Travel tips for Barcelona/Paris?

[BrightSpot]

Hi all,

I hope you''re well & enjoying the summer. I''m writing to ask some advice of you travel savvy PS''ers. I''m departing for my first trip to Europe in August & would love it if you could share some travel advice. Anything general about traveling to Europe would be appreciated. Specifically, I''m going to be in Barcelona & Paris for about a week each. I''ll be going with a friend to Barcelona, then DH is joining us in Paris where we''ll all 3 stay at my friend''s flat.

I have yet to book the hotel in Barcelona

, so if anyone has any hotel suggestions, that would be much appreciated. (Fortunately, we won''t need a hotel in Paris.)

Any recommendations for fun things to do in Barcelona and/or Paris or travel stories you''d like to share?

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 7/31/2009 12:48:46 PM
Author:BrightSpot
Hi all,

I hope you''re well & enjoying the summer. I''m writing to ask some advice of you travel savvy PS''ers. I''m departing for my first trip to Europe in August & would love it if you could share some travel advice. Anything general about traveling to Europe would be appreciated. Specifically, I''m going to be in Barcelona & Paris for about a week each. I''ll be going with a friend to Barcelona, then DH is joining us in Paris where we''ll all 3 stay at my friend''s flat.

I have yet to book the hotel in Barcelona

, so if anyone has any hotel suggestions, that would be much appreciated. (Fortunately, we won''t need a hotel in Paris.)

Any recommendations for fun things to do in Barcelona and/or Paris or travel stories you''d like to share?

Thanks so much for your help!

Hey, long time no see!

For spain, I recommend looking through Maribel''s Guides. I believe this is the same Maribel who was helpful on the fodors forums for years. This woman knows spain.

http://www.maribelsguides.com/

And for Barcelona:

http://maribelsguides.com/mg_barcelona-03-09.pdf

Many of the hotes in her guide are the ones that the fodorites have been recommending for years. Check the latest reviews on tripadvisor too.

 

[Mara]

we are going to barcelona, madrid and lisbon in end of august... and i have done a fair amt of research online. also we had some friends go to spain earlier this year so we have their travel information to assist us.

one note is that try to book your hotel for barcelona as soon as you can....in fact depending on when you go in august, you may not find much availability left. most of the hotels we wanted to stay in were booked for end of august as of june. we ended up in what is technically considered a 2 star but it has amazing reviews, is super clean and very basic and in a very popular area of town. no frills but it will suffice for 3 days while we are there. we were lucky enough to book madrid and lisbon for the SAME PRICE as barc in 5 star hotels the rest of the trip. that gives you an idea of how expensive barcelona can be.

my friends went earlier this year and they got amazingly cheap rates for barc but in summer it''s super popular. so it''s just a more expensive time to go.

fabulous boutique hotels at usually great prices: tablethotels.com (where we found our madrid and lisbon hotels--barc was sold out)
where we found our 2 star barc place after searching a ton of engines: venere.com
(i also found coupons for venere by surfing the web so you can get a bit of a savings)
orbitz also had some deals on some barc hotels but none in areas we wanted to stay in.

our friends gave us some restaurant recommends for barc but i have to dig them out. eat lots of churros and hot chocolate (surf the web for recommendations on these, there are TONS out there, but i know there are a handful of ''must trys''...i will dig these out too). also if you will be there a week, plan day trips out and about, there are a lot of places you can go for a 2-3 hour train tride to see.

for paris your friend will probably just take you to all the spots they love, honestly i have been there twice and you cannot have a bad trip! even the little shacky looking boulangerie on the corner has fabulous croissants. there are a ton of open air cafes for lunch and again we didn''t have a bad meal. we even braved a super touristy area (i can''t remember the name but it was a little alley of cafes and restaurants right near the louvre) and ate mussels and frites and they were way better than anything in the US for like $8 euros! so i would imagine you will have a fine time regardless. one note is if you want to see the sights in paris but don''t want to do the whole big crazy long drawn out tourist thing, do the red bus...you pay something like 20 euros and you can get on and off this bus for a whole day...seeing only what you want to and then waiting for another bus to pick you up. i did this my first time there since i was there for work and only had 1 day to myself and i saw the ''basics'' in 4 hours and managed to also walk around and explore the outskirts of each area a little as well. i love paris but it is hustle and bustle and will tire you out! umm and every chance you get, eat a croissant. i would have them 2-3x daily...there is NOTHING like a paris croissant. we have pale imitations in the US.

have fun researching!!

