Barcelona & San Sebastian with 16 year old daughter - help please

Why not go directly to San Sebastian on your arrival day and do all your Barcelona days at the end?

Yes, I am looking into that (starting off in San Sebastian), but looking at flights, I will miss them on our arrival day (they are early morning) and the trains will be late afternoon - leaving several hours to kill (with luggage) from our 8:30am arrival.

I don't know whether it will work out any better, but look at flights into and out of Bilbao as well. It's a larger airport, and there's probably bus service direct from that airport to San Sebastian. The SS airport is a comparatively minor one. I haven't taken the train between SS and Barcelona, so I don't know what the scenery is like.

I don't think you'll find shop and restaurant closures in San Sebastian an issue in August on any day of the week. It's an intensely touristy place. The biggest issue is usually museum closures, so check the official websites of any museums you want to visit to determine their current policies. It's not a large city, so you may be fine with just one full day there plus the evening after you return from Biarritz. Note: I haven't been to that part of France yet so have no personal experience with Biarritz, but I would consider a day in Bilbao instead. It has a larger, less touristy medieval district.

I have to say that, though I really liked the Basque Country (but much preferred Bilbao to San Sebastian), if I had only eight full days in Spain, I probably wouldn't take the time to travel round-trip from Barcelona to San Sebastian. There is so much to see in Barcelona, plus there are great local side-trips to other places in Catalunya: Montserrat, Girona, Figueres, Cadaques, etc. It's a shame there isn't an AVE option to whisk you to SS quickly.

Three places you didn't mention in Barcelona that I would consider seeing--though I realize you won't have time to see everything--are the Palau de la Musica Catalana (requires a tour so must be pre-booked), the Sant Pau modernista site (which so far people have been able to visit without advance-purchased tickets) and the very good MNAC (Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, which typically doesn't have long lines).

I'm not sure whether you realize how essential it is to pre-purchase tickets to Barcelona's top sights. If you do not do that, you will face very long lines and may possibly not get in at all. In my experience (August 2016) the problem sights are La Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, Casa Batllo, Casa Mila and the Picasso Museum. Some of those sell wildcard tickets that don't lock you into a specific entry time. Back-to-back timed entries are difficult to schedule since you have no way of knowing how much time you'll want at each sight. If youmare forced,to,guess, figure a minimum of 90 minutes for most. The Palau de la Musica Catalan tour takes less time; Sant Pau is larger and took me longer. MNAC is quite a large museum; I spent about 5 hours there.

Conditions inside the Picasso Museum were very bad the day I visited. It reminded me of pictures I've seen of the mobs in the Vatican Museums. It was very difficult to get close enough to the art to see the labels beside the paintjngs. I do not recommend that museum for anyone who isn't a big fan of early Picasso. The Miro and MNAC were not crowded at all, and Barcelona has many other museums.

Casa Batllo (especially) and Casa Mila also tend to be packed, but I found I could still see the decor despite the crowds. It's possible that a late-afternoon visit would mean a less-crowded experience at those places, (and the Picasso) Doing La Sagrada Familia first thing in the morning seems to be the best way to avoid crowds there. The same is true of Parc Guell. If it's hot and muggy in Barcelona (which it can be) you won't want to visit Parc Guell at midday.

Thanks so much! Yes, it is certainly something to think about, if we want to go to San Sebastian at all because it is a hassle. I think because I've always wanted to see Biarritz (I must have read an article at some time and I love France in general). Although my daughter and I both really like smaller "town-like" cities in Europe. For instance, although Paris is my absolute favorite, Antibes is a close second. The other factor is I don't think that we will be in Spain again anytime soon.

I think we will skip the Picasso Museum unless we run out of things to do. We've recently been to the Picasso Museum in Antibes (we loved that) and while I like his work and have been watching the Genius show on his life, I'm not a huge fan. Thank you for the other museum suggestions! Yes, I will pre-purchase tickets to the popular spots - I just have to figure out all our days and how to group the activities. Buying in advance does take away some of the fun. I don't think my daughter can handle more than one art museum, one other church besides Sagrada Familia and one Gaudi building tour. I could stay in an art museum for hours and while she loves art, she just can't.

