Barcelona

[2Btoo]

Guys,

Mrs 2B and I have some flights booked to Barcelona in early December. We've never been before and don't yet have a hotel booked.

Seeing as PH knows everything then we'd welcome some hints. Overview:

- Mid 40's
- No kids
- Very rudimentary Spanish
- Happy to walk around (presuming that it's not too cold)
- Interested in good food, Spanish culture, red wine
- Not interested in night clubs, parties, gypsies or getting our pockets picked

The cathedral is of course on the list of things to see.

Can anyone suggest a good hotel? Preferably fairly central, we'd favour smaller and more Spanish rather than larger and international. And preferably not multiple-company-director price levels.

And suggestions of things to see, where to go and so on would be most welcomed.

Ta!

[David Beer]

We went this summer for probably the 10th time for a long weekend, 10 days! Hotels, very difficult, good old booking.com . Stayed the Royan, then sitges for a few days and spoilt at hotel Niri.
Love good food and a bonus if it’s good price ! I know La ramblas is thought expensive but go in the market, turn left and the rather basic looking “bar” has really great food. Great atmosphere if you like shouting between bar staff and chefs, love it !
A walk on the coast towards the Olympic village and the best piella , sticky bits around the edges, if you know what I mean !
Also hop on a train to sitges for the day, really quite classy and half the price. the cabbie will offer to take you for a few euros more, get a fixed cost, do it !

[limpsfield]

I’ve been to Barcelona twice - great place to visit. I can’t remember where I stayed the second time but first time around was at the Wittmore which is an adults only hotel and a great place. No idea of the prices now but I don’t think it was that exorbitant.

https://www.thewittmore.com/

Barcelona is also the only place I have been pick pocketed! By a bouncer at some club who laughed it off as a joke when I caught him. Odd place but still well worth it. Enjoy the trip.

[AlfaRomeoGTA2]

I was there a couple of years back and loved it. Stayed near las ramblas and one of the favourite places we visited was the Picasso museum. The reason was more to do with the place nearby that we had some lunch in - and it was delicious. The place is called El Xampanyet and it’s showing that it’s still there. Wonderful little tasters I had with some gorgeous wine. We also got to watch some Flamenco dancing nearby and that was a wonderful experience as well.

The museum is all a walk from las ramblas, through old town and the beaches are not far either. Pre booking online will save you from the queues if you decide to visit the museum but if you’re anything like me, you’ll be more than content with the food. Plenty of small places in the little alleys of the old town. I really enjoyed Barcelona and can’t wait to go back again when it’s warmer.

[2Btoo]

HI,

Thanks for the replies. All very helpful.

Niri looks like it will take bookings but at 300EUR a night or so. Which is a bit steep for us - cheaper would be better.

Wittmore looks excellent but is closed in December. Boo!

All other hotel suggestions welcome - thanks!

[loughran]

My favourite places in Barcelona are Casa Batlō, Park Güell and the Sagrada Familia. Book tickets on the net before you go.

I enjoy the walk down through the city to the sea.

If I were planning to go to Barcelona in December I would call Disfrutar tomorrow and hope I could book a table for lunch.

https://www.disfrutarbarcelona.com/web/

[Sheetmaself]

Stayed at Hotel Jazz very close to the placa de catalunya (poss typo) nice hotel with good rooftop bar/pool.

[Vasco]

Watch your wallet, jewellery etc. Don't carry anything valuable.

[MarkJS]

I can recommend either the H10 Marina or H10 Casanova. Great city hotels in excellent locations. I also had a good stay at the Silken Gran Hotel Havana.

Enjoy Barcelona - it is a fantastic city.

[jhiker]

I’ve stayed here and enjoyed it. Possibly the rooms are a little dated but it has a lot going for it.
It’s located on Las Ramblas, there’s a 24hr free buffet (inc beer), decent buffet breakfast, rooms have small balconies, lounge/garden and friendly staff. £87/night or so on Booking.com.

https://www.hotelcontinental.com/hotel-continental...

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g187497...

Gaudi’s work is stunning…
https://www.archdaily.com/877599/10-must-see-gaudi...
Gothic quarter, La Boqueira market, Nou Camp, Barcelona cathedral (not to be confused with La Sagrada Familia), Montserrat. Hop on/off tour bus.
As mentioned, watch out for pickpockets in busy places.

