Is anybody NOT going to Barcelona this or next year?
#1
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Is anybody NOT going to Barcelona this or next year?
Just kidding, but as currently 9 out of the first 10 posts on the Spain Forum are related to Barcelona or neighboring areas, I was wondering if there´s anyone going somewhere else in Spain!!
#2
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LOL Mikel... maybe you can tell us what goes on in Bilbao for the Christmas holidays. I bet it is pretty fab.
I have been reading a blog written by a guy who traveled from Porto to Bilbao in October, with your interest in wine maybe you might enjoy reading it. I am patiently waiting for his final entries on Bilbao. Here is the link, if you are so inclined.
https://fall22spain.blogspot.com/
I have been reading a blog written by a guy who traveled from Porto to Bilbao in October, with your interest in wine maybe you might enjoy reading it. I am patiently waiting for his final entries on Bilbao. Here is the link, if you are so inclined.
https://fall22spain.blogspot.com/
#3
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Heeey, what's wrong with my home city, huh?, LOL!
But again, to those planning to visit Barcelona, I always advise them to consider visiting other places in the region. We have plenty of beaches, monuments, historical sites, picturesque little towns, great cities, breathtaking scenic views, sacred places, high peaks and mountain ranges, ski resorts, old ruins, diverse and unique flora and fauna, beautiful natural parks, one of the world's best gastronomy, wonderful and warm people, and plenty of sun too... and all these within Catalonia, a small territory the size of Belgium or the state of Maryland (US). There's no need for packing and unpacking, moving hotels and running around like headless chickens, one can do most stuff on day (or overnight) escapades from Barcelona. What else can you ask for?
Have a look at the Tourism Board website for more: www.catalunya.com
But again, to those planning to visit Barcelona, I always advise them to consider visiting other places in the region. We have plenty of beaches, monuments, historical sites, picturesque little towns, great cities, breathtaking scenic views, sacred places, high peaks and mountain ranges, ski resorts, old ruins, diverse and unique flora and fauna, beautiful natural parks, one of the world's best gastronomy, wonderful and warm people, and plenty of sun too... and all these within Catalonia, a small territory the size of Belgium or the state of Maryland (US). There's no need for packing and unpacking, moving hotels and running around like headless chickens, one can do most stuff on day (or overnight) escapades from Barcelona. What else can you ask for?
Have a look at the Tourism Board website for more: www.catalunya.com
Last edited by EnricM; Nov 14th, 2022 at 01:33 AM.
#4
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LOL Mikel... maybe you can tell us what goes on in Bilbao for the Christmas holidays. I bet it is pretty fab.
I have been reading a blog written by a guy who traveled from Porto to Bilbao in October, with your interest in wine maybe you might enjoy reading it. I am patiently waiting for his final entries on Bilbao. Here is the link, if you are so inclined.
https://fall22spain.blogspot.com/
I have been reading a blog written by a guy who traveled from Porto to Bilbao in October, with your interest in wine maybe you might enjoy reading it. I am patiently waiting for his final entries on Bilbao. Here is the link, if you are so inclined.
https://fall22spain.blogspot.com/
#5
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NOT going to Barcelona!
Heading to Mallorca in a month to visit our daughter.
Earlier in the year we explored Andalucia. Previous trips to northern Spain and Extremadura. Our only time in Barcelona was 22 years ago!
Heading to Mallorca in a month to visit our daughter.
Earlier in the year we explored Andalucia. Previous trips to northern Spain and Extremadura. Our only time in Barcelona was 22 years ago!
#6
I was in Barcelona in late October, as part of a Spain do-over trip that was short-circuited due to COVID in March 2020.
Have to say, I didn't love it, and much preferred Seville. We also visited Granada and Madrid.
Have to say, I didn't love it, and much preferred Seville. We also visited Granada and Madrid.
#8
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Nope! Barcelona is so far down my bucket list - in part because of all the hype it gets. I'll get there someday, maybe. I just don't see the appeal - can anyone describe?