Thanks for all your help; I really appreciate it!

I spent 7 days in Catalunya with my then 19 year old daughters. They enjoyed Casa Mila, but they really enjoyed Park Guell. From what I see on facebook, Park Guell seems to be quite a favorite with the younger folk. My daughters also really enjoyed Montserrat and the funicular ride up to the mountain tops for some hiking. We were in the medieval walled city of Girona for two full days and they talk about how beautiful Girona was, quite frequently. They also had fun on the beach at the Barceloneta and picking up sea glass (and that says a lot because it was January!) They liked the Ramblas well enough, but they really liked the Bouqueria.

Thanks Jules! My daughter loves markets so I think that will be a favorite of hers as well. I'll look up Girona; thank you!

About the potential museums:

• Miro: Modern, spacious. Easy to see the art. However, except for whatever temporary exhibition they may be running (check museum website), it's all Miro, so you need to be a fan.

• MNAC: in addition to the expected paintings and sculpture, it has a couple of special collections--modernista jewelry/furniture/decorative arts and medieval frescoes rescued from churches in the Pyrenees.

• Girona Art Museum: Much smaller than the MNAC, nice collection, but without the frescoes and modernista stuff. Manageable for those who don't want to spend a huge amount of time in a museum. It's probably a place where most people would spend 1 or 2 hours, but it might be longer for an art lover.

You could easily spend all of your time based in Barcelona and make a few day trips.

EDITED

Tuesday - Arrival
•Parc de la Ciutadella
•Barceloneta
•Park Guell (BOOK a pre sunset entry)

Wednesday
•Girona (& Figueres ??)

Thursday
•Sagrada Familia (BOOK a first up visit)
•Hospital Sant Pau
•Eixample - Passeig de Gracia, Casa Mila & Casa Batllo

Friday
•Sitges (mid stay relax day)

Saturday
•Picasso Museum (BOOK a first up visit)
•Montjuic (funicular from Parallel) - Joan Miro Foundation, Castello, Olympic Ring, MNAC

Sunday
•Montserrat
•Plaça Espanya - Las Arenas, Magic Fountains

Monday
•Palau de la Musica Catalana (BOOK a first up visit)
•Las Ramblas - La Boqueria, Placa Real
•Bari Gotico - Cathedral
•La Ribera - Basilica Santa Maria del Mar

Tuesday
•Tarragona

Thanks for the museum breakdown (very helpful!) and the mock itinerary. Yes, there seems to be so much to see and do! I think we'll do Casa Batllo as the one house to see because there is a concert on the roff on 8/22 that looks good :)

@ David, I think Park Guell and Montserrat in one day is ambitious. It took us a bit of time to get to both Park Guell and Montserrat. Wouldn't that be at least 3 transfers on public transportation to get from Park Guell to Montserrat? Our approach was to do Park Guell in the morning and La Sagrada in the afternoon. It was a quick bus ride from Park Guell to La Sagrada. Also, we spent a whole day at Montserrat. If you have the time we really enjoyed the hikes from the top of the funicular. Also, at the risk of sounding stupid/naive, what is a "first up ticket"? Is that just another way of saying, scheduling the first time?

It can be done but agreed you have to be super organised. I’ve reorganised for an edited version above. Perhaps Park Guell late on your arrival day.

Did some more research and this is what I have so far. I hope that I am hitting the highlights while also giving us time to ramble unrushed (that is my goal). I know that we can spend days more time in Barcelona, but I don't know when I'll be back in Spain and heard good things about Basque country.

Besides Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell, I think that my daughter can only handle one museum, one Gaudi house tour and a couple of churches. Mostly she will want to wander neighborhoods and browse shops and soak up the atmosphere. She loves food markets. I have Playa de Bogatell on there the first day but if we are super tired I guess it can go. We are going to San Sebastian with beaches (and we live in LA and on the beach on the time). I did allow a day for Monterrast - or should we skip that and do more Barcelona, maybe more time at Montjuïc just wandering around? Although it will be hot in August.....

