Cruising into Barcelona is an exciting prospect for every passenger, with a wealth of culture, art, gastronomy and history awaiting. However, due to time constraints, many passengers are restricted to just a few hours in the Catalan Capital, and need to plan their day well, in order to squeeze all the juice out of their one-day visit. One of the most popular choices when visiting the city is to squeeze in as much of Antonin Gaudi’s fantastic architecture in as possible, but without the know-how, this can be a logistical nightmare. However, with the ease of public transport and the tips to follow, anyone can get their fill.
Given the great location of the cruise terminals, at the bottom of the Old Port – Port Vell – in Barcelona, it’s easy to cram in plenty of Gaudi on your day trip and see some other sights along the way as well. The first thing any cruise traveller needs to do is head straight to the city’s most famous street, Las Ramblas. At the bottom of Las Ramblas is the metro station, Drassaness, which is the first port of call. If there is a group of travellers, purchasing a T-10 metro card is the best option, which is a ticket with ten journeys on it, and is transferable between passengers and by far the most economical way of getting around. Take the green line up to Vallcarca metro station for your first dose of Gaudi – Park Güell.
Directions from the exit of Vallcarca are well signposted, and mechanical escalators will take you to the summit of the park at the back, meaning you will enjoy the best views of Barcelona as a start, and then be able to take the rest of the journey downhill towards the ornate entrance, saving the best for last. Park Güell is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (one of seven in the city that Gaudi is responsible for), and Barcelona Council has plans to charge an entrance fee sometime in 2010, so if you’re lucky enough to visit while the park is still free, you will all agree that the day couldn’t have started better. Stop for a coffee in the entrance to the park, and charge those camera batteries, too.
A quick skip downhill towards your right and you’ll quickly find Lesseps metro station – again on the green line. Hop back on the metro (don’t worry, this will be the last for today, and saves valuable time) a couple of stops down to Diagonal. As you emerge from Diagonal metro station, you will be greeted by Barcelona’s own Champs de Elysee, Passeig de Gracia. This is one of the main shopping streets in the city, with many boutique and high brand stores lining the wide avenue, and is also home to another two of Gaudis’s Masterpieces – Casa Mila and Casa Battló.
Casa Mila is also known as La Pedrera, which refers to the nickname given by residents at the time of construction and means the stone quarry, due to the massive amounts of sandstone Gaudi employed. It was Gaudi who had the last laugh, though, and this magnificent edifice is a building bereft of straight lines or right angles, and mirrors natures forms. Gaudi’s father – an ironmonger – shows his influence here, with the wrought iron balconies resembling seaweed washed up on a sandy shore. If time permits, and queues aren’t too long, ensure you make a visit inside with the fantastic period apartment, amazing attic exhibition and stunning rooftop with its unforgettable chimneys.
Casa Battló is just a few doors down on the opposite side of the street, and is different to Casa Mila, but unmistakeably Gaudi nevertheless. Don’t bother paying the steep entrance fee here; rather marvel at the yawning façade and Gaudi’s homage to Catalonia’s patron Saint, George, with his dragon’s rooftop tiles and George’s cross chimney. It’ll likely be time for a spot of lunch and there are some great Tapas bars in the adjoining streets.
After a light lunch, head on down to Plaça Catalunya, the city’s main square and over towards Las Ramblas – your point of origin this morning. As you walk down Passeig de Gracia, you’ll already be able to spot the ornate lamp-posts and benches also designed by Gaudi with the all-too familiar broken tiled effect. Take a stroll down Las Ramblas, the city’s most vibrant street full of colours, people, artists and street performers. If you fancy something fresh, pop into the Boqueria market on the right hand side, around a third of the way down, for some fresh fruit juice.
As you continue down towards the Port terminal, you’ll reach Nou de la Rambla street, tucked away on your right. This will be your last chance to visit another Gaudi masterpiece – the only work he finished in his lifetime – Palau Güell. A partial visit of the building is currently only available, and this generally fills early in the morning (so if this is high on your wanted list, you could combine this visit in the morning, and then head up to Park Güell) but sadly, only the basement is shown, which although is highly impressive, does nothing to overshadow the previous attractions you will have seen during your Gaudi day, and reflecting on the façade is just reward for a long day’s walking. Again, Gaudi uses iron to great extent, and the most expensive materials available at the time were employed for Count Güell’s downtown residence.
After you’ve filled your camera’s memory card with the last photos of Palau Güell, you can rest happy in the knowledge you’ve experienced the highlights of the Catalan Artist, crammed four UNESCO World Heritage sites into one day as well as some of Barcelona’s other most famous attractions, and will surely have a great appetite for a dinner somewhere special in the evening, too!
David Brydon has been living in Barcelona for 10 years and writes about and .
When most people think of luxury vacations, cruises rank high on the list, but until you’ve experienced one yourself, it’s tough to know exactly what to expect. This brief overview will fill you in on what the average 7-day cruise has to offer, from your cabin to time spent on the sea to day-tripping at foreign ports.
