Spain Attractions tickets
May 19th, 2022 | 07:29 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 13
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Spain Attractions tickets
We are going to Spain next week. We'll be visiting Madrid, Granada, Cordoba, Seville, and Barcelona. Should we book all attraction tickets in advance? We are planning to buy tickets for Prado museum, Alhambra, Royal Alcazar, Mosque in Cordoba, Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Casa Batllo, Casa Millo. I was checking their respective websites and I saw ticket availability for the same day online. I want to keep some flexibility but don't want to waste time in long lines either. But if I book everything in advance, I am not sure how much much it'll take to get to the next attraction. Is there any other attraction I should not miss?
Thanks
Thanks
May 19th, 2022 | 08:58 AM
#2
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,146
Likes: 83
When we visited Barcelona in March 2020 we booked Sagrada Familia and Park Guell in advance as we absolutely did not want to miss those (booked Sagrada Familia for the morning, Park Guell for the same afternoon).
We booked Casa Batllo and Casa Mila/La Pedrera via our phones on the fly (tickets are cheaper that way), the morning we went. We had no issues doing that, but it was right at the start of COVID and that might have been a factor. I'm not sure how busy these places are this year, but if Portugal is any indication, Europe is back in action big time. We didn't make any bookings in Madrid other than for a flamenco concert.
Enjoy your trip!
We booked Casa Batllo and Casa Mila/La Pedrera via our phones on the fly (tickets are cheaper that way), the morning we went. We had no issues doing that, but it was right at the start of COVID and that might have been a factor. I'm not sure how busy these places are this year, but if Portugal is any indication, Europe is back in action big time. We didn't make any bookings in Madrid other than for a flamenco concert.
Enjoy your trip!
May 19th, 2022 | 01:28 PM
#3
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,661
Likes: 0
Advance tickets absolutely necessary for next week:
For Granada:
Alhambra, ASAP!
For Sevilla:
If you get in to the Royal Alcázar line at 11, you'll most likely find a long line. If you go at 9:15, before its opening at 9:30 you should be ok except for Mondays, when it's free starting at 4 pm.
If you want a combo ticket, which includes access to the Alcázar's Royal Apartments ("Cuarto Real"), entrance is only in the mornings, from 10 am-1:30 pm, timed tickets only, groups of 10-12 in a 50-minute escorted tour with palace guard directing the movement from room to room and an English audio guide, and they do sell out in advance. But tickets are still available for June 1.
For Córdoba:
For the Cathedral/Mosque (Mezquita) you can check the line at 10 am and if too long, buy tickets on your phone.
For the one-hour night visit, the "Soul of Córdoba: sound and light spectacle, tickets do sell out in advance, since only 80 tickets are sold for each visit. This is a very popular light show that visitors who overnight in Córdoba really enjoy. On some nights there are 2 visits, at 10 and 11:30 pm and on other nights just one.
https://tickets.mezquita-catedraldec...oul-of-cordoba
For Barcelona:
Sagrada Familia, Parc Güell,
and I would book La Pedrera (Casa Milà) and Casa Batlló a day ahead only if you don't want to do it while standing in a long line in the hot sun or on the fly. I see that tickets for both are available today for tomorrow.
For those who want to enjoy a jazz concert on the roof of La Pedrera, they do sell out, but they don't start up again until June 2.
If you wait to purchase La Pedrera tickets at the ticket office, it will cost 3 euros more/p.
For Casa Batlló there's an online senior discount (65+) of 3 euros and a children 13-17 discount of 6 euros.
Holders of the Barcelona Card, Ruta del Modernisme Card or the Bus Turistic pass there's a discount of 7 euros but only available at the ticket office.
And to confuse visitors more, there's a "Be the First", as in "Beat the Crowds" (10 euros more) ticket that allows early, limited access at 8:30 or 8:45 am
La Pedrera's "night experience" in English also has availability for tomorrow
Casa Batlló also has a "Magic Nights" experience with visit to site, plus concert/ drink on the roof. Tickets are available for next week but sold out this weekend.
In my experience, tickets for Barcelona sites are quite expensive! A family of 4 can spend a small fortune.
If you want to see a flamenco, guitar, recital or chamber orchestra concert during your stay at the magnificent Palau de la Música (highly recommended), they usually don't sell out, as the magnificent venue is large enough and has few bad sight lines. The Gran Gala Flamenco there is very popular, but there are still tickets available for May 29.
I'm working on a Barcelona itinerary right now for June, and I expect the city to be extremely busy now that the mega cruise ships are back in port.
You can see how many ships will be in port during your stay here-
https://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/barcelona-port-82.
For Granada:
Alhambra, ASAP!
For Sevilla:
If you get in to the Royal Alcázar line at 11, you'll most likely find a long line. If you go at 9:15, before its opening at 9:30 you should be ok except for Mondays, when it's free starting at 4 pm.
If you want a combo ticket, which includes access to the Alcázar's Royal Apartments ("Cuarto Real"), entrance is only in the mornings, from 10 am-1:30 pm, timed tickets only, groups of 10-12 in a 50-minute escorted tour with palace guard directing the movement from room to room and an English audio guide, and they do sell out in advance. But tickets are still available for June 1.
For Córdoba:
For the Cathedral/Mosque (Mezquita) you can check the line at 10 am and if too long, buy tickets on your phone.
For the one-hour night visit, the "Soul of Córdoba: sound and light spectacle, tickets do sell out in advance, since only 80 tickets are sold for each visit. This is a very popular light show that visitors who overnight in Córdoba really enjoy. On some nights there are 2 visits, at 10 and 11:30 pm and on other nights just one.
https://tickets.mezquita-catedraldec...oul-of-cordoba
For Barcelona:
Sagrada Familia, Parc Güell,
and I would book La Pedrera (Casa Milà) and Casa Batlló a day ahead only if you don't want to do it while standing in a long line in the hot sun or on the fly. I see that tickets for both are available today for tomorrow.
For those who want to enjoy a jazz concert on the roof of La Pedrera, they do sell out, but they don't start up again until June 2.
If you wait to purchase La Pedrera tickets at the ticket office, it will cost 3 euros more/p.
For Casa Batlló there's an online senior discount (65+) of 3 euros and a children 13-17 discount of 6 euros.
Holders of the Barcelona Card, Ruta del Modernisme Card or the Bus Turistic pass there's a discount of 7 euros but only available at the ticket office.
And to confuse visitors more, there's a "Be the First", as in "Beat the Crowds" (10 euros more) ticket that allows early, limited access at 8:30 or 8:45 am
La Pedrera's "night experience" in English also has availability for tomorrow
Casa Batlló also has a "Magic Nights" experience with visit to site, plus concert/ drink on the roof. Tickets are available for next week but sold out this weekend.
In my experience, tickets for Barcelona sites are quite expensive! A family of 4 can spend a small fortune.
If you want to see a flamenco, guitar, recital or chamber orchestra concert during your stay at the magnificent Palau de la Música (highly recommended), they usually don't sell out, as the magnificent venue is large enough and has few bad sight lines. The Gran Gala Flamenco there is very popular, but there are still tickets available for May 29.
I'm working on a Barcelona itinerary right now for June, and I expect the city to be extremely busy now that the mega cruise ships are back in port.
You can see how many ships will be in port during your stay here-
https://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/barcelona-port-82.
Last edited by Maribel; May 19th, 2022 at 01:47 PM.
