My solo trip to Spain.
I will not write about the beauties of this amazing country. So enough has been written about it. This must be seen. My report will contain only facts, as there is a lot of conflicting and outdated information on the Internet. My entries are current as of August 2010.
1. Travel plan.
choose a route (maximum acceptable distance) You can not see all of Spain in one trip.
air tickets. The cheapest is Air Berlin. but they fly with transfers. If you are ready to overpay a little, but fly a direct flight, you are on the websites of Transaero, Aeroflot, Iberia.
I flew there with Transaero back with Iberia.
Book hotels. . The best prices. And the platform is reliable. It is very convenient at booking that you need to pay already at the hotel. Next is the visa. Everything is very well written on the website of the Visa Application Center of Spain. Electronic queue. Everything is fast and organized. The visa was given in three days and for 6 months. (in July).
2. My itinerary: Barcelona 5 days.
From there we went to Figueres and Montserrat. Then 10 days in Salou. With day trips to Reus and PortAventura.
Barcelona. Airport EL Prat de Liobrega Arrival and departure of planes to Russia from terminal T2. Many buses to the coast depart from terminal T1. (There is a b. p. bus between the terminals, as in Sherementyevo) From terminal T2, bus and train to Barcelona. Exit through glass doors, next to the exit is a bus stop. 4th pl. Catalunya. (city center) Train. output also. Look to the right elevation above the road. (bridge or tunnel) it leads to the train. A ticket for the metro is about 3 euros per person. Tickets are sold from vending machines. Workers are standing next to the machines. and help to buy a ticket. Attention! I need to see where the train is going. (the terminus is written on it)
it will definitely stop at the Center. Station (Barselona Sans) metro of the same name. You can get to Pl. Españ a and go to the subway. On the train, stops are announced and there is a running line.
On Pl. Catalunia has many banks.
(Traveler's checks are only changed at one BBA it seems) The huge El Corte Ingles building (department store) is a grocery supermarket downstairs. , pharmacy. I work until 22:00.2nd floor b. n. toilet. At a later time, products can be bought at the street. Paral-lel is not far from Pl. Spain. small shops. Hosts from Asia. (We took only bread, water and chocolate were not poisoned).
Opposite the department store ( Pl. Catalunia ) inf. tourist point. Descent down the stairs. B. p. a map of the city and you can find out the schedule of "singing fountains" (Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 20 to 23) On the square. start of tourist bus routes in Catalunya (Sightseeing tour of the city) Barselona Turs (orange) 2 routes. Tickets at the entrance. (Headphones-guide in Russian) They give a lot of coupons for discounts. We used to enter museums) The orange route (it is larger) reaches Sagrada Famillia and Park Guel, the Olympic center. Green is prettier. Goes through the Montjuc mountain. (cost 19 euros 1 day. 33 euros two days) We took two days and drove both routes.
It is realistic to drive both in one day, if you do not get off at stops. The latter moves away from Pl. Catalunia at 22 o'clock. Long route about 2 hours.
Bus Turisticus has an eye drawn on the bus and stop. Route number, but they say there are problems with the Russian guide.
Underground. The most profitable 10 trips. (7 euros), one trip seems to be 1.3 euros, there are student discounts on ISIC. The 10-ride card is valid on the metro, public bus and RENFE train within the same zone. If you live in the city you don't need more.
The Royal Palace and Mount Montjuc can be reached from Pl. Espanua (single-name metro) we go towards the "singing fountains". Between two square columns to the palace on the mountain. 500 meters from the palace if you go left (standing with your back to the palace) you can get to the Spanish Village. Something like an open-air museum. There are collected old houses from all over Spain) You can take beautiful photos. Souvenirs are cheaper in the shops than on the Rambla.