Accommodations
Cabin sizes vary greatly from ship to ship, and different cruise lines offer a whole range of cabin categories from inside cabins, with no windows at all, to rooms with balconies to suites. Your choice of cabin is an important personal choice, as it will serve as your “home-base” while aboard the ship. Cabin rates can range anywhere from $400 to $3000 per passenger.
Inside cabins are the cheapest type and lack the added space, windows and balconies of more expensive rooms. Inside cabins are good choices for passengers with a tight budget or for those who will likely be spending little time in their rooms. Window and balcony cabins may be well worth the extra cost if you tend to desire a peaceful place to relax in privacy.
On Board Activities
The activities you might encounter on board a cruise ship can vary widely from ship to ship and depend on the type of cruise you choose. A good rule of thumb is that the larger the ship, the more activities and options you’ll find.
Most large ships keep packed schedules every day to keep each and every traveler happy and engaged. Some examples of pre-arranged programs include deck parties, wine tastings, karaoke parties, quiz shows and much more. And whether you may be in the mood for a Broadway-class musical, live music or just taking in a movie, one usually only need wait a few hours, if that. And for those who crave nothing but relaxation, many ships come standard with a top notch selection of spa treatments, salons, yoga and meditation classes. Certainly, there’s no better time to focus on one’s self than on a cruise. And that’s just for the adults!
Nearly all cruises offer some level of activities and events geared toward young passengers. While you can always find an onboard babysitting or daycare service, some family cruises feature day and trip-long programs for kids similar to camp. Activities can include sports, video games, scavenger hunts and trips to onboard water parks for older kids and story time, finger painting and play-dough sculpting for toddlers. Programs like these are great ways to keep the kids occupied and happy while the grownups spend some time partying or relaxing together.
Indeed, cruises can be so fun, you may never want to leave the ship . . . until your first call at an exotic port.
Going Ashore
One terrific aspect of cruises is the ability to visit a wide array of destinations, some exotic, some not as exotic, but all of them beautiful and fascinating. The fun of spending time on your cruise ship might only be eclipsed by the time you spend in port.
The most popular cruise hot-spot is the Caribbean, boasting nearly perfect weather year round, breathtaking beaches and a plethora of aquatic activities. Other appealing and common trips let passengers see the Alaskan Wilderness up close and personal from the comfort of warm ship, take a gastronomic adventure through Mediterranean coastal cities or enjoy a pub crawl around the Irish coast.
On a seven day cruise, travelers can expect about two to four stops at ports. When going ashore, you’ll have a tough time deciding on what to do, from taking adventure tours hiking through the jungle or observing bears, moose and caribou in their natural Alaskan habitats, exploring an ancient European port city, SCUBA diving among colorful aquatic life in crystal clear tropical waters or enjoying a round on a world-class golf course.
Cruises and port cities work together to give travelers the best possible experience when going ashore. Depending on how independent you would prefer to be on your visit, you can take advantage of the extensive knowledge of seasoned crew members who can set you up with city tours, adventure excursions, shopping trips and much more. Or go it alone and find fun on your own. At the end of a long day of touring exotic ports, cruise passengers will appreciate the benefit of having a safe and secure haven to escape to.
The cruise ship is the quintessential oasis away from the hassles and stress of everyday life. Nothing could be more relaxing than drifting quietly to an exotic location on a floating resort town. And if you’ve got dreams of rock climbing or ice-skating in the middle of the ocean, a cruise vacation can unlock them for you.
Matt Cragle is a freelance writer who writes about vacationing, often discussing a specific kind trip such as .
The historic meeting of 9 ships in port of Santos on 09/02/2008. Celebrity Infinity, Costa Victoria, Costa Magica, Grand Mistral, Grand Voyager, Island Star, Island Escape, MSC Opera and Zenith.
The concept of the family vacation has continuously been a strong concept in relation to family bonding. The family trip has traditionally been held in shut proximity to home, whether it’s represented in taking the family camping, going on a fishing trip or visiting the native mountains to ski. There has been a drastic amendment with regard to the destinations of these trips, whereas the thought of the family vacation is still strong in society.
The need to travel abroad has grown exponentially in adults and that want is usually transferred to their children. When considering your own families long vacation travel it’s important to hunt the travel advice of people who have expertise connected to the current venture in the concept connected to travel abroad.
The first plan that involves mind when the concept connected to travel abroad is introduced is that if there is air travel associated to the trip. For a private traveling this could be a straightforward task except for a family there is a great deal of questions of safety to consider. Now problems such as correct packing, airport etiquette and child management are obvious to any parent. One topic that’s frequently overlooked is with reference to the protection of the plane and their seating options. Seats on a plane are like the seats during a automobile, designed for an adult and not child safe and this desires to be kept in mind. Take the travel advice of experienced parent travelers and convey your car seat if a kid is but forty pounds. Doing thus will help defend your child throughout travel abroad and assist in identifying a secure place for a young one in the strange environment of a plane.
