The T-10 metro transportation pass has really been handy for us. For €9.95 ($14.50 CAD, $10.50 USD) you get 10 trips on the local transportation, and it includes the airport train. Our ten trips are used up as of our return trip yesterday but we'll be back in Barcelona for a night in April, so we'll buy another T-10 pass today and use the balance when we return.
We headed to the main downtown market, the Mercado de la Boqueria.
There are so many interesting buildings in Barcelona!
Scenery downtown.
Many alleyways for walking (or cycling, apparently).
The Boqueria market is really interesting, but very expensive. The only thing we saw that was reasonably priced were fruit cups that were various prices at various stands, but a few stands had them for €1 ($1.45 CAD, $1.10 USD). But the stands that sold lunch meals were pricey.
Lots of fresh fruit, but not at Mexican prices!
The prices don't deter the people.
Lots of interesting product.
Not even sure what this stuff is!
Mushrooms.
The food did look good.
The egg lady.
€1.00 ($1.45 CAD, $1.10 USD) per dozen...in a plastic bag.
From the market, we wandered back down to the waterfront to find somewhere to sit in the sun to have our lunch.
Another interesting building.
Those are umbrellas decorating the sides.
Interesting lamp post!
We ate lunch right outside the Christopher Columbus monument. It turns out that you can go to the top of the monument for a view of the city. We thought about doing this, and went inside to check the price. It was €6.00 ($8.70 CAD, $6.60 USD). Not cheap, but not unreasonable. I noticed that tall office building in the photo below, and wondered what was on the top floor. It might be a better view up there!
The Christopher Columbus Monument.
The tall office building is the Edificio Colon. It turns out there is an expensive restaurant and bar at the top called Marea Alta. You're not allowed to go up just for the view, but the pre screening lady at the bottom told us that we were definitely welcome to go up and just have a drink. So that's what we did!
Having a drink at Marea Alta restaurant.
Ruth's sangria was €6.50, and my beer was €3.00. For a total cost of €9.50 ($13.75 CAD, $10.45 USD). Cheaper than what we would have paid at the Christopher Columbus monument, and we got a drink with it and a better view with less people!
Beautiful views of Barcelona.
Zoomed in on Sagrada Familia basilica.
Looking NE up the waterfront.
Barcelona waterfront.
From there, we walked over to the Castelle de Montjuic...a fortress on the hill overlooking the bay. We didn't pay the reasonable €5.00 ($7.25 CAD, $5.50 USD) to go inside, preferring instead to walk around the path that surrounds the structure.
Where the rich people park their boats.
Ruth.
Gardens at the fortress.
Overlooking Barcelona's shipping port.
Walking around the fortress.
Walking back to the train station, this was an interesting street.
Gotta go! It's a travel day, so I was up at 6:30am this morning to get the blog post written. We're taking the 8:30am train back to the main Barcelona station where we catch another train at 10:00am for the five hour journey to Alicante.
Barcelona was great, and we could easily spend a week or more here!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the "lightning deals" on right now at Amazon...
And in Canada...
Hola! Just wanted to let you both know we enjoy reading your blog and seeing your photos every morning with our coffee and breakfast.
ReplyDeletePeter & Bonnie from Halifax, NS (currently in Zipolite, Oaxaca, Mexico)
Thank you for taking the time to comment and for following along with us. Hope you are enjoying Zipolite beach, we have had some fun times there.
DeleteDoesn't look like there is a lot of greenery in the city but maybe that is only the downtown area!
ReplyDeleteNo, there isn't too much in the way of trees in the very downtown area but many of the apartments have lots of plants and flowers on their balconies. Also when we hiked up to the castle that was all through park land and was very pretty. There are actually quite a few parks throughout Barcelona and we found that it looked quite pretty, especially when compared to where we are right now on the coast.
DeleteIn your photo captioned "Overlooking Barcelona's shipping port," I think I see a cruise ship at the left edge center of the photo. Wonder if it's on a repositioning cruise from the US.
ReplyDeleteBarcelona certainly is a wonderful walking city with so much to see and do. Speaking and understanding Spanish is a plus when immersing yourself in the city; glad you two will be back one more day on this trip.
Viking Ocean Cruises are running now, back and forth to Rome. Stopping in Valencia, Sardinia, Malta, Tunis and Algiers. One sea day.
DeleteDayton, really sounds like a great itinerary and with only one sea day.
DeleteDee there are lots of cruise ships that do cruises through the Mediterranean area, I am sure some eve go down to Africa as well, and also the ones that Dayton mentioned.
DeleteBarcelona is a great city for walking around and we have certainly enjoyed our time there and hope one day to go back and see more of what we have missed. 3 days was definitely not long enough!
Great views from Colon building and even better with a drink.
ReplyDeleteThey were great views, even better than they would have been from the Christopher Columbus Monument and it was even a tiny bit cheaper plus we had the drink to boot, gotta love that! :-)
DeleteWpictures are lovely Barcelona looks like a nice place to visit someday! Looking forward to your Motorhome journey next! Travel safe!
ReplyDeleteWe really enjoyed our time in Barcelona but realized that 3 days there was definitely not enough time. We would love to go back and spend another week or two there. :-)
DeleteWon't be long and we will be traveling around in the motorhome. :-)
Eggs in a plastic bag? They'd be an omelette by the time I got home!
ReplyDeleteWe have now had lots of practice with eggs in a bag because there have been numerous times that we have had to carry them back to our motorhome this way in Mexico. You need to do it very carefully! ;-)
DeleteDid you see any Jamon Iberico at the market? It's supposed to have a unique flavour because the pigs eat acorns as part of their diet. I think it's expensive but you could ask for just enough for a taste.
ReplyDeleteNever noticed but now that you have mentioned it we will keep our eyes open for it and if we see it we will try just a tiny little bit. Thanks!
DeleteMy wife and I spent two weeks in Barcelona totally amazed by the food, service and the architecture. We will be going back to see the sites we missed the first time. So much to see and do
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with you Jeff! We were only there for 3 days but could definitely see ourselves easily spending a week or two there if not more. A return trip is a must!
DeleteHahha I loved your alternative solution to getting the same (if not better) view, plus a drink!~
ReplyDeleteWe loved our alternative solution as well! We learned this trick a long time ago when we went to New York City that everyone went to the World Trade Center and stood in line for ages and paid the high price to get up to the top to see the view but we had read that you could go to the other tower and go up and get 2 drinks for the same price and not have to wait in line and that is exactly what we did. It was so much better and we got something for our money, just the same as in Barcelona. :-)
Delete