Barcelona

[lithium180]

Originally Posted by unpainted huffheinz

I used to go for the Sonar festival. One year I got really bad food poisoning from a famous tapas bar. Stick to the ham, avoid the shellfish!

edit: I should add that it has almost as many bars as Chicago, which means every third door not second is a place to drink.

I want to get to Sonar one of these days!!

 

[Epaulet]

I rented a tourist apartment in Barcelona a few years back and it really worked out great. If you stay in the Las Ramblas / Barri Gothic neighborhood, then you can hit the Boqueria (semi-outdoor market) and pick up all kinds of fresh food to make in your own kitchen.

I used this service: http://www.bcninternet.com/

They've got quite a bit in your price range. You're going to have an awesome time!

 

[life_interrupts]

Originally Posted by Epaulet

I rented a tourist apartment in Barcelona a few years back and it really worked out great. If you stay in the Las Ramblas / Barri Gothic neighborhood, then you can hit the Boqueria (semi-outdoor market) and pick up all kinds of fresh food to make in your own kitchen. I used this service: http://www.bcninternet.com/ They've got quite a bit in your price range. You're going to have an awesome time!
+1 on the tourist apartment. Used a tourist apartment in Madiera, Portugal a few years earlier and it was ideal. Prepared great local food stuff for breakfast and lunch, ate out for dinner. Stayed at a hotel off of Las Ramblas when I was in Barcelona, in 2005. Close to the water (you can see Christopher Columbus pointing the wrong way from the street). Hit all of the tourist stuff and all of the Gaudi you can bear, it'll be worth it. Loved the Miro Museum and La Sacarda Familia is stunning. Drinking's cheap. Have a ball.

 

[rdawson808]

Thanks for that link Epaulet. Anyone have something similar for Brussels?

b

 

[shoreman1782]

Originally Posted by VKK3450

Ummm the first time I went to Bracelona I stayed at the Kabul on a little plaza off of Las Ramblas.

Errrr, but we were an 18 year old students backpacking through Europe and thought that the greatest thing about Kabul's was that they had a beer vending machine by the pool tables. We didnt care about sleeping in dorm rooms because I dont think we actually went to sleep in Barcelona.

Not much help, but it brings back fond memories

K

Holy ****, stayed in the same ho(s)tel in 2000 or so. Clearly remember the beer vending machine. Maybe I'm remembering incorrectly, but I think it sold Dam beer.

 

[unpainted huffheinz]

Originally Posted by lithium180

I want to get to Sonar one of these days!!

I would recommend going to ATP these days.

 

[gumercindo]

Went there two years ago in mid May and it was a great time to go. I also spent about 3-4 days in Barcelona and another 3-4 days dirving up and down La Costa Brava.

In Barcelona, Parque Guell and El Barrio Gotico (Gothic quarter) were my favorite parts. Don't spend much time trekking las Ramblas - it's touristy and just not much there. We stayed in Condes Barcelona right on Passeig de Gracia and loved it. Public metro is easy to use and had a great time.

Have fun!

 

[zupermaus]

ok enjoy above all the city, and its funkiness You got the planned out city and the worlds largest cathedral 100 years still in the making:

and you got one of the densest areas in the world, the medieval city

and do look out for the art grafitti too but above all what is best is not built, its streetlife. One thing to do in this city, pick a direction and get lost, then retire in one of 20,000 bars (by comparison NYC has 5000). The other thing to do here is definitely visit one of the parks for respite, preferably a hilltop/ cable car one with views:

 

[Matt]

do you live there?

 

[zupermaus]

no, Im a traveller. When I was there there were some good hostels in gorgeous art nouveau/ art deco buildings off Las Ramblas - the south side nearer the port. However Ive heard the seediness has been cleaned up now so I doubt theyll be as cheap. They were beautiful and clean, but the rooms were dark, centred around a bright covered courtyard. Ask to see your room before you take it, feel free to haggle as its out of tourist season. Either that, or buy a guidebook and check out their listings on the web before you book. The best Guidebooks for just about everything are British ones, Rough Guide and Footprint with the most listings and comprehensive coverage (I worked in the book trade for years). Rough Guide can be quite critical but is accessible and comprehensive, Footprint is vastly comprehensive but a bit like homework - just facts facts facts and few opinions (which is its appeal). If you're a bright young thing then Time Out Barcelona Guide is your man. One thing ill always regret is not going here: Montjuic park that overlooks the city

Thus I can't reccommend it as Ive never been there, but Ive heard its a break from the density of the city.