Your best tips for Barcelona please

[imustbeanidiot]

Have got 4 days booked in May, we'll be staying at a hotel near Plaça de Tetuan.

Planning on getting the bus from the airport.

Will we need a metro card to get around?

Have the Sagrada Familia booked for visiting the first day we arrive, Park Guell for the 2nd.

3rd day we'd like to use the Hop on Hop Off
bus to see a bit more and visit the Barca FC museum (we know the stadium is under construction).

We also want to take the cable cars from the harbour, spend a bit of time on the beach.

What else is a not to be missed? And your best restaurant addresses please . Thanks mumsnetters

*Casa Goudi

Please don't freak out about pickpockets. Don't go thinking it doesn't happen, because it does but just have your wits about you. Keep your bag in front of you, don't walk about looking on Google maps. If you need to get your bearings just pop into a bar or cafe. When sitting eating drinking keep your bag on you and round on your knees. Don't put it on the back of your chair etc.

We love the beach and haven't ever been offered drugs. People were drinking but not steaming drunk. It's probably not warm enough just now to go anyways.

The magic fountain is temporarily closed due to the drought they're experiencing.

Search out all the Gaudi buildings. They're stunning and some are really quite different to what you'd expect. Parc Guell is amazing. Don't under estimate the steepness of the walk up. We did it in 30 odd degrees heat and it was a killer. A taxi up wouldn't be expensive and then it's a lovely walk down.

Moco museum is fabulous if you like modern art. Its reasonably priced and doesnt take too long. It's in the Gothic Quarter so great to have mooch through there. Again keep your wits about you here and if the alley way you stumble across has no one in it, turn back.

Try and book the roof top bar at Sercotel Rosselon for before or after Sagrada Familia. Absolutely outstanding views. It's stunning. But you can't go without a reservation.

Picasso museum is also fab but might be a bit late to get tickets, it sells out months in advance.

Try the little tapas bars in the Gothic quarter. You have to get there for opening and some only have 3 or 4 tables.

Most importantly drink lots of cava!!!

We absolutely love Barcelona and are doing for the Christmas markets this year.

Casa Batllo and/or Casa Mila are both well worth a visit. I'd avoid La Rambla.
Borne area for nice independent shops.
Never had any issues with pickpocketing but I always use a small cross body bag.

Avoiding pick pockets is a bit of caution, and a bit of luck really - never been pickpocketed in Barcelona and Rome (but saw the gangs out and about) but got gotten on my first bus out of Palma Mallorca.

So you know, the basics - don't carry all your credit cards, don't have your phone or wallet in your back pockets, don't put extra 'stuff' in your purse (such as house keys or similar). If you're in a press of people, be very careful about your belongings.

I really liked a wander round the fruit/veg market on La Rambla, but then I can't resist a poke around a market or a food hall when I'm in foreign places.

Plump82 that rooftop sounds good, I'll check that out

I've been in London and Paris in the past couple of years, and keep aware of my surroundings so will keep all the advice in mind.

Thanks all!!

@Turquoisesea we did Montserrat by train too. It was brilliant and well worth the effort.