Specific Barcelona questions
Jun 15th, 2003, 10:55 PM
#1
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Specific Barcelona questions
Please help if you can:
1) On Sundays, is the dance (sardona?) done outside the Church only at 12 noon? Most of the time I've seen it written at noon but once I read it was at 6pm. Is it throughout the day? How long does it go for?
2) Has anyone used the Ruta Modernisme discount? Is it worth it if you are only going to 4 places?
3) For 4 people, is it worth taking the Bus turistic or cheaper taking cabs (ie. from Sacrada FAmilia to Parc Guell). Are cabs hard to come by if you are not at a major place? For example from Parc Guell, would we be able to get a cab?
4) Is the Manzana tour free and only for the outside? Are guided tours inside Casa Batllo still available? If you were visiting Manzana, Sacarada, and Parc Guell in one morning, what order would you do it (taking into consideration convenience and the heat of summer).
5) ARe Barceloneta restaurants open on Sunday afternoon/evenings?
Sorry about all the questions. Thanks for your help.
1) On Sundays, is the dance (sardona?) done outside the Church only at 12 noon? Most of the time I've seen it written at noon but once I read it was at 6pm. Is it throughout the day? How long does it go for?
2) Has anyone used the Ruta Modernisme discount? Is it worth it if you are only going to 4 places?
3) For 4 people, is it worth taking the Bus turistic or cheaper taking cabs (ie. from Sacrada FAmilia to Parc Guell). Are cabs hard to come by if you are not at a major place? For example from Parc Guell, would we be able to get a cab?
4) Is the Manzana tour free and only for the outside? Are guided tours inside Casa Batllo still available? If you were visiting Manzana, Sacarada, and Parc Guell in one morning, what order would you do it (taking into consideration convenience and the heat of summer).
5) ARe Barceloneta restaurants open on Sunday afternoon/evenings?
Sorry about all the questions. Thanks for your help.
Jun 16th, 2003, 03:13 PM
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Hi Marian,
I'll take a stab at those questions to get your thread started.
1)
Yes, the sardana is performed outside the cathedral at noon on Sundays. I can't remember exactly how long it lasts, but I think until about 2 p.m. The groups form slowly, as dancers come up and join the circles. It may be performed on Sat. evenings too at 6:30.
It's also performed in the evening at 6 or 7 p.m. on the Placa Sant Jaume in front of the Ajuntament (city hall) and Generalitat (catalan regional gov't building).
2)
I've never used the Ruta del Modernisme pass, so I really can't opine on this one.
3)
Taxis aren't hard to find, but drivers have told us that they need to be hailed at the official taxi stands, not on the street. As long as you can find an official stand near your location, four people sharing a taxi would be cheaper than the four Bus Turistic one day passes (but the bus Turistic gives you discounts to monuments, the teleferic, etc.)
4)
The order of touring the Modernisme architecture for me would depend on the opening times. Since the Sagrada Familia opens at 9, I'd start with that, then move back to the Passeig de Gracia for the Manzana de la Discordia (free tours are only of the facades) and then Casa Mila, or "La Pedrera", which opens at 10. But my guides say that guided tours of La Pedrera are given Mon-Fri at either 4 or 6 or 7 p.m. (guides don't agree, but the most recent one, Let's Go '03, says the English tour is at 4, and the Spanish tour at 6 on Mon-Fri and English tour at 11 on Sat.-Sun).
I don't think guided tours are still available inside the Casa Batló since it's no longer the Gaudí anniversary year, but I'm not certain. The rooftop terrace of the Casa Mila, La Pedrera, on wkds in July-August is the place to be. It's called the Pedrera de Nit, open Fri and Sat during those 2 months from 9-midnight. Live music and cocktails.
5)
Yes the Barceloneta seafood restaurants are open on Sunday afternoons but most close at night. Sun. lunch is a big time for them, when they'll be filled with large family groups, we've found. A Barcelona friend took us to Can Majo on Almirall Aixada 23, open from 1-4 on Sun. Another is Can Sole on Sant Carles 4. I'd certainly avoid those very touristy ones on the main drag with barkers outside and accordian players.
For Sunday paella, though, we like Set Ports on Passeig Isabel II (the large, long building with the 7 arches). It's hugely popular, Bcn's oldest restaurant dating from 1836, an institution, and packed on Sun., so I'd be very certain to reserve. Open daily from 1 p.m.-1 a.m. It reminds me of a Parisian brasserie. Lovely decor with black and white checked tile floors, huge mirrors, bentwood chairs, pretty lamps, waiters who have been there forever, plus piano music. Some call it Barcelona's La Coupole. Lots of different paellas on the menu, including their special Paella Parellada with all the bones and shells removed.
www.7puertas.com
Hope this helps some. And have a great trip!
I'll take a stab at those questions to get your thread started.
1)
Yes, the sardana is performed outside the cathedral at noon on Sundays. I can't remember exactly how long it lasts, but I think until about 2 p.m. The groups form slowly, as dancers come up and join the circles. It may be performed on Sat. evenings too at 6:30.
