We are driving to Barcelona to end our trip and fly out early after 3 days. Should we return our car before our stay or get lodging with parking, probably nearer the airport. We would like to be in the city to experience it best, but, are worried about getting to the airport early.
Posted by
FL USA
1560 posts
Ditch the car prior to entering Barcelona, i am speaking from experience. Barcelona offers an excellent public transportation system, especially their subways. Getting to the airport is ez, a 20 minute cab ride at most. Stay in Barcelona and max out your time in this fantastic city.
Enjoy!
Posted by
LaGrange, Ga, USA
1178 posts
Get rid of the car ASAP....you will not need it in Barcelona, and it would be like having a millstone around your neck if you kept it! If you stay in the city, you can get the airport express bus, five (?) euros, from the plaza at the top of Las Ramblas in front of El Cotes Ingles.. A short drive of less than 1/2 hour.
Posted by
Oak Park, Illinois
4535 posts
Agree, drop it off on your arrival to Barcelona. A car sitting in a parking garage is a waste of time and money. If you drop it at the airport on arrival, you'll get to take the transportation (in reverse) that you will do when leaving. That'll get you used to the process so you won't have any jitters the morning you leave.
Posted by
OP
St. Cloud, MN, United States
25 posts
That sounds like good advice. Thank you! We would really like to stay in the heart of the city, but, need to be at the airport by 7:00 AM. Can we do it without craziness?
Posted by
FL USA
1560 posts
Absolutely! You need to be there at least 90 minutes prior to departure so you are in for an early wake up call no matter what. A cab takes 30 minutes and there will be little traffic so early in the morning. Do not drink any caffine that morning, allow your body the opportunity to sleep the flight home.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
The car is no good in town.
It will be a miracle if a cab can get you to the airport in thirty minutes.
If you get there only an hour and a half prior you will likely miss the flight.
Move out to the airport late the last night.
Posted by
OP
St. Cloud, MN, United States
25 posts
How about staying nearer to the airport and shuttle into town each day. Would we totally miss the experience?
Posted by
FL USA
1560 posts
Greatly diminish the experience
Posted by
1 posts
I am doing the same as you but my flight is at 06:55 am! I'm dropping off my car at the airport and will take the train to the city and stay in the Eixample area of the city which is, in my opinion, the best location for visiting the city. If you take the train from the airport to the city you can switch to the metro with the same ticket which is the cheapest and most efficient way. Buy a T10 (gives you 10 tickets - cost 10,30 euros). A taxi ride to the airport is exorbitant!
The metro only starts at 5:0am so that's too late for me. On my last night, I will be staying in a hotel close to the airport that supplies 24/7 free shuttle to the airport.
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
5508 posts
Jean - Worst.Idea.Ever.
Don't stay at the airport, ugg.
I simply don't understand the frequent postings I see on here of people suggesting or describing how they will stay at the airport the night before an early flight. Talk about a way to end a good vacation on a flat note. So you take 30 minutes to check out of your lovely, central hotel, at least another 30 minutes to check in to your soulless airport hotel, you lose an hour of your vacation and are confined to an area devoid of anything interesting. Why not just wake up 30 minutes earlier while at your nice central hotel and take a taxi to the airport in the early morning. You have already spent $1000+ on airfare, so what is a few extra Euro for a taxi ride?