Hi Linda! I'm currently doing my year abroad in Barcelona, and have been living here since September last year. Would just like to recommend some things to do, and some places to eat! First off, don't get a taxi from the airport! It is so much easier and cheaper to get the airport bus from outside the terminal, and this will take you directly into the city centre. A return ticket (ask for an "ida y vuelta") will cost just under €8, and they run every 6 minutes. Also don't bother queuing for the ticket machines, as they never have change and the bus driver does, so just go straight to him!
Doing the tour bus is a good idea if you need to get your bearings, but even when it's sunny it can be quite nippy on the open top, so wear a cardi! The easiest place to catch the tour bus is at Plaza Catalunya at the top of the Rambla, where there are ticket booths. Also, doing the tour bus can take up a whole day, so if you know where you want to see instead it can be a lot cheaper and a lot more time efficient to get a metro map and metro pass and make your way round that way. The metro starts at 5 a.m. and finishes at midnight during the week, but runs till 2 a.m. on fridays and is all night saturdays.
I would recommend the Sagrada Familia (although at the moment the construction on the inside is quite busy, so it's hardly worth the 9€ entry unless you're willing to climb the stairs to the top of the towers for the view- if not you can admire the architecture from outside just as easily as inside! also if you do get the tour bus make sure you use the discounts in the booklet you are given!). The weather is pleasant at the moment, so I would definitely recommend a trip to Parc Guell (accessible by tourist bus, or if you get the metro to the vallcorca stop then you can get escalators almost all the way up to the park!). The Ciutadella park is also nice for a day out, and there's also a zoo there (might sound childish but I'm 21 and I love going to the zoo!!) They also have a good dolphin display. Obviously a walk down the Rambla is essential, but keep an eye on your purse! Also try to avoid the narrow streets of El Raval, especially at night (right side of the Rambla near the top). But make sure you wander the narrow streets of El Barri Gotic (off the left hand side of La Rambla as you're coming from Pl. Catalunya), because there is gorgeous architecture, and lots of small boutiques and jewellery shops around. The one thing I would avoid is the cable car ride from the port to Mont Juic, as it is not very interesting and is quite expensive. It's possible to get up to Mont Juic on the tourist bus, and from there you can get the funicular (modern cable cars) further up the mountain to an old castle fortress thing (I've forgotten its name sorry!!), from where there are lovely views of the city and the coast. There is also a boat ride that takes you on a tour of the ports and beaches which is about €10, and lasts an hour and a half, and is really nice if the weather's good enough! I was on it with friends in just tshirts and jeans last week and it was lovely! The shopping is really good here too, and although there are lots of Zaras and Mangos etc near the Rambla, the best shopping street is Passeig de Gracia, which is at top right corner of Plaza Catalunya and the left of El Corte Ingles.
Food wise, there is lots to choose from! But I'll just give you my favourites! At Port Olympic, there is a row of restaurants along the left hand side (the row starts with pizza hut but don't let that put you off!) If you walk along the bottom storey of this row then the third/fourth restaurant along is called "La Barca de Salamanca", and is hands down the best seafood restaurant going! It's always packed, and you can sit in the heated outdoor area overlooking the harbour. Without a doubt their speciality is the Seafood Paella, and is enough to fill you up and then some so don't bother with starters!! To get there you can take the yellow line metro to Ciutadella Villa Olimpica, or take a taxi which should cost about 8€ from the bottom of the rambla. For lunch there's "Els Quatre Gats", which is on carrer Montsió (bring a map!) which is in the city centre and easy to find, not far from Pl. Catalunya. They have a fixed 3 course menu for €22, with as much wine as you can drink! Really good food too (one of my mum's favourites as she comes to Barcelona a lot!). Another place for lunch is a place called Oviso, which does amazing mediterranean homemade food, as well as burgers, soups etc. for very reasonable prices. I always get a Piada, and then share a salad with a friend cos the portions are huge! It's in Plaza George Orwell which is off the left hand side of the Rambla on the bottom end just before the Universitat Pompeu Fabra building (please don't get put off by the shabby exterior! once you get inside make your way to the back of Oviso and the atmosphere is very friendly!) Also for lunch there's "El Quim" which is a tapas bar located inside "La Boqueria" food market which is just off the Rambla. If you like sushi and oriental style food there's a place down on the seafront, directly on the left hand side of Barceloneta beach, called CDLC, and the food is gorgeous, as is the champagne sangria with fresh fruit!! I would recommend eating there at around 9.30 at the latest though, as it becomes a lot busier after this, and turns into more of a bar at around 11.30. Avoid eating on the Rambla itself, as the food is extortionately priced, and is of very poor quality! Anyway, I hope this is helpful for you! Enjoy your visit, and if you have any more questions then my email is
elliecoppter@hotmail.com.