# Must Sees in Barcelona ?



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

We're going to Barcelona in March for the first time. Suggestions please as to what we must not miss seeing and doing ? Time is fairly flexible.

Thanks

G


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Grizzly said:


> Suggestions please as to what we must not miss seeing and doing ?


Hi Grizzly,

there's lots to see in Barcelona. Only some absolute essentials:
- Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudi's architectural masterpiecs
- Casa Mila also known as "La Pedrera"
- a ride with the cable car over the harbour
- Parc Güell at sunset
- and a stroll over the "Rambla" at night including a visit to some of the Tapas bars.

Just a word of warning: If you want to keep your van, then do not leave it outside of a guarded camp site and do not make any attempt to wild camp in or around Barcelona. Best is if you even do not attempt to drive into the city, but go on a site outside and take a train downtown. Public transport is very efficient and you can have a tourist ticket which allows unlimited usage of all Metros, trains and buses for a certain number of days.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

We went in 04 got the bus from playa de aro, (clean, modern and air conditioned) about 60miles from Barcelona cost about £20.00 return I believe for 4 of us, takes you right into the centre.

If you only get a single ticket you can please yourself what time you return, as all seats are booked even through its not a non-stop service, its all computorised, you cannot just hop on any bus, and the drivers don't take your money, there is a booking office outside the stop in Barcelona. They stop in every villiage they go through, took about 2 hours I believe

Wife was in shopping heaven, and the sites as boff says are magic, got a tourist bus tour ticket, last's all day, and you get on and off where ever you please, as often as you like, buses run about every 15minutes or so and go around in a huge circle taking in all the sites, so you don't have to wait long.

We spent about 2 hours in the Sagrada Familia alone, fantastic, went up the towers bored the rest of the family with my anorak interest in the building techniques, rather than the beauty :lol: 

We also went from salou in 03 got the train about £30 return again for 4 of us, very clean and modern service.

olley


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## stewartwebr (May 27, 2005)

Hello,

I'm sure you will have a great time. When we have visited in the past we normally stay in the village of Sitges about 30km South of Barcelona. It has a train station which will take you into the centre in about 30 minutes. The trains run every 20 minutes up to 2345. If you choose to stay later their is a night bus service that takes about 1 hour.

As advised by other posters, do not take your van into the city. I'm not sure about security but parking is a nightmare.

Have a great time

Stewart


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

We stayed South of Barcelona at Camping Vilanova and have also stayed at Sitges at Camping Garrefor. The former is a huge campsite but they take camping cheques off season i seem to remember and the latter was in Sitges which has a lovely beach promenade and restaurants

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Campsites&op=display_results&csid=752


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## suedew (May 10, 2005)

Also stayed at sitges, albeit in hotel as we went on the bike.
Train, efficient economic, straight out station onto tourist bus, 2 day ticket, must be consecutive days, on and off as you please. as well as the sights already mentioned, football ground is great, am NOT a fan, but plenty of time to look round also, unusually, 'if you have a camera feel free to take any photograqphs you want'
gaudi's buildings fantastic, also the picasso museum. so much to see too little time. Didn't try the shopping, no room in the pannieres    
Enjoy, beware of pickpockets, especially in la ramblas, which is a wonderful place to relax with tapas and people watch. Note food prices reasonable, check the price of drinks before ordering as these can cost ore than the food.
for those interested there is    a sex museum, off la ramblas   So our niece tells us
Sue


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## guzzijim (May 1, 2005)

If you've got the time to go further south go to Valencia and the Arts & Science Museum which also includes The Oceanagraphica we spent two days there last winter and one of the sections was still to open! you can drive your motorhome in just follow entrance for coaches.


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

> go further south go to Valencia and the Arts & Science Museum


I would second that, fantastic place, bit like a cross between Sea World and Natural history museum with an amazing IMAX Theatre as well


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Thank you everyone. I'm going to sit down and plan our time in Barcelona so we won't be able to go away and moan about the places we missed. You've given us some excellent ideas. 

G


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

Catch the train in to Barcelona from somewhere such as Sitges. Outside the railway station in Barcelona you can catch a tourist bus which will take you around all the sites. One day is not nearly enough and to that end a 2 day tourist bus ticket is only marginally more expensive than a one day ticket.


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## DJP (May 9, 2005)

*Barcelona*



> have also stayed at Sitges at Camping Garrefor. The former is a huge campsite but they take camping cheques off season i seem to remember and the latter was in Sitges which has a lovely beach promenade and restaurants


Yes. Good site. We stayed there in September and used Camping Cheques. 
Sometimes the water in the shower blocks was cold. If you go there, use the newer block for nice hot water.
If you go into Sitges, be advised that the OVERWHELMING percentage of the tourists are MALE (about 10 to 1)  
Also have a ride down to Port Aventura in Salou (Universal Studios Theme park) about an hours drive away.


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## ruthiebabe (Aug 16, 2005)

Agree with all the Gaudi and Picasso suggestions would also suggest Sunday lunch of fish and seafood by the harbour then a stroll on the beach. This city has everything!


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## 97422 (Jan 24, 2006)

Everyone is right! This is a great city and one of the best places to visit in Europe... It has something for everyone, art, architecture,good food and I can recommend the football as good value...

However, please be aware that you do not have to be in the city to be vulnerable to theft... We were advised by our site manager to park on the Airport as this has excellent CCTV and security. And we can tell you that there are alot of cameras around the parking areas and on the entrance and exits to the car park. In fact every license plate is photographed and matched to the issued ticket on entry so no one can get out without the right ticket to the original vehicle.

With all of this we felt quite secure until we returned to our van that evening about 9.30 to find that it had been broken into and most of the electrical stuff etc taken... Following our discussion with airport security I can confirm that all the cameras do not work except the ones that record the license plate, furthermore trying to get a report from the police for insurance purposes was more than traumatic and we eventually left the airport at around 2.30 am.

The thieves stole my daughters mobile phone from the van and when we recieved the bill we could trace them as they made calls through Spain and then into Italy before the the phone was barred... So maybe its not just the locals...

I also shared the Police waiting room with an American who had his car hit a boy on a motorscooter whilst travelling off the airport.. When he and his wife got out to check on the boy a gang of youths took his car and while his back was turned the scooter boy got up and took off on the bike. So please be wary about this sort of thing....

*Please no one park here*, the stress of dealing with the Spanish Authorities compounds an unplesant situation ten fold...

Irrespective of our experiences we would go back to a marvellous city, we would though leave our van on site and use the train next time.


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