Considering going to Slovenia again next autumn to compete in an adult-only figure skating competition. Likely will include that with Northeatern Croatia or perhaps parts of Austria I haven't seen yet. Not sure...I would need to make sure I have the technical requirements before I even begin to plan!
Considering going to Slovenia again next autumn to compete in an adult-only figure skating competition. Likely will include that with Northeatern Croatia or perhaps parts of Austria I haven't seen yet. Not sure...I would need to make sure I have the technical requirements before I even begin to plan!
#9
Been there, done that, so you can add me to one of those not going to Barcelona.
Enric, were I contemplating going to Catalunya, I'd try to find a different hub for those enticing side trips which you mention. Where would you recommend with that in mind?
Were I able to get away in the winter I should head for southern Spain and starting in Malaga, explore the coast to up to the Portuguese border.
Enric, were I contemplating going to Catalunya, I'd try to find a different hub for those enticing side trips which you mention. Where would you recommend with that in mind?
Were I able to get away in the winter I should head for southern Spain and starting in Malaga, explore the coast to up to the Portuguese border.
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I'm not going either despite NS International tempting me with cheap(ish) train tickets.
Been to Barcelona, apart from getting snowed in the most memorable thing for me was watching everyone dance the sardana in front of the cathedral. Not in a rush to go back.
If I were going to Catalunya by car I'd head inland and bounce around the foothills of the Pyrenees. Did it in the campervan and would love to spend more time there exploring. Can't see me doing it though.
Not going to Portugal either which seems suddenly to be THE place to go.
Been to Barcelona, apart from getting snowed in the most memorable thing for me was watching everyone dance the sardana in front of the cathedral. Not in a rush to go back.
If I were going to Catalunya by car I'd head inland and bounce around the foothills of the Pyrenees. Did it in the campervan and would love to spend more time there exploring. Can't see me doing it though.
Not going to Portugal either which seems suddenly to be THE place to go.
#13
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Been there, done that, so you can add me to one of those not going to Barcelona.
Enric, were I contemplating going to Catalunya, I'd try to find a different hub for those enticing side trips which you mention. Where would you recommend with that in mind?
Were I able to get away in the winter I should head for southern Spain and starting in Malaga, explore the coast to up to the Portuguese border.
Enric, were I contemplating going to Catalunya, I'd try to find a different hub for those enticing side trips which you mention. Where would you recommend with that in mind?
Were I able to get away in the winter I should head for southern Spain and starting in Malaga, explore the coast to up to the Portuguese border.
What sort of side trips do you like? what are your preferences? your travel style? will you be driving? how long do you plan to spend in Catalonia?
#14
<<Hi @annhig
What sort of side trips do you like? what are your preferences? your travel style? will you be driving? how long do you plan to spend in Catalonia?>>
Thanks for your reply, Enrich - I wasn't intending to turn you into my personal TA. But since you are so kind as to ask, I suppose about a week, preferably in one main base base where there are plenty of things to see and do, with excursions by train, where there is enough to do in a day including a decent lunch. Churches, art galleries, gardens, interesting architecture and mooching about generally are the sorts of things I enjoy.
What sort of side trips do you like? what are your preferences? your travel style? will you be driving? how long do you plan to spend in Catalonia?>>
Thanks for your reply, Enrich - I wasn't intending to turn you into my personal TA. But since you are so kind as to ask, I suppose about a week, preferably in one main base base where there are plenty of things to see and do, with excursions by train, where there is enough to do in a day including a decent lunch. Churches, art galleries, gardens, interesting architecture and mooching about generally are the sorts of things I enjoy.
#15
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Dear annhig,
Without wanting to replace Enric I leave you my point of view. If you are going to stay for a week, you can take Girona as your base point. It is a beautiful and charm city, with a lot of cultural and restaurant offers. It is also much quieter than Barcelona but you can easily go to Barcelona one day by train, if you want. From Girona you can go to other points on the Costa Brava or get closer to the Pyrenees (Banyoles, Beget, Besalú, Santa Pau...).
There are several Romanesque churches in the area, some quite unknown (for example Ravós, which still has an original pantocrator in situ).