Traveling from one location to a different in the shortest time attainable is the concept of air travel. Although the value related to this travel could not be in the simplest interests of a family. By visiting a bordering country quite often travel abroad will be represented. Many families are selecting to cross borders utilizing their own kind of transportation as a approach of saving the vacation dollars.
Road travel might appear easy since several families drive every day however there’s an amazing distinction between vacation driving and daily driving when you incorporate time of travel. The first bit of travel advice to remember is that though you’re packing the vehicle for an extended trip, a roomy vehicle is that the key in preventing child cramping and grumpiness.
Consider the trip expertise just of travel a portion of your vacation in association with any style of traveling when you travel abroad. The most effective method to assembling bonds and maintaining the peace during travel is providing entertainment for both adults and children. Activities help hang around and distract people from the less exciting portion of their vacation.
To discover additional helpful tips associated with and overseas travel visit .
The Cruise vacation you have been planning for a year is now a reality. You’ve packed your bags with the appropriate clothes for cruise travel. You have filled out all of the cruise documentation, do this at home, don’t wait to get to your cruise ship, and now you are ready for this highly anticipated cruise. There are a few cruises tips about embarkation day that you should know before you head for your cruise vacation.
Keep all of your documents with you, that includes tickets for the cruise, any vouchers, passport and any immigration forms that the cruise line has sent you. That includes bus vouchers from the cruise line that will deliver you to the ship from the airport. In is wise to pack a change of clothes in your carry on in case your baggage gets delayed. If you have purchased the vouchers from the cruise line, a cruise line representative will meet you at baggage claim and take you to the bus or van that will transport you to your cruise ship.
If you decided to handle the transfer on your own, check ahead of time to find out how much a taxi will cost from the airport to the pier. It is good to know how long it will take to make the transfer so you have timed your flights accordingly. Make sure you have attached your cruise line tags with ship name, cruising date, and stateroom number. When you arrive at the pier a porter will relieve of your bags. He will expect to be tipped. The going fare is one dollar per bag.
Cruise tips are always helpful so pay attention to this one. Let the cruise line make your airline reservations. The reason for this is that if your flight is delayed the cruise line will handle it. If there are several other passengers on the same flight the cruise line will delay the departure of the ship. If it’s just you and your traveling companion they will probably put you up in a hotel in the town of your embarkation and get you on the ship at the next port of call. If you opted to do it on your own, you will have to make all those arrangements. So, for safety and peace of mind let the cruise lines do it.
If you have decided to go to the town of embarkation a few days before the cruise, that will not be a problem, so make your own reservations. Some travel insurance companies will pick up these expenses but make sure you read the fine print on the policy BEFORE your cruise vacation.
When you get to your cruise ship, embarkation could be a little chaotic. There will be lines, especially early in the check in process. There will be a lot of stressed out people so just relax and take it in stride. After you have gone through the check in process you will be aboard and your cruise vacations begins. Here is where it pays to have all of your documentation completely filled out. Many of the cruise lines have loyalty programs so if you are a repeat cruiser many times they have preferred check in areas. Many of the cruise lines will have preferred check in for cruisers who have booked suites or mini suites. Check this out with your cruise travel agent.
This is a little off topic but it’s one of the best cruise tips you will hear. Use a cruise travel agent for all of your cruise travel. It is important to deal with an agent that has sailed on many different cruise lines so they can give you an honest opinion on the difference between cruise lines. Check and see if they are CLIA certified cruise lines organization. Be careful they don’t push you onto cruise ships where they have preferred status which means they get a higher commission. Scour the internet for cruise reviews on cruise travel to back up what your travel agent is telling you.
Now back to the pier. While you are checking in you will have to give the cruise line a credit card for any on board charges. Most times your room card is also your credit card and identification for getting on and off at ports while on the cruise ship. If you can get on the ship early in the process you get two benefits. One you get to have lunch and two you get the first shot at spa and beauty appointments. It will also give you time to peruse your cruise ship and then head for the pool. Having been a savvy cruise traveler you knew to bag a bathing suit into your carry on luggage.
Just before you get to the gangway you will be stopped by the ships photographer and a picture will be taken to commemorate your cruise vacation. It will be on display in the ships photo gallery but you are under no obligation to purchase it. Check in procedures will be different from ship to ship even within the same cruise lines. It depends on the experience of the staff and the cooperation of the passengers. Remember that these folks that are checking you in have been working since seven o’clock in the morning off loading the people from last weeks cruise vacation. Then they turn around and start putting on a whole new set of passengers for the next cruise.
The most important advice is to try to keep a cool head. You are headed for the best thing you can imagine, a cruise vacation.
This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.
Mary Hanna has traveled the world by Air and Ship while writing eBooks, Software Reviews and Practical Articles on Internet Marketing, Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at: http://www.CruiseGold.com http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com and http://www.CruisingTips.com
Mary Hanna has traveled the world by Air and Ship while writing eBooks, Software Reviews and Practical Articles on Internet Marketing, Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at: http://www.CruiseGold.com http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com and http://www.CruisingTips.com
There are several good and reliable travel sites on the Internet where you can find great travel deals and save big bucks on your next holidays.
