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Montjuic @ Barcelona

I have some interest in Montjuic, the castle, seeing the Olympic museum/stadium, maybe the Miro Museum or MNAC, and getting there via the old cable car. I really am an Olympic fan....so that stop peaks my interest. How much time should I realistic allow to get all of this done? I seriously doubt that I would do the MNAC AND the Miro Museum.........probably only one.....if that many.

My 4 extra days in Barcelona are filling up really quick with Gaudi sites, markets, Gothic quarter, and tapas.

Is it worthwhile to do Montserrat AND Montjuic? I am scheduling an entire day for Montserrat.

Thanks for the help.

Posted by
11570 posts

We also wanted to see some of the Olympic sites and Museo Miró. We loved Miró, whimsical and there are fun sculptures up the roof. I don’t think Miró took terribly long, an hour or so. We skipped Montserrat. Go up yo Montjuic. The views alone are worthwhile.

Posted by
28085 posts

I think I spent a total of at least five hours in the MNAC, but it may have been longer; it was 18 months ago. I walked through the entire museum, albeit rather rapidly in some galleries; it would take much less time if one wanted to see just some of the exhibits. The Miro was more like 2 to 3 hours, and I took it more slowly. That time included seeing a temporary exhibition.

Posted by
2727 posts

I had the Articket BCN (see here http://articketbcn.org/) and did a half day on Montjuic. Took the teleferic up, went to Miro museum (perfect size and arrangement for my taste), walked down to Olympic stadium (just to take photos for a friend - not sure if there are tour opportunities there), and then spent about an hour at the MNAC. It was a hot day and so mostly the MNAC was for a cool spot (I spent the entire time at the numismatics (coin) exhibit. Loved the views from there and was glad I did it. If you only do one museum, a half day would cover it.

Posted by
7175 posts

Barcelona in four days
Plan of attack with pre booking sights

Day 1
BOOK a first up visit to ...
•Sagrada Familia
Then head to ...
•Hospital Sant Pau
•Eixample (Passeig de Gracia, Casa Mila & Casa Batllo)

Day 2
BOOK a first up visit to ...
•Palau de la Musica Catalana
Then head to ...
•Bari Gotico (Cathedral)
•Las Ramblas (La Boqueria & Placa Real)

Day 3
BOOK a first up visit to ...
•Picasso Museum
Then head to ...
•El Born (Basilica Santa Maria del Mar)
•Parc de la Ciutadella & Barceloneta

Day 4
BOOK a first up visit to ...
•Park Guell
Then head to ...
•Plaça Espanya - Las Arenas, MNAC, Olympic Ring
•Montjuic - Castello & Miro Museum

Posted by
210 posts

WOW! Great information, y'all. Thank you, So much to do.....so little time.

My plans were to see The Sardana on Sunday at noon at The Cathedral.. I am sure it will be crowded. With that in mind I probably would need to get there kind of early to get a good view? That time plus the actual Sardana I am guessing ....several hours of standing? All of that just "clogs" up Sunday. With a number of museum closures on Monday and going to Montserrat on Saturday........... if I take the Sardana off my "to do" list, it frees me up to do a few more things on that Sunday (as in Montjuic?) without "sprinting" back and forth across Barcelona. Just thinking publicly.

David's plan looks really good, but I really would like to get to Montserrat.....and that's a full day. The other issue is......I am not convinced the Picasso Museum is the best use of MY time.......even going to the Miro Museum is not a given. I am not a huge museum fan.....a little goes a long way. The MNAC museum was not even one my radar, but "acraven" may have flipped my thoughts.

One more specific question......is it just more efficient to take a taxi to Park Guell.....even if you have just toured the Segrada Familia? Seems all of the postings/readings mention taking a taxi first thing?

Thank goodness my trip is not until May, but I know I need to get early bookings at some of these places for the best times.

Thanks again,

Posted by
7175 posts

Your four days includes the one to Montserrat ?
I got the impression it was an additional day.
Oops. Houston, we have a problem.

Posted by
210 posts

Yes, David.....Montserrat was a part of my original 4 day plan. It is still there.....hoping it is realistic. Coming in on a Thursday morning.. Tour starts on a Monday late afternoon. I do have Tuesday afternoon and evening free.

Posted by
28085 posts

I'm nearly certain Enric has mentioned a bus that goes from very near La Sagrada Familia to Parc Guell. I don't remember the details, but with luck you might find it by Googling. I think the nearest Metro stations to Parc Guell are each about a mile away--quite a long walk, in any case, and uphill as you head to the park, though I believe I recall an outdoor escalator at one or two points, if you approach from the right direction.

In August 2016 most of the Picasso Museum (no one much cared about the ceramics) was nearly as packed as the worst photos I've seen of the Vatican Museums. If you're not much of a fan, I urge you to skip it. Why subject yourself to that, and pay for the privilege? April might be no better, because Barcelona gets heavy tourism year round.

I saw the Picasso Museum as part of the Picasso Tour offered by the tourist office, so I didn't have to obtain my own ticket, but I think it's another of the Barcelona sights for which you must commit to a time when you buy a ticket. Unless you have only one such sight for each day and can schedule each of those first thing in the morning, those timed tickets are flexibility killers. I went to at least four other Barcelona Museums, and the Picasso was the only one at which crowding was a significant issue. I wouldn't be shocked at a 10-minute wait to get inside the Miro and MNAC (though I didn't really wait at all), but once inside, you'd be able to enjoy those museums fully. You won't be doing that at the Picasso, because you have to fight your way through a mog to see the pictures, much less to read the information posted beside them.

Posted by
650 posts

We spent a half day on Montjuic without entering a museum. That was primarily because of weather. Our plan was to visit the castle and walk down to the Miro and the Catalan Art Museum. But it was gray in the morning so we did the Maritime Museum instead. The alternative afternoon plan was to do the Miro's and the Catalan Art Museum in the afternoon. But it got so sunny and lovely we just walked up and down the mountain in the end. I can't tell you about the museums, but I can tell you that walking up and down Mountjuic itself is a half day well spent. The cable cars were closed for us because they refurbish in January, but I'm sure they would add to the experience.

Posted by
7175 posts

Thursday pm
•Las Ramblas - Colon, Placa Real, La Boqueria
•Eixample - Passeig de Gracia, Casa Batllo, Casa Mila

Friday
BOOK a first up visit to ...
•Sagrada Familia
Then head to ...
•Hospital Sant Pau
•Park Guell

Saturday
BOOK a first up visit to ...
•Picasso Museum
Then head to ...
•El Born - Basilica Santa Maria del Mar
•Parc de la Ciutadella

Sunday
BOOK a first up visit to ...
•Palau de la Musica Catalana
Then head to ...
•Bari Gotico - Cathedral
•Barceloneta

Monday am
•Montserrat

Tuesday pm
•Montjuic - Miro Museum, Castello, Olympic Ring
•Plaça Espanya - MNAC, Las Arenas