THINGS TO SEE IN BARCELONA
SAGRADA FAMILIA BASILICA
Sagrada Familia (Holy Family Church) by Antonio Gaudi...This masterpiece of modernist architecture pushes the gothic style to the extreme. Someone has said, “Sagrada Família, is Gaudi's rendition of what a church might look like if you were stoned out of your mind for years".
Casa Mila (La Pedrera) by Antonio Gaudi is said to be one of the most imaginative houses in the history of architecture. Open daily 9 AM-8 PM. Elevators available.
The other Gaudi homes – Casa Batllo and Casa Guell —are far superior, more interesting than Casa Mila.
Actually the entire block along Passeig de Gracia between Casa Mila and Casa Battlo is full of modernist architecture and weird facades. You'll never put your camera away.
BARCELONA CATHEDRAL
The Barcelona Cathedral
“This is another example of Gothic architecture that will leave you wondering what the heck was going on when it was constructed”. It is huge and has many ornate chapels. . (No shorts or bare arms allowed).
The Picasso Museum has one of the most extensive collections of artworks by Pablo Picasso.
Las Ramblas is Barcelona's most famous Street. Walk down Les Rambles and visit Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter). Las Ramblas comes alive in the afternoon and evening and on the weekends as the local population comes out in full force for the restaurants, bars and shopping. Known for its tree shaded pedestrian ambiance, Las Ramblas is a great place to get to know Barcelona. Made up of 5 separate streets, Las Ramblas is crowded with mimes, magicians and other street entertainment amid its outdoor vendors selling everything under the sun at the interesting Mercat de la Boqueria. It takes 30 minutes or so to stroll the length of Ramblas if you don’t stop.
Parc Güell...the best part of this park is actually not the architecture of Gaudi, but the views of the city. The park is full of architectural elements designed by Antoni Gaudí . The park was built between 1900 and 1914 and contains many of Gaudi's most famous structures. It is now part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Works of Antoni Gaudí'. So prolific are the artist's works here that it could well be called 'Parc Gaudi'. While Parc Güell was originally intended to be a restful and quiet place, it is now one of the most visited and popular tourist attractions in Barcelona. Highlights of the park include the multicolored mosaic dragon fountain at the main entrance, and the fantastically tiled mosaic benches on the Main Terrace which overlooks the park. The 'la Torre Rosa', the house in which Antoni Gaudí lived is now a museum containing some of his furniture. There are the strange arches of his famous Colonnade.near Gaudi's former house.
“This is another example of Gothic architecture that will leave you wondering what the heck was going on when it was constructed”. It is huge and has many ornate chapels. . (No shorts or bare arms allowed).
The Picasso Museum has one of the most extensive collections of artworks by Pablo Picasso.
Las Ramblas is Barcelona's most famous Street. Walk down Les Rambles and visit Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter). Las Ramblas comes alive in the afternoon and evening and on the weekends as the local population comes out in full force for the restaurants, bars and shopping. Known for its tree shaded pedestrian ambiance, Las Ramblas is a great place to get to know Barcelona. Made up of 5 separate streets, Las Ramblas is crowded with mimes, magicians and other street entertainment amid its outdoor vendors selling everything under the sun at the interesting Mercat de la Boqueria. It takes 30 minutes or so to stroll the length of Ramblas if you don’t stop.
Parc Güell...the best part of this park is actually not the architecture of Gaudi, but the views of the city. The park is full of architectural elements designed by Antoni Gaudí . The park was built between 1900 and 1914 and contains many of Gaudi's most famous structures. It is now part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Works of Antoni Gaudí'. So prolific are the artist's works here that it could well be called 'Parc Gaudi'. While Parc Güell was originally intended to be a restful and quiet place, it is now one of the most visited and popular tourist attractions in Barcelona. Highlights of the park include the multicolored mosaic dragon fountain at the main entrance, and the fantastically tiled mosaic benches on the Main Terrace which overlooks the park. The 'la Torre Rosa', the house in which Antoni Gaudí lived is now a museum containing some of his furniture. There are the strange arches of his famous Colonnade.near Gaudi's former house.
