temperature and busy streets wise) go running. I don't want to be swarmed by people/get lost/get too hot! I'm coming from running between 10 and 15 degrees at the moment.

kimhe

The route from Passeig de Gracia to the Ciutadella park is as easy at it can get. Take Ronda de Sant Pere from Passeig de Gracia, and you are there at Arc de Triomf in a couple of minutes leading down to the Ciutadella park a couple of hundred meters below.

RT2015

Thanks Kimhe, it looks lovely. I see that the park doesn't open until 10am so if I am running earlier than that I may just have to be satisfied with running around its outside and then go back later to go in