Help please! 7 nights in costa brava and barcelona
Jun 8th, 2013 | 01:52 PM
#1
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Joined: Jun 2003
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Help please! 7 nights in costa brava and barcelona
hello fellow travelers!
my 3 kids (25, 22, 21) and i are going to barcelona and the costa brava at the end of june/beginning of july. we have 7 nights total. i'm looking for some guidance on distances and do-ability on my flexible itinerary. i've been to spain, except for barcelona. we, as a family, like food, local sites, architecture, antiquities and experiencing culture different than our own (we live in chicago), nature and the outdoors and are low-key veteran travelers. museums and cathedrals are not their thing (i blame the vatican fiasco...). unfortunately, i'm the only one who knows how to drive a stick shift, so i'm trying to minimize the driving as much as i can, without missing the things that you have to drive to see properly.
we fly in and out of barcelona, so the first and last night for sure there.
i'm thinking:
first 2 nights in barcelona.
rent a car, go to parador in cardona and visit montserrat. (is it worth it? too touristy?)
return the car to barcelona, take a train to girona, (seems easy and 45 minutes), stay there overnight? then get another car there? or just keep the same car and deal with parking, etc.?
then.....perhaps double back to girona, dump the car, take the train back to barcelona for our last night. i have 3 swing days. can we get as far as cadaques or into the languedoc? are we better off visiting inland to olot, or the garroxta valley? or to perpignan and/or pals? i want to see enough but not run ragged and i'm not sure of the distances and travel times. i assume we stay in three different towns those 3 nights.
can you help me focus?
thanks in advance!
my 3 kids (25, 22, 21) and i are going to barcelona and the costa brava at the end of june/beginning of july. we have 7 nights total. i'm looking for some guidance on distances and do-ability on my flexible itinerary. i've been to spain, except for barcelona. we, as a family, like food, local sites, architecture, antiquities and experiencing culture different than our own (we live in chicago), nature and the outdoors and are low-key veteran travelers. museums and cathedrals are not their thing (i blame the vatican fiasco...). unfortunately, i'm the only one who knows how to drive a stick shift, so i'm trying to minimize the driving as much as i can, without missing the things that you have to drive to see properly.
we fly in and out of barcelona, so the first and last night for sure there.
i'm thinking:
first 2 nights in barcelona.
rent a car, go to parador in cardona and visit montserrat. (is it worth it? too touristy?)
return the car to barcelona, take a train to girona, (seems easy and 45 minutes), stay there overnight? then get another car there? or just keep the same car and deal with parking, etc.?
then.....perhaps double back to girona, dump the car, take the train back to barcelona for our last night. i have 3 swing days. can we get as far as cadaques or into the languedoc? are we better off visiting inland to olot, or the garroxta valley? or to perpignan and/or pals? i want to see enough but not run ragged and i'm not sure of the distances and travel times. i assume we stay in three different towns those 3 nights.
can you help me focus?
thanks in advance!
Jun 8th, 2013 | 05:09 PM
#3
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Joined: Jun 2003
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i will rent a car for 4 days straight. better to stay in girona and do day trips or go around the costa brava and stay somewhere different every night? and....which towns are your favorites? 3 nights total for this portion of the trip.
Jun 8th, 2013 | 05:33 PM
#4
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 16,286
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There are several threads on the forum re Girona and Costa Brava
we have only visited Girona for a day from Barcelona.
this is one of them
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-catalonia.cfm
we have only visited Girona for a day from Barcelona.
this is one of them
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-catalonia.cfm
Jun 9th, 2013 | 04:42 AM
#5
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,032
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I would do four or five nights in Barcelona and two or three in just one other location. There are so many to choose from, so don't worry about seeing everything. Better to just enjoy where you are.
On a longer stay than yours, we divided our time between La Garrotxa (staying outside of Santa Pau at a restored manor house called Mas Can Batlle), Cadaques and Pallafreugell.
