Barcelona hotel and sights

Where to stay, what to see - well covered in any guidebook.

Hi Jennifer, For the where to stay question, I would perhaps check TripAdvisor. When I was in Barcelona last fall, I stayed at the Continental Palacete, which is just two blocks away from Placa Catalunya. It worked fine for me, but it sort of depends on what standard you are looking for. Which is why I would look at TripAdvisor, to get a feel for the pros and cons of different places. As for the sightseeing, you may want to consider the Hop On Hop Off bus tours. They cost more than the subway, but you get to view the city and they will stop at most people's must-sees. Hope this helps!

I love the Hotel Jazz, close to Placa Catalunya. You might check the "cruisecritic" website as well for some good recommendations.

We stayed for two nights at the Hotel Caledonian in the Eixample district. It was a good location, with lots of shops, cafes, etc., nearby. The hotel was comfortable and clean (though a bit stingy with the air conditioning in July). Ask for a room with a street view. It took about 10 minutes to walk to both La Rambla and Rambla de Catalunya. If you only have a day and want to cover a lot of territory, you might consider one of the double-deck tour buses. The routes cover the main tourist areas, and you can get on & off as much as you like. The boarding lines weren't bad, even in July. We don't usually go for things like that, but it worked out well in this case, as we were able to get a good sense for the main areas of the city during the course of a day. The Montjuic area was worthwhile. The views from the Museu Nacional d'Art Catalunya and Fundacio Miro are great, and it's a nice area to stroll through.

I agree with Ken, with the amount of time you have, the on and off tour buses may give you the best & easiest taste of Barcelona. There is so much to see and it is a lot more spread out than some of the other Spanish cities. In Barcelona even the street blocks are long! Enjoy your visit!

The hop on hop off bus in Barcelona is good for an overview, but you won't see much in a day if you actually hop off at a couple of sights. You're likely to spend the better part of your day waiting for the next bus to come along (they can be pretty full - I've had to wait through 4-5 full buses before I found one with seats). If you just have a day, I would suggest sticking close to the gothic quarter. You can see the Placa Catalunya, wander the Ramblas, see the port, wander over to the Cathedral, maybe even get into to the Picasso museum (if that's your thing). Or you could take the day and explore the Eixample region and see some of the Gaudi sites. Or if you prefer, when you've wandered down the Ramblas to the port, instead of seeing the Cathedral and gothic quarter, you can pick up a cable car to Montjuic and see the old castle with its gardens and great views of the city. Personally, I think this would be a lot more relaxing way to spend the day and you'll get a nice feel for the vibe of the city. Just know you're NEVER going to see even a fourth of what Barcelona has to offer in a day. So, pick a neighborhood and enjoy it, and keep the rest of the city as something to look forward to on your next visit.

One of the most memorable things we did in Barcelona was to wander through the Gothic Quarter. We put the map away and just took random lefts and rights down narrow streets that would suddenly open up to little plazas with restaurants spilling out in to them. Musicians play along the way, and we happen to come across the most amazing opera singer nestled between the three and four story brick/stone buildings. It was a fantastic afternoon.

Thank you all so much for the ideas. I've read through the guidebooks and checked out the hotels. I am all for spending a day wandering. I can't wait. Las Ramblas and a Gaudi sight or two...here I come!

Check out Hotel Lleo, it is right by Las Ramblas. I also suggest the hop on hop off bus so you can get an overview of the whole city. Stay on the bus for an entire route (they have several routes), then when you feel like you've seen enough, get off and explore!