I’m looking for feedback for Spain trip. Traveling with husband/kids (13&17). Flying into Barcelona from Iceland (11 days there) mid/late June; no car.
Night 1 – Barcelona*
Arrive at 14:45, taxi/car to hotel (near Plaça de Catalunya; west of Las Ramblas). Take the L2 line / Montjuic Funicular to Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (open until 20:00; planning 2 hours). Tapas afterwards at CruiX.
Night 2 – Valencia*
La Sagrada Familia (08:45; L2 line; planning 2 hours - crypt but not towers), then L5 to Diagonal to start the RS Eixample Walking Tour at Casa Mila (pre-book anytime tickets, planning for 1.5 hours). Lunch in this area. Collect luggage from the hotel and take L3 or L1 to the Barcelona Sants Train Station for a 16:10 departure for Valencia (staying in the Ciutat Vella area).
Night 3 – Valencia
Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (10:00; we’ll take the 9 and 10 lines, planning at least 4 hours). Afterward, depending on time, we’ll either take the 24 bus to El Palmar to eat at Arrocería Maribel (only open til 17:30) or stay local and eat at Raco del Turia.
Night 4 – Valencia
AM: C6 Train (40 minutes, regular departures all day) to Sagunto for a hike and visit the Roman ruins (castle/arena). Not sure if we'll eat there, pick up (or bring sandwiches) for lunch. Back in Valencia, we’ll hit the beach, likely Platja de Llevant, clean up at the hotel and then have dinner at Tinto Fino Ultramarino.
Night 5 – Barcelona
Self-created Valencia Walking Tour: Mestalla Stadium (no tour), Pont de les Flors, Porta de la Mar, Serranos Towers, El Carmen and La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia. We’ll take the fast train, arrive in Barcelona at 14:33, drop our stuff at the hotel and go to the Barcelona Maritime Museum, and, if time following that, do a backward RS El Born walk. We plan to eat at Kitchens of Saint Catherine (confirmed it is open/access from outside) before attending a 20:00 Performance at the Palau de la Música Catalana.
Night 6 – Barcelona
Sant Joan Holiday – Spanish Civil War Walking Tour (reservations made), a nice big lunch (if we can find an open restaurant) and then shop if any places are open (we may need nicer clothes for our Day 9 lunch, see below). We'll have tickets for Park Güell after 18:00, spending 2-3 hours.
Night 7 – Barcelona
As it stands now - day trip to Monserrat.
But, I keep wondering if I could more efficiently manage the first two days in Spain by going to Monserrat directly after we land, stay in Montserrat for Night 1, (Hotel Abat Cisneros (see post here)) and see La Moreneta at 08:00 the next morning along with the Sacred Cave; leaving before the crowds arrive (and going onto Valencia for Night 2).
Night 8 – Girona
RS Bari Gotic Walk and Barcelona History Museum MUHBA (10:00, planning 1.5 hours) in AM. TBD departure for Girona, (many Renfe AVE options). We are staying near Plaça de Catalunya and depending on when we may move some sites from Day 9 to Day 8.
Night 9 – Girona
Lunch at El Celler de Can Roca. We’ve never eaten at a Michelin restaurant (or spent $$$$), but it’s a special treat! Recommendations about dress (packing light)? We will also see the following (still hoping to find a guide for El Call at least): Rambla de la Libertat, Pont de les Peixateries Velles, El Call, Museu d’Historia del Jueus, Girona Cathedral, Passeig Arqueologic, and Banys Arabs. Also (but may be the candidates to move up to Day 8): Pujada de Sant Domenec and Muralles de Girona.
Night 10 – Paris
09:01 AVE to Figures, taxi to the Dali Museum (10:30, planning 2-3 hours), taxi back to Figures train station and take the 14:24 TGV Inoui to Paris.
*Due to scheduling issues, we either had to go to Valencia directly (a VERY long travel day) or or break up our Barcelona days.