ENTRANCE HOURS AND/OR TICKETS
Picasso Museum 15 Euros, Open Tues.-Sun. 10 AM-8 PM
Sagrada Familial 20 Euros There are long lines at this basilica. It is a good idea to buy tickets in advance.
Hours 9 AM to 6 PM. Audio guides are available. Today, 8 towers have been built at La Sagrada Família, 4 on each facade. The facades are not connected and therefore have independent entrances. The visit to the towers can only be made by lift, one on each facade. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office (in order to avoid long cues tickets have specific appointment time. Charge for visit to the towers is 3 Euros. To order tickets Click here
Barcelona Cathedral 5 Euros. No cost to enter in the morning .Open in Oct. 9 AM-6 PM.
Casa Batllo Open every day, from Monday to Sunday 09:00 to 8:00 PM. There are some days that Casa Batlló closes at 2:00 PM according to the availability of the rooms. To buy tickets click here.
La Pedrera (Casa Mila): Opening hours : Summer: Monday to Sunday from 9 am to 8 pm (last entrance at 7.30 pm) Prices : 14€ adults;
PAC (PARK) GUELL -FREE Open daily, 10 AM-8 PM..
Picasso Museum 15 Euros, Open Tues.-Sun. 10 AM-8 PM
Sagrada Familial 20 Euros There are long lines at this basilica. It is a good idea to buy tickets in advance.
Hours 9 AM to 6 PM. Audio guides are available. Today, 8 towers have been built at La Sagrada Família, 4 on each facade. The facades are not connected and therefore have independent entrances. The visit to the towers can only be made by lift, one on each facade. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office (in order to avoid long cues tickets have specific appointment time. Charge for visit to the towers is 3 Euros. To order tickets Click here
Barcelona Cathedral 5 Euros. No cost to enter in the morning .Open in Oct. 9 AM-6 PM.
Casa Batllo Open every day, from Monday to Sunday 09:00 to 8:00 PM. There are some days that Casa Batlló closes at 2:00 PM according to the availability of the rooms. To buy tickets click here.
La Pedrera (Casa Mila): Opening hours : Summer: Monday to Sunday from 9 am to 8 pm (last entrance at 7.30 pm) Prices : 14€ adults;
PAC (PARK) GUELL -FREE Open daily, 10 AM-8 PM..
IDEAS FOR THINGS TO DO IN THE EVENING
Las Ramblas comes alive in the afternoon and evening and on the weekends as the local population comes out in full force for the restaurants, bars and shopping. Known for its tree shaded pedestrian ambiance, Las Ramblas is a great place to get to know Barcelona. Made up of 5 separate streets, Las Ramblas is crowded with mimes, magicians and other street entertainment amid its outdoor vendors selling everything under the sun,including live birds in cages at the bird market, fresh meats, vegetables and fruit among other things at the interesting Mercat de la Boqueria and many unique sights. FLIMENCO SHOW For 8 Euro you can see a spectacular 30-minute show. Los Tarantos Barcelona was founded in 1963, making it one of Barcelona's oldest flamenco venues. For those who wish to enjoy a short, quality flamenco show at a reasonable price, Los Tarantos is an excellent place to do so. They have 3 shows each evening AT 8:30, 9:30, AND 10:30. You need to be there about 30 minutes prior to show time if you want a decent seat. It’s first come first serve for seating. The show is at the Plaza Real just off the lower end of Las Ramblas. To buy tickets, click on the links below. http://www.flamencotickets.com/barcelona.htm OR http://www.tablaocordobes.com/ Its about 3/4 way done Las Ramblas on the right. The flamenco was very entertaining but the food was lacking. Also, many sights are open in the evening. We could revisit any of the places we saw on the city tour that we wish to see in more depth. |
IDEAS FOR POST CRUISE TOURS IN BARCELONA
Here are a couple of ideas if you choose to stay in Barcelona for a day after coming back from the cruise.