However, getting the best deals is not always as easy as we think. Even though there are hundreds of travel sites out there, getting a bargain is not always simple.
Some of the well known sites, which I have personally used without any problem, are: Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Cheap tickets, Ebookers and Last minute.
Still, to find a good deal within these sites is not straightforward, a digging job has to be done to find the gold, despite the easy to use and wonderful sites these brands above and other companies have.
One of the activities that should not be missed is comparing your traveling schedule among the sites of your choice, because no one has the best prices, for all routes, always. Each one has its own specials and when someone has a bargain in certain route, usually the others have not the same special price.
To do this job, there are some websites which compare among these popular travel sites for the destination of your choice and after spotting the lowest fare, you can always go back to the lowest fare site to review the conditions and make the purchase, if you wish.
Major airline sites, often have special deals which are not published through travel sites, so taking a look to the airline sites, which travel to your selected destination, could give you surprisingly good fares for your flight.
Regardless the site or sites you choose to look for your travel information keep in mind the following tips when planning your next holiday.
Book as advanced as you can. Airlines fares increase as the time for departure approaches.
Try to arrive and depart in a mid-week day. Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
If you have flexible dates, chances to get a bargain will increase. Sometimes, a trade show or a special event will make the city of your destination very expensive for a given week, while a couple of days later or earlier, the prices could drop sharply.
For obvious reasons, avoid holidays. It is practically impossible to find a bargain during holidays, even more, airlines increase prices during holidays.
If you are traveling during Christmas, usually the Christmas day itself is cheaper than the days before. The same applies to Thanksgiving and other crowded holidays.
Try to use several websites to research your travel information, and then you will identify the most appropriate website for your needs.
When traveling to Europe from the US, try getting to a major city like London, and then use the local cheap fare airlines to travel around Europe.
When booking a hotel, use Expedia or Travelocity to see the pictures and location of the hotel, even if you book later in other site with better price.
Use as many sites as needed to book different parts of your holidays, if you get the best price in each one of them.
After you select a flight or hotel in any travel site, get into the airline and hotel sites directly and compare prices.
Verify that the site where you are purchasing has good reputation and uses SSL encryption when you pay online with a credit card.
After you receive the confirmation code from the travel site where you made the purchase, mail directly to the hotel and/or airline and confirm that they got your reservation exactly as the one you purchased.
Following these tips will give you the lowest fares available on the Internet and will avoid you unpleasant surprises when traveling.
Dr. Laurent Mikhail has extensive personal experience traveling around the world. To learn more, visit his site:
If you are planning a cruise vacation, you can be sure of having a splendid vacation. Sailing in the ocean could be the best thing that your body and soul might be demanding at this point. Then serve your body and your soul. Best service you can give to them is taking a voyage. Both your body and mind look for coming out of the narrowness of life. provides ultimate sense of freedom to your tired body and restless soul.
Before you plan to go for cruise vacation, you can travel around on the Internet and take a tour to all the useful websites which contain all the relevant information on cruise vacation. The online cruises is very useful medium for you to get your cruise ticket done. The online cruise tells you about all the top deals, while highlighting the most popular cruise destinations, sailing dates and ships. There are thousands of discount cruises and cruise deals from all major cruise lines. In fact several cruise companies offer exclusive bonus extra amenities like onboard spending cash, free cabin upgrades, and more. The give you information about all this.
Cruise vacation is like spending holidays on a floating hotel, with a complete hospitality staff in addition to the usual ship’s crew. Most modern cruise ships feature the facilities like casino, spa, fitness centre, shops, library, theatre with Broadway style shows, cinema, indoor outdoor swimming pool, hot tub, buffet restaurant, lounges and gym. Everything inclusive in your cruise vacation package! Hence cruise vacation turns out to be much cheaper than other kinds of vacations where you pay separately for travelling, accommodation, food and entertainment.
Take advantage of the best deals being offered by different cruise companies and get your ticket booked today for a much awaited cruise vacation.
Cruise Holidays is associated with cruiseholidays.ie, offers you world class cruise ship deals, & offers. Book your ireland cruises, cruise deals, caribbean cruises, , cruise holiday with us at an affordable rates.
Cruising is fun, convenient, a good value … and easy. Right? Well, cruising is meant to be relaxing, but there are certain things passengers can do to get the very most out of their cruise vacation experience. Here are seven proven tips to maximize your cruise experience (and they don’t cost a thing!)
First – Travel with a like-minded partner or friends. Most cruise ships are like Noah’s Ark: people get on in pairs or in groups. While cruise lines will gladly allow you to cruise solo, it is not the best way to enjoy a cruise. Not only will you sometimes feel awkward during dining or cruise ship activities, you also get slapped with a surcharge since all cruising is based on double (or more) occupancy rates.