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 7/31/2009 1:12:56 PM
Author: Mara
we are going to barcelona, madrid and lisbon in end of august... and i have done a fair amt of research online. also we had some friends go to spain earlier this year so we have their travel information to assist us.

one note is that try to book your hotel for barcelona as soon as you can....in fact depending on when you go in august, you may not find much availability left. most of the hotels we wanted to stay in were booked for end of august as of june. we ended up in what is technically considered a 2 star but it has amazing reviews, is super clean and very basic and in a very popular area of town. no frills but it will suffice for 3 days while we are there. we were lucky enough to book madrid and lisbon for the SAME PRICE as barc in 5 star hotels the rest of the trip. that gives you an idea of how expensive barcelona can be.

my friends went earlier this year and they got amazingly cheap rates for barc but in summer it''s super popular. so it''s just a more expensive time to go.

fabulous boutique hotels at usually great prices: tablethotels.com (where we found our madrid and lisbon hotels--barc was sold out)
where we found our 2 star barc place after searching a ton of engines: venere.com
(i also found coupons for venere by surfing the web so you can get a bit of a savings)
orbitz also had some deals on some barc hotels but none in areas we wanted to stay in.

our friends gave us some restaurant recommends for barc but i have to dig them out. eat lots of churros and hot chocolate (surf the web for recommendations on these, there are TONS out there, but i know there are a handful of ''must trys''...i will dig these out too). also if you will be there a week, plan day trips out and about, there are a lot of places you can go for a 2-3 hour train tride to see.

for paris your friend will probably just take you to all the spots they love, honestly i have been there twice and you cannot have a bad trip! even the little shacky looking boulangerie on the corner has fabulous croissants. there are a ton of open air cafes for lunch and again we didn''t have a bad meal. we even braved a super touristy area (i can''t remember the name but it was a little alley of cafes and restaurants right near the louvre) and ate mussels and frites and they were way better than anything in the US for like $8 euros! so i would imagine you will have a fine time regardless. one note is if you want to see the sights in paris but don''t want to do the whole big crazy long drawn out tourist thing, do the red bus...you pay something like 20 euros and you can get on and off this bus for a whole day...seeing only what you want to and then waiting for another bus to pick you up. i did this my first time there since i was there for work and only had 1 day to myself and i saw the ''basics'' in 4 hours and managed to also walk around and explore the outskirts of each area a little as well. i love paris but it is hustle and bustle and will tire you out! umm and every chance you get, eat a croissant. i would have them 2-3x daily...there is NOTHING like a paris croissant. we have pale imitations in the US.

have fun researching!!

Mara, if you haven''t already, download Maribel''s guide as well. Her help has been invaluable to many fodorite travelers throughout the years. I used it ages ago for Sevilla and Barcelona and found it helpful.

Barcelona was a giant blur for me for some reason, so sorry I can''t be of more help. And Paris...awe inspiring in many ways but I am not a huge fan. In fact, I didn''t love either city although there''s certainly lots to do.

 

[zipzapgirl]

Those are two great cities to visit! You''re going to love it!

