NikkiNoel

Hi there!

My husband and I are planning a trip to Barcelona in mid-May. After arriving from the US, we'll have 7 full days for adventuring before flying home.

I've read lots about all of the exciting things to do and see in Barcelona, but we're also interested in spending one or two nights mid-trip somewhere else. Any suggestions?

Some places I've considered:
-Majorca (via plane)
-Sitges
-Girona
-Andorra
-Pyranees region
-Others??? Any of these you definitely wouldn't do?

Excited to read your ideas!

kimhe

If you are in Barcelona May 20/21, you should go and see flamenco dance genious Rocío Molina in Mercat de les Flors in her latest, Caída del Cielo (Fallen from heaven).
http://mercatflors.cat/en/espectacle...17-diptico-3/#
"Rocío Molina: flamenco and beyond": https://www.theguardian.com/stage/20...-bosque-ardora

Robert2016

7 Days in Barcelona is a bit excessive. Assuming you're flying into and out of Barcelona tends to limit where you can go without spending all day on the road traveling. I'd stick with the immediate area and add the Val d'Arn to your wishlist if you want to experience the Pyrenees.

SeeDee

If Salvador Dali interests you, you could rent a car for a two day round trip incorporating Figueres, Cadaques and Pubol Castle, perhaps overnighting in Girona which as many other places of interest as well.

Dukey1

Flying somewhere (cheaply) out of BCN: look at Vueling Airlines.

I would NOT go to Andorra; Sitges only if you are interested in the seaside. Montserrat makes a great day trip by easy rail IMO.

You could fly to MADRID in an hour or take a fast train.

kimhe

I recommend to explore excellent and local atmosphere districts in Barcelona such as Poble Sec and Gracia, could be fascinating "day-trips" and something quite different than the most visited parts of town, the Gothic quarter, Las Ramblas and Passeig de Gracia/Eixample.

Poble Sec is excellent tapas bars and restaurants, and you have all the theaters, museums, Olympic sports arenas, great greens and the Castell in Montjuic just above Poble Sec. http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...to-bodega.html

La Perla on the way up to Montjuic is as Barcelona as it gets, lunch only: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...Catalonia.html

Xemei on the other side of the street, our best meal in 2015: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Lvcjtoh0tU

And Poble Sec is also next door to the cutting edge food heaven of the so called Barrio Adrià: https://www.elbarriadria.com/en

Gracia is like a seperate village right on top of fashionable Passeig de Gracia: https://www.barcelona-tourist-guide....ia-barrio.html
http://blog.lifestylebarcelona.com/lively-gracia/

Had a fabulous meal last week in Somodó in Gracia, nine courses tasting menu for 35€ pp., must be the best deal in town (well, perhaps the four courses lunch with wine included for 20€ is even better). Very successful Mediterranean/Japanese fusion:
http://www.spottedbylocals.com/barcelona/somodo/
http://www.barcelona-metropolitan.co...s-somod%C3%B3/

And of course the Born district, a cradle of Catalan identity and culture. http://www.barcelona-life.com/barcelona/born

kja

I really enjoyed Girona, Figueres, and Montserrat. You might want to check my long, but searchable, trip report -- to find it, click on my screen name and then scroll down to the trip report section.

NikkiNoel

These all seem like great suggestions. Yes, should have clarified - our flights are in and out of Barcelona, we had the intention of venturing elsewhere for part of the trip. Would anyone consider visiting Nice in this amount of time? ps my husband and I are always in persuit of a perfect meal, so live the foodie response from kimhe

kja

I, personally, would not try to include Nice in the time you have -- especially when there is so very much to see near Barcelona!

Mimar

I disagree with Robert2016. There's so much to see in Barcelona that a week will fly by. However I'm very interested in architecture in general and modernism in particular. YMMV.

kimhe

If food is a high priority, I recommend to make a reservation at Tickets, the paradise version of traditional tapas style restaurant run by the Adrià brothers of the world's by far most awarded restaurant this century, now closed El Bulli. Very affordable Tickets was up on the list of the world's 100 best restaurants after one year (#77), and jumped this year to #41. http://www.theworlds50best.com/

The basic concept is traditional tapas prepared and presented as you never would imagine and with tastes to the maximum. Iberian ham, Spanish cheeses, olives, croquetas, tomatoes, anchoas, shellfish, Iberian pork etc etc plus some surprises from out of this world. Just tell the waiter how much you would like to spend and what kind of food you like, and then leave it up to the kitchen to make it an evening never to forget. Have had both lunch and dinner here, some 15-17 small dishes each with wine/cava/beer has been some 70-80€ pp. Lived very much up to the high expectations.

You can normally only book online and only two months in advance. Tables are literally gone 10 minutes after midnight two months prior to every day year around, so you have to be online on midnight Barcelona time two months ahead to book a table. http://www.ticketsbar.es/web/en/

22 Michelin star restaurants in town, but you'll get more and perhaps more interesting options in the Guia Repsol, the Spanish equivalent to the Michelin guide: https://www.guiarepsol.com/es/gastro...locality=|3005

HappyTrvlr

We spent four nights in Begur on the Costa Brava before arriving in Barcelona, not far and a nice of pace.

NikkiNoel

Kimhe thank you for the fantastic food advice, we will set a reminder for booking Tickets and check out Guia Repsol as well!

Happytrvlr, Begur looks quite lovely!

Has anyone ventured to island of Mallorca? Would it be worth considering a night or two there in May?

KarenWoo

We spent 10 days in Barcelona and Costa Brava in 2010. After Barcelona, we rented a car, drove along the Costa Brava to Cadaques, where we stayed one night. Visited Dali's quirky home (loved it!) in the town next door. Don't remember the name. Then we spent 2 nights in Girona, which we also loved. On our way to Cadaques, we made stops along the way on the Mediterranean, such as Tossa del Mar. When we left Girona, we drove through a small part of the Pyrenees and visited small towns. It was an easy ride back to Barcelona.

If you click on my name, you should be able to find my trip report.

KarenWoo

Nikki, you will see my trip report listed under "Topics you commented on", after you click on my name. It's at the bottom. It's not listed under Trip Reports because I accidentally changed my screen name several years ago.

rialtogrl

Don't fly anywhere. There are plenty of day trips and the cool thing with those is you can go where the week takes you. So if you are enthralled with Barcelona and do not want to leave, fine. Otherwise, the train station is right there.

Girona and Sitges are a short train ride away. Tarragona too if you like Roman history and ruins.