What to see in Barcelona in 1 day

By Loren in Barcelona

Barcelona is a destination worth a one-week visit. But if you are planning a one-day layover in the Condal City, here you will find a tour around the main tourist attractions so that you can make the most of your trip. However, we are sure you will want to come back.

The heart of Barcelona

Ramblas and the Gothic neighbourhood are two must visit places you have to include in your trip to Barcelona. Not only because they are located in some of the most beautiful and famous monuments of the city, but also because here you will find the authentic ambience of the old Barcelona. Even despite the fact that these are the most popular places and it is sometimes hard to escape from the groups of tourists wandering around, walking around Barcelona’s historic centre is a luxury for all senses. Its streets, its squares, the local shops, the cathedral, its nice villagers, the art and the originality of its nooks, with hundreds of street artists and improvised events… It is one of the liveliest areas of the city, both at night and during the day, as it also features bars ideal for both a brunch or a drink.

The best you can do if you only have one day is to spend a morning walking around the area. And visit all the tourist attractions highlighted in the guides, without a specific route. If you choose a hotel in Ramblas or a hotel near La Boquería Market, you will stay close at hand to all the tourist attractions and you will not need to take subways, taxis or buses: walking around the city is an experience in itself and the fact that the old city is not really big has its advantages. Do not miss the harbour, a shopping route around the Borne’s small boutiques and luxury shops, a tapas route around the Macba area near the Raval, a visit to an exhibition… The Petrixol Street is an ideal place for savouring some of the typical delicacies of Barcelona and it is close to your accommodation.

Modernism within your reach

From your hotel in the centre of Barcelona you will have a direct access to the modernist area of the city. Although you will find modernist footprints around the whole Barcelona, you should not miss two classic examples: the famous Casa Batlló and the Sagrada Familia. If you choose a hotel near Catalunya Square you will enjoy good communications with the old city and with the Ensanche, where you will discover a different and modern Barcelona. Gràcia, the Ciudadela Park, the Casa Milà…

If you are an art lover and you want to make the most of your trip and discover the modernism of Barcelona in just a day, we recommend you to stay in a museum hotel in Barcelona, an old modernist building. And if you prefer to enjoy your afternoon contemplating the views from the highest area of Barcelona, do not miss the Parc Güell, where you will be able to combine nature, games and modernism, apart from a visit to one of the key areas of the Condal City.

Other nearby hotels:

Top 5 hotels in Barcelona for a city escape

By Loren in Barcelona

If instead of Madrid, you’re planning a trip to Barcelona before all the work, responsibilities and routine get back. Well then, head up to this Mediterranean capital and enjoy the most this September. And in order to do that, we suggest you a brief list of hotels that we consider, offer you something special, a plus that will give you the opportunity to live something different. Are you up to?

Stay in a Modernist palace
Barcelona is the cradle of modernism, the perfect place for all the art lovers, who shouldn’t miss any of its detailed routes. The city is riddled with buildings, parks, monuments and spots that will show you the best of this artistic movement. But if you want to gild the lily and boast about your trip to Barcelona, we invite you to stay in a completely different hotel: a modernist hotel in the centre of Barcelona built in one of the historical small palaces in Ciudad Condal, the old Garriga Noguès house. Redecorated with great care, maintaining its modernist air perfectly, it is a state of art the art hotel, with free Wi-Fi bedrooms in the centre of Barcelona, with hydro massage shower, with computers at your disposal, amenities and even bicycles to ride through the city freely. It is a 4 star hotel, with an affordable price, considering the accommodation in Barcelona which is not low precisely.

Petit Palace Museum Barcelona

Petit Palace Museum Barcelona

Hotel with pool on the rooftop

Staying in a 4 star hotel in Barcelona, with a pool on the rooftop, viewing all those Mediterranean roofs filling the city, telling us lives, untelled stories, secret whispers, and lights in the darkness. We recommend you one of the most interesting accommodations in a designer hotel in the city, the hotel with the most beautiful terraces of Barcelona where you will be received with a deluxe service, despite being a 4 star hotel (more affordable). It is a hotel in Barcelona with meeting halls and executive accommodations, but it also worth for those who stay in the city for fun. The rooms have a modern design, furnished, it also have a gym and a parking spot (in Spain Square) and of course the best service.

Accommodation in La Rambla with a centenary garden
The next hotel is one of the most charming ones in the city, specially to stay with family or friends. Besides offering bedrooms for groups in the centre of Barcelona, this hotel has a Mediterranean garden in its courtyard with centenary trees with unique species from all over the world. You can have breakfast in the courtyard and enjoy this quiet atmosphere beautifully illuminated. The hotel is located next to Las Ramblas, very close to the Gothic quarter and La Boquería, which makes it perfect to take a weekend break with friends to enjoy the life and atmosphere of the old town of Barcelona in comfort. The price is affordable, between the accommodation rates in Barcelona. And also it offers some plus such as free Wi-Fi service in the entire hotel, bicycles to ride through the city, and bedroom computers.

Stay in an authentic modern art museum
Art is everywhere in Barcelona. The city is a truly example of how design can fill the city and change the life and style of the people and even the visitors. A way to get into this wave is to book in a design hotel in the centre of Barcelona, a museum turned into a hotel, or, to be precise, an accommodation created as a contemporary art museum. Where you can find artworks of some of the most relevant artist nowadays, local and international, with mosaics, paintworks, illustrations, etc. each time you walk to your bedroom you will go across an art gallery. The bedrooms also has a contemporary style. The amenities of this 4 star hotel, include, gym, sauna, rooftop pool, lounge bar. All this at a very affordable price. The hotel is located next to the CCIB in Barcelona, perfect for those who need to organize events in the Ciudad Condal.