BARCELONA:

Walk the Ramblas. Stroll along, watch the street performers, sit down at a cafe for a cafe con leche or some sangria and some awesome people watching
Picasso Museum. One of the best in the world.
Gaudi everything. The park is free to roam around. The Sagrada Familia church is really cool and worth the money to go inside.
Go to the beach. It''s at the end of the Ramblas, then take a left. It''s not cancun-like, but it''s a nice interlude.
Walk the seaside promenade. There are a lot of great clubs there as well.
Shop at Zara. The prices are better in Spain and the flagship store (and Home store) are really nice.
Eat Paella and lots of seafood.
Take the Funicular. Fun views of the city, fun to do. Put this lower on the priority list though.


PARIS:

I''m sure you can find a million things to do, so I won''t list everything.

A few fun things are:
Take the Seine cruise about an hour before sunset. You''ll be pulling into port at the Eiffel Tower at sunset and it is just very stunning to see coming in from the river.
Have an evening picnic on the lawn in front of the Eiffel Tower. Sounds cheesy, but we saw so many students sitting out there with wine and snacks, playing guitar, hanging out, etc. The ET sparkles every hour(?) in the evenings after 9pm or so and it''s really nice.
Go to Versaille. After the palace tour, rent the bikes at the bottom of the first reflection pond and ride out to the Grand and Petit Trianons and Marie Antoinette''s hamlet. You''ll hate the little bus if you do it, walking takes forever, and the bikes add a little fun to the experience.
If you have time and like art, go out to Monet''s house in Giverny.

I''d totally recommend the Rick Steves guidebooks. I''m a real fan.

Have an awesome time!!!

 

[princesss]

Oh, how fun! Barcelona and Paris are two of my favourite cities.

Barcelona:

I loved walking down Las Ramblas and just people watching. There are a ton of outdoor cafe/bars where you can enjoy some sangria (often you''ll find that the glasses are approximately the size of goldfish bowls) and hang out.

Sagrada Familia is a must see. The architecture is incredible, and the detail is amazing. Each face of the church has a scene from Christ''s life, and I particularly liked the modern/almost cubist side.

BF and I really enjoyed Parc Guel as well. It is like something out of a children''s book - very fanciful and ornate. We also enjoyed Parc de la Ciutadella as a place to relax and enjoy the fountains. It''s a really lovely spot to unwind and relax for an hour or two and a great alternative to going back to your hotel.

There are several gorgeous cathedrals you can visit (you can probably tell that I adore church architecture and gardens by now, lol) and if you really want to see a large chunk of the city, there are plenty of great walking, biking, and Segway tours.


Paris:

Where to begin?

Obviously the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe are must-sees. They don''t actually take that long (I''d say about an hour and a half to two hours for the tower, and maybe 45 for the Arc, and that''s to go to the top and enjoy the view). Notre Dame offers some breathtaking views of the city as well, and the interior is incredible. The scale is amazing, and you get the sense that you are just one small person involved in something much bigger than yourself. If you take the Metro, I believe the easiest stop is St. Michel. Take the pathway around the cathedral and cross the bridge behind it to enjoy a great view of the flying buttresses.

Montmarte was a lot of fun, but be prepared to hike up some steep hills. There are plenty of small shops, cafes, and crepe stands to get you through. If you take the subway, the easiest thing to do is follow people and just keep going up. There are a bunch of artists with stands for you to browse through (I like getting street/tourist art when I travel, so this was a big stop for me). You can get silhouettes or portraits done fairly cheaply. Don''t forget to bargain! And as a way to relax after making your way up the hills, Sacre Cour is beautiful. It''s also a newer cathedral (like Sagrada Familia), and I believe construction started in 1903 or 1904 and finished in 1914. You can also pack a snack and eat on the lawn in front of the cathedral before making your way back down the hill. (Trust me, it takes drive to get up there, you''ll want to sit back and relax for a while.)

If you want to visit the Louvre, make it a planned trip. Have a few things you want to see, and a few periods you enjoy and figure out where they are. It is overwhelming, and by narrowing down the museum into what you want to see most, it really helps keep from tiring you out. The royal jewels collection is nice (there isn''t actually a whole lot, but there are some stunning diamonds on the jewelry boxes on display!), and the apartments of Napoleon III are definitely worth visiting. They really give you the sense of what the Louvre was like as a palace.

