Barcelona with 20 people - tips?
 

Barcelona March 19-22
Hotel H10 Marina (10 min. from Marina)
Group Size: 20 people
Arriving from Zürich

- Would riding the hop on/hop off bus with this large of group be adviseable?

- Any restaurant ideas? Looking for inexpensive meals: about 20 Euros.

- Any restaurant recommendations in Sitges?

- Besides being very aware of pickpockets and stowing valuables in hidden places, any other general tips?

Thanks for all your help! BTW, I've travelled with most of the group many times in the past so group dynamics shouldn't be a problems.

HO-HO buses are big, so the 20 group should be OK. As far as logistics, you may want to download a copy of the three routes covered to have an idea what/where people will like to emphasize. The three routes are quite extensive and I would definitely allow a day just for this. My favorite stops were El Monasterio de Pedralbes (allow at least two hours to explore), the Sagrada Familia Church, and el Parque Guell (bit of an uphill walk from the bus drop-off point). I also loved to take pics of the Olympic Stadium. I rode all three routes and then hop-off during the second round-around on my selected points of interest.

As far as inexpensive meals around 20 Euros, that is more a heavy lunch budget, drinks and all. Not much comes to mind, but Maribel Guides has pages and pages of restaurants recs for BCN, all budgets. Definitely check her guides.

As far as general tips, I was not bowled over by BCN (sorry!), Gorgeous city, rude people (...and I have hardly EVER complained about this about anywhere....). I go back to Madrid every year, I don't care if I don't ever step in BCN again.

Thanks for taking the time to offer some excellent advice.

if you go on the bus my recommendation is to get at at the main square Plaça Catalunya making sure you get on the top deck, if it is full wait for the next bus (about 10 minutes). Then if you do the whole tour first, you can stay on and get off at the first place you want to visit. Otherwise if you get back on you WILL NOT get back on top, which makes the tour a bit poinless. Also in the Place Real at the sea end of the rambles is a very good restuarant the Quinze Nits. You will have to queue, but it is worth it. Get there just after 8.00 and you should get in first sitting

"(sorry!), Gorgeous city, rude people ""


beg to differ.
From the taxi drivers to restaurant and hotel emloyees,( and others ) I have not met much nicer people!
I speak passable Spanish, visited Barcelona last year, again this year, and going back next fall!

danon- I am fully fluent in Spanish and been to Spain many, many, many times. Nowhere in the world (30+countries) have I ever encountered more rude people than in Barcelona. Sorry to say it as I don't have to say this about ANY city I have ever been to...but Barcelona. I do not dismiss YOUR personal experience, very glad it was a good one because I absolutely love Spain. However, MY personal experience with restaurant service, bus drivers, hotel staff, parking attendants, people asked for directions was simply horrendous. That said, absolutely gorgeous city.

Vijaero2
interesting what happens when we travel.
The few rude persons I encountered were in , of all places, Copenhagen ( maybe they were having a bad day..)
. Some people have had unpleasant experiences in Rome , some in France etc....
- In Barcelona Santander and Granada taxi drivers were happy and proud to tell us about their city the minute I asked about some building we were passing by
- in Girona , going from the train station to the "old town" we must have stopped 4 people asking
for directions , they could not have been nicer and more patient( one drew a map for us),

-in Bilbao and Barcelona people offered to help ( seeing us struggling with maps or Metro ticket machines).
.......
We just "fell in love" with Spain and its people . Hope to visit many, many times in the future.

One of the most magical moments for us in Barcelona was in the evening in front of the cathedral (not Sagrada Familia) watching all the groups of people dancing in big rings, young and old, all their bags in the middle of the circle while they danced this wonderful dance. Truly magical.

Being in a big group may give a false sense of security to do keep on your guard!