5 Best Hotels in Sagrada Familia

You can find bargains and good accommodations in the Sagrada Familia area of Barcelona. This residential district can save you money over staying in the city’s center, as many of the hotels actually are converted from apartments, with more room and features than typical hotel settings. Here are five hotels that get high marks in the area as ranked by online reviewers.

Sagrada Familia Hotel

This site is just a few flocks from Sagrada Familia and offers easy access to public transportation options. There also are plenty of good, inexpensive restaurants close to the hotel. Reviewers note the cleanliness of the rooms and helpfulness of the staff, particularly for making reservations to other places. (More from hotelsagradafamilia.com).

Hotel Hispanos 7 Suiza Apartament

One block from the Sagrada Familia, these apartments are actually set up as a hotel for tourists. Large rooms with multiple bedrooms can accommodate larger traveling parties and the location is convenient for metro and bus services to the city center. If you want to feel like you are actually living in the area, this is the place to stay.

Eric Vokel Bcn Suites

This site is a five- to 10-minute walk from the Sagrada Familia and two metro stations. Online reviewers appreciate its proximity to supermarkets and bakeries. The rooms in some suites might be a bit smaller than what you could find at other hotels, but the location cannot be beat in terms of safety and quiet. (Find them on www.ericvokel.com).

Ayre Hotel Rosellon

This four-star site is just one minute from Sagrada Familia and also is close to the metro. The site has 105 rooms, four of which are modified for people with disabilities, according to the hotel’s website. Ask for a room on a higher floor so that you can have a better view.

Hotel Sant Antoni

Ask for a room on the highest floor, which has the fewest rooms. You not only will have a spectacular view, but also a surprising amount of quiet for a hotel. You also will have a terrace with large windows from this floor. The site is a five-minute walk to Sagrada Familia. For a longer walk, head to Plaza Catalunya and La Rambla.

Ten advantages of renting a holiday apartment in Barcelona

Barcelona is a beautiful city in which you have both the sea to stroll by and mountain to discover. Whether you are there to sightsee, relax on the beach,  or are planning a cultural tour across the various art and history museums, without a doubt the capital of Catalunya is the place for you.Each year, this holiday destination gets more and more popular, and as a consequence, more and more expensive.The hotels in Barcelona, especially those in the city centre, are usually quite unaffordable and fail to meet expectations.

So, because of all this, one of the options you have is to rent cheap accommodation in Barcelona in an apartment rather than a hotel. The following is a list of advantages that this type of accommodation can give you.

1. Privacy: An apartment will make you feel a lot more at home, without having a room attached to yours with guests who might be making a bit more noise then you would like (the classic in hotels)… The privacy of an apartment on holiday means you can act just like you would in your own.
2. More space: Apartments are usually much bigger than the average 30 sq m hotel room (there are exceptions of course), it’s not unusual to find a 100 sq m apartment in Barcelona. This means you can have your own space (you can watch the TV in the living room while your travel companion takes a name in the bedroom), and no one has to adapt his or her schedule due to the lack of space.
3. Travelling in groups: One of the main reasons you might want to choose an apartment is the living situation. In a hotel you will probably have to split up across multiple rooms if there are more than 4 of you. However, in an apartment you can find some accommodate even up to 18 people.
4. Equipped kitchens: The fact you have your own kitchen means you can have your breakfast in your pyjamas, without having to “get ready” to go and have breakfast. In addition, you also don’t have to pay extortionate fees for food.
5. Save money: Cost sharing amongst yourselves can bring the cost down, especially if you’re travelling as a family or a group.
6. Possibility of a cleaning service, like a hotel: A majority of holiday apartments in Barcelona offer a cleaning service. Though this sometimes is provided at a fee.
7. Private terraces: If you’re staying in a rooftop apartment, you’ll probably end up with your private terrace, a great place to chill out and sunbathe. Though it’s rare, a terrace may even have its own swimming pool. Take a look at the Barcelona vacation rentals and keep an eye out for ones with private terraces.
8. Freedom from schedules: There’s usually a set schedule in hotels “Breakfast at x time” or the quite rude “don’t be in your room at x time for cleaning”. This doesn’t happen in an apartment, you can have breakfast when you want, and if you want cleaning, it’s normally scheduled at a time to suit you.
9. Location: There are literally hundreds of vacation apartments all over the city of Barcelona, many more than hotels. This means you’re much more likely to find one in a location to suit you, especially if you-re looking to stay in an area without many tourists (which is impossible with a hotel because the very nature of a hotel brings tourists to the area).
10. The variety of styles: Owing to the fact that each apartment is provided by a different owner, you’ll find that every one has its own personality. It’s fun to look for accommodation that suits your style: Modern apartments, classical apartments, minimalist… the list goes on.

Go check them out for yourselves. Don’t jump on the hotel bandwagon when there’s a whole other world of accommodation in Barcelona. You won’t regret it.

Buying a Holiday Home in Barcelona

Mediterranean breezes and cosmopolitan charm are just two reasons that Barcelona is such a popular place to go on holiday. Open air markets, eclectic cuisine and lovely beaches attract international travellers year after year.  For those whose hearts yearn to return to Barcelona, purchasing a holiday home in this North Eastern region of Spain is a tempting solution. The following tips will help make the process a bit easier, even for non-Spanish speakers.

Choosing the Right Neighbourhood

For many tourists, the city's 4.2 km of golden beaches are the main attraction, and a holiday retreat in an area such as Poble Nou near the beach is ideal. For a quiet residential neighbourhood near the city centre and a short metro ride from the beach, Poble Sec and Les Corts offer pockets of quiet with proximity to fun.