I think if you have just a short stay, I would pick a Dali / coastal emphasis:
stop in Figueres to see the Dali Museum: doesn't matter if you don't like museums or you don't like Dali. The creativity of this man is mindblowing. Then continue on to Cadaques for two nights. For your full day, go to Dali's house (but make an advance reservation online: access is limited and walk-ups are not usually available). There is a little shack on the beach by the house that serves wonderful food! The town of Cadaques is charming and if you want to walk or hike, there are opportunities to do so, so if you stay three nights, you will give yourself more time to do this (there was a walk out on the point that we wanted to do, but ran out of time with our two night stay).
Before we went to Figueres and Cadaques, we had no interest in Dali. I still can't say that I like his art, but experiencing the full-blown expression of his creativity and output is really a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Seeing that, on top of the Gaudi buildings and the Music Palace in Catalunya and knowing the Picasso is from Spain: you will really wonder what is in the Spanish water that inspires such out-of-the box thinking!
One caveat about the drive to Cadaques: it is a long and winding one up into the hills. I can't recall if it was particularly narrow or not (my H did the driving), so if that is not of interest, then maybe Cadaques isn't for you.
Although, now that I think of it: I was looking into this trip for my kids and I think you can actually do it all by public transport.
When we rented our car, we did it from the airport, figuring it would be easier to get in and out of the city that way with direct highway access. Our original plan was to train to Girona and rent a car there, but realized we had too much luggage to schlep.
On a longer stay than yours, we divided our time between La Garrotxa (staying outside of Santa Pau at a restored manor house called Mas Can Batlle), Cadaques and Pallafreugell.
I think if you have just a short stay, I would pick a Dali / coastal emphasis:
stop in Figueres to see the Dali Museum: doesn't matter if you don't like museums or you don't like Dali. The creativity of this man is mindblowing. Then continue on to Cadaques for two nights. For your full day, go to Dali's house (but make an advance reservation online: access is limited and walk-ups are not usually available). There is a little shack on the beach by the house that serves wonderful food! The town of Cadaques is charming and if you want to walk or hike, there are opportunities to do so, so if you stay three nights, you will give yourself more time to do this (there was a walk out on the point that we wanted to do, but ran out of time with our two night stay).
Before we went to Figueres and Cadaques, we had no interest in Dali. I still can't say that I like his art, but experiencing the full-blown expression of his creativity and output is really a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Seeing that, on top of the Gaudi buildings and the Music Palace in Catalunya and knowing the Picasso is from Spain: you will really wonder what is in the Spanish water that inspires such out-of-the box thinking!
One caveat about the drive to Cadaques: it is a long and winding one up into the hills. I can't recall if it was particularly narrow or not (my H did the driving), so if that is not of interest, then maybe Cadaques isn't for you.
Although, now that I think of it: I was looking into this trip for my kids and I think you can actually do it all by public transport.
When we rented our car, we did it from the airport, figuring it would be easier to get in and out of the city that way with direct highway access. Our original plan was to train to Girona and rent a car there, but realized we had too much luggage to schlep.
Jun 12th, 2013 | 07:40 PM
#7
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Joined: Jun 2003
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as usual, some excellent advice!
i know we have one night in the parador at cardona, that we're very excited about.
my dilemma centers on how many nights in barcelona vs. the costa brava:
Night 1,2,3 barcelona
rent a car and drive to:
night 4 parador in cardona,
drive via vic to:
night 5,6 girona or figueres
see cadaques during this time,
drive back via pals, costa brava to:
night 7 back in barcelona for flight the next day
OR
take a night from the first 3 in barcelona and add it to the costa brava portion.
comments?
also...i think i might wimp out and take the bus from figueres to cadaques. even if we stay overnight, i'll leave the rental somewhere in figueres. is the drive that harrowing?
thanks!
i know we have one night in the parador at cardona, that we're very excited about.
my dilemma centers on how many nights in barcelona vs. the costa brava:
Night 1,2,3 barcelona
rent a car and drive to:
night 4 parador in cardona,
drive via vic to:
night 5,6 girona or figueres
see cadaques during this time,
drive back via pals, costa brava to:
night 7 back in barcelona for flight the next day
OR
take a night from the first 3 in barcelona and add it to the costa brava portion.
comments?
also...i think i might wimp out and take the bus from figueres to cadaques. even if we stay overnight, i'll leave the rental somewhere in figueres. is the drive that harrowing?
thanks!
