How to get an awesome view of Barcelona - for free!

When I arrive in a new city, I have a bit of a thing for finding the highest point around. This is for two reasons: first, because I like a good view, and second, in an attempt to orientate myself.

The orientation part only vaguely helped on my recent trip to Barcelona. The city is seriously maze like, particularly the old pedestriansed parts of the city centre. However, since wandering around maze like alleys getting lost is another thing I enjoy about a city, that wasn’t really a terrible issue.

If you’re heading to Barcelona, and like me have a tendency to head for the high points of a city like a fly that’s been taken over by a brain controlling fungus, here’s a quick run down of my four favourite places to get a great view of the city for free!

Parc Güell

I have mentioned the influence that Gaudí has had on Barcelona already. Parc Güell is one of the highlights of his legacy, and a UNESCO world heritage site to boot. It has incredible features, from raised balconies, to enormous sculptures, to weird and wacky houses.

What it also has is one of the finest views of Barcelona, available from a number of locations in the park. The most popular is up by the cross above the main entrance, but you’ll be able to get a fabulous view from pretty much everywhere in the park, what with it being up on a hill, without fighting for the perfect spot to take a photo.

If you go to Barcelona, you will visit Parc Güell. You may as well enjoy the view whilst you’re there!

Castell de Montjuic

If you have a convenient hill with a cliff situated next to a large harbour, it makes sense to build a nice big castle on top of it complete with guns to guard said harbour.

Montjuic Hill, rising to just over 180 metres above Barcelona harbour, is just such a hill, and features a rather splendid bit of fortification at the top, complete with rather large bits of defunct weaponry.

From here you are able to get a commanding view across the city of Barcelona as well as the harbour. The reverse view, in fact, that you can see from the photo taken from Parc Güell above.

You can also explore the Castle for free, although it isn’t really a castle so much as a large pile of walls designed to keep people safe, coupled with incredible views.

As an historical aside, Castell de Montjuic was also the place that the calculations that defined the measurement of the metre took place. In case you weren’t already aware, a metre is defined as being one ten millionth of the distance between the north pole and the equator. Which seems a marginally less arbitrary measure than the length of some blokes foot. A great view and a bit of metric history. What a combination!

Tibidabo

As you wander around the city of Barcelona and explore the other high bits that I’ve mentioned here, you will notice in the distance a large hill with a big church sitting on the top.

This is Tibidabo, the largest hill that looks over Barcelona, rising to a rather impressive half a kilometre above sea level.

Perched atop this hill are all kinds of things, including the Temple de Sagrat Cor, an amusement park, and an absolutely enormous telecommunications tower. You can go up the latter for even more staggering views, but that’s not free.

Getting to the top of the Tibidabo can be achieved on foot, making it free, but if you’re short on time, or not feeling up to it, you can drive, take the bus, or hop on the funicular railway. You can see the communications tower and church in the next photo which is taken from the:

Roof of Las Arenas

We stumbled across this location quite by accident when heading to Barcelona’s Magic Fountain. A city with a magic fountain! What’s not to love? Anyway, Las Arenas is a large circular shopping mall just near the Magic Fountain.

This probably doesn’t sound too exciting, until you realise that it has been transformed from what was once Barcelona’s famous bull fighting stadium, also known as Las Arenas.

When bull fighting fell out of favour in this corner of Spain, the building became somewhat derelict, until its recent revival as a shopping mall.

Its entire roof is a circular promenade, upon which you can wander to your hearts content, gazing across such sights as Montjuic Hill, the Magic Fountain, the nearby Parc Joan Miro and the wonderful skyline of Barcelona. Not bad for free!

Have you been to Barcelona? Any other places you’d recommend for a great view? Do let me know in the comments below!

In Photos: Gaudi’s Barcelona

Gaudí. It’s kind of hard to visit Barcelona without spending your time gaping in awe at the architectural and artistic genius that he left behind all over the city.

