Vacations at the sea
Barcelona’s port is the most important cruiseship port in Europe, and the 4th in the world. There are many options to start or end a cruise here, or at least to stop over.
Today, the cruise specialist Danny Smith is sharing his insights to help you choosing the best Barcelona cruise.
Cruises From Barcelona
While a lot of holidaymakers will opt to venture down to the Costa Del Sol for a week in the sun, a cruise that takes in Barcelona can be a much more rewarding experience. To put it simply, there is just so much to see and do. The port in Barcelona itself acts as a major tourist and cargo hub for the whole of the Mediterranean so the city can be a great way in which to explore other parts of Southern Europe.
Starting your cruise from Barcelona has a multitude of benefits given its accessibility. The city itself can be reached via 2 airports – Barcelona International (BCN) which is about 10m outside the city and the slightly further away Girona-Costa Brava (GRO) which is just under 100km away. Some airlines do advertise flying to Barcelona but they land in Girona-Costa Brava (GRO) and while the price may be slightly cheaper you will have to pay for transport to get to the city itself. Furthermore, you can easily reach Barcelona via train both from within Spain – the high speed network comes directly from Madrid while also taking in the east and the south of Spain too – and there are also direct train links from Zurich, Paris and Milan. Also, the port itself is very convenient to reach via public transport or taxi from within the city.
Below is a selection of cruise lines that start and finish their itineraries in Barcelona.
Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean is probably one of the most famous in terms of the cruise lines that come to Barcelona. Their 22 strong fleet have their own style and amenities and it is usually the Liberty of the Seas or the Serenade of the Seas ships that departs from the city and both have recently been upgraded with new dining experiences and other onboard activities such as rock climbing and mini golf. From Barcelona, Royal Caribbean usually sails off to the rest of Southern Europe including Italy and Greece. || Read more
Discover the best sites in the Old Town
The narrow alleys of the Gothic Quarter are fascinating, so many secrets and stories are hidden behind it… but when you are walking on your own, you can miss so much! You are walking around, and you like what you see that you don’t understand it fully.
One option is taking a walking tour of the Old Town. But if you still prefer to be free to walk where your feet want to take you, we have some ideas for you.Would you like to know the places you shouldn’t miss?
Here are our favorite 5 sites in the Gothic Quarter:
Cathedral of Saint Eulalia. From the religious point of view, it is the most important church in Barcelona. The entrance is free of charge until noon, and after 5:30 PM. Don’t miss the cloister where the geese leave. By the way, for an extra fee you can take the elevator that takes you to the top!
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Where to find real Catalan cooking
The Catalan cuisine is the heritage of a rich variety of landscapes and the cultures that we’ve been in contact with in our history. A taste range of vegetables, meats, fish and seafood, eggs, pasta, rice… with a Mediterranean flavor but a local touch.
But how can you tell where you are served real local food? Would any Spanish restaurant serve Catalan recipes? Not really, as every region in Spain has developed a different way of understanding food.
Here are our 5 suggested Catalan food restaurants:
Ca l’Isidre. Top of the tops, even the King of Spain has been here (the only time that he officially announced his visit to a restaurant!). A family-owned business where they pay special attention to the products of the season, that they get in the nearby Boqueria Market. Fine cuisine for a special up-skilled evening. || Read more
A Barcelona food blogger and tourguide in London
>> ATENTION: THIS WEEK THERE ARE TWO POSTS!
If you follow me in Facebook, Twitter or Google+, you might be already aware that this weekend I was invited to participate in the first World Fast Feast Awards in London, organized by Chowzter (a popular food & restaurant cellphone app and website), and sponsored by CocaCola.
I was honored to be selected as the food blogger representative for Barcelona,
Must read if you are coming on a cruise
Every year more than 2 million people get to Barcelona by cruise. It’s a great way to visit different cities and countries in a short period of time, without the hassle of packing and unpacking each time you arrive to a new destination.
However, planning your touring can be tricky, as it’s harder to figure out how far will the pier be from the city, and you need to organize your visit well in order to take the most out of the few hours that you’ll be in town.
Today we’ll be discussing what kind of transportation you can use for your stopover in Barcelona:
Walking. The port of Barcelona is basically divided in two piers. While passengers from small ships such as Windstar and Aida are only 5min. walk from the Statue of Columbus, where la Rambla begins, most large cruises stop in the Moll Adossat terminals and from there you need to cross the Porta d’Europa, the longest port bridge in Europe. I don’t recommend trying to walk it, as it’ll take you some good 30 min. to get to la Rambla (under the hot Barcelona sun and with no shade to stop under… Trust me, I’ve done it and won’t repeat it again!). Anyway, after crossing the bridge you can walk up la Rambla and see the Gothic Quarter. You might even reach Passeig de Gràcia where the Gaudi apartments are, but you’ll need strong legs to do that! || Read more
Marta and her colleagues are passionate local tourguides that want to show you Barcelona in a way that you’ll always remember this trip.
We love adapting to our clients needs and interests, are very knowledgeable about the Barcelona sites but also love taking you off the beaten path so you can discover the local lifestyle. Learn more about us 