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Jun 12th, 2013 | 08:00 PM
#8
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,827
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7 nights doesn't allow much time. If you are flying internationally, that first day will be somewhat tiring. I would forget the Parador de Cardona. It's a nice Parador, but not if you have other things to see and do.
After 4 nights in Barcelona, I'd take the car and head for Girona for the day and then on to Begur for 2 nights before returning to Barcelona. You'll have to spend the final night there in order to catch your flight home because if you were to drive from either Girona or Begur, you would have to be up early in the morning and deal with the normally heavy traffic heading into the city.
Hopefully at this late date you can find accommodations somewhere along the Costa Brava.
http://www.baixemporda-costabrava.org/en
After 4 nights in Barcelona, I'd take the car and head for Girona for the day and then on to Begur for 2 nights before returning to Barcelona. You'll have to spend the final night there in order to catch your flight home because if you were to drive from either Girona or Begur, you would have to be up early in the morning and deal with the normally heavy traffic heading into the city.
Hopefully at this late date you can find accommodations somewhere along the Costa Brava.
http://www.baixemporda-costabrava.org/en
Jun 13th, 2013 | 12:53 AM
#9
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,162
Likes: 2
Barcelona is certainly worthy of at least three full days to see most things, it's not enough to see it all. The area North and North west of Barcelona is easily reachable and easy driving once you are out of the city, so don't "wimp out".
Monserrat is touristy and very busy during the summer months, but equally is easy to get to either by road or rail. The train pulls in right next to the monastery. There's also San Sadurni d'Anoia, which is Spains Cava centre, much like Epernay and Reims are to Champagne. You can get a winery tour in most of the big producers like Freixenet or Cordoniu. You can do Monserrat and the Cava tour in a day without pushing it.
Going North to the Costa Brava is in easy reach and I second the Dali museum in Figueres even if you have no interest in art. I too would omit Cardona and head instead to Tossa de Mar on the coast. It's close to Figueres and has a lovely old town. There are many hotels across the price range. You then have maybe an hour back to Barcelona.
Monserrat is touristy and very busy during the summer months, but equally is easy to get to either by road or rail. The train pulls in right next to the monastery. There's also San Sadurni d'Anoia, which is Spains Cava centre, much like Epernay and Reims are to Champagne. You can get a winery tour in most of the big producers like Freixenet or Cordoniu. You can do Monserrat and the Cava tour in a day without pushing it.
Going North to the Costa Brava is in easy reach and I second the Dali museum in Figueres even if you have no interest in art. I too would omit Cardona and head instead to Tossa de Mar on the coast. It's close to Figueres and has a lovely old town. There are many hotels across the price range. You then have maybe an hour back to Barcelona.
Jun 13th, 2013 | 01:47 AM
#10
Joined: Feb 2009
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Stay with at least three full days in Barcelona, and I think your first alternative looks good.
A couple of suggestions that you might enjoy:
1) You should take time to really explore Montjuic (Jewish mountain), almost in the very center of town. You have to read up on it, but here you'll find the Montjuic castle on the top with its dramatic history, parks and views, cultural institutions, museums, sports stadiums, theaters, cafés, restaurants etc for many days of exploring.
http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/Engl...KrsXFOOfw9XLJA
http://www.bcn.cat/castelldemontjuic/en/
Montjuic was the site of the 1929 world expo and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Used to be one of the world's most admired and feared Formula one circuits up here until several people were killed during the race in 1975. Lots of Barcelona history connected to Montjuic.
