Barcelona Weekend Tips Please

[BobbitWorm]

My friend and I are visiting Barcelona in August, and I am looking for local knowledge and tips.

We are away for the first time in our life long friendship, we both have very busy, sometimes traumatically stressful lives, so this trip is a rarity and I don't know when it will happen again, so keep to get this right.

Firstly, we are staying in an apartment right by the Sangria Familida, and my friend is coeliac so if anyone knows any restaurants that cater for coeliacs, then that would be helpful.

Also, is the public transport okay. We are flying into the main airport, and maps show that we may have to get a tram then tube to our apartment? Any tips on this, or are taxis reasonable? I think it's about 18 kilometres.

Finally, as we want a relaxing, but memorable time where just for a few days we aren't worrying about our real lives, what would you suggest we see and do?

Thanks in advance 👍😁

Public transport is brilliant. Get a travel pass from the airport and you can use it on the metro, buses and trams.

Recommend booking park guell tickets. Sagrada familia needs booking too and is a must see. A boat cruise is a great way to cool off and see some good views.

As in all main cities - Watch out for pickpockets.

Watch out for pickpockets. Barcelona is awful for them and you need to keep your wits about you.

Sorry to be a grinch but so many people I know have been done it's worth being aware of.

Park Guell - stunning - and La Rambla - fun

have a great time!

Oh and how could I forget the magic fountains - lovely!

www.barcelona.cat/en/what-to-do-in-bcn/magic-fountain/magic-fountains-show-times

Sunset cruise
gothic quarter
the beach
all the gaudi stuff

i found lots of restaurants off the beaten track cheaper than I thought

This! I've been to Barcelona at least 10 times (I love it, can you tell?) and never been robbed once. Purely because I've kept my bag on my front with my hand over it and my cards down my bra.

Public transport is wonderful and taxis are fine too. I've always booked accommodation within 10 mins walk of Plaza de Catalunya and used the aerobus for the airport. Always buy a 10 journey metro ticket for the underground too. Its enough for a week.

Take the cable car across the bay to the Miro museum - then walk back down through the botanic gardens to the Barcelona pavilion. MACBA is great as are the Gaudi apartments. There are fab restaurants and bars everywhere. (Y y to looking out for pickpockets - the only time ever I’ve suspected someone was trying to pickpocket me/take my bag was in Barcelona.)

Enjoy!

We used the metro to get around and after a couple of days our 11yo was leading the way. And this is a kid who could get lost in her own house

And as others have said, WATCH OUT FOR PICKPOCKETS!!

Long handled handbag, crossed over your chest, hold in front. Nothing in your pockets. If using a backpack, I highly recommend a combo lock one. I bought one from Amazon and it was brilliant. They would just stare directly at the bag and head towards DH's back, (often not realising I was looking right at them and leaned over and said "Oi! off ya fuck!") and more than once they aborted mission after getting close enough to realise it wasn't a quick unzip job.

DF was very... well, arrogant tbh and had a go at me for "nagging" about him having his wallet or phone just sitting in a baggy, open pocket. "I've traveled all over the world! I know what I'm doing!" He said.

Yep. Ended up having to cancel all his cards at the airport heading home.

That said, pickpockets aside, Barcelona is AMAZING and I would definitely go again.

Thank you everyone, I will have a look at those suggestions, and try and plan something lovely for us.

I have bum bag thing that is so small I could wear it under my clothes so I may use that to avoid pick pockets.

I second Parc Guell and meandering around the gothic quarter (barri gotic on street signs). Try one of the many small bakeries on the cobbled streets there.
some of the best views of the city are from the steps of the art museum up montjuic mountain. (El MNAC).
i don’t know the name of any specific tapas places but there are some lovely ones, enjoy.

I'm coeliac and got back from Barcelona a couple of weeks ago. The Spanish for without gluten is sin gluten.

Soy sin gluten is I'm gluten free.

Loads of beautiful restaurants by the marina, all had gf on their menu, as did the little bar up Mount Tibadeo(sp?)

Barcelona airport however, is close to useless for gf breakfast.

I loved the Gaudi stuff and the gothic quarter. Barcelonetta for seafood and the beach.

Book to go up the tower at Sagrada Familia. You can't do it when you get there.
Marina
Visit the old Cathedral...there's a lovely garden there with geese

I haven’t been for years but I have been several times. If you want to escape the city you can go to a monastery in the mountains - Montserrat - which is a great place for a walk and explore.

we went to a museum (possibly the medieval history museum?) which has Roman remains underground which were beautifully cool compared to street level. So a good place to escape the heat.

I loved Barcelona, but left my good jewellery at home so that I didn't have to worry about it.

It will be very hot, so I'd factor in a lot of lounging time.

This bakery is incredible and 100% gf. My daughter adored it and it’s sit in as well as take away. jansanaglutenfree.com/es/

NB we got a taxi when we arrived due to the time we got in, think it was about 45 Euros to the centre.

Placemarking as off there soon.

We booked a walking tour of the old town via airbnb and it was great - got loads of super-interesting history, stopped at some hip coffee bar and an amazing patisserie. The guy’s name was Aidan and the max number of people on a tour was 10 or something - we were about 6. Even our teenagers enjoyed it!

We just had a great time there. Agree with all recommendations however the fountains were off as there is a major drought. There are signs up but hundreds of people waited to see..there is no water in them at all (we also waited...there were breakdancers that were excellent keeping people occupied)

Did you prebook anything?

We prebooked everything that needed paying for (fountains are free). We used Get Your Guide app, was really easy for everything. Sagrada sells out days in advance, as does la pedrera. Used that app to book the hop on bus which was brilliant as well. We went with a 6 year old and spent a bit longer there to do things slower.

Thanks.

Did you find eating out expensive? I realise that’s relative.