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Thinking of traveling to Spain for a week..

Imported

Imported

Lifer
I saw roundtrip flights to Spain (Madrid or Barcelona) running around $450 in May, and since I have quite a bit of PTO accumulated.. I may as well do something with it.

Anyone been before? Have tips, must see lists, etc.? I enjoy food, architecture, night life, so anything along those lines would be great!
 
Barcelona is great for architecture, since you can see a tonne of the Gaudi stuff there. There is a lot of amazing food there too. I was there a year ago or so and can try to dig up some pics later if you like.

KT
 
Don't forget your passport, SS card and D/L... carry them all everywhere, including late at night in dark alleys.
 
Originally posted by: njmodi
Don't forget your passport, SS card and D/L... carry them all everywhere, including late at night in dark alleys.
Click to expand...

I know you are being sarcastic, but I found Barcelona to be pretty damn safe, even late at night. I pretty much always had my passport on me and just left my wallet in my back pocket and never had an issue. When I was in very crowded areas, I would move the wallet to my front pocket, but that's about it.

As long as you are somewhat aware and don't act like a retard, it should be fine.

KT
 
Originally posted by: KeithTalent
Originally posted by: njmodi
Don't forget your passport, SS card and D/L... carry them all everywhere, including late at night in dark alleys.
Click to expand...

I know you are being sarcastic, but I found Barcelona to be pretty damn safe, even late at night. I pretty much always had my passport on me and just left my wallet in my back pocket and never had an issue. When I was in very crowded areas, I would move the wallet to my front pocket, but that's about it.

As long as you are somewhat aware and don't act like a retard, it should be fine.

KT
Click to expand...

Actually it was a reference to some other threads recently about 1. what is a passport, 2. someone's brother having their SS card/DL stolen in Mexico...

My wife's been to Spain (Barcelona) and tells me it's quite beautiful. I travel for work and always keep my passport on me - I'm not sure what's safer - leaving it at the hotel (room, or otherwise) or just keeping it with me... I figure it's more likely the hotel staff will get sticky fingers than I'll get mugged...



 
Originally posted by: LS21
you dont have electronic safe boxes in your hotel room?
Click to expand...

In the US mostly yes - but then I don't have my passport 🙂... I was in Finland recently and there, they did not have safes in each room. It varies from one place to the next.
 
Originally posted by: KeithTalent
Barcelona is great for architecture, since you can see a tonne of the Gaudi stuff there. There is a lot of amazing food there too. I was there a year ago or so and can try to dig up some pics later if you like.

KT
Click to expand...

Yep. I was in Barcelona last summer and it definitely is a cool place. Them folk in Spain treat Gaudi like a god. Make a note to visit La Sagrada Familia though it's not obvious why it took them over 100 years to build it.
Oh yeah. The Gothic Quarter in Barcelona near the Marina is just like the Santa Monica Promenade but its a bit bigger.
 
Originally posted by: zoiks
Originally posted by: KeithTalent
Barcelona is great for architecture, since you can see a tonne of the Gaudi stuff there. There is a lot of amazing food there too. I was there a year ago or so and can try to dig up some pics later if you like.

KT
Click to expand...

Yep. I was in Barcelona last summer and it definitely is a cool place. Them folk in Spain treat Gaudi like a god. Make a note to visit La Sagrada Familia though it's not obvious why it took them over 100 years to build it.
Click to expand...

I think part of the reason is because Gaudi died while it was being contructed. It is awe-inspiring though, I absolutely loved it.

KT
 
I'm interested as well, but I don't speak Spanish. Will that be an issue? It's really the only thing keeping me from going.
 
Originally posted by: ducci
I'm interested as well, but I don't speak Spanish. Will that be an issue? It's really the only thing keeping me from going.
Click to expand...

it's not really an issue but don't expect a lot of Spaniards speaking fluent English
 
Originally posted by: freegeeks
Originally posted by: ducci
I'm interested as well, but I don't speak Spanish. Will that be an issue? It's really the only thing keeping me from going.
Click to expand...

it's not really an issue but don't expect a lot of Spaniards speaking fluent English
Click to expand...