It's also performed in the evening at 6 or 7 p.m. on the Placa Sant Jaume in front of the Ajuntament (city hall) and Generalitat (catalan regional gov't building).
2)
I've never used the Ruta del Modernisme pass, so I really can't opine on this one.
3)
Taxis aren't hard to find, but drivers have told us that they need to be hailed at the official taxi stands, not on the street. As long as you can find an official stand near your location, four people sharing a taxi would be cheaper than the four Bus Turistic one day passes (but the bus Turistic gives you discounts to monuments, the teleferic, etc.)
4)
The order of touring the Modernisme architecture for me would depend on the opening times. Since the Sagrada Familia opens at 9, I'd start with that, then move back to the Passeig de Gracia for the Manzana de la Discordia (free tours are only of the facades) and then Casa Mila, or "La Pedrera", which opens at 10. But my guides say that guided tours of La Pedrera are given Mon-Fri at either 4 or 6 or 7 p.m. (guides don't agree, but the most recent one, Let's Go '03, says the English tour is at 4, and the Spanish tour at 6 on Mon-Fri and English tour at 11 on Sat.-Sun).
I don't think guided tours are still available inside the Casa Batló since it's no longer the Gaudí anniversary year, but I'm not certain. The rooftop terrace of the Casa Mila, La Pedrera, on wkds in July-August is the place to be. It's called the Pedrera de Nit, open Fri and Sat during those 2 months from 9-midnight. Live music and cocktails.
5)
Yes the Barceloneta seafood restaurants are open on Sunday afternoons but most close at night. Sun. lunch is a big time for them, when they'll be filled with large family groups, we've found. A Barcelona friend took us to Can Majo on Almirall Aixada 23, open from 1-4 on Sun. Another is Can Sole on Sant Carles 4. I'd certainly avoid those very touristy ones on the main drag with barkers outside and accordian players.
For Sunday paella, though, we like Set Ports on Passeig Isabel II (the large, long building with the 7 arches). It's hugely popular, Bcn's oldest restaurant dating from 1836, an institution, and packed on Sun., so I'd be very certain to reserve. Open daily from 1 p.m.-1 a.m. It reminds me of a Parisian brasserie. Lovely decor with black and white checked tile floors, huge mirrors, bentwood chairs, pretty lamps, waiters who have been there forever, plus piano music. Some call it Barcelona's La Coupole. Lots of different paellas on the menu, including their special Paella Parellada with all the bones and shells removed.
www.7puertas.com
Hope this helps some. And have a great trip!
Jun 16th, 2003, 05:46 PM
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Thanks Maribel, you're the best (as always)! Would you mind answering the question I posted on Montjuic? Also, is 7 Portes very expensive and which dining area would you recommend (their website seems to show a few)? Also, you mentioned Can Majo which has been highly recommended by some friends - did you like the food? By the way, is Barceloneta very confusing to make your way around? There doesn't seem to be any maps of that area. And what is the name of the main drag you were referring to? And finally, what area is safe to wander at night? Sounds like Barceloneta closes down and Barri Gotic has been warned against as well as the lower part of Ramblas. Oh, and have you ever been to the restaurant El Tragaluz? Sorry to keep asking...I leave this Saturday!
Jun 16th, 2003, 05:53 PM
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To Maribel: I have another entirely unrelated question. We have to take a bus from Granada to Malaga. Is it safer to buy tickets way beforehand (if so how) or will we have no problem purchasing right before departure. I went to their website once to get the schedule but I don't think I'm able to purchase from it. Do you recommend I call from the States to make reservations?
Jun 17th, 2003, 03:32 PM
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Hi Marian,
I left a response on your other thread regarding Montjuic. About the other questions, here goes:
1)
Set Portes is "reasonably" priced. You should get by for under 30 euros per person. It's many visitors' favorite because of the atmosphere. Also the portions are quite large. I never order an appetizer except for sharing a plate of their wonderful tomato and garlic bread, pa amb tomaquet, or maybe share a salad with the paella. Their "arroz caldoso", a rice dish in a yummy fish broth, costs 14 euros and their special "pastel del día" (cake of the day) is only about 4. A bottle of the house red wine is 7,30. You can reserve via email at [email protected] or call
93 319 30 33
2) Yes, I did enjoy my meal at Can Majó.
Barceloneta is not confusing at all. It's just the old fishermen's quarter in front of the pier and only 8 blocks long. The "main drag" is the wide Passeig Nacional which you can't miss. It's lined with seafood restaurants. The street Almirall Aixada where Can Majó is located is a street right off of it, to the right, about 6 blocks down from the beginning of Barceloneta. The specialties there are the paellas and "suquet", a fish stew, type of bouillabaisse. It's a good value. Their rice dishes should run 17-18 euros. Another specialty is "arros negre", which has squid cooked in its own black ink. Can Solé at Sant Cales 4 is 2 streets before and pricier than Can Majó.
