Hop On With Us.

September 10th and 20th. Hop On With Us.

Whenever we travel some place new, one of our favorite ways of seeing a new city is the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus. Generally, we like to do this our first day as it gives a good overview of the city and lets us determine what we want to see in a deeper way.

Barcelona was no exception. So, Monday morning we purchased a 2-day pass and made our way to the nearest Bus Stop, Here in Barcelona there are 2 routes, Red and Blue, each taking in a range of sites and attractions. You are free to get off at any stop you like and get back on whenever you like. You are provided with headphones and a running on what you are seeing.

Some of our favorite stops:

1.       Placa de Catalunya: Catalonia Plaza

The centre of Barcelona, its beautiful fountains overlook a bustling city square with impressive buildings all around.

Modernista Port Authority Building

2.    Placa de Espanya. 

Plaça Espanya is a lovely plaza just out of the centre of town, where many of the main roads in Barcelona, such as Gran Via and Diagonall intersect. Here a statue announces your entry to the area, right alongside a circular building which once hosted Spain's famous bullfights.  The bull-fighting ring has now been converted into the a shopping centre, Las Arenas de Barcelona commercial centre.

From here two towering pillars, Torres Venecianes, welcome you. Terraced fountains lead toward the beautiful castle-like complex  that houses the MNAC, or Catalonian National Art Museum. 

The Art Museum is house in the Palau National, a Neo-Baroque Palace of Italian style that was built for the 1929 World Fair.

Fountains cascade down from the palace toward the city below.

Vendors spread their blankets on the ground, hoping to sell souvenirs and knick-knacks to the tourists, despite the fact they are forbidden to do so. Every now and then Policia come by and they scurry to wrap their goods and disappear, only to return as soon as the police leave.

The Art Museum sits high on Montjuic hill and from its terraces you are treated to a fabulous view right across the city.

An elevator leads to the rooftop where even better views await.... the entire city is spread out in 360 degree vvvvvvpanaramas.

Back on the bus, we continue past the site of Barcelona's Olympic Games of 1992.

We sit back and enjoy the scenery as we slowly make our way along the port and on to the Ciutat Vella or Old City and its Gothic Quarter.

Come With Me as we discover the Old Town....