A great deal of my week in Barcelona was therefore spent, gaping in awe, at his many truly incredible constructions. As well as gaping, I was also taking the odd photograph, which I’m sharing with you today. I wasn’t able to visit every bit of work he did, but I’d like to think that I took in the serious highlights.

In a future post I’ll be going more into the details of what to see and do in Barcelona. For now though, less detail: more eye candy.

Lets start with…

The Sagrada Familia.

We might as well start at the top. The Sagrada Familia is Gaudí’s masterpiece, the building that obsessed him in the later years of his life, and which is still under construction. It’s an ever evolving masterpiece, an easily visible part of the Barcelona skyline, and one of the most incredible buildings I’ve ever visited. You cannot go to Barcelona without visiting it.

Parc Güell

Parc Güell was Gaudí's attempt at creating a garden city development. I say attempt, because of the 60 buildings planned, only two were built, neither of which was actually designed by the man himself.

Instead, Gaudí spent his time focusing on the little details, like the enormous terrace. Gaudí also lived in the Parc for 20 years. These days, the garden is open to all, and is well worth the visit.

 

Casa Batlló

Casa Batlló, also known as the House of Bones, is one of the finer examples of a town house designed and built by Gaudí for a rich Catalan family. It is most well known for it’s striking exterior wall, made up of balconies which to my mind looked rather like the masks one would wear at a ball. Should one be invited to a masked ball that is. 

My favourite bit of the house was up on the roof, where what appeared to be the spine of a dragon was laid out as the roofline. I’m not sure it was a dragon, but given Barcelona’s close connection to St. George, I have hope.

 

Casa Mila, also known as La Pedrera

Not far from Casa Battlo is Gaudi’s other famous Barcelonian town house, the Casa Mila, which is known by pretty much everyone as La Pedrera, which translates as the Quarry. The locals at the time not being entirely enamoured of Gaudi’s style choice with the building.

As with the Casa Battlo, this was built for a wealthy family, and broke pretty much every planning rule in the book when it was put up. The price of great art in this case coming with plenty of building regulation fines, and rather irate owners.

Cascada in Parc de la Ciutadella

This fountain, in the pretty Parc de la Ciutadella, near Barcelona’s parliament building, was mostly erected by Josep Fontsere. It is understood that Gaudí did work on it, during his early student years. It’s nowhere near as organic as some of his later works, but is still a great looking bit of building! When we visited, it wasn’t in operation, and had a wonderful air of decay going on.

So there you have it. Five of my favourite bits of Gaudí work in photos. Obviously Gaudí left behind more than these pieces, and Barcelona is just stuffed with incredible architecture from people other than this great man. But for sheer madness, it’s hard to beat what he got up to! Let me know what you think of the photos, of Barcelona, or of life in general, in the comments below!

Also... don’t forget to check out my site’s facebook page, where I share lots more of my photos!

Things I didn’t know about Barcelona!

I’ve just spent a week visiting Barcelona. I’d like to say that I did a whole bunch of research before setting off, but to be honest, I’m not that great at research. For example, I managed to get through an entire University degree without stepping inside a University library.

Plus, I like a place to surprise me. I asked you guys for your tips, and you supplied them in plentiful fashion. Barcelona’s tourist board, who hosted me so splendidly on this trip, sent me over a whole bunch of stuff too.

But none of this meant that I really knew the following things. I was ignorant… now I am less so. Yay for travel!

Barcelonés, or Barcelonians, aren’t exactly Spanish

Ooh, I’ll start off with the contentious one first then. Sure, Barcelona is *in* Spain. But it is in the Catalan region of Spain, a region which has its own language, own culture and… if the local population had its way... its own borders.

A basic study of Spanish history probably would have helped me out here, but I was never that great at history, particularly after spending two very dry years of my teenage life studying in great depth the Russian revolution of 1917. Something about reading the account of peasants being tyrannised in a frozen wasteland just turned me off history.

So, whilst officially Barcelona is a part of Spain, there are hints everywhere, from flags to language, even to domain names ending in .cat rather than .es, that really, the locals consider themselves somewhat separate. I’m sure there’s a whole world of politics and history here that I could get bogged down in. Instead, let’s move onto other, less contentious and more tasty subjects.