1. Montserrat Day Tours with Wine Country Tastings World class art and architecture, amazing rock formations and views and exceptional food and wine. Included is the Monastery of Montserrat located 45 minutes west of Barcelona and standing at an impressive 2378 ft. above sea level. We’ll enjoy the great views of the Mediterranean coast and western valleys below amidst the astounding, unique rock formations. Also we will enjoy hearing the Escolania boy's choir sing. Enjoy a full restaurant lunch of traditional Catalan food and taste great wines and cavas in an exclusive boutique winery. We’ll enjoy the cable railway ride and walk to Santa Cova (the Holy Grotto) along the modernist sculptures of the Stations of the Cross. The cost is 95 Euros for a full day. Food, wine tasting and entrance fees are included. The tour will be a small group of 8 people. There will be low to moderate walking. 2. Costa Brava & Girona day tour Explore the beautiful wild coast (Costa Brava) with its magnificent scenery and stunning bays, and visit one of the most beautiful medieval towns in Europe. Choose between the half day tour (5 hours) which visits Girona or the Costa Brava, or take-in the full day excursion (8 hours) which includes both sites. We will begin the day by meeting you at your hotel, cruise pier, or the airport. From there, we will make our way directly to the beautiful town of Girona. We will explore and learn about the fascinating history of this wonderful place dating back to 100 BC (!). Among the places we can visit are the Jewish Quarter & the Romanesque Cathedral (small admissions to the sites are not included in the price of this tour). We will have time in the town to explore the hidden gems on our own and at our own pace. After lunch (not included), we will continue to the adorable village of Tossa del Mar on the Costa Brava. We can spend the afternoon shopping in the local markets or just take in the local flavors and views in one of the nicest villages along the coast. We will make our way back to the city in the afternoon and we will be dropped of at the port, hotel or airport as we prefer. Enjoy exploring the historic town of Girona, the beautiful coastline, and the lovely Tossa del Mar. 69 Euros – half day 95 Euros – full day We will be in a small group of 4-12 persons. |
TOURS IN BARCELONA
The On and Off Tour Bus
There are two different tourist double-decker bus routes that you can take to gain an overview of all of Barcelona. On the top deck you can enjoy the sun while driving around the city. Make sure to bring sun protection since the sun can get quite intense in Barcelona.
Tickets are valid for one or two days and in this time you can get on and off the Barcelona Bus Turistic as often as you like.
All the buses use audio guides in ten different languages, that will give you some background information on the sights passing by while you are on the Barcelona Bus Turistic The buses offer "on and off" privileges for a 24 hour period, but be aware it takes about 2-hours for each route without getting off the bus once with the exception of changing from the red to the blue route. If you are only calling on Barcelona for the day, you may not have enough time to see some of the main attractions and take the buses. You can take these tours to gain an overview and then move on to Las Ramblas and the Gothic district to enjoy their unique flavor if you just want to gain an overview and essence of Barcelona. For more information cut and paste this link to your browser: http://www.barcelona-bus-turistic.com/
Tickets are valid for one or two days and in this time you can get on and off the Barcelona Bus Turistic as often as you like.
All the buses use audio guides in ten different languages, that will give you some background information on the sights passing by while you are on the Barcelona Bus Turistic The buses offer "on and off" privileges for a 24 hour period, but be aware it takes about 2-hours for each route without getting off the bus once with the exception of changing from the red to the blue route. If you are only calling on Barcelona for the day, you may not have enough time to see some of the main attractions and take the buses. You can take these tours to gain an overview and then move on to Las Ramblas and the Gothic district to enjoy their unique flavor if you just want to gain an overview and essence of Barcelona. For more information cut and paste this link to your browser: http://www.barcelona-bus-turistic.com/
Barcelona Private Tours
Disclaimer: Although I list various tour companies here, I am not personally endorsing any of these tour companies; please research accordingly and use at your own risk.
Barcelona City Tours
Barcelona Day Tours
Barcelona Taxi Tours
Barcelona Tour Guides
Forever Barcelona with Marta
Pepito Tours
Private Tours Barcelona
Royal Caribbean Shore Excursions
RunnerBean Walking Tours of Barcelona