Barcelona tips?
 

My boyfriend and I are are planning a weekend in Barcelona next month
and I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions of things we must see
or do while we're there. It's always great to get advice from people
who know the city.
Thanks for your ideas!
Jennifer

Re: Barcelona tips?
 

"jenniferthecanadian" <[email protected]> wrote:

    >My boyfriend and I are are planning a weekend in Barcelona next month
    >and I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions of things we must see
    >or do while we're there. It's always great to get advice from people
    >who know the city.

You don't give us much idea of what your interests are.

One useful strategy is to take the open-top bus tours (two routes,
both starting at Placa Catalunya) in order to get an overview, and
from that, select the places at which to have a closer look.

The are around the old cathedral is not included on the tours, mainly
because of the narrow streets, but it's worth visiting.

You won't find a weekend long enough!

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED

Re: Barcelona tips?
 

The architecture of Gaudi is the city's most distinctive feature, and
you should try to see at least one of his creations. The Sagrada
Familia church is considered by many to be his greatest work.

Las Ramblas is a famous street with sidewalk cafes and street
performers that connects the city center to the port. It's a great
place for people-watching. Be cautioned that pickpocketing is a
problem here and on surrounding streets, so wear a money belt or just
generally watch your wallet and handbag.

The Picasso Museum is well-worth seeing if you have any interest in his
art, and includes many works from his blue and rose periods.

The Barri Gotic is the oldest neighborhood in the city, and includes
preserved historic architecture and the city's beautiful Gothic
cathedral.

Re: Barcelona tips?
 

Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:

    > You won't find a weekend long enough!

I did!

Des

Re: Barcelona tips?
 

Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:

    >Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:
    >> You won't find a weekend long enough!
    >I did!
Did you move very fast?

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED

Re: Barcelona tips?
 

Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:

    > Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    > >Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:
    > >
    > >> You won't find a weekend long enough!
    > >
    > >I did!
    > >
    > Did you move very fast?

The usual speed. I'm not much of a one for architecture, which is a
great time-saver in Barça.

Des

Re: Barcelona tips?
 

Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:

    >Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:
    >> Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>
    >> >Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:
    >> >
    >> >> You won't find a weekend long enough!
    >> >
    >> >I did!
    >> >
    >> Did you move very fast?
    >The usual speed. I'm not much of a one for architecture, which is a
    >great time-saver in Barça.
Fair enough: that explains some of it -- well, it explains a lot of
it.

I suppose that you're not a shoe-fetishist: there seems to be a
remarkably large number of footwear shops there.

But how about the bodegas?

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED

Re: Barcelona tips?
 

Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:

    > Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    > >Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:
    > >
    > >> Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:
    > >>
    > >> >Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:
    > >> >
    > >> >> You won't find a weekend long enough!
    > >> >
    > >> >I did!
    > >> >
    > >> Did you move very fast?
    > >
    > >The usual speed. I'm not much of a one for architecture, which is a
    > >great time-saver in Barça.
    > >
    > Fair enough: that explains some of it -- well, it explains a lot of
    > it.
    >
    > I suppose that you're not a shoe-fetishist: there seems to be a
    > remarkably large number of footwear shops there.
    >
    > But how about the bodegas?

Yes, we had no bodegas. But do you not need to excurse for that?

Des

Re: Barcelona tips?
 

Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:

    >Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:
    >> Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>
    >> >Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:
    >> >
    >> >> Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:
    >> >>
    >> >> >Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:
    >> >> >
    >> >> >> You won't find a weekend long enough!
    >> >> >
    >> >> >I did!
    >> >> >
    >> >> Did you move very fast?
    >> >
    >> >The usual speed. I'm not much of a one for architecture, which is a
    >> >great time-saver in Barça.
    >> >
    >> Fair enough: that explains some of it -- well, it explains a lot of
    >> it.
    >>
    >> I suppose that you're not a shoe-fetishist: there seems to be a
    >> remarkably large number of footwear shops there.
    >>
    >> But how about the bodegas?
    >Yes, we had no bodegas. But do you not need to excurse for that?
So what did you find to do?

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED

Re: Barcelona tips?
 

Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:

    > Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    > >Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:
    > >
    > >> But how about the bodegas?
    > >
    > >Yes, we had no bodegas. But do you not need to excurse for that?
    > >
    > So what did you find to do?