Monday 8/20 – 8:30am, flight from Barcelona to LAX

Tuesday 8/21
• 8:30am: Arrive in Barcelona.

• Go to the hotel, freshen up, drop the bags.

• Walk to Placa de Catalunya and the tourism office (#17) for maps, etc.
• Walk Las Ramblas. Wander around La Boqueria. Eat lunch. See Mosaic de Miro. Stop at Plaça Reial
• Take a taxi to Playa de Bogatell
• Early dinner at Escriba while at the beach?

Wednesday 8/22 – Gaudi & L’ Eixample
• Take a taxi to Parc Guell *try to book 9:15 tickets for Monumental Zone, allow 1.5 hours

• Walk down, through the neighborhood of Garcia
• Lunch: at an authentic Catalan restaurant: ??
• Walk to Sagrada Familia *try to book 1:00 tickets, allow 1.5 hours

• Walk 10 mins to Sant Pau Recinte Modernista
• Taxi back to the hotel to rest and change.

• 5:00pm Walk to ZARA flagship store.
• Walk over to Rambla de Catalunya
• Early dinner in L’Eixample: ??
• 8:00pm Casa Batlló tour, 9:00pm rooftop concert

Thursday 8/23 – Day trip to Montserrat
• 9:00am -
• Evening (if back by 4pm): Festa Major de Sants
• Dinner:

Friday 8/24 – Bari Gothic & El Born
• From hotel walk down Portal de l’Angel. Shops

• La Catedral
• Roman wall
• Lunch:
• Palau de la Música Catalana *Take a tour?

• Market: Mercat de Santa Canterina
• Bascilica de Santa Maria del Mar
• Shop boutiques in El Born
• Dinner:

Saturday 8/25 – ½ Day in Barcelona then travel to San Sebastian
• 9:00am -1:00p Take the cable car to Montjuïc. See the castell, Fundacio Joan Miro (or MNAC)
• 1:30pm – Collect bags at hotel and take a taxi (15 minutes) to Barcelona Sants train station
• The train leaves at 3:30pm and arrives at 10:09 in San Sebastian.

Sunday 8/26 – San Sebastian

Monday 8/27 – Day trip to Biarritz & Evening in San Sebastian

Tuesday 8/28 – ½ Day in San Sebastian (or Horrirda).

9:00am – 1:00pm San Sebastian
Travel to Barcelona (Vueling flight 6:25p - 7:30p or train 4:10p - 10:09p). Overnight in Barcelona near the airport.

Wednesday 8/29 – 10:30am, flight from Barcelona to LAX

I think what you've got is a good plan.

Palau de la Musica Catalana requires a tour. It is a lovely building and very worthwhile, but the exterior is also interesting.

Your LSF + Sant Pau timing is tight. It probably will not work if you want to ascend a tower. But I don't think you have to be at Zara at 5 PM. If you are not planning on a tower, I'd try to reconfigure and place LSF first-thing one morning (maybe Friday?), when it will be a lot less crowded. With a tower, it may not matter much, because I think you need to head to the tower pretty straight away, so you don't get to wander around the empty church when you first arrive.

In Barcelona there's no such thing as an "early dinner" that will get you to Casa Batllo per your schedule. No self-respecting Catalan would eat dinner before an 8 PM appointment. Plan on something snacky or go local and have a real dinner afterwards.

There is nothing special to see on the Ramblas unless you want to play spot-the-pickpockets. You'll see enough of it in the normal course of your visit as you head to La Boqueria, etc.

The Basque Country can be cool and cloudy or rainy even in mid-summer. You will certainly see the beautiful beach at San Sebastian, but you are not guaranteed beach weather. There were very few people out on the beach when I was there in summer 2016. I think it was just a few surfers in wetsuits.

You're right...we'll plan on snacking before the 8pm Casa Batllo tour and concert. I won't mind a cool and cloudy beach in San Sebastian - you've just described Malibu, where I go almost every day, that's beach weather to me LOL. Good to know about Las Ramblas. We'll stick to Boqueria. I'm not sold on the tower visit...in fact I hate small spaces so I have to think about that one. Thanks so much!