Lunch is a somewhat lengthy affair

I’ve never really travelled in a country which has that Spanish themed approach to lunchtime. I thought the French took lunch breaks seriously, but they really can’t hold a candle to the Spanish.

Lunch time starts a bit later than I was used to (turning up before 1pm raised eyebrows.. try that in France and you’ll be lucky if they still have a plat du jour left), and runs.. well.. until dinner time as far as I could see.

The other thing is that the traditional concept of starters and main courses isn’t the standard here. Possibly because tapas is so popular. Instead, meals consist of two slightly smaller main courses, followed by dessert and coffee.

Food is also incredibly cheap, by Western European standards anyway. It’s not hard to find a meal that includes first and second dishes, dessert, coffee and a beverage, for under 10 euros. No wonder everyone eats out all the time!

Barcelona is a seriously popular destination

I had a vague hope, when planning my trip for early April, that i would be able to miss the peak visitor months of the summer, when visiting European cities is… well... a bit of a chore.

And, when we blearily stumbled off the train at 8am on a Saturday morning, the wonderfully deserted narrowly winding streets of the Gothic Quarter were reassuringly empty. We had Barcelona to ourselves!

Of course, the reality wasn’t entirely in line with this first impression. Pretty much any city is largely deserted at 8am on a Saturday morning. As the day wound on, and people started to wake up, it became rapidly apparent that Barcelona is an incredibly popular destination. The major sights were always crowded, as were the streets, restaurants and even the parks!

It wasn’t really a problem – a city is a place of people after all. It was just a little busier than I had imagined for April. Good news for the tourism economy though. I’ll be writing a post on my tips for surviving a European city in summer soon, although in the case of Barcelona, the tips will probably apply year round…

Barcelona is eminently walk-able!

One thing that really stood out about Barcelona, which isn’t always the case with large cities, is how easy it is to walk around.

Sure, there is an awesome public transport infrastructure, with all modes of transport offered, from trams to buses to a metro and even bicycles. But for me, the best way to experience a city is on foot, and Barcelona is a city that is just so wonderful to experience from the pavement.

It has distinctly separate districts, all of which have their own character and beauty. The aforementioned Gothic Quarter is all tiny maze like passageways framed by looming buildings.

There’s the gorgeous beach fronted Barceloneta. There’s the Eixample... full of beautiful art nouveau buildings in a modernist style. Something for everyone, and all just so easy to get between! A walkers haven.

St George is not an exclusively English Saint

For most of my life, being English, I have been living under the misguided impression that St. George was this English chap who slayed a dragon, saved a princess, and gave us a national day that we largely ignore.

Then I visited Barcelona, and discovered that St George is also the patron Saint of Catalonia. Some further research has indicated that he also happens to be the patron Saint of nine other countries, including Portugal and Germany, as well as four cities including Venice. This was a chap whose dragon slaying abilities clearly  travelled well. He was also Turkish.

Unlike the English, for whom the St. George flag only really appears when we want to celebrate our football team being dire, the Catalonians really revere this guy. He appears all over the city in statues and artwork, and his national day is a seriously big deal. Poor old St. Valentine doesn’t get his own day in Catalonia – rather, St George’s day is the day to celebrate love. After all, what’s more romantic than a day celebrating a bit of princess saving and dragon slaying.

On St. George’s day, it is popular tradition for men to give women a red rose, which symbolises the blood of the poor slain dragon, and for women to give men a book, which symbolises knowledge. These days, what with women being allowed to read and everything, the exchange is more balanced, with everyone getting everything. Which seems fairer.

So that was some of what I learnt in Barcelona! More posts will be following on the subject of this wonderful city. In the meantime, if you’ve got stories to share about what you’ve learnt on your travels, or any feedback on this post, do hit up the comments below!

Majorca Holidays - All Inclusive or Self Catering?

From the South of Portugal to the Spanish Island of Majorca lets once again read Nick's cool tips on how to make the best (and affordable) family vacations.

