Birthday in Barcelona.. ideas and suggestions please

AlexMac

The formula 1 track idea is a good one. Group purchase schemes like Groupon or Living Social offer package deals- hotel and admission to the barca Grand Prix in May if you ever want to push the boat out budget terms in future.
Consider also a tour of Barca's 'Camp Nou' stadium...
http://www.fcbarcelona.com/camp-nou

But for me, just wandering around is a great idea; especially as your hotel location is perfect! Just walk down the Ramblas to the sea, and out over the water - that touristy tapas restaurant underneath the mirrored ceiling arch at the end isn't too expensive as they serve drinks without food too and its got a great view. Or walk left round the port to Barcelonette for seafood restaurants- the further you walk, the cheaper they get - or further still, round to the beaches.

Buen viaje

ceewash

Yes don't forget the beaches. There are some lovely restaurants on the sea front. Wandering round the githic quarter you will be spoilt for choice, especially tapas. We found it more difficult to find restaurants not serving tapas.

chickaroonee

Parc Guell, Sagrada Familia and Las Ramblas are the big ones for a reason! They're all just beautiful in different ways and completely unmissable.

Parc Guell has a bar, where you can sit outside and have a pint whilst looking down over the city. Really stunning.

hollydays

The gothic quarter is a lovely place to stay.
The gaudi buildings and the sagrada familia would be top of my list.
The fact is there's just SOmuch to go in Barcelona

geri1965_2

Lots of good suggestions already.

Take the funicular railway to the base of Mountjuic and take the cable car to the top.

The other funicular which goes to the church on Tibidabo (depends what time of the year you are going).

Oh, and the Picasso museum, and in the courtyard by the textile museum just over the way is a lovely cafe.

Sitting in Cafe Zurich at Placa de Catalyuna just watching the world go by.

hrtfreeman

Just don't have a birthday meal in the touristy areas (Las Ramblas, Plaça de Catalunya, Passeig de Gracia) unless you fancy being ripped off :P

There are restaurants with group menus around the city for a mash up birthday meal, and you can easily find fantastic lunches for €10 per person or less thanks to the competitive set menus around the city.

I wouldn't really call the El Corte Ingl!s restaurant good value, go up their for the views, but don't stay for the food :P

Tuesday_Tenor

Just remembered something else: the amazing monastery out at Montserrat.

I've still not been there myslef, though have passed the mountain on the train to Manresa





http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g187501-d191040-Reviews-Montserrat_Monastery-Montserrat_Catalonia.html

slinga

realised wrote: »

Thoroughly recommend this!

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g187497-d2534564-Reviews-Travel_Bound_Barcelona_Free_Walking_Tours-Barcelona_Catalonia.html

Used those twice now.
Very interesting tour and the two were quite different although some places the same.
Recommended.

slinga

Funny innit.
Some suggestions above I agree with wholeheartedly.
Others I wouldn't bother with.

Great food at Restaurant 336.
It is a place for a celebration as well.
Really nice inside.
Chat to the owner, very approachable, he's usually the one grilling the juicy steaks etc.
The set meal is amazing for Euro 25???., including a bottle of wine.

Lots of good local Tapas places in Barcelonetta. The missus just reminded meabout La Cova Fumada for Tapas. Google or Trip Advisor it.
Family restaurant with mostly but not all local customers.
The old Mama does the cooking.

One tip for Parc Guell.
Enter by the back way.
That way you can get an escalator to the top and walk downhill instead of sweating uphill.
You get a train to??? google it and then it's a 10 walk from the station to the bottom of the escalator which is about 300ft or more in length.

Tibidabo is great.