Barcelona, Northern Spain & Rioja Valley tour question
Shortly we will be going on the Northern Spain & Rioja Valley tour. Tauck only gives very brief descriptions of what to expect in each location. Today I finally found out that the entire tour of Barcelona is only 4.5 hours long. I'm am deeply saddened by that! Thankfully we will arrive 2 days early & will be able to tour a bit on our own. Has anyone been on the tour to know how long the tour is in the La Sagrada Familia & if it enters any of Gaudi's other homes, parks, & can give insight into what is included? 4.5 hours touring Barcelona is totally insufficient!
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You are correct, too little time in Barcelona. Your arriving early is a good decision. Here is our review: https://forums.tauck.com/discussion/16396/northern-spain-the-rioja-valley-and-madrid-a-brief-report/p1
Justme,
I took this tour years ago when it was titled differently. Actually, of all the Spanish cities I have visited (either with Tauck or independently), Barcelona was my least favorite due to the influx of tourists from the cruise ships. This is merely my opinion based on what I like to see and do in major European cities. We all have different likes, dislikes and travel styles.
Las Ramblas, the main strolling boulevard, is typically one of the main attractions. There is a lovely market there that is a nice place to meander through and have a bite to eat. La Sagrada was not yet open inside when we visited, but the outside facade was, indeed, something to behold. I do recall visiting one of Gaudi's parks but we didn't stay there long. If you like Gaudi's style, I understand there is now a museum dedicated to his works. We found some of the nicest areas, shops, museums and eateries were away from the Ramblas area. Barcelona is also a haven for pickpockets. I believe it is right behind Rome in that regard. Just be vigilant as one should be in any large city.
The remainder of the tour was fabulous and, overall, was one of our favorites.
Justme, we haven't taken this tour but were in Barcelona last Nov on our own after a Douro cruise. I wrote daily posts in the Douro plus Lisbon and Madrid cruise thread if you want all the details.
Reading the itinerary on the website it looks like a morning tour including La Ramblas, Barri Gothic, a guided tour of the cathedral, a drive up to Montjuic then the guided tour of Sagrada Familia. Since lunch isn't included that day I'm betting they'll let you stay on at the Sagrada touring it on your own. There is so much detail inside and out that you need a couple of hours. We, and most of the other tourists there, used an app downloaded to our smartphones which let us take it in at our own pace. From there you can easily take the metro to go see other sights.
We loved Barcelona and would go back to see more as 2 1/2 days weren't enough. Enjoy.
We've been to Barcelona a few times and really enjoy the city. While others may disagree, when comparing Barcelona and Madrid, I would compare Barcelona with Paris and Madrid with London.
Gaudi's architecture in Barcelona is wonderful. We were there prior to the Northern Paradors tour. We walked up to the Sagrada Familia on one of our days before the tour began. We were able to spend time understanding the site and the outside of the church. We left the inside to the tour which provided ample time.
Got into one of the other Gaudi designed buildings making sure you go to the roof to see the remarkable chimneys. We went into Palac Guell which is just off the Ramblas and is one of his earlier works. We also took the bus to Parc Guell which is a good outdoor example of his work.
There's also a Music Palace which is beautiful as well as a small Picasso Museum with some of his earlier works.
There is so much to see in Barcelona that you will need choose what appeals to you the most.
Just came across an article about Barcelona in the Mar 27/Apr 4 Time magazine. It covers the completion of many of the towers of the Sagrada Faamilia in 2021-2023 with the center tower to be completed in 2026 which is the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death.
This year, 2023, marks the 50th anniversary of Pablo Picasso's death with many events and exhibits. Also the city's leading classical-music concert venues will collaborate to promote Barcelona as a pre-eminent city for classical music performances.
I'm sure you can find descriptions of these events through the tourist bureau.
Justme - we took this tour in May 2022 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Hopefully, Margaret will be your tour guide. Since you are arriving early, May I suggest you visit Park Guell and Casa Milia. Tickets for both can be purchased in advance online. Plan to arrive Park Guell as early in the day as possible; we went to Casa Milia at night. You can take a cab to Park Guell and Casa Milia is about a 20 minute walk from the Le Meridien. Don’t miss the market - Mercado de La Boqueria - which is a short walk from the hotel. If you like to take hop on/hop off bus, Barcelona City Tour and Barcelona Bus Turistic were recommended by the hotel. Enjoy your trip!