It is a pleasant city for a flâneur; there's the cathedral and the
fiddly lanes round it, and all of Las Ramblas and the astonishing
covered Art Nouveau food market; you have to see at least some of the
Gaudi buildings, and the park is nice, on account of being also a
park, and then there's a bunch of eating and drinking to do. (I
insisted on going to the mad touriste restaurant for roast sucking
pig, and it was the Right Thing to do.)

I liked the Picasso museum, too, because of more than despite the
absence of World Famous Paintings - there's strength and depth in the
Picasso oeuvre and then some.

Des

Re: Barcelona tips?
 

Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:

    >Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:
    >> Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>
    >> >Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:
    >> >
    >> >> But how about the bodegas?
    >> >
    >> >Yes, we had no bodegas. But do you not need to excurse for that?
    >> >
    >> So what did you find to do?
    >It is a pleasant city for a flâneur;
That's just the right term!

    >there's the cathedral and the
    >fiddly lanes round it, and all of Las Ramblas and the astonishing
    >covered Art Nouveau food market;
Yes. Loved them. Particularly the cathedral cloister and the food
market.

    >you have to see at least some of the
    >Gaudi buildings,
Even if you are not into architecture? I liked the Gaudi stuff.

    > and the park is nice, on account of being also a
    >park,
It rained non-stop during our visit, so we gave the park a miss. We'll
get it next time.

    >and then there's a bunch of eating and drinking to do. (I
    >insisted on going to the mad touriste restaurant for roast sucking
    >pig, and it was the Right Thing to do.)
A good food city.

    >I liked the Picasso museum, too, because of more than despite the
    >absence of World Famous Paintings - there's strength and depth in the
    >Picasso oeuvre and then some.
That's a possible for the next time, but I'm not big into Picasso.

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED

Re: Barcelona tips?
 

Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:

    > Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    > >you have to see at least some of the
    > >Gaudi buildings,
    > >
    > Even if you are not into architecture? I liked the Gaudi stuff.

Yes. At least from the outside, along the Big Street Above Las
Ramblas. (To be honest, going in wasn't really an improvement.)

[...]

    > >I liked the Picasso museum, too, because of more than despite the
    > >absence of World Famous Paintings - there's strength and depth in the
    > >Picasso oeuvre and then some.
    > >
    > That's a possible for the next time, but I'm not big into Picasso.

I couldn't really recommend it if you're not.

Des

Re: Barcelona tips?
 

Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:

    >Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:
    >> Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>
    >> >I liked the Picasso museum, too, because of more than despite the
    >> >absence of World Famous Paintings - there's strength and depth in the
    >> >Picasso oeuvre and then some.
    >> >
    >> That's a possible for the next time, but I'm not big into Picasso.
    >I couldn't really recommend it if you're not.
I'm open to persuasion. A good exhibition, particularly if there is
plenty of explanation and commentary, might convert me. And if it
doesn't, at least I would know better why I'm not into Picasso.

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED

Re: Barcelona tips?
 

Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:

    > Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    > >Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:
    > >
    > >> Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:
    > >>
    > >> >I liked the Picasso museum, too, because of more than despite the
    > >> >absence of World Famous Paintings - there's strength and depth in the
    > >> >Picasso oeuvre and then some.
    > >> >
    > >> That's a possible for the next time, but I'm not big into Picasso.
    > >
    > >I couldn't really recommend it if you're not.
    > >
    > I'm open to persuasion. A good exhibition, particularly if there is
    > plenty of explanation and commentary, might convert me. And if it
    > doesn't, at least I would know better why I'm not into Picasso.

There's a reasonable amount of commentary, in both Castillian
("Spanish") and Catalan.

Des

Re: Barcelona tips?
 

Padraig Breathnach wrote:
    >
    > Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    > >Padraig Breathnach <[email protected]> writes:
    > >
    > >> Des Small <[email protected]> wrote:
    > >>
    > >> >I liked the Picasso museum, too, because of more than despite the
    > >> >absence of World Famous Paintings - there's strength and depth in the
    > >> >Picasso oeuvre and then some.
    > >> >
    > >> That's a possible for the next time, but I'm not big into Picasso.
    > >
    > >I couldn't really recommend it if you're not.
    > >
    > I'm open to persuasion. A good exhibition, particularly if there is
    > plenty of explanation and commentary, might convert me. And if it
    > doesn't, at least I would know better why I'm not into Picasso.
    >
Over the course of his long life, Picasso painted in a number of different
styles - it's quite interesting to see how his work changed through the
years.

Sheila