Our Autumn European Odyssey – Barcelona
Part 8
We disembarked from Celebrity Equinox on November 6th, a busy morning at the Port of Barcelona. Although we had booked transportation to the hotel through Barcelona Tours Transport, it took the driver quite some time to arrive to pick us up.
We stayed for 3 nights at the Hotel H10 Casanova – it was okay – here’s the link:
https://www.h10hotels.com/en/barcelona-hotels/h10-casanova
We got settled and ready for our first outing – the Tablao Flamenco Cordobes on Rambla Barcelona. (with Dinner Option) We booked this through Viator and it was great.
Here’s a description:
“Experience Spain's storied flamenco traditions during your time in Barcelona with this package. Head to one of the city's most storied and authentic tablao venues and admire the professional dancers and musicians as they capture the essence of this Spanish art form.”
I was happy to be able to practice my rusty Spanish to get us from place to place in taxis, and that was fun. The dinner was tasty and the show was beautiful. We were only allowed to take pictures at the end, so here’s one (and also one of us out for drinks before the venue was open): if you’d like to see the video I took at the show, please let me know and I’ll send it to you.
The next morning, we went on a tour booked through The Tour Guy called Unbeatable Barcelona in a Day and it was fabulous.
Here’s the description:
“This guest-favorite tour takes you straight into Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia and Park Güell with skip-the-line access, expert insight, and no waiting around. In just a few hours, you’ll explore Barcelona’s most iconic landmarks up close, including the awe-inspiring basilica and the colorful hilltop park overlooking the city. With transportation included and groups capped at 15 guests, there’s simply no better way to see the city’s must-see highlights comfortably and efficiently.
What's included
Expert, English-speaking guide
Skip-the-line entry to Park Güell
Skip-the-line entry to Sagrada Familia
Transportation between stops
Itinerary
Your tour begins at Park Güell
Connect with your friendly guide outside the Park Güell entrance. Look for the exact location on your booking voucher. Here, you’ll check in and prepare to explore one of Antoni Gaudí’s most whimsical creations.
Explore the gardens of Park Güell
You'll stroll through colorful walkways lined with imaginative mosaics and organic architecture. Your guide shares stories about Gaudí's grand vision for this garden complex and why it never fully materialized, though it became Barcelona's most beloved park.
Dragon Staircase and Panoramic views
After climbing the iconic Dragon Staircase, adorned with the famous mosaic salamander, you'll reach the park's elevated balconies. From here, you'll capture stunning panoramic photos of Barcelona stretching out below, with the Mediterranean glittering in the distance.
Transfer to Sagrada Familia
Next, you'll hop into a comfortable vehicle (either a taxi or van, depending on your group size) and head across the city to Gaudí's masterpiece. No need to worry about navigating Barcelona's streets; transportation is handled for you.
Admire the exterior facades
Before stepping inside, you'll study the two contrasting facades of this architectural marvel. Your guide explains the symbolism of the ornate Nativity Facade and the stark Passion Facade, along with the story of Gaudí's 30-year dedication to this still-unfinished cathedral.
Step inside Sagrada Familia
You'll bypass the long line and enter this breathtaking basilica directly. The moment you step inside, the glow of magnificent stained-glass windows fills the soaring space with kaleidoscopic light, creating an almost otherworldly atmosphere.
Your tour finishes at Sagrada Familia
After the guided portion ends, you're free to continue exploring on your own. Be sure to visit the museum downstairs, where scale models, original drawings, and photographs reveal even more about Gaudí's genius and the cathedral's ongoing construction.”
I can tell you that this tour was the best of our whole trip. We saw everything listed above, and it was just as beautiful and fascinating as described. I’ve included so many pictures because you truly need to at least glance at it all. The first group (you can click through them) is of the Park, the next is of Sagrada Familia.
The restaurants in Barcelona weren’t great – and fortunately, I can’t really remember anything about them! We did find a great place for breakfast around the corner from the hotel, so I’ve included a pic of the guys in front of it.
The last day of our trip was a little cloudy and cool, but we bundled up, went to the hotel roof, the guys got us all Sangria, and we played Euchre all afternoon while checking out the view of the city. (pics above are from the rooftop)
Our trip on Air France to Paris and then to home was covered in its own separate blog topic posted the week of Nov 10th. Instead of thinking about that, let’s focus on how wonderful this trip was overall!
Next week, we’ll start to talk about recent events – our February trip to the Caribbean – 2 back-to-back cruises on Celebrity Ascent!
Where do you plan to go in 2026 and 2027? (I’m looking at 2028 bookings too!)
May I help you?
Happy Travels!
#celebritycruises
https://www.celebritycruises.com/ca/