Thanks to our good friend S, we were told about a brand new Travelodge that would be opening in Poblenou by the time we arrived, so we got an excellent price by booking ahead. We loved the clean and ergonomically designed rooms which work well for the short stay customer. Breakfast is of a high standard and there is a good choice for both continental and full. Also, the Travelodge is conveniently located near to bus routes (right outside the door or just around the corner), tube stations and train lines. The only thing I would improve on for the Travlodge is the key card for the room, in that we had to go to reception every two days to make it work again (we were staying for five nights) and as it worked the lifts and entrance to your room, and it did get a little frustrating as we were staying longer than the average guest.
We visited the Castle at Montjuic and the Olympic sites on our first full day and on the way back we took the cable cars down to the harbour, which was terrifying for me as I have a fear of heights. We finished the day with a early evening on the beach as it was a short walk from the Travelodge and had its own mini 'Las Ramblas' on the way back. It was lovely to listen to the myriad of accents and relax after the rush of the train and tube to get us to our destination.
It was fortuitous that bus 141 finished at a stop very close to the Museum of Art (just down hill from the Castle) so it was a perfect route to both Sagrada, Arc de Triomph and Castle Montjuic/Olympic/Art Museum (as it passes them all en route) could be caught from around the corner and drops you off right outside the Travelodge door on return. It is much better to look from the windows at the architecture surrounding you, rather than being squished into the hot tin can that is the tube.
For our second day we went to La Sagrada de Familia and as we were walking, we had fun spotting it from the various avenues leading to it and then losing it again the closer we got to it, because of the high buildings surrounding it. Then we visited Gaudi Park and had a wonderful time in the sunshine traversing the gardens. We also paid entry into the house, but I have to say the entrance fee does not match the contents of the house, though the short snippets of historical information are very interesting.
For our third day we took the 141 to the Museum of Art and had a wonderful time perusing the many works of art and taking copious pictures of the building and fountains. We had another beautiful sunny day, so we finished off with a walk down Las Ramblas, taking in both Gaudi houses and the Cathedral, before a little more time on the beach.
On our last full day, we visited Cortes de Ingles and took a leisurely stroll in and out of the many designer shops just off Las Ramblas, before walking to the harbour to take in the yachts and the statue of Columbus.
We found that the aerobuses that can be caught outside Cortes de Ingles for just over 5 euros and take you to the airport (either terminal one or two) are far more pleasant than the tube. Both get you to the airport in a maximum time of 35 minutes and you can store your cases properly in the air-conditioned buses, not to mention you pass the fountains on the way so you can appreciate a last look at this scenic city as you leave it.
Here are just a sample of the many photographs I took:
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