Majorca is a popular summer holiday destination, and with good reason. As the largest of the Spanish islands it offers a great variety of resorts, with something to suit every holidaymaker. It also benefits from a beautiful climate, stunning scenery and a welcoming atmosphere, making it the perfect choice for those looking to book their dream summer holiday this year.

The fantastic variety of resorts leads on to a great choice of hotels in Majorca, so you’ll have some decisions to make about what makes a holiday perfect to you. If you’re dreaming of hassle free Majorca holidays all inclusive hotels might be the best choice for you. Going all inclusive means that you don’t have to worry about leaving the hotel to find somewhere good to eat, or count the cost of eating out for all your meals while you’re away.

It’s an especially good option for families with children for whom eating out in restaurants may become more of a chore than a pleasure. When you choose all inclusive it’s easy to pick up a quick meal that they kids will enjoy with the minimum of fuss. They’ll also benefit from unlimited soft drinks, as well as ice-creams and snacks, without you worrying about blowing your budget.
 
Airtours specialises in fantastic all inclusive holidays, and has an amazing variety of hotels in all of Majorca’s best resorts – whether you’re looking for a quiet destination, or somewhere vibrant and lively.

Alternatively, self catering is a great option for those who enjoy eating somewhere different every night – perhaps trying all of the local hot spots. It’s also likely to be the best option for you if you don’t plan to spend a lot of time in close vicinity of your hotel – for example, if you’ve got lots of excursions planned.

 Self-catering options are also available at selected Airtours’ hotels, so there’s no reason why you can’t find your dream holiday to Majorca for 2012. As usual, another thanks to Open Galleries for the beautiful Majorca photos set.

4 Things to Witness in 2012

Once again with David this time to know all about 4 things to see in 2012, if not in loco at least online :) A big thanks to you David and let's go!

Why not make this the year you realize your travel ambitions by seeing some of the world's most enthralling spectacles? If you commit to witnessing four of the top events, sights and happenings over the next year, you'll finish it feeling wiser, happier and more invigorated. So book your flights, arrange your travel money and dig out your passport!

The London Olympics

This is going to be the big event in the UK's capital city this year and excitement is growing across the nation as preparations for the ultimate sporting occasion take place. You'll need to be fast to snap up the remaining tickets and there will also be large screens around the stadiums for fans to soak up the sporting atmosphere.


Book early for good quality accommodation, as the best is likely to go very fast. Do the same with train tickets and other advance bookings. You could make a week of it and also see the capital's myriad attractions while you’re there, for a genuine trip to remember.

The Northern Lights

The Northern Lights are on many a would-be traveler's wish list and are one of the most spectacular natural spectacles on the planet. There are different places to see the lights, such as Norway, Lapland, Iceland and even the northernmost parts of Scotland at certain times of the year. You can see the lights on land or on cold-water cruises, which are becoming extremely popular.


Marlborough Wine Festival

Why not take in some culture and visit one of the many wine festivals held worldwide to taste the latest creations from the vineyard artisans? The Brancott Estate in New Zealand's South Island is well worth a visit for its three-day festival of wine and food, with fifty wineries on hand to present their latest offerings and hold workshops. The festival runs every year in February and is a great starting point for seeing this beautiful part of the world.


Pamplona Bull Running

This is one of the ultimate Spanish festivals for those who love adrenaline and have no issue with bull fighting! The bull running begins at midday on the 6th July each year.


Thousands of visitors gather in the square to run with the bulls, celebrate with vast quantities of sangria and generally have a good time. Join in at your peril - tourists do invariably get hurt every year for failing to follow safety precautions and keep out of the way of the bulls!

Holidays in 2012 – where to visit throughout the year

From Winter to Summer, Autumn or Spring, from the snow in the mountains to clear waters and sunny beaches, David has it all planned in advance for this year. As usual another amazing destination list :)

Deciding where to go on holiday can be tricky. You’ll often have a month in mind for when you’d like to go away but choosing your holiday destination isn’t always easy. To help you out with your decision, TravelSupermarket has identified 12 great holiday destinations to visit – one for every month of the year!