Checking Out the Neighbourhood

Purchasers should get a firsthand impression of a potential holiday home site. Walking through residential areas, checking out shops and restaurants, and scoping the available transportation in a neighbourhood help in making a final location decision.

Overcoming Language Barriers

Having an English interpreter can make the difference between cutting a great deal and getting soaked. Property purchases are complicated by nature, so overcoming the language barrier from the start is one easy way to simplify the process.

Getting Financing in Place

For holiday home buyers who wish to enjoy their acquisitions sooner rather than later, investigating and securing financing at the outset is critical. Buyers who are pre-approved by a lender have more clout in negotiations with sellers, and in Barcelona, being ready with financing can mean the difference between a purchase that takes months and one that takes weeks.

Retain an English-speaking Solicitor

Finding legal counsel who is familiar with Spanish real estate law and can clearly explain the paperwork in English takes the stress out of doing business in a foreign country. The extra expense is well worth the peace of mind. The solicitor will also work with the property agency from start to finish, keeping the purchaser updated. Learn more about buying property in Barcelona, Spain and also view a Place in the Sun on Barcelona.

5 Ways to play Poker in Barcelona

Many people are surprised to learn that Barcelona does not just have a great reputation for its cuisine and party scene, it also has one of the most enviable poker vibes on this planet. Here are five ways you can play poker in Barcelona:

1. At Casino Barcelona

As well as holding weekly tournaments, Casino Barcelona has a great reputation for its annual poker events. Casino Barcelona offers poker players of all abilities the opportunity to indulge in late night games, as it is open between 3pm-5am.

2. Hold Your Own Poker Night at the Spain Event

If you don't fancy sharing your poker fun with strangers, you can always gather your friends and hire out the Spain Event for a private poker night. As well as offering a welcome drink on the house, The Spain Event will even provide a poker croupier to guide you through the rules of Texas Hold 'em Poker.

3. Try Your Hand at the Estrellas Poker Tour

Each year the Estrellas Poker Tour comes to Barcelona after touring the Balearics. Poker lovers will have the opportunity to witness the tense competitive games held between previous champions, as well as battling against each other for their own personal gain. The event is usually held over the last weekend in August.

4. Join in with the European Poker Tour

Just like the Estrellas poker tour, the European Poker Tour comes with high financial stakes and a buzzing competitive atmosphere. Each year the tour hits Barcelona with force, upping the ante on the poker vibe the city has become known for. Eight of the best poker players in the world have the opportunity to compete for a cool 850,000 euros. With plenty of wannabe stars and onlookers waiting to show off their skills, you won't be short of competitors.

5. Become an Open Poker Star

If you are really serious about taking part in the European Poker Tour, you can place your stake and take part in the open poker tour that is held each year in Casino Barcelona. Past participants have won thousands of euros. Thanks to stakes as low as 500 euros, and as high as 4,800, the Open Poker Star tournament is accessible to all.

La Boqueria Market, La Rambla

If visiting Barcelona then a trip the Market of la Boqueria is a must with its hustle and bustle and contrast of smells and colours that truly awaken the senses. The market is a place that will show you why Mediterranean cuisine, and Spanish cuisine in particular, is so highly regarded throughout the world.


Photo courtesy of barcelona-culture.com

The exceptional standard of the produce on offer will speak for itself, showcasing the best products the region of Catalonia has to offer. There is fresh fish and sea food as well as fruits and vegetables locally grown and picked. The market also contains a number of top quality tapas bars in which to try some of the produce after it has been prepared in traditional Spanish and Catalan dishes.

There is also the opportunity to learn about and try to prepare the food from the market if you attend The Culinary Classroom Boqueria Market. If you attend a course here then you will gain both a theoretical and practical knowledge of the ingredients origins, food preparation and cooking techniques. These courses are taught by some of the leading professionals the city has to offer, from chefs to sommeliers. After one of these courses you should be able to construct a range of simple and more complex and sophisticated menus, as well as having the ability to pair your food with the most appropriate wines.

La Boqueria Market

La Boqueria Market is located in the very popular La Rambla area, an area which is ideal also for getting to the marina main beach area and with great access to the Metro system and main shops, cafes and restaurants. If staying in the local area, you can find accommodation with www.holiday-velvet.com.

Las Ramblas in Barcelona

Las Ramblas is without question the busiest and most vibrant part of Barcelona and is the focal point for tourist. Expect to see everything from outdoor cafes, dozens of street entertainers, a long street lines with shops and the smell of the sea air as you reach the bottom of Las Ramblas - which takes you to the marina.



Video above of Las Ramblas in Barcelona on a busy Spring day. It is not always this crowded but it is a lovely area and one part of Barcelona you should visit if you can.

Visiting Park Guell

In a city where there are a number of fantastic parks to visit, the fact that Park Guell is my favourite gives an indication of just how much it has to offer visitors.

Park Guell was the brain child of the famous Barcelona architect Antoni Gaudi, the main who created many of the city’s most famous buildings including the cathedral and Sagrada Familia. The site was originally due to be a housing development for the rich, but as there was very little interest in it the development was scrapped. The show home became home to Gaudi himself and is a now a museum to him containing many of his original works. Depending on what time of year you visit there may be a small queue to enter the house and there is always a small fee to pay.

Park Guell is a vast green space which expands up onto different levels. From certain parts of the park there are absolutely fantastic views of the city skyline and coast, and this is one of the main reasons that people come here. Other features of the park include small scale examples of Gaudi’s architectural genius, whilst the striking entrance to the park is like something from a fairytale.

Accessing Park Guell is one of the few negative aspects of the visit due to the fact that the nearest metro station is about 15 minutes away and one must scale a large hill in order to reach it, but this does not stop millions of people visiting each year.