[infox] Planning your visit to Barcelona and Catalonia?

Thanks for that Enric. Now I am whistling along to the opening titles.

LOL!.... indeed... addictive trailer :)))

Ah yes, forgot to mention that anything and everything you can see in those videos/sites it's, at the most, at a 4 or 5 hour car drive from Barcelona -which is located in the coast, roughly in the middle of Catalonia. The whole of Catalonia is about the size of the state of Maryland yet it contains a very diverse landscape: beaches and coves, prairies, forests, wetlands, high mountains...

Maryland, now that's the whole chicken leg consisting of thigh and drumstick ?

Lost u there djp_syd :)))

Thought you might. lol.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_Maryland#Australia

Ahhh, thanks... no I didn't... not 'popular' in my shores :))

Moltes gracies, Enric. I will be in Barcelona for 13 nights starting 18 November, to celebrate my 60th birthday. Also I plan to visit Begur, Tossa del Mar, and other beautiful villages & beaches of Costa del Mar, taking the bus. I stay at Portaferrissa, 14 at Vrabac Guesthouse, so convenient to all of Catalunya. I will follow the thread you have started here on Rick Steves's forum.
Tina Weymann from Rochester NY

I mean Costa Brava, "the wild coast"!

Hi Tina, feel free to ask anything in particular you want, either publicly (so others can profit from other members' responses) or on a PM :))

As per your plans, note that relying on public transportation to visit the northern most part of Costa Brava would require ideally an overnight there. Most towns are served by bus (or train in the south of Costa Brava, not the north!) but sometimes their schedules might not allow for a one day visit (ie arriving at noon and departing at 5-6pm... all those miles for a 'mere' 5-6h might be very tiresome).

Hello Enric, this is so timely! I am fortunate to be planning a trip to Spain as well as taking a RS tour of Portugal for 3 months (alas, all the time we are allowed to stay!).
I like having a good tour guide for an introduction to all cities. We will be in BCN for 10 days, joined by our daughter and 10 yr old grandson. Do you have a recommendation for a good tour(s) and guide? Thank you.
Edith

Hi elenzl

Unfortunately I'm not in the tourism business so I wouldn't really know. There are excellent tours though at the Barcelona Tourism Board (choose "TOURS" in the grey bar, there are over 100 tours on offer.)

Also, there are several private companies that offer very good free walking tours too: check out Runner Beans. They have a very popular Kids & Family walking tour.

Finally, since you're travelling with a kid, check out as well Time Out Barcelona.

Had our first tour with Jose of Pepito Tours here in BCN. I found him through the Rick Steves book. I highly recommend him, very friendly and informative and he purchased our tickets in advance. We are a group of five including two 8 year olds and they enjoyed our tour as well! Check him out www.pepitotours.com.

Enric, Thank you for the links. My husband and I are just starting to plan a 2017 trip to Barcelona. I can't wait to watch all of them.