Plenty of local feel restaurants and tapas bars in Poble Sec at the foot of Montjuic. I love La Perla: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Catalonia.html
2) The Barceloneta city beach is miles long and very popular with locals, vibrant atmosphere and all kinds of people and activities out here. And the small Barceloneta triangle nighbourhood just inland from the beach is one of the most vibrant and fun in the city. Lots of great restaurants, tapas bars and outdoor cafés that are not crowded with tourists (the tourists tend to end up in one of the many restaurants and cafés along Paseo Joan de Borbón on the main road out to the southern end of the Barceloneta beach). Even some very exclusive restaurants here in the Barceloneta neighbourhood such as Can Solé and Restaurante Somorrostro.
A couple of hours on the beach followed by a lunch in the midst of Barceloneta, no better way to spend the first half of the day (and perhaps the rest...).
http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/The-...sUGbuqkvwxcDSN
AND 3)
The 15th edition of the outdoor Festival Flamenco d’Estiu with absolute top artists goes on June 27-29. Every night at 21.30 in the Pati de la Seu del Districte in the Nou Barris district. Entrance 15€. Could easily be the highlight of your trip. http://www.catalunyaarteflamenco.com...-nou-barris-4/
One of my favourite young cantaoras Alba Carmona sings to the dance of Rafael Amargo and Iñaki Márquez on Thursday June 27th. This gives you an idea of her depth, spirit and talent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIaxlpFQnDo
About Nou Barris, lots of parks etc: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/Nou-...WIXTwPgsHuwWkY
A couple of suggestions that you might enjoy:
1) You should take time to really explore Montjuic (Jewish mountain), almost in the very center of town. You have to read up on it, but here you'll find the Montjuic castle on the top with its dramatic history, parks and views, cultural institutions, museums, sports stadiums, theaters, cafés, restaurants etc for many days of exploring.
http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/Engl...KrsXFOOfw9XLJA
http://www.bcn.cat/castelldemontjuic/en/
Montjuic was the site of the 1929 world expo and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Used to be one of the world's most admired and feared Formula one circuits up here until several people were killed during the race in 1975. Lots of Barcelona history connected to Montjuic.
Plenty of local feel restaurants and tapas bars in Poble Sec at the foot of Montjuic. I love La Perla: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Catalonia.html
2) The Barceloneta city beach is miles long and very popular with locals, vibrant atmosphere and all kinds of people and activities out here. And the small Barceloneta triangle nighbourhood just inland from the beach is one of the most vibrant and fun in the city. Lots of great restaurants, tapas bars and outdoor cafés that are not crowded with tourists (the tourists tend to end up in one of the many restaurants and cafés along Paseo Joan de Borbón on the main road out to the southern end of the Barceloneta beach). Even some very exclusive restaurants here in the Barceloneta neighbourhood such as Can Solé and Restaurante Somorrostro.
A couple of hours on the beach followed by a lunch in the midst of Barceloneta, no better way to spend the first half of the day (and perhaps the rest...).
http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/The-...sUGbuqkvwxcDSN
AND 3)
The 15th edition of the outdoor Festival Flamenco d’Estiu with absolute top artists goes on June 27-29. Every night at 21.30 in the Pati de la Seu del Districte in the Nou Barris district. Entrance 15€. Could easily be the highlight of your trip. http://www.catalunyaarteflamenco.com...-nou-barris-4/
One of my favourite young cantaoras Alba Carmona sings to the dance of Rafael Amargo and Iñaki Márquez on Thursday June 27th. This gives you an idea of her depth, spirit and talent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIaxlpFQnDo
About Nou Barris, lots of parks etc: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/Nou-...WIXTwPgsHuwWkY
Jun 23rd, 2013 | 08:28 PM
#11
Original Poster
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 223
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kimhe, you are full of good suggestions! we will actually be in barcelona during the flamence festival. i was a dancer myself and i'm just trying to figure out how to trick my kids into this one. they've just gotten over narrowly missing fc barcelona in season and the nearby tour de france a bit north!
spending part of a day in barceloneta is also on the agenda, thanks!
can anyone answer this:
is cadaques a possible day trip from girona, or not? my plan was to base in girona, drive to figueres, bus back and forth to cadaques. doable?
thanks again!
spending part of a day in barceloneta is also on the agenda, thanks!
can anyone answer this:
is cadaques a possible day trip from girona, or not? my plan was to base in girona, drive to figueres, bus back and forth to cadaques. doable?
thanks again!