My girls really enjoyed walking the streets. One is very interested in photography and has a great eye. When you go to Casa Batllo, take some time to look at the exteriors of the other modernista buildings-- This block on Passeig de Gracia is called the "Block of Discord" . All close to each other are Casa Amatller (we walked into the lobby in this one, it seemed acceptable, others were doing the same), Casa Lleo i Morera, and Casa Mila.

Thank you; we will do that :). Funny you should mention the block of discord, as I was exercising this morning I watched a Rick Steves video on YouTube and he was on this block!

Casa Amatller has a chocolate shop on the ground floor. You can get into that area for sure. Casa Lleo Morera I'm not sure about, because the building is no longer open to the public for touring.

The buildimgs with striking exteriors go way beyond what we've discussed in this thread. I bought the €1 map of the city from the tourist office, and it had a lot of locations flagged. The ones that were not museums often turned out to be modernista buildings.

I do understand being drawn to a place, where it's a "must see" for you, no matter what any one else thinks or says. In the early 90's, I HAD to go to Hong Kong, despite warnings that it wasn't what I thought it would be; it turned out everyone was right.

So, I want to prepare you. I'm not sure what you think Biarritz will be like. It does have a unique mixture of surfing and luxury; there is literally a surf shop next to the Hermes store! There's a beach (although the one in San Sebastian is both larger and prettier), a casino (not found in San Sebastian), and lots of very high end shopping (pricier than you will find in San Sebastian, like the €4200 suitcase I saw in a store window; just imagine what's too expensive to display in the window!). There's a synagogue (not open when I visited) and a Russian Orthodox church (open when I visited but very limited hours). And that's about it. A half day is all you need, unless you are shopping or gambling.

I agree that Bilbao is a much more interesting destination, even if you don't want to see the museums; the old town is larger and more interesting to walk around that San Sebastian's.

Thanks for the lowdown on Biarritz. Hmmm....you have really given much to think about! I think I knew about Biarritz before San Sebastian, so the idea of a French "surf town" was appealing to me. I don't surf but I live in LA, so surf culture is around me and I think it's fun. I wouldn't be high-end shopping - more so the surf stores. And I will have my 16 year old and unless she can go to the casino and gamble, we wouldn't be doing that.

If I can get the same vibe in San Sebastian (European surf town), then I probably don't need to go to Biarritz. And since many shops will be closed anyway on Monday, I don't know if it is worth it. Unless we go on Tuesday from 9:30 - 1:30, before our train or plane back to Barcelona. Maybe that will be a good idea because then we have 2 full days in San Sebastian. I do have a feeling that I will like this coast of Spain. I adore Antibes (more than Nice) and it seems to me that San Sebastian is the Antibes of Spain?

I will also look into a flight out of Bilbao and perhaps we can tour that before leaving. I must confess that I know nothing about Bilbao except for the Guggenheim museum. I think of it as a "city" but from your description, sounds like I am wrong.

I have never been to Biarritz, so I can't compare, but there's an area of San Sebastian that has a sort of funky vibe, and I think I remember at least one surf shop. As you're walking toward the beach it's to the right of the historic district, just across the narrow river. Very easy to get to, totally walkable. Some attractive architecture over there, too, and not many tourists. Tne latter are all in the historic district which also happens to be the tapas district. I suspect that San Sebastian will be able to fill the Biarritz void. It is a very pretty place.

Your more recent post clarifies things.

Know that I am not a "beach person" or a "surf town person," and was writing from that perspective. While both San Sebastian and Biarritz are beach towns, San Sebastian doesn't have nearly the same level of visible and palpable surf culture that Biarritz has (although acraven is right that there is some surf town culture in Gros, the area she was referring to across the river from the Old Town of San Sebastian).

Bilbao is very much a city, but it certainly has more than the Guggenheim, or even other museums like the Museum of Fine Arts and Museum of Reproductions (both of which I enjoyed very much). If you like walking around interesting Old Towns, Bilbao's was by far the most interesting of the Basque country places I saw (including Vitoria and San Sebastian in Spain, and Bayonne, Biarritz, and St. Jean de Luz in France). It is, however, an urban Old Town; if you're looking for a small town/beach town vibe, it doesn't have it.