Furthermore, travel with compatible people. If you like to party, don’t decide to go on a cruise with a tee-totaler or a recovering drinker. Whether you are a sun bather or a casino denizen, you are going to have your best time if you travel with people who share your interests and values.
Second – Board your ship as early as you can and take any tours of the vessel or facilities that are offered. Most ships allow you to board many hours before the ship sets sail and during that time you may be offered free tours of the ship, the spa, and so on. Although they aren’t going to be the highlight of your vacation, these tours help you get oriented and can give you a glimpse of facilities on-board that you may have not known about.
If you can’t get an official tour, try to walk through the ship systematically. This will help you get your bearings plus you may find out about lounges, snack bars, clubs, meeting rooms, or other areas that you might not have known about.
On a recent cruise, I found out on the tour that the cruise ship had a guarantee program for purchases made in port. If you bought merchandise from certain recognized stores, the cruise line would guarantee them providing you filled out certain paperwork and turned it in to the onboard shopper. It was a great tip, and I never would have known about it had I not taken the pre-sailing tour of the ship.
Third – Do everything. This may sound counterintuitive to most cruise fanatics, who seek unstructured time and the opportunity to just lounge around and do nothing. Actually, most cruise directors will tell you the best cruises are those in which you really attempt to try and do everything offered.
This means you should extend yourself a bit. Sample the dancing, casinos, the pools, on-board games, art auctions, spa services, bingo, shows, and fine dining. Even if you don’t normally do those things, the more you try to take advantage of all that is offered, the more fun you’ll have.
Fourth – Don’t overeat. While some people do take cruises to gorge themselves, this is usually a rookie mistake. It may sound counter-intuitive to avoid overindulging on a cruise ship, since most cruises really emphasize the wonderful food they offer. But here’s how to handle it.
Do enjoy yourself. Order what you love. Chances are that cruise ships will offer it, whether it’s steak or lobster, ice cream or pizza, eggs benedict at sunrise, or chocolate decadence at midnight. Do, by all means, eat the foods you love.
But don’t stuff yourself. You’ll wind up feeling miserable during the cruise and fat after you get off the boat.
When in doubt, pass on food. Why? Because on a cruise ship, you’re never more than a few minutes away from the next opportunity to eat. Do try to sample what strikes your fancy, but don’t overeat and don’t be afraid to say no to many of the things that are offered to you to eat or drink. You really won’t be able to eat and drink everything on board, so don’t even try.
You’ll wind up feeling fitter and stronger and you’ll really enjoy what you do eat.
Fifth – Drink water. That’s good advice anywhere, but most of us forget about it on vacation, particularly on a cruise. Furthermore, if you drink alcohol or spend a lot of time in a hot climate, your need for water increases so you need even more water to avoid dehydration.
Even mild dehydration can cause headaches, aches and pains, and digestive disturbances. Why ruin your vacation? Drink lots and lots of water. It’s available just about anywhere beverages are offered on a cruise ship and bottled water is typically brought every morning to your cabin.
Sixth – Protect your skin. Even if you cruise to Antarctica, you will still need sunscreen. The sun’s intensity is amplified by the water’s reflection, so ramp up your sunscreen protection for a cruise. Put on sunscreen when you go to the pool or beach or even if you’re just sitting on deck in the shade.
If you do get burned, use some of the after-burn products on the market. They should be available on board ship if you don’t bring your own. Whatever you do, protect any burned skin from further sun exposure. If you get a burn on top of an existing sunburn, you can do serious damage to your skin and may even require medical intervention.
Seventh – Don’t be cruise-stupid. That’s a term I made up for a behavior I frequently observe on cruise ships. For some reason, being on a cruise makes some people act foolishly or recklessly and do things they would never normally do. Maybe it’s the unreal experience of being on a cruise ship.
On a cruise ship, people wait on you. Everything is nice and clean. You don’t have to do any work at all. Everybody seems happy. You never have to worry about pulling out your wallet, cooking a meal, or even picking up after yourself. It doesn’t take long before the cruise experience literally becomes “another world.”
Some folks take that as a cue to start behaving irresponsibly and sometimes they get hurt. While I do not want to trivialize bad experiences or say that all bad events are deserved, we should also recognize the fact. People who start acting recklessly sometimes get hurt.
If you decide to pretend you’re a gymnast and balance on the guard rail, you just might fall off. If you leave your purse or wallet unattended in a public area, you can get robbed. If you decide to get roaring drunk in some foreign port of call and act like an idiot, you can wind up in a mess of trouble.
Observe the same good, common sense tactics you use on land or in your everyday life.
For more information on cruising, pick up a copy of Ten Things to Consider Before You Book Your Cruise, available only at . It’s free with our compliments. This article was written by Mandy Karlik, a frequent contributor to TheCruise-Shopper.