The Musee d''Orsay is much more managable, and if your interests lie in the Impressionists or later periods, that''s where you want to go. It''s a converted train station and absolutely gorgeous. It''s also right across from the Louvre, so you can easily just pop from one to the other.

Walk down the Champs-Elysees and peek in the shops as they do have some incredible stores there. It''s as much about the shops themselves as it is about the goods! Also, I forget the name of it, but there is a bakery that have the most incredible cookies, but they are super expensive. I think 6 Euro for 4 cookies? SO worth it, though!


Try to learn a few phrases in French, and it will get you a long way. Everybody was VERY helpful and kind both times I was there, and I was completely won over. You must try a Nutella crepe (but no whipped cream!), they are everything that is wonderful in the world wrapped up into a nice street snack. In Barcelona the snack that stands out to me is waffles with ice cream, but make sure you eat a good seafood paella, and learn to say "Thank you" in Catalan. I got some serious and some joking lectures about using Catalan instead of Spanish, and found that waiters smiled a little bit brighter when I said thanks in Catalan.

Hope that helps a little! Enjoy your trip, they are fabulous cities.

 

[princesss]

Ah, how could I forget the Picasso museum? It''s great. I had no idea what he did before he became a Cubist, and it gave me much more respect for him as an artist.

Also, there is a small Dali museum that I loved, if you''re into his art. It explains a lot about him (like his horse fetish/interest) and you see more of his work than you knew existed! His illustrations of the Divine Comedy are great. There is also the larger museum in Figures, about an hour from Barcelona by train.

 

[IloveAsschers13]

Hey-

I have never been to Barcelona, but I was just in Paris a little over a month ago...

I agree you should go to Versaille, it was BEAUTIFUL but commit a whole day to it- me and my friend tried to juts go for a few hours and I WISH i would have been there longer.

If you like shopping, then walk up and down the Champs de Elysees- tons of stores, and get a banana/nutella crepe while you are there!

We walked from the Louvre all the way to the Arc de Triomphe which was a long walk but it was a ice day and it was nice to walk through the park.

Go to the Notre Dam- it''s free to just walk around and it''s beautiful inside.

Explore where you are staying when you go there- we found some really yummy restaurants close to our hotel, which was right near Luxembourg gardens.

Last thing- get a metro pass for the week- it''s the easiest (and cheapest) way to get around!

 

[rainwood]

Paris -

People have given you some great ideas. Here are a few of my favorites - some of them free!

If the hustle and bustle is getting to be a bit much, walk the Promenade Plantee which is an old elevated railway line that has been turned into a garden walk. It starts near the Bastille Opera House and goes for a mile or so above all the traffic. It''s particularly beautiful in spring and summer when the flowers are in bloom but is a nice oasis anytime the weather is walkable.

Go to a concert at one of the churches - we did at Sainte Chapelle.

Take a Segway tour. We had a blast riding through the streets of Paris.

Picnic on the pedestrian-only Pont des Artistes bridge.

Go to the Musee Marmottan if you like Monet.

Browse and buy something at one of the street markets. Rick Steves recommends the rue Cler, but we preferred some that had fewer Americans roaming around, such as rue Mouffetard & the one near rue Richard Lenoir. They have different ones all over the city on different days.

Walk in the city at dawn. Gorgeous and quiet - at least in the spring when dawn arrives very early.

Walk along the Left Bank of the Seine where there is a sculpture garden. I forget the name of it but it starts near the Jardin des Plantes.

Buy some produce or other portable food and eat it on a bench in the Place des Vosges.

Buy a crepe from a street vendor.

 

[pinkelephant]

Wow Barcelona and Paris, two beautiful places!

When my boyfriend and I went to Barcelona, we stayed at the H10 Raco del pi. It was a great location, close to the Ramblas, but not right on it. The service was great, great breakfast, and the complimentary tea/coffee and pastries all day were nice too. If you are going to August, take note of the days that stores and places will be closed; many natives take their vacation in August.