So, in summary, it seems that given your interests, your instincts were right - you'll probably enjoy time in Biarritz more than time in Bilbao. Do figure out the logistics of getting there from San Sebastian beforehand; since they're in different countries, the connections may be a bit cumbersome for a half-day visit.

Thanks all! I am going to read up a bit on Bilbao and see if that may an option. It all sounds lovely to me! This is our first time in Spain and we're excited. :)

I'm reading these posts with interest and happy memories as we've just returned from our trip there! We traveled with our three young adult "kids." (18-25)

I'll add a few thoughts of some things we enjoyed:

We stayed in Saint-Jean-de-Luz for three nights before taking a bus across the border to San Sebastian for five nights, and then we took the train from SS to Barcelona. Flew home from Barcelona.

Saint-Jean-de-Luz was really lovely and family friendly. We considered a day trip to Bayonne or Biarritz, but ultimately decided that it was so nice there that we would relax and just enjoy being there. It was a really good decision. We stayed in the Hotel Les Goelands, with a room with a balcony and a view of the ocean. You can get a better deal of room + breakfast for two if you book directly with them. It's 99 steps down a beautiful staircase to get to the boardwalk area. The beach was beautiful during the day and at sunset. This city is closer to San Sebastian than Biarritz is, FWIW. The market was excellent - we liked it better than La Brexta in SS.

In San Sebastian, we stayed in the Gros neighborhood that acraven and Harold mentioned. It was very close to the bridge to the old city area, but we liked the vibe better in this neighborhood. I think it was quieter at night, too. We walked to the pier along the river and watched surfers and swimmers on the Zurriola beach there, and enjoyed the sunsets every night. We did swim, too, joyfully in the big waves at this beach. We did not choose to swim at La Concha beach, although it was very pretty and also really crowded. We took a bus (#16, I think) to the Funikular stop at the base of Monte Igueldo, and then took the funicular up on a clear day. The views were spectacular - I really recommend that you do that if you can. If you buy the SS card at the TI, the bus rates are a little cheaper, and it gives you two discounts on the funicular price. There is a small old-time amusement park up there, and the only part we saw anyone enjoying was the wooden boat ride on the Rio Mysterioso. 2 euros for a ride in a waterwheel propelled river at the top of a mountain! We all did that and it was campy and fun. There's even a mini cave like Pirates at Disney World.

We booked seats on the Alvia train, leaving SS early (7:25 or so) to take the cross country trip to Barcelona. (We booked these tickets early and got a good price). Part way through that trip it becomes a high speed train. Also partway through, we went past a nondescript building that had 15-20 storks nesting on it! That was really cool to see. It was a comfortable way to travel. I considered flying, as well, but when you think about how much time is spent in the airport before the flight, plus security, we decided that the train was our best bet.

For La Sagrada Familia, we were the first tour group, booked as soon as the dates were opened, and I am so thankful that we could enjoy our visit when it was not very crowded, nor very hot. I'd recommend that timing.

If you're into coffee, the Nespresso Boutique is interesting to visit. Beautiful displays of coffee machines, cups, and capsules, carefully curated like a museum! They have a tasting room at the back of the store, and will make you a sample of whatever you want to try. Their capsules are less expensive there than to order at home, so that was one kind of souvenir we brought back with us.

And finally, I'd read about the huge department store at Place de Catalunya - El Cortes Ingles - having a great cafeteria/restaurant on the 9th floor. The five of us enjoyed a hearty lunch there with sangria and paella and more...then we went shopping on the way back down. The views from up there were great. Lots of locals there.

One regret - that we did not get to see the Magic Fountains. I've heard they are great to experience. We were just too tired to try that with an early flight home the next day.

Have a wonderful time!
Laurie

Laurie, thanks for your trip report; it sounds like you had an amazing time with your family! I love all your suggestions.