If you’re currently thinking about booking a last minute holiday, January is the ideal time of the year to visit the Caribbean. At this time of year there is a chance of rainfall but with temperatures throughout the month being at least 22 degrees, it is certainly a lot hotter than the UK. The Caribbean also starts its carnivals in January, giving you the chance to experience island life.


With choices from Antigua, Bahamas and Barbados and many others, you will be able to find miles of long sandy beaches and beautiful landscapes, as well as experiencing the laid-back charm of local towns and villages.

If you fancy a skiing break, then Geneva has over 200 resorts in traveling distance of the city and is an ideal destination for February. The city itself is also culture-rich and offers visitors the chance to wander down the streets of this green city and experience some of the finer things of Swiss life.


March is an ideal time to visit Marrakech, as the weather is warm without being too hot! The people of Marrakech are very friendly and the city itself is bustling with colour, sights and smells. It is easy to move from the narrow streets of the old city to the modern district, allowing you to experience what the city has to offer.


Crete is a popular European destination for some early sun in April, as well as for some excellent deals. The largest island in Greece, it offers beautiful coastline that is great for water sports as well as relaxing. The island has also lots to see, from natural features such as its gorges, to ruins from ancient civilizations.


Japan in May is very lush and the temperatures have yet to reach their hottest. The country offers the traditional Japanese lifestyle coupled with modern cities, having something for all types of visitors.


June is an ideal month for going on safari, with South Africa coming into its own at this time of year. The weather can be hot during the day, but it has cooler nights. Zambia has a number of National Parks, as well as spectacular landscapes that include Victoria Falls. The country offers a huge choice of safari activities, including horseback or elephant-back safaris as well as canoe or open vehicle safaris.


The fine weather in July is great for exploring Iceland. The country has such a varied landscape, including glaciers, volcanoes, waterfalls and geysers. The days are long as the sun rarely sets and the land is green. There are plenty of activities, such as glacier skiing or even the opportunity to whale watch.


The jewel of the Balearics, Menorca, offers hot weather in August and the chance to relax on one of the many beaches that it has on offer. There are plenty of activities on offer for the whole family, including water sports, water parks, cycling and riding.


Menorca also offers a variety of other activities, including a number of golf courses. There is a variety of historical sites worth visiting on the island, as well as its National Park, the S'Albufera des Grau Natural Park.

There are still plenty of warm destinations in the USA in September. Although the weather can sometimes be unstable at this time of year, Miami offers some fantastic beaches with daily temperatures of above 22 degrees.


There is also the chance to visit the Everglades National Park, which as the subtropical wilderness of the USA, is home to a variety of species. There is also the Biscayne National park that offers the chance to dive around its coral reefs.

Visiting Dubai in October gives the chance for you to experience this truly unique city. Not only does it have many record-breaking landmarks and achievements, it also has many miles of beaches that are ideal for water sports. The city also offers traditional activities, such as camel racing and falconry.


November is an ideal time to take a trip halfway around the world to New Zealand. Both North Island and South Island have beautiful landscapes that include plenty of beaches, lots of wildlife, outdoor activities and the opportunity to experience the unique Maori culture. There is still plenty of sun at this time of year and it is an ideal time to explore.


Cancun in Mexico offers dry weather in December, with average temperatures of around 24 degrees. There are plenty of water sports on offer, including diving. As well as its many beaches, there is plenty to see and do. It has bustling towns and gives visitors the opportunity to explore the ancient world of the Mayans.


Whatever time of year you plan to go on holiday this year, this top picks are just a few destinations that will help you to follow the sun throughout the year.

Lanzarote, the Volcanic island in the Canary Archipelago

In a return to the Spanish Canary Islands series let me fly South over the Atlantic Ocean and take you all the way to the beautiful island of Lanzarote, the most oriental of this Spanish Archipelago and from the seven larger islands the one closer to Africa.


