I'm thinking of taking my son to Barcelona on a short break this summer. Can anyone offer any tips, advice, best place to stay etc. He would like to visit the football stadium whilst there too.

Thanks in anticipation

Can't tell you are where to stay but I would recommend you take comfortable shoes and be prepared to only see a fraction of the city. We went to Barcelona for the day when we were in Salou the other week. It's a very big city lots of interesting sights. A walk down the "La Rambla" is really a must - that's a long street that alot of the people who become the "living statues" can be found, some of them are very amusing. Try and get hold of a city map and plan where you want to go. The football ground is on the outskirts of the city from what I could tell. We didn't plan very well so didn't find the sights properly in the time we had available. Have a look on www.holidaytruths.co.uk they have a Costa Dorada forum and hotel reviews too.

Hope this helps.

S*** Hole! Took me 3 days to find my way out - I'd rather g to the flower estate for a full week!

Janey.

Originally posted by Chord
S*** Hole! Took me 3 days to find my way out - I'd rather g to the flower estate for a full week!

Janey.

You'd have difficulty there then there's hardly any left!

Originally posted by Chord
S*** Hole! Took me 3 days to find my way out - I'd rather g to the flower estate for a full week!

Janey.

Possibly a little harsh, although it is a big place and it does tend to smell of fish in the summer.

The people seem nice, not that I've met them all of course.

Originally posted by tslogf74
Possibly a little harsh, although it is a big place and it does tend to smell of fish in the summer.

The people seem nice, not that I've met them all of course.

I would agree with you there. Couldn't comment on the fish smell only been the once the other week. It seemed ok to me just a typical big city.

Barcelona is a beautiful city but very spread out. there are regular open top tourist buses which are a very convenient way of getting round and not bad value. The Nou Camp is on one of those routes and has a museum, plus you can go a bit inside the ground.

The ideal would eb to go on a night which coincides with a match and get some tickets as well.

Try posting on lonelyplanet.com on the thorn tree W Europe branch and they will tell you much more.

I've been. "llovia a cantaros" which translated means "it was raining pitchers full".

It really chucked it down and spoilt the day for us. We went in the football ground which is basically a bit of a dump. It isn't beautiful or anything, just vast.

We saw the Olympic Stadium, The Familia Sagrada (the famous unfinished church) and a few other things. We also went in the huge department store "El Corte Ingles" which is worth going in. I bought myself the leather bound unabridged version of "Don Quijote de La Mancha" and a geographical book of Spain.

I don't think I'd go back, though.

I would prefer to see Madrid.

if you're looking for top quality try 'the arts hotel'...very very nice. Not sure if there's stuff for the kids there tho.