.Beautiful city of Barcelona, capital of Catalonia (a Spain’s province), is situated on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea and bordered at either end by 2 river deltas. Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after its capital city Madrid. Barcelona has a population of 1.5 million, over 4 million including suburbs. The varied, eventful history of the city dates back 4,000 years to the first settlements by ancient farmers. Later it became a Roman colony, the Visigoth’s capital city, and then it came under Moorish rule. It went through sieges, destructions and occupations, finally to become an autonomous democracy 1975. The city has always played an important role in political and cultural life of Spain and it is well reflected in the variety and quality of historical buildings, museums, many other tourist attractions. Today Barcelona is one of the most diverse European cities with unique culture and rich traditions. You can find here a formidable balance of the traditional things and the avant-garde. A cosmopolitan metropolis, Barcelona affords visitors a warm and sincere welcome, being acknowledged worldwide as one of the best tourist-friendly cities in Europe. Barcelona’s organization of the 1992 Olympics provided regeneration of this dynamic city, gave a fresh start to its infrastructure development. WHAT TO SEE AND WHERE: POINTS OF INTEREST – La Ramble is a tree-lined pedestrian boulevard packed with buckers, living statues, mimes and itinerant salespeople selling everything from lottery tickets to jeweler. Pavement cafes and stands selling craftwork, street performers surrounded by curious onlookers, a noisy bird market, Palau de la Virreina, a grand 18th-century rococo mansion, the Gran Teeter del Liceu, the famous 19th-century opera house- these are all colorful parts of La Rambla’s mosaic. La Rambla ends at the lofty Monument a Colom (Monument to Columbus) and the harbour. Barri Gotic – also known as Gothic Quarter, it is the old part of the city. Picasso lived and worked in Barri Gotic from 1895 to 1904 and Joan Miro was born and lived here during his youth. Gothic Quarter is situated on the right hand side of the La Rambla, it contains a concentration of medieval tall Gothic buildings (14-15th century) on narrow cobbled streets and now is home to much of the city’s nightlife. La Sagrada Familia – La Sagrada Familia is one of the most famous and magnificent among Barcelona’s landmarks. The life’s work of Barcelona’s famous architect, Antoni Gaudi, the magnificent spires of the unfinished cathedral imprint themselves boldly against the sky with swelling outlines inspired by the holy mountain Montserrat. Above each facade there are four towers, 12 in total, which are dedicated to the Apostles. The tower in the center, the tallest of all at 170 m., is dedicated to Jesus Christ. Around these there are the towers of the four Evangelists, and the tower over the apse is dedicated to the Virgin. They are encrusted with a tangle of sculptures that seem to breathe life into the stone. Gaudi died in 1926 before his masterwork was completed, and since then, controversy has continually dogged the building program. Nevertheless, the southwestern (Passion) facade, is almost done, and the nave, begun in 1978, is progressing. La Pedrera – Casa Mila (Mila House) is an apartment building, the last example of Gaudi’s civil architecture.It is one of his finest and most ambitious creations, extraordinarily innovative in its functional, constructive, and ornamental aspects. Visitors can tour the building and go up to the roof, where they can see spectacular views of Barcelona. One floor below the roof is a modest museum dedicated to Gaudi’s work. Montjuic – the largest open space in the city, its main attractions are the Olympic installations, the Spanish Village and the hilltop fortress. Montjuic, the hill overlooking the city centre from the southwest, is home to some fine art galleries, leisure attractions, soothing parks and the main group of 1992 Olympic sites. Montjuic is covered in ornamental gardens with water features and is the most popular destination in Barcelona on Sundays. Tibidabo – is the highest hill in the wooded range that forms the backdrop to Barcelona. It has amazing views of the whole of Barcelona, a stunning cathedral, and a family fun park Parc d’Atraccions with old-style rides offering breathtaking views. A glass lift at the park goes 115m (383 ft) up to a visitors’ observation area at Torre de Collserola telecommunications tower. Modernisme – spectacular modernista architectural creations dotted around the city by famous Antoni Gaudi and his contemporaries. Camp Nou – home of F.C. Barcelona, one of Europe’s leading soccer teams, with capacity of almost 100,000 spectators. The Seu Cathedral – Built in medieval times on the site of a Roman temple, La Seu is one of the great Gothic buildings in Spain. Parc de la Ciutadella – Barcelona’s favorite park and a Sunday afternoon rendezvous for families, friends and ducks The Sardana – traditional Catalan dance, performed outside the cathedral and at national festivals, with everyone encouraged to join in.