Jun 23rd, 2013 | 10:35 PM
#12
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,505
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It is doable but off season there are only 3 buses a day. The trip takes about an hour. Timetable at http://www.sarbus.com
Jun 23rd, 2013 | 11:20 PM
#13
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,934
Likes: 0
<i'm just trying to figure out how to trick my kids into this one. they've just gotten over narrowly missing fc barcelona in season and the nearby tour de france a bit north!>
I'm a huge football and cycling fan through decades, and have had great moments at Camp Nou in Barcelona and on several mountain stages of the Tour de France in the Pyrenees. A local flamenco festival with top artists is up there, if not above.
Trailer to the new cinema documentary Bajarí about flamenco life in Barcelona, past and present: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BibV3tYo0U
And here's a major flamenco moment in Barcelona a month ago. Rocío Molina dancing at the monument of the legendary Barcelona born flamenco dancer Carmen Amaya (1913-1963), the greatest of all times. A tribute at the centennial of her birth and 50 years after she died. The modest but deeply moving Fuente de Carmen Amaya is in the Barceloneta area, close to the beach where Amaya grew up (the then Somorrostro district). The queen is dead, long live the queen! http://vimeo.com/68734588
I'm a huge football and cycling fan through decades, and have had great moments at Camp Nou in Barcelona and on several mountain stages of the Tour de France in the Pyrenees. A local flamenco festival with top artists is up there, if not above.
Trailer to the new cinema documentary Bajarí about flamenco life in Barcelona, past and present: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BibV3tYo0U
And here's a major flamenco moment in Barcelona a month ago. Rocío Molina dancing at the monument of the legendary Barcelona born flamenco dancer Carmen Amaya (1913-1963), the greatest of all times. A tribute at the centennial of her birth and 50 years after she died. The modest but deeply moving Fuente de Carmen Amaya is in the Barceloneta area, close to the beach where Amaya grew up (the then Somorrostro district). The queen is dead, long live the queen! http://vimeo.com/68734588
Jul 1st, 2013 | 01:53 PM
#14
Original Poster
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 223
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Well, we are in spain and things are going great. We rented an apartment in Bari gothic which was an ideal location if a bit noisy at night. We were up, so the early morning noise was worse for us. Currently in Cardona at the parador, which contrary to some opinions, is a worthy detour and the coolest place we have ever stayed anywhere. It is also a museum so we will thoroughly tour after breakfast before heading out to Girona.
still grappling with whether or not to base in Girona or move on to Figueres. also, I am an inexperienced manual driver...filled with bravado but still not the best. Am I over worrying about the road to Cadaques? Is it just windy or plain treacherous?
Lastly, Kimhe,, congrats on being quoted in the Fodors guidebook!
still grappling with whether or not to base in Girona or move on to Figueres. also, I am an inexperienced manual driver...filled with bravado but still not the best. Am I over worrying about the road to Cadaques? Is it just windy or plain treacherous?
Lastly, Kimhe,, congrats on being quoted in the Fodors guidebook!
Jul 29th, 2013 | 09:36 AM
#17
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 223
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hi kimhe!
it seemed to be a quote from the forums that was printed in the guidebook (which i returned to the library so i can't tell you precisely which page), on the intro page to one of the sections. not even sure if it was the barcelona book or the more general spain book. sorry!, and...cool!
it seemed to be a quote from the forums that was printed in the guidebook (which i returned to the library so i can't tell you precisely which page), on the intro page to one of the sections. not even sure if it was the barcelona book or the more general spain book. sorry!, and...cool!
