A Barcelona Vacation Guide

This is a guide to what to do, what sights to see what to experience and choosing Barcelona holiday accommodation. As a first time visitor to Barcelona you will have lots of questions about how to have a successful Barcelona vacation. You'd want to know how to find good value for money accommodation, tips on transportation, what are the most interesting sights and what more to see of Catalonia beyond the city boarders.

Benvinguts a Barcelona!

Arriving in Barcelona by plane you'll be landing at either Barcelona's international airport El Prat, or if you have chosen a low-fare airline you're likely to arrive in Girona. From El Prat you can take the train to the city center, ut it is quite a walk to the station (depending on your terminal) and it only runs every 30 min. Travelers are better off taking the airport bus just outside the terminals (every 10 min), or if carrying a lot of luggage take a cab that'll take you to the city in 20 min. costing about 25-30 euros. From the Girona airport there is basically just one option, the bus which will take you to Estacio Nord. From here you'll get anywhere in central Barcelona in a short ride in a taxi or by metro.

Holiday Accommodation in Barcelona

Deciding where to stay in Barcelona there are the usual three possibilities: hotels, hostels or Barcelona holiday apartments. When traveling in a group (three or more) the third option is the preferred one. This accommodation choice will provide you with a memorable stay in a central location with all the comforts of home. Renting Barcelona vacation apartments will also mean choosing the budget alternative, and even couples can find good deals for studios.

Top 10 Barcelona Tourist Attractions

1.La Sagrada Familia - Go to marvel at the unfinished vision of Catalan master architect Antoni Gaudi. It has been under construction for more than 125 years. There is nothing like it anywhere else in the world! Metro "La Sagrada Familia" 2.Camp Nou - The FC Barcelona football stadium, seating almost 100.000 spectators, it is the biggest in Europe and watching a match here is a thrill, even if you are not the biggest football (soccer) fan. Metro " Les Corts" 3.Las Ramblas - The street that is the "heart of the city", a stroll down this dry river bed is a must for all visitors. Metro "Plaza Catalunya" 4.Museu Picasso - The great painter genius of the 20th century Pablo Picasso spent many formative years in Barcelona and donated many of his early works to this intriguing museum.Metro "JaumeI" 5.Parc Güell - Another of Gaudi's unique creations, a park like no other park, just like Sagrada Familia is like no other "church". Great views of the city and the best picninc site in Barcelona!Metro: "Lesseps" (15 min walk) 6.Passeig de Grácia - One of the most amazing shopping avenues in the world. Filled with high-end designer shops and beautiful buildings including several "modernisme" classics from the late 19th century. Metro: "Passeig de Gracia" 7. "Modernisme" architecture - Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, Casa Amatller and Casa Fuster are all buildings by Gaudi and his compatriots of the famous Catalan "modernisme" style that can all be found along the Passeig de Gracia. The "Modernsim walk" is a route that'll take you through all the buildings that gave Barcelona its standing in the history of architecture. Mainly in the Eixample area. 8. Magic Fountain - Colors and cascading water, what's not to like? The fountain has been spreading water and joy at Plaza Espanya since 1929. Metro: "PLaza Espanya" 9. Miro Museum - One of many Catalan art legends, this museum is the best place to view the playful and original art of Catalan painter legend Joan Miro. At Montjuic. Metro: "Plaza Espanya" 10. Barcelona Aquarium - This one is a must for families, as kids love to" walk among the sharks" and exotic aquatic life here. Metro "Drassanes"

Trips around Catalonia

Tarragona - Where the Romans originally settled when Barcelona was a tiny village up the coast. Visit for the Roman village, and the amusement park Port Aventura close by is a treat for the kids. Distance: 95 km Girona - Worth visiting for the cathedral, the Jewish quarter, the old town.Distance: 102 km Montserrat - The sacred, ragged mountain in Catalonia interior is well worth a visit for its, unusual landscape, intriguing history and monastary. Distance: 65 km Sitges - Visit for : beaches, modernisme architcture, movie festival, carnival. Distance: 86 km Tossa de Mar - A beautiful village to the north in the Girona region. Visit for the clean water and the medieval town with a church and a lighthouse. Distance: 42 km.

Admin, Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Your Holiday In Barcelona

Recommendations on what to do, what to see where to go and where to stay when visiting Barcelona.

This guide is for the first time visitor to Barcelona and includes "all" the tips you need for a successful Barcelona stay! You'd want to know how to find good value for money accommodation, tips on transportation, what are the most interesting sights and what trips out of town that are worth taking.

Arriving in Barcelona

Arriving in Barcelona by plane you'll be landing at either Barcelona's international airport El Prat, or if you have chosen a low-fare airline you're likely to have Girona as your end destination. From El Prat there is a train, the station is quite a walk (depending on your terminal) and it only runs every 30 min. it is slow and unreliable at times to boot! You're better off hopping on a bus just outside the terminals (every 10 min), or a cab that'll take you to the city in 20 min. with a fare of 25-30 euros. From the Girona airport there is basically just one option, the bus which will take you to Estacio Nord. From here you'll get anywhere in central Barcelona in a quick cab ride.

Accommodation in Barcelona

Choosing where to stay in Barcelona there are three options: hotels, hostels or Barcelona holiday apartments. When traveling in a group (3 or more) the third option is easy to recommend. This accommodation choice will provide you with a memorable stay in a central location with all the comforts of home. Choosing Barcelona vacation rentals will also mean choosing the cheaper alternative, and even couples can find good deals for smaller apartments.