MUSEUMS – The Barbier-Mueller Museum of Pre-Columbian Art -the only museum in Europe devoted exclusively to Pre-Columbian cultures. Housed in a gothic palace, its collection is one of the finest of its kind and gives visitors an insight into the rich world of the earliest cultures on the American continent. This tiny museum contains one hundred pieces, including wood and stone sculptures, ceramics, tapestries, jade, often found in international exhibitions and prestige publications. The exhibits represented the Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Chavin, Mochica and Inca civilisations. Palau de la Musica Catalana – one of the world’s most extraordinary music halls, it is a Barcelona landmark. From its polychrome ceramic ticket windows on the Carrer de Sant Pere Mes Alt side to its overhead busts of Palestrina, Bach, Beethoven, and Wagner, the Palau is the flagship of Barcelona’s Moderniste architecture. Museu Picasso – is Barcelona’s most visited museum. 3,500 exhibits make up the permanent collection. Picasso spent several years (1901-06) in Barcelona, and this collection, is particularly strong on his early work. Displays include childhood sketches, pictures from the beautiful Rose and Blue periods, and the famous 1950s Cubist variations on Velazquez’s Las Meninas (Ladies-in-Waiting). Gaudi Casa-Museu – Gaudi lived in this pink, Alice-in-Wonderland house from 1906 to 1926, which now houses a museum of Gaudi-designed furniture, decorations, drawings, and portraits and busts of the architect. Fundacio Miro – it was a gift from the famous artist Joan Miro to his native city. The museum opened in 1975, and now it is one of Barcelona’s most exciting showcases of contemporary art.
BEACHES – One of Barcelona’s greatest draws is undeniably its beautiful beaches. Beside world-famous Costa Brava and Costa Dorada which are within 1-hr drive time from Barcelona, there are also several nice beaches over 4 km long within the city boundaries, we will list just several of them here: Nova Icaria- Closest to the Olympic marina, always crowded, this wide swathe of rough golden sand is great for food goers. There are three perfect beach bars and two very popular restaurants on the promenade (Mango and Chiringuito de Moncho) and countless bars and restaurants are just a short stroll away. Bogatell- This beach is twice the length of adjoining Nova Icaria and fringed by a stretch of stone walkway perfect for jogging, roller blading and cycling. Three large informal restaurants on the promenade. Mar Bella (Metro Ciutadella Vila Olimpica, plus 20-minute walk)- Barcelona’s only naturist beach close to a peaceful park – good for a picnic or siesta under the trees. Barceloneta- wide and long, a traditional and popular stretch with locals, crowded, noisy and very jolly.
WHEN TO GO, WEATHER: The best times to visit Barcelona are late spring and early autumn, when the weather is still comfortably warm, around 21-25°C. Summers are usually hot and humid, with temperatures averaging +30 (+ 86 Fahrenheit). Especially avoid the “dead” month of August, when many shops, bars and restaurants close for the month as many local inhabitants head out of the city. Winters are cool with average daytime temperatures around +12 C (+59 Fahrenheit), occasionally rainy.
GETTING THERE AND AROUND: By a direct flight to Barcelona, or through Madrid or via another large European city from almost any major airports in the world. The highest fares are from May to September, the lowest in March-April, October-November and December to February (excluding Christmas and New Year when prices are hiked up). Note also that flying on weekends may increase your ticket cost. If traveling to Barcelona from within Europe you can also chose train, bus or car, though these take much longer than a plane and often work out no cheaper. Many Mediterranean cruises include Barcelona as a port of call.
ACCOMODATIONS: We can offer you a range of choices. You can choose vacation rentals in Barcelona starting from $ 125 USD for a double room in a 4-star apartment hotel. Or you can opt for hotels from $ 65 USD for a double room in a 3-star hotel. Accomodation prices do not change much throughout the year due to the steady all-season flow of visitors to this extremely popular tourist city and surrounding resorts.
DINING: Besides restaurants you can eat at bars where you would have a succession of tapas (small snacks- three or four chunks of fish, meat or vegetables, or salad, which traditionally used to be served up free with a drink) or raciones (larger ones). The bar option can be a lot more interesting, allowing you to do the rounds and sample local specialities. Generally, the average cost for a meal consisting of two dishes and dessert would come to about 25 Euros. Travellers on an extremely limited budget can do well for themselves by using the excellent markets, bakeries and delis and filling up on sandwiches and snacks. Decent restaurants and cafes are easily found all over the city, though you’ll probably do most of your eating where you do most of your sightseeing, in the old town, particularly around La Rambla and in the Barri Gotic. Look for the best and most authentic seafood restaurants in Barceloneta, a seaside neighbourhood. Gothic Quarter neighbourhood is home to some of the oldest and most traditional restaurants in the city. Gracia is a very popular area among young people during the weekend, it leads the way in terms of exotic restaurants (Lebanese, Egyptian, Thai etc.).
TRANSPORT: Barcelona has excellent transport system comprising the metro (subway), buses, trains and a network of funiculars and cable cars. You can find a link to transport maps at the end of our guide. On all the city’s public transport you can buy a single ticket every time you ride, but even over only a couple of days it’s cheaper to buy a targeta – a discount ticket strip. The T-10 targeta is valid for ten separate journeys on the metro, buses and trains. These tickets can be used by more than one person at a time. The metro is the quickest way of getting around Barcelona. For black-and-yellow taxis there is a minimum charge of $ 2 euro. You’ll obviously have a great deal more freedom if you rent a car . Major roads throughout the city are generally good, and traffic is generally well behaved, though Spain does have one of the highest incidences of traffic accidents in Europe. It also has some of the lowest fuel prices on the continent.