In Palafrugell and Blanes you have beautiful botanical gardens. In Olot there is a very interesting art museum and another more curious one about the sculpture of saints. All these cities can be easily visited from Girona by car or intercity bus. You can also go to Figueres by train where there is the Dalí museum, for example.
Without wanting to replace Enric I leave you my point of view. If you are going to stay for a week, you can take Girona as your base point. It is a beautiful and charm city, with a lot of cultural and restaurant offers. It is also much quieter than Barcelona but you can easily go to Barcelona one day by train, if you want. From Girona you can go to other points on the Costa Brava or get closer to the Pyrenees (Banyoles, Beget, Besalú, Santa Pau...).
There are several Romanesque churches in the area, some quite unknown (for example Ravós, which still has an original pantocrator in situ).
In Palafrugell and Blanes you have beautiful botanical gardens. In Olot there is a very interesting art museum and another more curious one about the sculpture of saints. All these cities can be easily visited from Girona by car or intercity bus. You can also go to Figueres by train where there is the Dalí museum, for example.
#16
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<<Hi @annhig
What sort of side trips do you like? what are your preferences? your travel style? will you be driving? how long do you plan to spend in Catalonia?>>
Thanks for your reply, Enrich - I wasn't intending to turn you into my personal TA. But since you are so kind as to ask, I suppose about a week, preferably in one main base base where there are plenty of things to see and do, with excursions by train, where there is enough to do in a day including a decent lunch. Churches, art galleries, gardens, interesting architecture and mooching about generally are the sorts of things I enjoy.
What sort of side trips do you like? what are your preferences? your travel style? will you be driving? how long do you plan to spend in Catalonia?>>
Thanks for your reply, Enrich - I wasn't intending to turn you into my personal TA. But since you are so kind as to ask, I suppose about a week, preferably in one main base base where there are plenty of things to see and do, with excursions by train, where there is enough to do in a day including a decent lunch. Churches, art galleries, gardens, interesting architecture and mooching about generally are the sorts of things I enjoy.
Two suggestions then,
1.) GIRONA (https://www.girona.cat/turisme/eng/activitats.php)
Arguably the second capital city of Catalonia after Barcelona. A medium-sized city located about one hour north of Barcelona (40' by high-speed train). Nicknamed the "Romantic city"
From Girona, you have a vast range of escapades at your fingertips (for some you might need to rent a car)
- FIGUERES (https://turismefigueres.com/en/) Of course, well known for being the birthplace of Salvador Dalí and hosting his Museum (
- CADAQUÉS (http://www.visitcadaques.org) Costa Brava is an area of the coast of Catalonia that has very beautiful landscapes, coves and little quirky towns:
- BESALÚ
- THE PYRENEES: Ahh, if you like mountains, the Pyrenees are quite close to Girona and they're really something:
2.) TARRAGONA (https://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en)
The former capital city of the Roman province of Hispania Citerior Tarraconensis, occupied almost half of the Iberian Peninsula at its peak, during the 4th and 5th centuries AD. This fact made of Tarraco (now Tarragona), a sort of mini-Rome in Iberia, so to speak, a proper Roman city with its walls, circus, amphitheatre, local forum, aqueduct, victory arch and the lot, many of which are visitable nowadays. Tarragona is a World Heritage featured destination. Should you be lucky enough to be in Tarragona during the annual Tarraco Viva Festival (https://www.tarracoviva.com/), you'll be blown away, no Hollywood-like fake movie sets, but the real McCoy! Beyond its Roman past, Tarragona offers a range of interesting things to visit, from the 12th-century Romanesque (and Gothic) Cathedral to the traditional El Serrallo harbour full of small seafood restaurants. If you are sort-of-foodie, a visit to the stalls of the fresh food market Mercat Central de Tarragona is a must. Wandering the streets of the Old City, by the Cathedral is another good activity: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pa...9361,1.2571992
Tarragona is also an excellent basecamp to visit nearby areas such as (for some you might need to rent a car):
- REUS, the eternal rival city of Tarragona, is a stone's throw away by train and the birthplace of the famous architect Antoni Gaudí. Well worth spending a full day in Reus, lots of things to see/do, check the tourism website: https://www.reusturisme.cat/
- TORTOSA (
- EL DELTA DE l'EBRE (https://terresdelebre.travel/en), one of the biggest nature reserves in the South of Europe (https://theculturetrip.com/europe/sp...bre-catalonia/) where you can have a lunch in the middle of the bay, in one of the many oyster and mussel farms
- RIU EBRE, this river is one of the largest in the Iberian peninsula. There are plenty of activities around it, one being navigating it, be by a river cruise, by canoe or by motor boat: https://terresdelebre.travel/en/what...ver-navigation
Enjoy!
