Barcelona

[AnLeanbh]

Going to Barcelona for 5 nights over Easter with 4 kids aged 14-8.
Would really be grateful for recommendations for air bnb (ideally)/reasonable hotels /areas to stay in ?

AirBnB is really heavily regulated in Barcelona now. It exists but isn’t always the cheapest option. Ensure that what you book has a license number…. There are some really nice places all over the city though, and as a bigger group you might find something more suitable than multiple hotel rooms.

As for areas I’d probably go for Gracia or Eixample. Both well connected and pretty safe. There are some fairly decent and cheaper hotels (the H10 and Meliá chains are decent, also ‘Catalonia’ hotels tend to be a safe choice) on Parallel (Poble Sec) which is well connected by metro and generally busy and safe. It’s a bit more ‘local’ than the other two areas I mentioned but plenty of restaurants etc around and close
to Montjuic, current home of Barca if you’re planning to visit.

As with anywhere in the city though, please be careful with phones and bags. The pickpocketing is wild. Crossbody zipped bags only, phones in inside pockets, bag wrapped around leg when sitting in a bar.

Avoid Raval, avoid La Rambla if you can, both can be dodgy at most hours of the day and the quality of food places on La Rambla is pretty rubbish.

enjoy your trip!

Booking dot Com still has apartments in Barcelona. I second staying in Exaimple district. It is between Las Ramblas and Sagrada Familia and is full of the lovely quirky Modernista buildings.

It's a great choice with children as there is so much to do. Sagrada Familia is stunning around sunset as the stained glass windows glow. Gaudi's Pedera building has an amazing rooftop with decorative chimneys. You could go to Parc Guell and get the funicular up to the Joan Miro gallery. Don't miss the magic fountains.

I've always wanted to try the cable cars from the port but nobody would come with me. Same with the funfair at Tibidabo.

It’s already got drought conditions. Is water limited? It’s worrying.

Eixample is lovely. We stayed in an apartment hotel, it had two rooms, massive balcony, sitting room, dining room, kitchen. There were lots of delis nearby so used to pick up delicious food for the evening and sit on the balcony in the evening as had a young baby.

Not in any noticeable ways - the showers at the beach will be switched off again this summer but we’re used to it now. Unless you have a huge garden to water or a pool to fill you won’t see much evidence beyond being asked to consume water carefully (not as in drinking, you should do that! More as in not leaving the taps running and taking multiple long showers per day).

Yep, the cable cars are really fun and you can then do the teleférico back down from the castle and take in Miro before strolling back down or taking the funicular.

Alas, the magic fountains are dry for now 🌵but the avenue they’re in is still worth a visit.

its been reported here that public snd private swimming pools will close and water parks. No watering of public gardens and water reserves are 16% of what they should be and it’s not rained for 1000 days. So quite worrying for hotels I would have thought. A state of emergency has been declared with water usage limited for residents. Tourists might not notice but might not get the swimming pool they expect. It’s clearly a very worrying situation with summer approaching.

It hasnt rained for 3 years in Barcelona?

Met office forecast says light showers for today at least

@TizerorFizz that sounds awful. Barcelona is my favourite city. No rain for 3 years??

@whiteroseredrose Look at The Guardian article about Barcelona. It’s not hearsay. @soupfiend Well maybe but areas around Barcelona haven’t had Rain for 1000 days and there is a state of emergency.

Here’s the first few paras. Written 1 Feb 24.

We’ve had the odd shower but nothing like what’s normal or needed. Reservoirs now at 14%.

The authorities will do anything in their power to stop pools closing. In the heat of the summer community pools are vital for people who can’t get to the beach easily. As for tourism, they also know the importance of that. Closing and emptying hotel pools would really bite in terms of loss of custom. A group of hotels on the Costa Brava have just clubbed together and bought a unit to desalinate seawater to use in their pools - they’ll look at any possibilities to avoid cancellations.

Not saying they won’t close, I’d think it’s a real last resort though.

@TizerorFizz I’ve literally just read another thread where, when op requested ideas about New England you questioned why the children wouldn’t be at school. Do you have a problem with people going on holiday in general?

We stayed at Citadines which is off Las Ramblas. It was inexpensive and pretty decent.

Why would I think people should not go on holiday? Preferable to not take dc out of school and maybe know about droughts? In my book anyway. Ignorance is rarely bliss. Plus anyone can read newspapers and it’s a state of emergency whether you like it or not. Swimming pools are converting to seawater.

I would also not recommend staying in El Raval, it's a seedy place known for narco-trafficking and prostitution, I don't want to scare you too much, but there has recently been a spike in violent crime in that area, especially at night.