SHOPPING: Barcelona, one of the most stylish cities in Europe offers great shopping, from designer clothes and accessories to household items. You will find the city to be quite cheap for a lot of items, especially if you coincide with the annual sales ( rebaixes in Spanish) lasting from mid-January until the end of February, and throughout July and August. The best shopping areas in Barcelona are the old streets off the upper part of the Ramblas. Souvenirs include ceramics, which are widely sold in the streets around the cathedral; leather goods; city’s delicatessens, particularly cooked Catalan meats and sausages; a porron (the long-spouted glass drinking jar); CDs and tapes of Catalan rock and pop, sardana music, Spanish rock or flamenco. If you’re looking for original gift ideas, some of the best hunting can be found in the shops of any of the city’s museums, where you’ll find reasonably priced and unique examples of Catalan disseny (graphic), and other original items ranging from postcards to replica works of art. We wish you a nice and safe trip!
Vacation cruises have become one of the most popular of the “destination” vacations available. While some people are content to step on board a cruise ship and never leave it for the entire length of their vacation, others enjoy cruising to exotic locations where the cruise is only part of the appeal. The best cruises this year include discount cruises to a number of locations that you might not expect to see on a list of cruise destinations.
Cruise the Mediterranean
Mediterranean cruises have always been popular, but this year’s best discount cruises in the Mediterranean include even more surprises. Imagine a ten night cruise that visits seven cities and includes two beautiful days at sea for just over one thousand dollars per person. Eastern European cruises are priced to buy this year with visits to cities such Mykonos, Kusadesi and Rhodes on the itinerary. The Eastern Mediterranean has always been popular featuring ports of call from Italy to Turkey, and stops at ancient ruins and beautiful beaches. An Eastern Mediterranean cruise offers a wide variety of cruise experiences at discount prices.
EuropeanRiver Cruises
Not all cruises to exotic destinations are on the open sea. Europe is famous for its inland waterways, and river tours are among the most popular European cruises. A Rhine River cruise has long been a European rite of passage, but not all that well-known on the other side of the Atlantic. Cruises along the Rhine offer vacationers a one-stop tour of many European countries, with beautiful views, leisurely days and stops at cities such as Strasbourg, Copenhagen and Cologne.
Northern European Cruises
Cruising through the northern waters may not seem like the vacation of a lifetime, but a Northern European cruise is an extremely memorable trip. Visit Helsinki, Copenhagen, Oslo and other Northern European capitals as you take in the remarkable culture and history. One of the most beautiful sights on a Northern European tour is the northern lights and the stunning scenery. If you book your trip early online, you can get multiple discounts and special perks on Norwegian cruises, including free airfare from several regional cities and upgrades on your cabin or overall package.
Australia and the South Pacific
For a decidedly different cruise experience, nothing can beat a tour of the Australian and New Zealand coast lines. The prices for Australian cruises are purely amazing, starting as low as nine hundred dollars per person for a ten night Australian cruise on a Royal Caribbean line, with stops at Sydney, Hamilton Island, Cooktown and Brisbane, Australia. Prices do not include airfare to the departure destination, but when you book online you can often make all-inclusive deals that will cut your prices even further.
Alaskan Cruises
Take a cruise through the chilly northern waters and enjoy some of the most amazing scenery in you will ever see. Alaskan cruises on various cruise lines offer some of the best deals available this year. You can find Alaskan cruises as low as four hundred and fifty dollars per person, double occupancy, for a seven nights that include stops at Seward, Juneau, Ketchikan and other beautiful Alaskan cities.
Shopping for the best cruise deals online is the secret to finding an amazing cruise for a discounted price. There are a many websites that allow you to search across all the cruise lines and many of the larger discount travel sites to pull together the best package deals for cruise vacations. The tips below will help you find the best prices for discount tours to exotic cruise destinations all over the world.
Plan Ahead When Booking a Cruise Online
You can book your cruise several months in advance, and booking early can often get you great discounts. Most cruise lines will directly offer you an early booking discount. Even better, when you book early, you are most likely to get the cabin or suite that you want, on the cruise ship that you want, traveling at the time that you want to go.
Be Flexible
If you are willing to live with a little risk, you can hold out to the last minute to score big discounts on last minute bookings. This is the riskiest method for getting discounts on your cruise, but offers the best possible prices. The down side is that you may not be able to book on the cruise you want if it sells out, or you may have to settle for a less desirable cabin.
Book a Cruise During the Low Season
As with any other industry, prices are apt to be better if you book your vacation during the slow season, which varies for each area of the world. Prices for a Caribbean cruise, for example, will be lower during the hurricane season, while Alaskan cruises will have lower prices during the late fall.
Wesley Pritchard is a freelance writer who writes about vacationing, often discussing a specific kind trip such as .