Can I ask, what airport did you flight into from Michigan because you started your trip in France it seems? I've tried to get one way tickets (San Sebastian or Bilbao one way, Barcelona one way) but we're using Delta miles and it didn't work out. That's why we have to roundtrip to/from Barcelona.

And what was the name of your hotel in San Sebastian, the Gros neighborhood?

I know you stayed 5 nights in San Sebastian and we're only staying 3 nights and 2 full days. I was taking the later train or plane so that we can get another 1/2 day in San Sebastian on the departure day. I hope that I'm not pushing my luck with a morning return to home!

Hi, Sherelle,

We were also trying to use Delta miles, and after a long roundabout path, we ended up flying Detroit to Amsterdam, and then Barcelona-Atlanta-Detroit. Doing so enabled us to use a Delta Vacations hotel for the three nights in Barcelona, and that knocked about $200 off each of our five tickets. It also included trip insurance with a decent cancellation policy - we didn't need it, but it was reassuring to have it.

We planned all the rest of our trip on our own, so flew from AMS to Toulouse via KLM to meet up with friends, rented a car only for that part of the trip, then took the OuiBus from Toulouse to Saint-Jean-de-Luz. The rest we did by train/bus/metro/taxi as needed.

We rented an apartment in Gros through Booking.com, since this was the city we stayed in the longest. We thought the apartment would be more economical. This was a first for us. We were in a great, central location, so it was not cheap - but also not as expensive as many other lodgings I looked at. I can send you more details if needed - but they may not rent an apartment for a short stay like you're planning. It doesn't hurt to ask them, if that setup interests you. There are a LOT of pensions there, and you might find a really good deal for the two of you. We had reserved at Pension Amaiur, but couldn't guarantee our rooms would be close together, and we realized that we wouldn't have any common space to hang out with that set up.

I hope this helps! Have a wonderful trip with your daughter!
Laurie

Thanks Laurie! We usually book apartments when traveling as our typical family of 4 and really much prefer that, but since I am planning this quite late and it's just my daughter and me, I booked Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra through booking.com, which I believe is on the beach. I am going to do some more research on hotels, so thanks for the recommendation.

We stayed in an apartment steps away from that hotel Very nice area, loved our 3 night visit

Thank you - good to know that we are in a good area :)

Yes, that hotel is near everything - beach, downtown, and Old Town (in order of proximity).

I just got back from San Sebastian. I LOVED LOVED LOVED San Sebastian! We had actually scratched Biarritz in favor of just having a day at the beach, and I don't regret it for a second. We really lucked out with the weather, but my friend (who lives there) said people go to the beach even if it's cold and cloudy. I don't know how busy you and your daughter want to be but I would think if you go to Bilbao and Biarritz, you will be very busy. Both are about an hour away, so I felt like each one is a day trip (which takes you away from enjoying San Sebastian). Personally, I really enjoyed just walking around the city and having a day at the beach. Pinxtos in old town is an absolute must!! The funicular is also a must see. There's a charming little amusement at the top that you and your daughter will get a kick out of :)

San Sebastian is quite touristy- my friend told me that some parts of town there are so many foreigners that she feels like the foreigner! But it's very lively and I'm sure your daughter will love it.
(edited to add- we left my 19 year old in San Sebastian- she'll be there for 4 months. Yes, I am soooo jealous!! I really didn't want to leave)

Thank you for that glowing report - it got me really excited! Yes, I think that I will scratch off seeing Biarritz (or at least play it by ear). We will only have 2 1/2 days there so not much time. We really do just enjoy hanging out and walking around and I think that after 4 whirlwind days in Barcelona we will welcome just leisurely exploring.

I was surprised at how much I loved San Sebastian. The pictures don't do it justice!

hey sherrelle
yeah that you are visiting that area. my BFF and family are from the french basque region near saint-jean-pied-de-port. absolutely gorgeous countrysides, small villages, farms, vineyards, ranches etc. maybe take the train to saint jean de luz, walk around the little village, have lunch and a glass of wine. if you are interested bascovivo.com does a half day tour of the basque countryside and culture. enjoy your time there.
aloha

I'm getting excited! Thanks for all the tips!