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BARCELONA, Suggested Tours & Things to Do

Mediterranean Coast : Suggested tours

Barcelona Gothic Quarter City Walk

From your hotel or an arranged meeting point your guide with take you for a stroll along the Ramblas, the pedestrian boulevard that is considered the nerve center of Barcelona.You will then move into the Gothic Quarter-the oldest part of the city. After visiting Plaza Nova with its twin semicircular towers of the well-preserved Roman Walls, and following remaining ruins, you will arrive at the cathedral, a gothic structure dating from the 14th and 15th centuries. The cathedral complex also contains three medieval palaces: Casa dels Canogues, Casa del Dega and the most important-Casa de L´Ardiaca. Following Avenida de la Catedral you will arrive at the beautiful Plaza del Rey, where the Palau Major Reial is located. Plaza de Sant Jaume, administrative center of the city and site of the Palau de la Generalitat, a 15th century gothic structure with renaissance facade is next. Across the plaza, the Town Hall is located within a 14th century building. The tour ends with a visit to the Picasso Museum.

Gothic Quarter City Walk Private Sightseeing Tour

At your leisure:
Stroll the Ramblas, then divert through the Gothic Quarter with a stop at Plaza del Pi for a coffee. Walk around the Borne Market, Santa Maria del Pi Gothic Church and the Citadela Park with its zoo. Be tempted in the exclusive shops along the Paseo de Gracia and the Rambla de Catalunya. The night comes alive in the zones of Borne, the Gothic Quarter and Eixample. Great views from Montjuic, and the Mirablau café-and-dance club on top of Tibidabo. The city has its arms open to embrace the Mediterranean with clean beaches and seaside restaurants and bars. Stroll the beach promenade by the World Trade Center and the Marina Port Vell with its Olympic Harbor.

Best time to go:
The whole year, although July and August can be rather hot and humid (due to the proximity of the Mediterranean). Best times, March, April, May, September, October, not only for the weather, but also because there is less tourist trade, meaning fewer crowds and easier reservations.

Where to eat:
Around the Ramblas, the Gothic Quarter and Diagonal. The city has a wide range of restaurants. Noteworthy is the traditional catalan cuisine. Try the wonderful Mediterranean pasta and rice dishes (especially paella). Remember to consult our dossier to get up-to-date, detailed information.

Where to sleep:
The selection is wide and varied. See our hotel web-site and try one of our suggestions.

Interesting half day/full day side-trips, with tour guide or driving yourself:
Figueres, Dali Museum and Costa Brava (10 hours) Pyrenees Mountains and Andorra (10 hours) Sitges and the Wine Region (6 hours) Beaches: Sitges, Aigua Blava, Tossa, Sant Feliu Guixols Roma Ruins: Tarraco and Ampuries. Iberian Citadel of Ullastret. Modernism in Catalonia

* We suggest that when taking any of these side trips from Barcelona, you enjoy the services of one of our private car/driver/English-speaking guide packages.

About Barcelona...

One of the most vibrant cities on the Mediterranean Coast, it is remarkable in its blend of modernity and tradition. Its monuments incorporate all styles and periods. Its Roman past is still evident and romanesque structures abound in the old quarters, although gothic is the style most typical of this part of the city. Beautiful buildings like the Chapel of Santa Agata, the Casa of the Canong and the cathedral are of this style. But in Barcelona, a little of everything is to be found, testimony to the influence of its celebrated merchants who returned home with ideas that were incorporated into the city´s architecture over the centuries. Today the city receives world-wide acclaim for its surprising and daring architecture. Of special importance are the works of Gaudi, particularly his mysterious Park Guell and the divine Sagrada Familia. But Gaudi was not alone and the city is adorned with modernistic jewels, which have converted the city into an obligatory destination for anyone interested in this artistic movement. The city lived a moment of particular glory during 1992 when the Olympics were held in the city. Local and provincial authorities took advantage of the event to restore and embellish the majority of the city´s monuments and reform zones that had seen better days. The city, which had been living with its shoulders turned from the sea, has refurbished its maritime zone and opened the city up to the Mediterranean again.

Barcelona Panoramic

After being picked up by your guide at your hotel, you will head for Tibidabo, where a wonderful panorama of the city awaits. You will visit some of the best examples of modernistic architecture: Gaudi´s Guell Park and Sagrada Familia. The latter, a one-of-a-kind cathedral has become one of the indisputable symbols of Barcelona. You will get to know some of the city's most celebrated avenues, part of the late 19th century urban project known as the "Eixample". You will marvel at the active and popular Ramblas, a wide pedestrian boulevard in the city's heart. A walk through the Gothic Quarter will take you back centuries to the epoch when streets were cobbled and too narrow for cars. Finally, you will visit the Olympic City and Port, which are examples of the city´s modern architecture. You will be dropped off at your hotel or left in the city center, as you wish.

Important

There are numerous tour buses. Most have a open upper floor and function according to the "hop-on, hop-off" system which allows you to get on and off at any point along its trajectory. Important: We also offer private tours of the Costa Brava, Figueres (the Dali museum), Girona; and the resort town of Sitges and the wine-growing region of Penedes.


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