We went to many restaurants, but I do remember a place called Taller Tapas that was a cool place for tapas, kind of modern. It was the best salad and beef that I have ever eaten.

We walked most places in Barcelona, but we also did the bus tour, which is a hop on hop off type of deal. It worked out really well, because it took us all around the city. As well, we enjoyed a boat cruise along the Mediterranean Sea, which was really beautiful.

In general, I don''t think you can really go wrong with Barcelona. It''s such a beautiful city and the people are so wonderful.

Oh, I don''t exactly remember the name of the place, but there is a little shop tucked away that sells chocolate and preserves made by local monks. The shop is also well known for it''s hot chocolate, which was so good!

 

[Skippy123]

What a fun trip!!! I did the same trip last year; we went to Paris and Barcelona!

tripadvisor and fodors are helpful. I really liked Can Majo http://www.canmajo.es/ in Barcleona. It is a little ways from Los Ramblas, if you like seafood.
There are cable cars you can ride that have a view of the city http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/albums-en/montjuic/
Bee went to Barcelona too, hopefully she will chime in.

I wanted to see the Playa de Musica (sp?) but they were sold out so if you want to do that then make sure you get reservations. Also, we got a book called Eyewitness top 10, and that had some of the best things to see and do and it was compact enough for me to carry it around.

I posted some Paris and Barcelona pictures here. https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/welcome-back-skippy.79990/ We visited the Guell Park, you get great views of the city too. Guadi was the architecture and his work is amazing so if you like what he does you need to see Guell park, Guadi''s apartment building and La Sagrada Familia. We did the Red bus tour, and did the 2 days which takes you to all the major sights; we did it in the beginning when we arrived in Barcelona. The great thing is that they give you coupons to most of the major sights so you save a few dollars off all the main attractions.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 7/31/2009 1:47:23 PM
Author: princesss
Ah, how could I forget the Picasso museum? It's great. I had no idea what he did before he became a Cubist, and it gave me much more respect for him as an artist.

Also, there is a small Dali museum that I loved, if you're into his art. It explains a lot about him (like his horse fetish/interest) and you see more of his work than you knew existed! His illustrations of the Divine Comedy are great. There is also the larger museum in Figures, about an hour from Barcelona by train.

We did that too, and we loved it! Love all your travel tips Princess, excellent and I agree with them all! You should be a travel writer!

 

[BrightSpot]

Hi all,

Thank you so much for your helpful advice!

TGal, Maribel''s guides were super helpful! What a wealth of info on Barcelona! Thanks for sending them to me. I just found out that my friend had already booked a hotel for us, but we''re considering switching to a hotel that has a pool. But at least we have a bird in hand, so to speak.

Mara, how fun that you''re going to Spain & Portugal as well! I''ll probably be heading to Paris when you''re getting to Barcelona. Thanks for the kick in the pants on booking the hotel & the helpful booking sites. What areas are you targeting? I''ve heard that the Plaza Cataluna is a pretty central location. There''s one hotel I have my eye on in Las Ramblas, but hear the area might be a bit sketchy, especially late at night. If you happen to find the restaurant recommendations from your friend & could pass them along, that would be fabulous! And I can almost taste Paris croissants already...

I hope you have a wonderful trip!

zipzapgirl, thanks for so many wonderful suggestions! The evening picnic by the Eiffel Tower sounds like heaven! We''re definitely planning to do the bike tour of Versailles too & picked up the Rick Steves book on Paris. I can''t wait!

princesss, thanks for your detailed tips. This is so helpful! The people watching on Las Ramblas sounds great! Were you ever worried about security there? I''ve heard there are a lot of pickpockets, but maybe that''s an exaggeration? The park suggestions are wonderful & will make a nice respite in a busy day. It''s also good to know which sites require the most comfortable shoes (Montmarte, etc.!) It''s really helpful to get a sense of how to plan the excursions (what''s doable in a day, etc.)