Suites with terraces in the centre of Barcelona

Last but not least, to book in a hotel next to Catalunya square, a place where you can get all your caprices satisfy. From its amazing suites with chill out terraces in the centre of Barcelona to its rooftop pool or its spa. This hotel is the perfect place to relax and enjoy a romantic break with the best of the Ciudad Condal. The only problem is that you might not even want to leave the building. The 4 star services (spa, terraces with gardens of 400 sq. M, meeting halls, restaurant, etc.) exceed all expectations, while allowing to create your stay at your fit. The prices are fair, so, if you’re low of budget you might have to pass since the lowest one cost 100 euros per night, but it truly worth it.

 

Holidays in 2015: where to go and what not to miss (Part 3)

By Luke Durden in Barcelona

Mini-holidays… in Barcelona!

Sun, beach and ambientazo. Mediterranean at the rhythm of the city. Culture at a nice temperature, music, sport, museums and more and more plans. Barcelona – as we already said in other occasions – is always a fantastic option if you do not have many holiday days. Take a breath, ask for two free days on a weekend and escape to the Mediterranean capital. It is better that you check for the cultural programmes in those days, before booking your dates. If you have the possibility to choose your days, you can be sure that you will find events that will make your trip not only worthwhile, but also extraordinary. Whether you cannot choose your dates, do not worry too much. If we always mention Barcelona in our destinations proposals is because it will never disappoint you: the agenda of this city is endless and suited to every kind of audience, from parents with kids to groups of friends that want to experience the Barcelona night at the utmost.

Hotel Palladium in Palma de Mallorca

Hotel Palladium in Palma de Mallorca

Accommodations in Barcelona are more expensive than in Madrid. Since ever. Therefore, in this case, you need to book your trip as soon as possible. Other tips that can help you to lower the rate of your hotel in the centre of Barcelona or at least to get more and better facilities at the same rate, is to book directly on the official website of the hotel you have chosen. You will find very interesting hotel offers near Las Ramblas. It is also possible to get rooms in the Sagrada Familia area  at low cost rates, without sacrificing the quality or end up in flophouses. If you go there only for 4 days, the best you can do is to take a central, well-connected place with facilities that can help you get the most out of your days: free PC and Wi-Fi in your room, free breakfast, discounts if you travel with children or if you book rooms for groups…

Barcelona and modernism

By Loren in Barcelona

We couldn’t talk about Barcelona without mentioning the word modernism two hundred times per mite. Yes, we exaggerate. Nevertheless, The Catalonian capital is one of those few places in the world where you can enjoy an artistic style in all its essence.  This, along with the excellent ability to present its attractions as a tourist destination, have turned Barcelona into one of the most famous and visited cities in the entire world.

 

The modernism attraction has not end. Or, at least, it seems. Years go by, there are more and more visitors, but it is still one of the most appreciated elements for those to visit the city -whether they go for the first time or they are tourists in love with the city, those who repeat every year-.

 

Museums, art centres all around the city, temporary exhibitions, guided visits to ancient palaces and houses of the Catalonian nobility… All the tourist circuit related to the modernism is reinvented every year, it grows, changes and adapt to the tastes, trends and whims of the new century travellers. An ability worthy of recognition to the city, people and its institutions. Everyone, in a joint effort, have always understood what their guests are looking for and have met their needs.

 

Modernist puppet shows; sunsets from the Palau Güell; international art exhibitions related to the modernist aesthetic; complete refurbishing of the programs offered by key centres such as the Art Museum of Catalonia, which launched its new program the last September; the yearly meeting of the Modernist Fair of Barcelona… Dozens and dozens of plans whose common factor is the art and made up one of the best elaborate tourist calendars of the country.

 

Accommodation in the modernist route

One of the most interesting experiences offered now by Barcelona is the possibility of staying  in one of the most emblematic modernist houses in the city. The ancient Casa Garriga Nogués, now turned into a 4-star hotel in the centre of Barcelona, is the perfect trip plan for art lovers and those who want to really enjoy this representative aspect of Barcelona.

Petit Palace Opera Garden Hotel

Petit Palace Opera Garden Hotel

Very close, you can find comfortable hotels of the same chain (Petit Palace), ideal to enjoy the charm of the centre of the city, but without the special benefits offered by a museum hotel such as the before mentioned.  Now, if you travel with a group, some of these accommodations could be the most suitable place to sleep: Petit Palace Ópera Garden, or a hotel close to La Boquería stand out for its functional rooms for families and groups.

 

Next to the Petit Palace hotels in Barcelona, Catalonia chain is another of the most recommended options to stay in the centre of the city. Modern hotels in areas such as Las Ramblas or close to La Sagrada Familia, offering the perfect combination of design, service and location: Catalonia Ramblas, Catalonia Atenas, Catalonia Sagrada Familia…

 

Although, as we can see, most of the hotels are situated in the centre of the city, and the best option is usually booking an accommodation next to Ciutat Vella and L’Eixample, it is true that the price is higher that in other important areas of the city.

 

There are affordable hotels in 22@Barcelona, close to Plaza de las Glorias, combining good price, large spaces (even larger than in the hotels of the historical centre) and excellent connections with the main tourist attractions of Barcelona. They are hotel focused on business tourism but they have services adapted to those who visit Barcelona in search of leisure and relax.

Confortel Barcelona Hotel

Confortel Barcelona Hotel

One of the most outstanding accommodations is, for example, the Confortel hotel with free wifi in Barcelona. Although, as we have mentioned before, it is a hotel with meeting rooms next to Plaza Las Glorias, it is worth it for price, location and service if you want to enjoy an affordable and comfortable trip to Barcelona with all your family.