Took the hop-on, hop-off tour and it was great. Read Less

Not much to say about Barcelona that hasn't already been said. What a great city! Note that there are cheap city busses taking off from the same location - right outside the ship - as the MSC-organized ones. Read Less

The Port has a Blue bus that charges 2 EUR per person that take you right to the Columbus monument Read Less

Walked up to La Rambla and found a large quiet courtyard set back-in halfway up on the right, which was a gem for some afternoon WiFi, wine and seafood. Read Less

We arrived a day early and stayed 3 days after the cruise. Fantastic city with a very good subway system. We also used the Hop Off Hop Off to get the lay of the land. Went to the Picasso Museum, Sagrada Familia, walked around the Gothic Quarter. Had a great seafood Paella at La Fonda Del Port Olimpic. Excellent service and food!! Read Less

we arrived 3 days early to experience Barcelona. My wallet was stolen on the Aerobus as taxis were on strike so Beware... Barcelona was an amazing city and will return again. Dont miss Sagrada Familia Read Less

Barcelona is one of the coolest cities. We did the HOHO bus (which I normally don't do) and it gave us a good overall look at the city. The best part is walking Las Ramlas and other parts of the city. Guell park was nice. And tapas every night! Read Less

BCN is always great. There was a partial taxi strike so, you had to figure out what you were doing & make sure you had plenty of time to get back to the ship. Read Less

BARCELONA: Barcelona is so heavily touristed (and so filled with scams and pickpockets) that I tend to avoid the crowds and spend my time on the periphery. The Gaudi sites, Ramblas, Picasso museum, and Gotic old town area are all worthwhile, but not fun in crowds. From the cruise ship I like to walk over the bridge (30 minutes) to the Drassanes metro station near the Columbus monument at the base of the Ramblas. Most ships offer a pricey shuttle, and later in the day the city offers the T3 shuttle bus for about 4 euros round trip. I buy a T10 packet of metro tickets (about 1 euro each, can be shared) and am on my way. I take the metro to Paral-lel for the funicular up Monjuic or to Placa Espana when the funicular is closed (it is under repair as I write this in early 2019). Bus #150 goes up the mountain from Placa Espana, with spectacular views over the cruise ships from the fort at the top (terminus of the bus). Along the way I always stop at the Catalan National Museum. The view over the city from its entrance is worth the trip, but the museum is also one of my favorite museums in all the world -- I usually spend 2 hours there every time I visit Barcelona (seniors are free -- a bonus for the elderly). The museum has Catalan art from the Romanesque through the 20th century, an amazing collection in a beautifully modernized building. I also check the Caixa Forum near Placa Espana to see what special exhibits they have. In the afternoon I usually visit some of the other tourist sites or simply amble through the old town. There are nice bike tours, walking tours, and many other things to do. The Rick Steves guide to Barcelona has great suggestions. Be aware that the current price to enter Gaudi's Sagrada Familia is now 33 euros! Read Less

Barcelona is a fabulous city. There is much to see and do. We stayed in the Hotel Gaudi pre cruise just off La Rambla which is perfect for. We've been to the Aquarium, the musical fountains, Guell park, many Gaudi buildings, shopping, indoor markets and watched street entertainers. In the evening Boadas Cocktails is great little bar for a classic cocktail served by tuxedo wearing mixologists. The city is easy to navigate by foot and public transport. I recommend arriving at least couple days before your cruise starts to have time to explore. Read Less