IloveAsschers13, good call on the Metro! I''ve heard it''s clean & easy to use. I''m a NY-er, so will be happy to be able to use public transit in Paris!

rainwood, you can rent Segways in Paris? How fun! Were they difficult to operate! (I love your dog, btw!) Thanks for the tip on the lesser known street markets. That''s right up my alley.

janey, thanks for the tips! Good idea to check on the days stores will be closed. I''ve heard that a lot of Europeans vacation in August. The boat cruise sounds divine!

Skippy, thanks for sharing your tips & the photos from your trip! What beautiful picutres (and a beautiful lady!). Reading your post made me even more excited about my trip. I love seafood & will try to check out Can Majo. Yum!

Thanks so much to everyone!

 

[rainwood]

Brightspot -

The tour guides make sure that everyone learns how to ride the Segway so you''re comfortable before you hit the streets. It wasn''t hard, but you do have to put your trust in the machine in a way that takes a little bit of practice. The only thing I found hard was trying to stay balanced while standing still and taking photos. And because you''ll be staying in an apartment, you should definitely take advantage of the street markets. It will make you feel like a Parisien. The rue Mouffetard market is there everyday but many of them are only one or two days a week. And there''s an organic market on the Left Bank on Sundays. I think there''s a website you can check that lists what markets are where on what days.

 

[princesss]

Date: 8/4/2009 12:07:14 AM
Author: BrightSpot

princesss, thanks for your detailed tips. This is so helpful! The people watching on Las Ramblas sounds great! Were you ever worried about security there? I've heard there are a lot of pickpockets, but maybe that's an exaggeration? The park suggestions are wonderful & will make a nice respite in a busy day. It's also good to know which sites require the most comfortable shoes (Montmarte, etc.!) It's really helpful to get a sense of how to plan the excursions (what's doable in a day, etc.)

Happy to help! (And thanks for the lovely compliment, Skip.

)

I didn't find pickpockets/bag snatchers to be too much of a problem, but here's the best suggestion I have to avoid run-ins: casually glance around you every now and then, especially when you get up from sitting. While you're sitting, you're an easy mark to assess, and they can run up and grab your purse as you're standing up/starting to walk. A quick glance around gives you the chance to let the see you look at them, which makes you a more troublesome mark. That combined with a bag with solid straps and no outside pockets (the Longchamps Le Pliage bags are great for traveling because of this) where you can keep your finger on the zipper comfortably goes a long way. My typical walking "pose" keeps my thumb hooked into the strap of my bag and my hand on the zipper, which means it's harder to open the bag without me knowing.

The best thing I can think to tell you is to not try to do too much in a day. You're going to have a much better trip if you only do a few things than if you try to cram it all in. Remember, you've got a lot of life left in you, and plenty of time to come back to visit if you love it!

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 8/4/2009 12:07:14 AM
Author: BrightSpot


Mara, how fun that you're going to Spain & Portugal as well! I'll probably be heading to Paris when you're getting to Barcelona. Thanks for the kick in the pants on booking the hotel & the helpful booking sites. What areas are you targeting? I've heard that the Plaza Cataluna is a pretty central location. There's one hotel I have my eye on in Las Ramblas, but hear the area might be a bit sketchy, especially late at night. If you happen to find the restaurant recommendations from your friend & could pass them along, that would be fabulous! And I can almost taste Paris croissants already...

I hope you have a wonderful trip!

Skippy, thanks for sharing your tips & the photos from your trip! What beautiful picutres (and a beautiful lady!). Reading your post made me even more excited about my trip. I love seafood & will try to check out Can Majo. Yum!

Thanks so much to everyone!