[Macneil]

Vasco said:

Watch your wallet, jewellery etc. Don't carry anything valuable.

Yep, only place we've ever had an attempt at robbery.

[jhiker]

Stayed here too…
More like £140/night. Great location near the top of the Ramblas directly opposite the Cathedral.
https://hotelcolonbarcelona.es/hotel/presentation/

[Macneil]

We stayed at Hotel Olivia Balmes, it was a while ago and brand new, really smart, superb breakfast, a tiny little rooftop pool. Easy walk to the Cathedral and in a quiet-ish area.
Enjoy your visit, we loved it

[Rich1973]

Montjuic and tibidabo are both worth a look. Tram, cable car and funicular I recall between the two locations. Both give views over the city. Some years ago now so details are vague but it will all be on Google.

[monty999]

Hotel Ciutdadella Barcelona 4*, not far from bottom of La Rambla. Right by Estacio de Franca which gives direct access to and from the airport for the cost of a metro journey (1 euro when we went about 3 or 4 years ago !) Gothic area close by for night restaurants/bars. Easy walk to the beach (5-10 mins), La ramble (5 mins), Cathedral (10-15 mins),Montjuic (15mins). But everywhere is accessible via a very good metro system, just be very mindful of the pickpockets, this is pickpocket central !! especially on the tube and at the market (La Boqueira) on La Rambla. Our daughters friend unfortunately had her bag picked on a tube when they went.
Dancing fountains are a good thing to take in at night with a nice bottle of red sitting on the steps.
Great city but just be careful and enjoy

[Ridealong]

I stayed at the NH Collection Constanza in L'Illa Diagonal (business district) 9 years ago.
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g187497...

The hotel doesn't look appealing from the outside view but on the inside it look every bit of it's 4 star rating, I did not eat lunch or dinner there but had a great buffet breakfast which IIRC was around €20 per person.

There are a few bars/cafes and restaurants beneath/at the back of the hotel (square/green), others eateries are within 5 to 10 mins walk. There is a nearby shopping mall with good restaurants in the lower ground, which I had a very good rib eye steak (Bovinum) and I had a lunch time special 1 dozen oysters and a glass of cava for only €12 (oyster bar Fishhh!) well it was 9 years ago!
Also it has a large supermarket (Caprabo) if you want to buy DIY breakfast/snacks/food to take home - Jamon or Iberico de Belotta, rolls, pastries, Turron (supposedly a Christmas confectionery) etc...
And El Corte Ingles is only 10 mins walk away if your other half wants to go department store shopping.

It has great transport links - buses, trams (L'Illa) and the metro (Les Corts) and Prat airport is only a 20-30 mins taxi ride away.
Museum of the history of Barcelona is only 1.96km away, National Art museum of Catalonia 2.39km, La Boqueria 3.73km, Sagrada Familia 4.37km, Santa Caterina market 4.42km, Picasso Museum 4.98km and Barceloneta beach is 6.23km away.

[anonymous-user]

This was in the 90s, but we were going to have a weekend break in Barcelona and found most hotels booked up, but then found a package holiday for two weeks in the Costa Brava was the same price.
The train service along the coast is excellent and we had a few day trips to Barcelona and a full holiday too.

[AlBondigaz]

Ridealong said:

I stayed at the NH Collection Constanza in L'Illa Diagonal (business district) 9 years ago.
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g187497...

I lived in Barcelona for a couple of years and whenever I go back to visit I always stay there.

It's in the Les Corts district - right side of town for railway station and airport links. It's a proper locals area with some great reasonable priced bars and restaurants. You are just off Avenue Diagonal which is a great shopping area, always preferred it to the city centre shopping districts.

Barcelona is a very town easy to walk or wander around. Metro, Trams and Buses all us ether same ticket system - https://www.holabarcelona.com/tickets/hola-bcn-bar... & https://www.holabarcelona.com/discover-hola-barcel...

I'm heading back to BCN for few days in late Nov. It gets under your skin - You can check-out any time you like,
But you can never leave.... , as the song goes!

[blue_haddock]

i can really recommend this little bar, its a few minutes walk away from the rambla but its a proper local spanish tapas and cava bar.

Your talking 4 euros for a bottle of cava and its fantastic.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g1...

[Largechris]

No mention of the football? Easy to walk to the stadium, often easy to get tickets