Top 10 sights in Barcelona

1.La Sagrada Familia - The unfinished temple of Antoni Gaudi a site for controversy and fascination for more than 125 years. There is nothing like it anywhere else in the world! In Eixample 2.Camp Nou - Home to the mighty FC Barcelona, seating almost 100.000 spectators, the stadium is the biggest in Europe and watching a match here is a thrill, even if you are not the biggest football (soccer) fan. In Les Corts 3.Las Ramblas - The street that is the "heart of the city", a stroll down this former river is obligatory for all visitors. 4.Museu Picasso - The Andalucian genius Pablo Picasso spent many formative years in Barcelona and donated a large bulk of his early works to this fascinating museum.in El Born. 5.Parc Güell - Another of Gaudi's phantasmagorical creations, a park like no other park, just like Sagrada Familia is like no other "church". 6.Passeig de Grácia - One of the most stunning shopping avenues in the world. Brimming with high-end designer shops and beautiful buildings including several "modernisme" classics. 7. "Modernisme" architecture - Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, Casa Amatller and Casa Fuster are all buildings by Gaudi and his compatriots of the famous Cataln "modernisme" style that can all be found along the Passeig de Gracia street! The "Modernsim walk" is an itiniary that'll take you through all the buildings that gave Barcelona its standing in the history of architecture. 8. Magic Fountain - Colors and cascading water, what's not to like? At Plaza Espanya. 9. Miro Museum - One of many Catalan art legends, this museum is the best place the experience the playful and original art of Miro. At Montjuic. 10. Barcelona Aquarium - This one is a must for families, as kids love to" walk among the sharks" and exotic aquatic life here. in Port Vell

Trips out of Town

Tarragona - The city was the Roman seat of power when Barcelona was a mere insignificant village in the north. Worth visiting for the Roman village, and the amusement park Port Aventura close by is a treat for the kids. Distance: 95 km

Girona - Worth visiting for the cathedral, the Jewish quarter, the old town.Distance: 102 km

Montserrat - The sacred, saw-tooth mountain in Catalonia interior is well worth a visit for its, unusual landscape and fascinating history and fabulous monastary. Distance: 65 km

Sitges - Worth visiting for : beaches, modernisme architcture, movie festival, carnival. Distance: 86 km

Tossa de Mar - A pictoresque village to the north in the Girona region. Worth visiting for the clean water and the medieval town with a church and a lighthouse. Distance: 42 km

Admin, Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Barcelona Holiday

The question is: how to find the most value for money Barcelona vacation apartment and avoid the pitfalls of fraudulent offers.First you need to find an accommodation suited for your needs and your vacation ideal. For a family (or any group of 3 or more) the best alternative will most certainly be to rent a Barcelona self catering apartment. This option is both for the budget minded as the cost can be as low as approx. 20 euros a night per person. For the more luxury oriented there are apartments of a very high standard as well. The apartment option is also a more rewarding way to stay in Barcelona as guests get to experience a more genuine impression of daily life in the city.

Best vacation rental deal in Barcelona

A clear benefit of staying in an apartment is that you are free to plan meals with your family or other travel companions without consideration of closing times etc. The city is blessed with a large number of traditional markets offering fresh fruit and vegetables, local olive oils, organic meat, fresh seafood etc. After paying them a visit you will not regret having a kitchen to play around in! A good advice is to ask the knowledgeable professionals who work at the stalls for ideas on how to prepare your pickings, and find out what is in season. A vacation rental offers the traveler the chance to learn more about local culture, and with all travel companions under one roof it makes it easier to organize your joint adventures in the city!

Beware of holiday accommodation fraud!

The lowest price does not alway equal the best deal.! A good deal for your accommodation also means renting from an officially approved apartment agency! Holadays Barcelona is one agency where you can rent official apartments. This is your guarantee that you will actually get what you pay for, in the location you have paid for! At Holadays Barcelona you can rest assured that this is the case. Off-season deals can be as low as less than 70 euros pr. night meaning you could end up paying less than 20 euros per person! The accommodation market in Barcelona is unfortunately overcrowded with illegal rentals. As these owners ignore regulations and fees involved with the business they often offer deals that are significantly lower than market price. A general rule of thumb is, if a price seems to good to be true, it probably is! As a renter in an illegal apartment you have practically no reclamation opportunities if the owner does not provide what was advertised. Check that you are renting from an official agency and avoid the grief and extra cost that often comes with renting from an "unofficial" landlord.

Your Barcelona Holiday Location

Booking a short-term apartment in Barcelonayou would like to stay in the center of Barcelona, in the Eixample district or in the medieval quarters. Eixample is home to the world famous La Sagrada Familia temple of Antoni Gaudi as well as several interesting cultural institutions and architectural highlights of Catalan modernism, for which the city has ensured a significant place in architectural history. This district is also a hot-spot for serious shoppers with the majestic Passeig de Gracia and Diagonal avenues showcasing international and domestic designer brands , block to block. The club-scene here is always cutting-edge with an emphasis on clubs you go to groove to the latest beats. You will also find numerous excellent restaurants here, Catalan and international alike. The Barcelona Old Town, consisting of the neighborhoods of El Born, Barri Gotic and El Raval is the other central alternative. Here you will find gothic architecture like the splendid Santa Maria del Mar, medieval buildings and street-structure, The Picasso museum, local designer shopping, nice bars on every corner and both traditional and trendy dining. The El Born maze of backstreets is hiding a fair number of charming small boutiques and cafes. This is also place to start a night-out in the bars around the Passeig del Born and then head to the clubs in Barri Gotic located in and around Plaza Reial or in El Raval that is also home to the Contemporary Art Museum (MACBA) and the CCCB cultural institution. If a beach holiday is more what you have in mind, there is a number of accommodation options in the St.Marti district with apartments within walking distance of the beaches. Furthermore, apartments in the lower region of El Born and Barri Gotic are located a mere 12-15 minute walk from the oceanside.

 

Admin, Friday, July 2, 2010