Brightspot, I agonized over where to Stay, a nice hotel is Hotel Jazz and let me think of the other one that is close to Hotel Jazz and I will come back and post its name, both are a few blocks away from Las Ramblas and close enough (within steps but not right on) Plaza Cataluna. I personally didn't want to stay in Las Ramblas but still wanted to be close enough to things which Hotel Jazz has that advantage. Plaza Cataluna is where everything happens so being a few blocks away from it is nice because it can get noisy. You are so sweet; thank you for your kind words!!! You will have a great time; I am excited for you!

 

[kcoursolle]

I''ve been to both and had a fantastic time!! Unfortunately I can''t give hotel advice though because at the time I was a poor student and stayed in hostels. One piece of advice would be to buy a money belt that tucks into your pants and wear it all the time. We were all pick-pocketed at some point in both Spain and France, but luckily since we kept our important belongings out of our purse and pockets nothing important was taken.

In spain I loved loved loved all of the gorgeous gaudi parks and buildings, definitely worth seeing.

 

[Mara]

When I travel in Europe I take an over the body bag, I have a small LV that is like a flat pouch and it sits on my front or back... Iprefer it on my back but in Europe I keep it on my front. That way if someone wants the bag they have to take me with it AND it only opens with one flat zipper and it''s a flat bag so it is hard to get a hand in and out without me noticing. I didn''t have any issues in France on my 2 trips there. *knock on wood for this trip* Also, I tend to think if you don''t look like a tourist and act like one then you might not be as targeted and someone obviously a tourist.

Lastly, my friends who went in spring said do not wear shorts and flip flops or else you will be screaming out Hi I''m an American tourist, please steal my money... Spain is a more dressy area in general so I plan to wear a lot of sundresses and sandals. In France I went for business so tended to be dressy casual so maybe that''s also why I didn''t have issues.

 

[Mara]

and here are some of the recommends my friend put in her itinerary for me:

Dinner at Can Majo
8pm to 11pm.
Prices : 30 €
Phone : 93.221.54.55
Metro/Bus : Barceloneta (Línea 4)
Order lobster and rice! And paella!

In Gothic Quarter:
Gelateria Xocolateria: Hidden in a corner of Plaça Sant Jaume, their speciality is Spanish chocolate con churros, although their ensaimada pastries are not to be missed either

Ramblas:
El Quim, Bar Pinotxo or La Boqueria – Tapas lunch

Pasteleria Escriba: Chef Ferran Adrià favorite chocolate croissants may be found at this old-time pastry shop. Family owned since 1906, this charming shop truly deserves its place in Barcelona’s history.

La Ribera/Born:

Passieg del Born (hip area for lunch)

Fargas (Carrer del Pi, 16) is perhaps the most famous of the old Barcelona chocolate and sweet shops. Its corner site in the Barri Gothic, not far from the Rambla.

She is a huge foodie as am I...and we both love churros and chocolate which is why she has like 4 stops in there hahaa. What will we do, I am still figuring it out! There is so much information online, it''s hard to plan an itinerary. I know we will go to Montseratt one day for a day trip and I know we will look at some of the churches and do the Picasso tour etc. But mostly I just want to walk around and relax and check things out. I am not huge into ''tourist'' sites overall, I prefer to go to areas that locals will hang out and just see what life is like!

 

[BrightSpot]

Thank you so much for all of your good advice!

rainwood, thank you for the details on the segway tours. Maybe I'll give it a try. It sounds like fun! And I definitely want to take advange of the markets. Maybe I can almost feel like a real Parisian for a week!

Princess, that's great advice about glancing around often, especially when standing. I live in NYC, so I like to think of myself as street smart, but I can be pretty oblivious sometimes.

Skippy, thanks for the hotel advice. Apparently we've officially switched hotels once again to one on Las Ramblas. The property looks gorgeous & has a pool & is apprently well soundproofed. Personally, I might prefer to be a bit off the beaten track, but my friend was seduced by the grotto pool...

Ksourolle, congrats on your new loft! It's absolutely stunning! I'm so sorry to hear you were pick-pocketed, but glad you didn't lose anything of great importance. Thanks for the advice on the money belt. I bought one today! Do you think it's worth keeping everything money-related in there, or just back-up things?

