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Anyone going on the Northern Spain, Barcelona to Porto trip in September
Hello fellow travelers. Just reaching out to connect with anyone that is going on the small groups tour to Northern Spain, Barcelona to Porto.
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Yes, start date September 23. Is that a match with yours?
We are leaving on September 2nd and the trip starts on the 4th. We get back home late on the 17th.
When you're in Bilbao, they're going to take you to the Guggenheim. But there's another really interesting thing to see in Bilbao - the famous Vizcaya bridge. If you can wangle a way to go across that bridge, I think you'll remember it.
I found it a lot more interesting than the Guggenheim.
Denisel - I’m a solo traveler on that same trip! I have spent a good bit of time in Spain, but not Barcelona or Compostela, Portugal was still unvisited. Can’t wait to get back to the Basque area! I’m from the DC area, went to Richmond VA for 40+ yrs, now up in Massachusetts. I’m also headed over on the 2nd, flying Boston to Barcelona (wishing that the return from Porto was that easy!). Where are you all leaving from? I’ve hired a private guide for the day before our welcoming dinner. Have you also? We’ve worked out what’s not covered by Tauck. Quite excited! Any chance of chatting ahead of time to compare thoughts?
We are on tour starting 25 Sept. Just got e-mail from Tauck saying they “recently learned that our scheduled group visit to the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona on Day 2 of your itinerary is no longer available.” They gave no reason why.
What! But will you get a guided tour of the outside at least?
We have this tour scheduled next year and are only arriving one day early. I hope we can get tickets for a tour inside
British you should be fine. I asked AI if there is any reason tours would be cancelled on 26 September ( day we tour Barcelona) and found 26 September is a Saturday in the middle of La Mercè, Barcelona's largest and most important annual city festival. As a bonus it’s even bigger for 100th anniversary of Antoni Gaudí's death. There are events at the church, they have a lottery for free tickets for that day and I assume are not having tour groups. There are events, parades all over. Gothic Quarter, El Born, and surrounding parks is the absolute epicenter of the festival's traditional, non-stop cultural events. Should be a zoo. I’ll be surprised if we actually have the walking tour of this area. Last time something like this happened to us we were on a Tauck tour in Edinburgh when the Fringe Festival and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo was on. Town was packed and Fringe Festival had events all over the narrow streets. We never had the walking tour of old town.
For us Tauck is substituting Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau which is about 0.6 miles from Sagrada Familia. Traffic during this time it’s supposed to be terrible, be lucky if we can bus anywhere. Not really one of Tauck’s “unexpected” events.
Sant Pau is a great site. A former hospital until surprisingly recent times. If you are a health care professional it will be of added interest. But, frankly, it does not hold a candle to the Sagrada Família. We’ve visited three times and looking forward to a fourth when our brand new Crystal ship docks there in 2028. My advice-do whatever it takes to get a tour/tickets to see the interior.
Just got email our tour cancelled as well, we got tickets on our own wondering if we get to Gaudi park on tour? Sant Pau doesn’t appeal to me that much. Trip starts Sept 4th
Hello fellow travelers, We are headed to Barcelona on the 2nd of September the trip starts on the 4th. Very dissappointed that the Sagrada Familia was cancelled. Called Tauck this morning and they did not have the reason for the cancellation. We arrive on the 3rd and are hoping to possibly get tickets for the 4th to go to the Sagrada Famililia since we do not meet the group until dinner time. Staying at the Le Meridien Barcelona hotel upon arrival and wanted to know if anyone else is arriving early?
I have read that because 2026 is the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death, and the completion of the dome, securing tickets for the Sagrada Familia can be a challenge. And the pool of available tickets is smaller for tourists because local residents have been allocated tickets at 50% off.
I'm doing a cruise with another company next year and my anticipated visit to Sagrada Familia is still on...of course, that could always change, but no word on changes so far.
Also on the Sept 4 trip, we booked for the 3rd the day we arrive, the replacement tour doesn’t even make Rick Steve tour book for Spain not a good sign.
Hello Jass, Sorry I reread your message above and it is possible that we may be on the same flight from Boston to Barcelona (our flight is on Wednesday the 2nd arriving in Barcelona on the 3rd.). Would love to chat with you, let me know how to get in touch with you. Thanks, Denise