Selling exclusive products at good prices. There is also a museum where Picasso's work is exhibited. The truth is not understood permanent or not. Paid entrance. Discounts for students. It is interesting to get to Mount Montjuc by funicular. Art. metro Paral-lel and further along the arrow. there and back 12 euros per person there 9 euros. But it is more interesting to drive only there. Wander up the mountain. Beautiful old fortress. Reach the second funicular (not far, you just need to look at the map so as not to get lost) and go down to the old port in Barceloneta. Lots of shops and cafes. Large store (Moremagnum). From the funicular to the left is Barceloneta. If you go keeping to the left of the port, but not far from the Rambla. On the right is the Gothic Quarter.
From sq. Catalunya near the Gothic Cathedral (very beautiful). (from 13-16 the entrance is closed)
Rambla. Something like the Moscow Arbat. Artists, souvenirs, beautiful old buildings, living sculptures with which you can take pictures.
On the left side (to the right of Catalunya square) Bokaria market (m. Luceu) fruits, vegetables, fish. Very beautiful decoration. More Palau Guelli (under restoration) There are a lot of pickpockets on the Rambla! ! ! To the right of the Rambla (from the Catalunya side) is the El Ravol quarter - the Arab quarter. It's not worth going in.
Gaudi. from pl. Catalunia along Passeing de Gracia (the most beautiful street in Barcelona, many modernist houses) On the left. Casa Batlio. The most beautiful Gaudí house in my opinion. Audio guide in Russian. (reduced entry from the bus - 14 euros, students. 11 euros) It's worth it! ! ! Further on the right side of Casa Mila audio guide in English and Spanish. But everything is clear and so. Beautiful house with apartments. Entry is 11 euros. In front of Casa Mila, the street is perpendicular to Passeing de Gracia, turn right and you will reach Sagrada Famillia, walk for about 20 minutes. There is a long queue to the cathedral. Try to get out of this walk early. Casa Batlio, Casa Mila, Sagrada Famillia open from 9-18. We take the metro from the cathedral to the Lesseps station. There is Park Guel. (requires min.
two hours) to go to the park is quite far, it is better to ask the locals and take the bus. 1 or 2 stops. from the subway bus stop to the right. Then up a steep slope. Entrance two "gingerbread houses". There is a Gaudí Museum in the park.
Picasso Museum. st. de Montcada (m. Jaime 1) tue. saturday 10-22 Sun. Monday 10-15 (gloomy)
Montserrat.
train from Pl. Españ a. If you stand facing the palace. entrance to the right of the right tower. FGC icon, follow the signs. Line train R5 direction to Manressa. First train at 8-36 then every hour. (the schedule is coordinated with the cable car and the cremaler) I recommend going to the station: Montserat-Aeri there (transfer to the cable car), go down to the Kremaler (this train goes in a tunnel in the mountain and along the edge of the mountain is very interesting) Montserat-de M station .
the cost of round-trip tickets train + cream, train + cable car 23 euros) There is a map
Montseratcard, but it includes two trips by metro, train + cream or cable car and lift on the top funicular. The cost is 23 euros. It turns out more profitable.
True, you can’t drive both on the cable car and on the cremaler. Only on one thing. Card for sale in info. at a kiosk, at places where you can buy tickets for tourist buses, and near ticket machines. Where are the tickets to Montserrat. If you want to buy tickets yourself at the machine: You need to choose where the word Montserat-billet-adult completado- Tren-Aeri (there) Tren-Cremallera (back). It is better to arrive by train 10-15 minutes beforehand. before leaving. There are few seats on the train. Drive about an hour. Stops are announced and illuminated by a light bulb. At the Montserat-Aeri station through the transition to the cable car. Montserat-de M. next station. Get off at the station and go forward along the platform to the stop of the kremalery. Upon arrival, go to the information point to take a map and find out when the boys' choir sings. (at 13 o'clock) Then immediately to the Virgin Mary. From the square to the right. Facing the Basilica. Enter the right portal along the corridors. Access to the Madonna until 10-30, then from 12-30. We stood for an hour. (they didn’t even stand, but moved) The basilica is very beautiful from the inside.