Mara, thanks for the purse advice. That's a good call about dressing up a bit & not looking like a typical American tourist. How do you plan to handle the shoe issue? (Assuming there's a lot of walking involved in these trips.) Are you going comfortable but cute or nicer looking sandals? I will definitely bring some sundresses...just trying to think how to access my new moneybelt in a sundress...

Also, thanks so much for the restaurant recommendations. That's a huge help! My friend & I are both foodies too. Churros & chocolate sound fabulous!

 

[BrightSpot]

So, I have officially channeled my planning anxiety about this trip into finding the perfect purse. I've bought two cross-body bags & am not sure which one would be the best & most secure (& pickpocket resistant). Could I ask your opinion? (And I totally realize I'm obsessing here...)

Bag #1 has a zippered compartment for everything (sunglasses, camera, tour book, etc.). I like how organized it is, but fear it might look a bit like a touristy bag. Per several comments above, I wasn't sure if having lots of compartments would make it more or less secure from an anti-theft standpoint.

Here's a link to bag #1.

The second bag is also a cross-body bag of similar size as the first. This one is made of faux leather & has a large flap closure with magnetic snap, one large main compartment & a couple of small recessed zippered pockets on the flap. There's no zipper in the main compartment, though.

Which do you think would be the better bet? Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[BrightSpot]

Trying again to post a pic of purse #2.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 8/4/2009 5:58:14 PM
Author: BrightSpot
Trying again to post a pic of purse #2.

I like this one; you know what you have the same exact fears I had. Well we went to Rome and I think there were more pickpockets in Rome than in Barcelona. I honestly didn't encounter any in Barcelona. I did have a similar purse and it worked great. I think the main thing is don't walk down those tiny streets late at night and you will be fine; for the most part I felt safe, just be aware of your surroundings.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 8/4/2009 5:22:26 PM
Author: Mara
and here are some of the recommends my friend put in her itinerary for me:

Dinner at Can Majo
8pm to 11pm.
Prices : 30 €
Phone : 93.221.54.55
Metro/Bus : Barceloneta (Línea 4)
Order lobster and rice! And paella!

hehe I ate there Mara, it is super good!!!

I got some HUGE clam thing; there menu is online too. I should see if I still have pictures of our food; I think we took pics! Also, Pinoxiotos or something like that at La Bocaria is super good and it was fun to wander the Market! I also got fresh fruit at that market, it is right of Las Ramblas street. My spelling for these things might be off so I apologize Brightspots

 

[Mara]

out of the 2, #2 is prob better than the black nylon..that one reminds me of a fanny pack. i also didn''t bother with a money belt or anything, i don''t tend to carry much cash with me even when traveling, i use my cc for almost everything.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 8/4/2009 5:22:26 PM
Author: MaraRamblas:
El Quim, Bar Pinotxo or La Boqueria – Tapas lunch

Brightspot, I will post some food pics for fun if I can find them. I highly recommend Monstsrat too, it is an hour away by train and so beautiful, you can hike and the rock formations are so cool!

Also before I forget, El Quim and Pinotxo are closed on certain days and I think the guide books tell you when they are open; that happened to us one day we wanted to eat at El Quim. The flan is delicious at Pinotxo!!!

eta: Mara, that is funny that we ate at pretty much the same places as your friend, too funny!

 

[Skippy123]

here is another fun thing to do if you get a chance. We went to the Cathedral in Barric Gothic (Gothic Quarter) and you get great views of the whole city if you ride the elevator to the rooftop; you also get great rooftop views from Guadi's La Pedrera too. Another wonderful view of the whole city is from Mont Montjuic (it is beautiful there and the rooftop of the Miro Museum has great views too) and an another great view from Gaudi's Park Guell. I had the best time in Barcelona so seeing your thread is bring back such wonderful memories! Have fun and hopefully you will post pics!!! Can't wait to hear all about your trip and sounds like you found a great hotel!!