Port of Barcelona
OVERVIEW – On this page you can see information about Barcelona and some suggestions of Things To Do. We reflect on our most recent visit as part of our `No Fly’ Cruise. This includes a look at the famous boulevard La Rambla and a City Tour bus ride. & some hints, tips and safety warnings.
Video(s) of our visit(s) accompany at the foot of this page.
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ABOUT
The city of Barcelona dates back over 2,000 years. During it’s formative years it was an Iberian village known as Barkeno. Then during the 1st Century BC it became a Roman colony named Barcino. It has also been ruled by the Visgoths and briefly controlled by Moorish forces.
During the Middle Ages the city was captured by Frankish forces. However in 988 AD Count Borrell 11 declared autonomy and this was the beginning of regional independence. The area finally united with the Kingdom of Aragon in 1137.
Despite losing it’s autonomy in the 1700’s the area’s industrial importance grew. The area became a major textile and manufacturing hub.
Despite political turmoil during the Spanish Civil War, the area regained democratic governance. The 1992 Olympic Games renewed the city’s culture and cemented it as a global metropolis.
Population is estimated to be 1.7million within the city limits.
Currency is the Euro
THINGS TO DO
As you can tell from the potted history above Barcelona has a rich history that is just waiting to be explored.
Probably top of most people’s list in the city is to visit Sagrada Familia. A short resume is detailed below.
Gaudi’s house and other buildings together with the Gaudi Park are quite exquisite and worth a trip.
Hop On Hop Off bus. This has two routes and more information of our latest trip is detailed below.
There are water sports, food and wine walking tours, tours to vineyards in the neighbouring countryside, Flamenco shows and so much more.
On top of that there is the cultural side of the city looking at the architecture, history and Gothic Quarter. There are several art museums celebrating the work of Gaudi, Picasso and more.
Or if that is too much, just take a stroll along La Rambla.
OUR FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO
SAGRADA FAMILIA
No article about Barcelona would be complete without mention of Sagrada Familia.
Work started on a neo-Gothic church in 1882. In 1883 Antoni Gaudi took over the construction and turned it into a naturalist masterpiece. Less than a quarter of the building was completed when Gaudi died in 1926 and work has continued ever since.
In 2010 Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the interior for worship.
Whilst still not completely finished 2026 marked a major milestone in it’s history. The Basilica has now reached its ultimate height with completion of the central Tower of Jesus Christ. It was blessed and inaugurated by Pope Leo XIV marking the centennial of Gaudí’s passing. It is recorded as the tallest Church in the world.
Over the years we have seen scaffolding go up, come down and go up again. We even had the extraordinary experience of a guided tour inside. However much of this we saw many years before we started to create vlogs and our website. What we can say is that the outside is almost impossible to photograph as there is just so much to see. The inside is even more spectacular.
Whatever your beliefs or reasons to wish to see this extraordinary building, it is not to be missed.
La Rambla
An iconic place to visit in the city is La Rambla (Las Ramblas in plural). This tree-lined pedestrian boulevard stretches from Plaça de Catalunya to the Christopher Columbus Monument at Port Vell. A distance of 1.2k or .75mile.
This now trendy and interesting street was once a seasonal riverbed and open sewer. Indeed the Arabic word Ramla means sandy or muddy riverbed.
The street transitions through five distinct stretches. You will see street artists including some most amazing tableaux. There will be vendors selling flowers, vegetables even small birds and of course lots of bars and cafes.
Most famously the 19th century saw the developent of the Gran Teatre del Liceu opera house. It was around this time that the La Boqueria was developed on former convent grounds.
The street really comes alive in the evenings when local residents come out to enjoy the atmosphere.
During the 20th and 21st centuries the area weathered the storm conflicts, civil war and modern challenges. Today it has evolved into a vibrant tourist hub.
TOURIST WARNING
La Rambla carries a high risk of active pickpocketing, scams, and petty theft targeting distracted tourists. Here are a few top tips to reduce the risk.
Wear your backpack on your chest in crowds
Never leave your phone/camera on a cafe table
Ignore street scammers using distraction tricks
Secure your valuables carefully
Only use official public transport (yellow & black taxis etc)
Be mindful of personal safety when out in crowded areas especially in the evenings.
During one visit to the city, we stayed overnight in a hotel just off of La Rambla. It perhaps wasn’t the quietest place to stay be really convenient. There are plenty of local bars and restaurants to visit and lots of local food to try. On this occasion we had a brief meal and then went off to meet a fellow cruise vlogger from the USA, Bill of Warmstrong Adventures.
Hop On Hop Off Bus
Sightseeing in the city can be great fun. One of the best ways to get an overview, or to stop at various sites is the Hop On Hop Off Bus.
There are two routes to choose from, the green or orange one. These divide the city so you can see different aspects. Each journey is approximately 2.5hours to complete the route without getting off.
Prices when we visited in 2025 started at around 28 Euros. There are seasonal specials as well and details are on their website.
We chose the Red Route on this occasion, although with enough time you can do both. The Red Route stops at some of the iconic sights such as Sagrada Familia, the Nou Camp Stadium etc.
It also takes you into the hills above the city where there are more great stops. Here you will find parks to walk through, museums and the Olympic Stadium. We had no idea there was so much to see and if you are heading to Barcelona for a repeat trip it is well worth considering heading out to this part of the city.
As with any Hop On Hop Off bus make sure you give yourself plenty of time to catch a bus to get you back to your starting point in good time. Buses later in the day can be busy and you may not get on.
Getting to Barcelona
We have visited Barcelona on several occasions by cruise ship. Many tourists arrive by air travel. But we decided to do something slightly different in 2025.
We had the opportunity to cruise on Princess Cruises Star Princess for a week before she relocated to the USA. But as Lindsey doesn’t fly we travelled there by train.
Our journey is subject of 3 blogs on this website (click here for part 1) and is also covered in some of our videos. Our videos below show our journey to Barcelona, some time in Barcelona and the return journey so you can get a feel for the experience.
For those who cannot (or in Lindsey’s case will not) fly it has turned out to be a viable option. The blogs follow our journey from home to Barcelona, the return journey and a breakdown of costs. If you are considering a No Fly Fly Cruise it might help.
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