For a person accustomed to Orthodox churches, it is easily perceived. (does not press like Italian temples).
Funiculars up and down on the square, next to the kremalera. Tickets for two 9 euros. Up Sant Huah. At the top, if you do not like long-distance crossings, it is better to take the shortest route to the right. Amazingly beautiful views, the ruins of an old chapel, few people. It is hard to go to the left (towards the Cross). All the time in the sun, up and a lot of people. Funicular down Santa-Cava (break from 13-14) to the Holy Caves. We didn't go. They say walking is tiring. It is better to return to the cathedral for the "boys' choir" early. in 20 min. there are no seats. They sing for about 30 minutes. On the central square there is a market, a cafe (tasty, nice prices), souvenirs. The cable car closes at 19:00. kremalera at 22:00.
Barcelona Sans train station. buy tickets at the box office (med. distans) on the left (if you look at the central scoreboard). the price for two there and back 28 euros. the path is indicated next to the departure time. drive 2 hours. From Figueres station, inland.
According to Dali signs. Exposure for two, 3 hours. There is an audio guide. Treasury (Dali Joiles) entrance from the opposite side. Tickets are bought immediately. The museum is open from 9-19. There are no turnstiles on the way back. (on the side of the entrance there is a composter! ).
Salou can be reached from Barcelona Sans Station. one way for two 14 euros. From the train (if the hotel is not near the station and you don't know how to get there) It's better to take a taxi. 5-7 euros. 10 euros is the longest distance. Don't carry suitcases. The distances are not very close. There are buses. True, I did not see a stop at the station. In Salou, the most beautiful place is the Boulevard of the King. Passes along the embankment. There are many cafes near the sea and on the streets. A plate of fish or meat + potatoes + salad from 5 to 9 euros. There are food supermarkets. A funny little train runs along Salou to Port Aventura. How much does not know did not go. By bus to Port Aventura about 15 minutes. about 1.3 seems to be per person. one way. Port Aventura is worth a trip. Not only with children.
Tickets are cheaper to buy from tour operators or at bus stops. (in Salou, all young people selling tickets speak Russian). At the park ticket office, a ticket for one day costs 44 euros per person. for two days 66 per person in the above. places 35 euros. 1 day, 56 for two days. Tickets "not left" themselves traveled on them. There is an express ticket 25 euros to go to all the most interesting attractions in a "short" queue. We arrived after 2 pm. we walked almost the entire park, stood in lines for a maximum of 30 minutes. True, they did not have time for the show. But if you want to "get it all" it's better to take two days. On some attractions, water is poured over. You get wet to the skin. ))) I recommend taking at least a T-shirt for a change, or a raincoat. You can buy there too. But too expensive. It is very interesting to pass through the park by train. On the way back, tickets are not sold on the bus. Better to buy in advance.
Small provincial town.
Quiet and calm to the point of "impossibility"))) (for a resident of Moscow). Home of Gaudi. There is an interactive museum there. We didn't go outside. It is much more interesting to walk around the city. By bus from Salou 6 euros. less than an hour drive. The bus station has a map of the city. From the central square where the museum is. depart streets with shops. We hit the august sale... great shopping, great prices. And the city itself is just amazing.
From Salou to Barcelona Airport, I recommend taking the bus. A little more expensive than the train, but ultimately more convenient. It's easier to go back with luggage. There are plenty of bus stops throughout the city. Surely some will be very close to the hotel. We had a flight to Moscow at 23:00. And we arrived at the airport at 11 o'clock. We left our luggage at the airport in the luggage room and returned to Barcelona by train.
At the airport, after you check in for the flight, I recommend not to rush to passport control. (if you have time, of course).
and go shopping at the airport. After passport control, of course, they will not let you back. And there is only one small Dutty fries and McDonald's.
Hasta la vista, Hasta el encuentro Espana! ! !