Last edited by EnricM; Nov 17th, 2022 at 07:11 AM.
#17
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Apologies for the mishaps in the previous post, I still haven't got the hang of the software used in this forum... my intention was for it to be a text-only post, which is easier to read and organize.
#18
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For God's sake, I forgot to mention some of the main festivals!
GIRONA:
-Easter (https://web.girona.cat/dinamitzacio/setmanasanta)
don't miss the Manaies (=https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manaies)
-Sant Jordi (https://www.elnacional.cat/en/cultur...60571_102.html) on April 23rd
-Temps de Flors (https://tempsdeflors.girona.cat/cat/inici.php) in mid May.
-Feste del Setge de Girona de 1908 (https://www.girona1809.cat/) in early September. Remembering the Napoleonic sieges of the city.
-Fires de Sant Narcís (https://en.costabrava.org/events/eve...r-and-festival) at the end of October. They last a week.
TARRAGONA:
-Els Tres Tombs in mid May, featuring a procession of horse-drawn carriages in all shapes and sizes held in honour of St. Anthony Abbot, patron saint of animals.
-Tarraco Viva (https://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/events/tarraco-viva) in the end of May
-Sant Pere (https://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/...re-saint-peter) at the end of June, honouring
-Diada castellera at Tarraco Arena (https://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/...y-human-towers) at the begining of Oct. Sort of like "the Superbowl of human towers"
Wanna know more about this Catalan tradition/sport?:
-Santa Tecla (https://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/events/santa-tecla), in mid September.
and then, in both cases, the Three King's Parade (Epiphany) in January, Carnival in Feb, Corpus Christi in June, Christmas in Dec and a few more
GIRONA:
-Easter (https://web.girona.cat/dinamitzacio/setmanasanta)
-Temps de Flors (https://tempsdeflors.girona.cat/cat/inici.php) in mid May.
-Fires de Sant Narcís (https://en.costabrava.org/events/eve...r-and-festival) at the end of October. They last a week.
TARRAGONA:
-Els Tres Tombs in mid May, featuring a procession of horse-drawn carriages in all shapes and sizes held in honour of St. Anthony Abbot, patron saint of animals.
-Tarraco Viva (https://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/events/tarraco-viva) in the end of May
-Diada castellera at Tarraco Arena (https://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/en/...y-human-towers) at the begining of Oct. Sort of like "the Superbowl of human towers"
and then, in both cases, the Three King's Parade (Epiphany) in January, Carnival in Feb, Corpus Christi in June, Christmas in Dec and a few more
#19
Besalu - I'm very grateful for your chiming in, and you reminded me that there was a very short window of time when it was possible to fly from my local airport Newquay, to Girona. Loads of Cornish residents took advantage of it, in our case to go to Barcelona, and before we had a chance to try Girona, they canceled the route because "there was no call for it". Such a shame. you have definitely inspired me to try to get there, though it may be a little more difficult than it was during those few short months when we could fly direct. However you can fly direct from Bristol to Girona which is not a bad option.
Enrich - thank you so much, those are wonderful ideas and my main problem would be finding time to spend the month which Catalunya clearly warrants. but you can rest assured that I would NOT be doing the Game of Thrones tour.
Enrich - thank you so much, those are wonderful ideas and my main problem would be finding time to spend the month which Catalunya clearly warrants. but you can rest assured that I would NOT be doing the Game of Thrones tour.