3) It's very safe to wander anywhere in the Eixample at night. The crazy Ramblas is filled with people 24/7, although it's picketpocket and con game heaven. Lots of sticky fingers on that long street! I was in Bcn alone last summer for 3 days waiting for friends and family, and I also walked in the young and hip El Born(e) (spelled both ways) district in the evenings, as it's a lively area, but I didn't venture into the warren of darker, narrower streets of the Barri Gotic. And certainly I would completely avoid wandering down very scruffy Escudellers and unsavory Placa George Orwell-yuck!
In El Born(e), the area of Via Laitana, Argenteria, the square in front of the Basílica de Santa María del Mar and the Passeig del Born are heavily traversed at night, filled with tapas/wine bars, clubs, restaurants. It's a mecca for the young and restless, so safe to walk around.
4) Yes, I've been to Tragaluz in the fashionable Eixample quarter. It's trendy, minimalist (small portions), creative, with "vanguardista" interiors designed by Valencian artist Javier Marsical who created the '92 Olympics mascot, Cobi. It was the first in a series of cutting edge eateries belonging to the Esteva family, now called the Tragaluz group, including El Principal also in the Eixample (which I like more) and Agua, down at the Port Olympic overlooking the water, and a Japanese place across from Tragaluz. www.grupotragaluz.com
At Tragaluz there's a downstairs, less expensive eating venue, Tragarrapid.
5) You don't need to prepurchase those Granada-Málaga bus tickets. I have no luck using their purchase on line option anyway. You should be fine purchasing them on the day of departure.
Hope this helps and hope you have a wonderful journey. I leave myself tomorrow for our annual six week trip. Time to go pack!!
I left a response on your other thread regarding Montjuic. About the other questions, here goes:
1)
Set Portes is "reasonably" priced. You should get by for under 30 euros per person. It's many visitors' favorite because of the atmosphere. Also the portions are quite large. I never order an appetizer except for sharing a plate of their wonderful tomato and garlic bread, pa amb tomaquet, or maybe share a salad with the paella. Their "arroz caldoso", a rice dish in a yummy fish broth, costs 14 euros and their special "pastel del día" (cake of the day) is only about 4. A bottle of the house red wine is 7,30. You can reserve via email at [email protected] or call
93 319 30 33
2) Yes, I did enjoy my meal at Can Majó.
Barceloneta is not confusing at all. It's just the old fishermen's quarter in front of the pier and only 8 blocks long. The "main drag" is the wide Passeig Nacional which you can't miss. It's lined with seafood restaurants. The street Almirall Aixada where Can Majó is located is a street right off of it, to the right, about 6 blocks down from the beginning of Barceloneta. The specialties there are the paellas and "suquet", a fish stew, type of bouillabaisse. It's a good value. Their rice dishes should run 17-18 euros. Another specialty is "arros negre", which has squid cooked in its own black ink. Can Solé at Sant Cales 4 is 2 streets before and pricier than Can Majó.
3) It's very safe to wander anywhere in the Eixample at night. The crazy Ramblas is filled with people 24/7, although it's picketpocket and con game heaven. Lots of sticky fingers on that long street! I was in Bcn alone last summer for 3 days waiting for friends and family, and I also walked in the young and hip El Born(e) (spelled both ways) district in the evenings, as it's a lively area, but I didn't venture into the warren of darker, narrower streets of the Barri Gotic. And certainly I would completely avoid wandering down very scruffy Escudellers and unsavory Placa George Orwell-yuck!
In El Born(e), the area of Via Laitana, Argenteria, the square in front of the Basílica de Santa María del Mar and the Passeig del Born are heavily traversed at night, filled with tapas/wine bars, clubs, restaurants. It's a mecca for the young and restless, so safe to walk around.
4) Yes, I've been to Tragaluz in the fashionable Eixample quarter. It's trendy, minimalist (small portions), creative, with "vanguardista" interiors designed by Valencian artist Javier Marsical who created the '92 Olympics mascot, Cobi. It was the first in a series of cutting edge eateries belonging to the Esteva family, now called the Tragaluz group, including El Principal also in the Eixample (which I like more) and Agua, down at the Port Olympic overlooking the water, and a Japanese place across from Tragaluz. www.grupotragaluz.com
At Tragaluz there's a downstairs, less expensive eating venue, Tragarrapid.
5) You don't need to prepurchase those Granada-Málaga bus tickets. I have no luck using their purchase on line option anyway. You should be fine purchasing them on the day of departure.
Hope this helps and hope you have a wonderful journey. I leave myself tomorrow for our annual six week trip. Time to go pack!!
Jun 24th, 2003, 09:16 AM
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I just returned and you can tour Casa Batllo. However, it is 10 euros, which includes a listening tour. It was really interesting, but if you are not that into Gaudi, you might be disappointed. I was not disappointed, but I heard people complain that it was 10 euros and only really saw the entrance way, one floor and the patio.
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