Maybe because of this African proximity Lanzarote has less rain and it's the island where the volcanic and desert landscapes are by far more evident. Nevertheless, the natural beauty of this kind of landscape is irrefutable. Coastal landscapes like the ones near the Papagayo beach area (above) are not only beautiful but also unique in the way they mixture the sandy beaches with the island's volcanic mountains of los Ajaches.


Also amazing are volcanic landscapes like the lava fields near the mountains called Montañas del Fuego. As to the beaches on the island I must say I have no doubt in choosing my favorite, bellow, the fabulous Papagayo beach. After a photo like this (thanks to wikimedia) I'm sure I need to say nothing more :)


Last but not the least, the economic beauty of the Canary Islands. Having a reduced tax regime the prices of the hotels are invitingly low. Better yet, since the weather is good almost all year, if you choose the low season it's gonna be fairly easy to find cheap holidays to Lanzarote. As usual, one last thanks to Wikimedia for the fabulous photos - far better than the ones I have :) - before my next holidays I really must do a photo crash course with you guys!

Spain vs. Portugal: the hottest holiday spot

Today’s featured guest post is from James, representing skyscanner.net (which happens to be one of my favourite tools for finding cheap flights!). James provided this article weighing up the positives of these two countries to help you decide between them, although personally, I plan to visit both! If you’ve got a favourite to share from these two, tell us about it in the comments at the end!

Often mentioned in a single breath when sunny, gorgeous and reasonably priced holiday destinations come up, both Spain and Portugal have plenty to tempt the holidaymaker. But how do you decide between the two? Check out some of the things that make the destinations special in their own right, and find out which most tickles your fancy.

Chasing history

Discovering some of the best sights of Portugal’s history is easy, and there are a few not to be missed experiences – such as strolling through the ancient university town of Coimbra or feeling your heart flutter in the romantic town of Sintra. You’ll also find many surviving castles and ruins dotted around the countryside.

However, Spain is bursting with castles, medieval towns and picturesque villages of its own. And with wonderful cultural treasures such as Roman relics, Muslim palaces, baroque cathedrals and Modernista constructions, it could be said that Spain just pips its rival to the post when it comes to spectacular sights.

The best beaches

For serene, gorgeous beaches, there are few areas better than Spain’s Menorca, a beachgoer’s mecca that encourages plenty of people to hunt for cheap flights to Spain. There you’ll find unspoilt stretches of sand as well as plenty of hidden coves and ravines for exploring.

On the other hand, Portugal’s seaside town of Cascais offers a great mix of youthful exuberance and history, as partygoers and holidaymakers mingle with historic fishing traditions that carry on to this day.

Fun festivals

Of course, there are some things that can only be properly enjoyed in their countries of origin – such as traditional celebrations and festivals. In Spain, you’ll have the chance to see man and beast collide in its traditional bullfighting as well as the unforgettable spectacle of Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls.

Get in touch with Portugal’s past by timing a visit to coincide with the Festas da Ria in Aveiro. Celebrating the Ria estuary, this is a massive party with seaweed covered boats, traditional dancing and performances.

Sunny surfing spots

Thanks to its mild climate combined with stiff offshore morning breezes, Portugal is particularly popular as a sunny surfing destination. It picks up swells from the north, west and south, meaning surfing conditions are nice and consistent, with more challenging waves in the winter and gentler conditions in the summer.

Spain is blessed with 4000km of coastline and world class surf of its own, and with so many beaches to choose from, you’re likely to be able to find a quiet spot to catch a few waves.

If you still can’t decide between the two great destinations, why not pick up cheap flights to Portugal then hire a car with the intention of crossing borders when you arrive!

Thanks to James for providing today’s article! James writes for Skyscanner.net, a cheap flights comparison site based in Scotland. For more information about Skyscanner, or to get in contact, check out the Skyscanner Linkedin page.

Today’s photos come from flickr users: valkie76 (Menorca Beach), szeke (Palacio da Pena, Portugal), –foxhusky- (Spanish stilt dancers) and marcp_dmoz (Burgos Cathedral) The surfing shot is mine.