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Alumni of Best of Barcelona and Madrid Tours - questions about free time

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On Day #2, Sagrada Familia and La Pedrera are the scheduled group activities according to the itinerary. When does this morning group activity end? Then, according to the itinerary, the group will gather later for “wrap up exploring Barcelona’s lively food scene” before dinner on your own. When is this evening wrap up?

I am asking questions because I am trying decide which “timed ticket” I should purchase online for the Monumental Zone in Park Guell for day#2 afternoon. Or should I not even attempt to go to Park Guell on the same day? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

The “city walk” on Day #1 after the 5 pm first group meeting, is it down Las Ramblas?

Did anyone go to Montserrat with Barcelona Guide Bureau bus tour departing Barcelona at 3 pm?
Or should I sign up for cooking class at 5 pm with Cook and Taste? I am looking for activity to do on a Saturday afternoon, a day prior to start of my tour.

Decisions, decisions...
It’s going to be great experience no matter what :)
Thanks in advance for suggestions and recommendations.

Posted by
882 posts

I suspect tours change a little from year to year - my remarks are based on a 2018 Best of Barcelona and Madrid tour. In reply to your questions, the group activity of "day #2" ended at Sagrada Familia in early afternoon. The evening activity was wine tasting - which included tapas. We went to Park Guell after the Sagrada Familia tour on our own via taxi. The city walk on the evening of "day #1" was mostly around Placa de Catalunya ending in a group dinner. Several of us went to Montserrat the afternoon of "day #3".

Posted by
16893 posts

The morning Barcelona walking tours are usually scheduled for 9:00 and end by 13:00. So you'd probably want to allow time for at least a quick lunch before a further reservation.

Posted by
2252 posts

We did take a bus to Montserrat one of the free days we built into the trip before the tour started but I am sorry I don't remember the name of the bus company. It was not a tour but a day trip we did on our own using the RS guidebook. We spent the entire day there, hiking and exploring and there was even a small market set up below the Monastery that day. I don't know how much time you'd like to spend there so a half day may give you enough of a taste! Park Guell was a highlight for us as was the fun Fat Tire bike tour of the city. Lunch on the beach was included at the time. You are correct: "It’s going to be great experience no matter what :) "

Posted by
390 posts

I was on the Barcelona/Madrid tour in May 2019. Some in our group chose to go to Montserrat on the bus tour leaving at 3 p.m. on day 3 (our second full day in Barcelona) I decided against going because, although I wanted to see Montserrat, I didn't think it would be worth it for such a short visit, and going would make for a very packed day given we had a group dinner that night. Those in my group who did go to Montserrat on the 3 p.m. bus on day 3 said they enjoyed it but being there for such a short time (around 2 hours) wasn't long enough.

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