Speaking Spanish would be helpful. Hell, I found that a lot of the hotel employees barely spoke any English. It helps to know a little bit at least.
 
There is a lot of great places to go in Spain. I really loved Barcelona...loved the town's in the Piranies (sp? the norther mountain range separating France and Spain)...and I REALLY loved "San Sebastian". I've not been to Madrid...but I've heard there is a lot to do there. Also, some of the southern towns are really beautiful and have particularly beautiful architecture. I really enjoyed spain.
 
Rhona for the bridge.
Seville for triana
Oh since you are in the area, visit portugal. Very beatiful coast line.
 
Originally posted by: ducci
I'm interested as well, but I don't speak Spanish. Will that be an issue? It's really the only thing keeping me from going.
Click to expand...

the only place in the world without english is zaire and certain parts of southern california
 
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: freegeeks
Originally posted by: ducci
I'm interested as well, but I don't speak Spanish. Will that be an issue? It's really the only thing keeping me from going.
Click to expand...

it's not really an issue but don't expect a lot of Spaniards speaking fluent English
Click to expand...

Speaking Spanish would be helpful. Hell, I found that a lot of the hotel employees barely spoke any English. It helps to know a little bit at least.
Click to expand...

I lived in Madrid for a while. I worked there for an American company and the knowledge of English of my highly educated Spanish colleagues (engineers) was a joke.

The general rule in Europe is simple, the more south you go, the worse English will be 😛
 
Originally posted by: freegeeks
Originally posted by: ducci
I'm interested as well, but I don't speak Spanish. Will that be an issue? It's really the only thing keeping me from going.
Click to expand...

it's not really an issue but don't expect a lot of Spaniards speaking fluent English
Click to expand...

I'm more interested in restaurants, bars, public transportation, etc. I've been to Greece and didn't have an issue at all not being able to speak Greek. Menus and whatnot where generally in both languages.
 
Originally posted by: ducci
Originally posted by: freegeeks
Originally posted by: ducci
I'm interested as well, but I don't speak Spanish. Will that be an issue? It's really the only thing keeping me from going.
Click to expand...

it's not really an issue but don't expect a lot of Spaniards speaking fluent English
Click to expand...

I'm more interested in restaurants, bars, public transportation, etc. I've been to Greece and didn't have an issue at all not being able to speak Greek. Menus and whatnot where generally in both languages.
Click to expand...

it's not really an issue, I lived in Spain for a while and I speak 5 words of Spanish 😛
 
Originally posted by: ducci
Originally posted by: freegeeks
Originally posted by: ducci
I'm interested as well, but I don't speak Spanish. Will that be an issue? It's really the only thing keeping me from going.
Click to expand...

it's not really an issue but don't expect a lot of Spaniards speaking fluent English
Click to expand...

I'm more interested in restaurants, bars, public transportation, etc. I've been to Greece and didn't have an issue at all not being able to speak Greek. Menus and whatnot where generally in both languages.
Click to expand...

You won't have too much of a problem. Barcelona has a lot of people that speak very little english but since that place is such a touristy area, you won't have too many issues. I couldn't believe the number of Americans visiting Spain last year with our dollar so low against the Euro. It was like every other person in Barcelona was an American.
 
Originally posted by: ducci
I'm interested as well, but I don't speak Spanish. Will that be an issue? It's really the only thing keeping me from going.
Click to expand...

Not a problem at all, the only Spanish I know is 'cerveza' and 'gracias'.

KT

Edit: In fact you are probably better off just sticking to English, since a lot of the people in Barcelona are Basque and get annoyed at people trying to speak regualr Spanish. One of our cab drivers went on a big tirade about this.
 
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