Barcelona Trip 2010

Read all about my 6-Nights Stay in Barcelona HERE on BarcelonaMan's Barcelona Blog!

Things are certainly tuning-up for my 6-night stay in Barcelona, Spain. I leave on Friday on the AVE bullet train from Madrid to Barcelona, lasting a mere 2 hours and 54 minutes. Hope I'll have time to eat my breakfast - included in the Club Class ticket price for the morning trip.

Upon arrival I have to go directly to the Barcelona Tourist Office to pick up my Barcelona Press Card. This is issued to journalists, media, and travel professionals - like me. While the Press Card isn't exactly the key to the city of Barcelona, it will get me in to a number of museums, events, and attractions during my stay.

And I finally secured Barcelona lodging for my last 4 nights as well. Thank goodness. I was really beginning to worry there. One place is towards the top of Las Ramblas and the other is just above the El Raval neighborhood. All three are within, maybe, 12 minutes walk from one another. The first place I'm staying thankfully has free Wi-Fi Internet available but the last two places do not. That's a shame. I'll describe and review the lodging establishments at the end of each 2-night stay.

Apart from attending the Alimentaria Barcelona 2010 Food & Beverage Exposition, I already have scheduled a late-night flamenco show in Barcelona, a "Gourmet Barcelona" walking tour for foods, and a "Gothic Barcelona" walking tour. Oh, and did I mention I'm also making a lunchtime jaunt to beachside Sitges one day? Another daytrip to the Monastery of Montserrat would be great too but that one remains to be seen. I've been there before but would like to go back, this time using public transportation.

Naturally, I'm anxious to return to Barcelona. It's such a beautiful city, totally distinct from Madrid, so very UN-Spanish - and I think that's just the way many Catalanes like it.

Read all about my 6-Nights Stay in Barcelona HERE on BarcelonaMan's Barcelona Blog!

Alimentaria Barcelona 2010 Food Exhibition

NOTE: See my "Day 4 Barcelona Trip Review 2010" blog entry to read about my visit to Alimentaria Barcelona 2010 and see photos of the exhibits.

Alimentaria Barcelona 2010 is the biannual international food and beverage exhibition hosted in the Fira Barcelona exhibition hall in the Barcelona suburb of L'Hospitalet del Llobregat. The official dates are 22-26 March and yours truly, BarcelonaMan, expects to attend. Already bought my Madrid-Barcelona train ticket, in fact, and have Barcelona lodging for 4 of my 6 nights there.

With only 5 days of exhibition and literally thousands of exhibitors, it'll be impossible to visit them all so I'll prioritize, sticking to Spanish foods, wines, and olive oils. Mmmmm... Can't wait for the food and wine tastings! Let's hope my press pass will get me in for free.

And although I'll be getting in for free, general entry isn't expensive at all if already registered online - UNTIL TODAY. Funny how prices go up significantly when registering at the last minute. As I said, UNTIL TODAY, a 5-day ticket costs only 25 Euros if registered ONLINE. After today the 5-day price shoots up to 85 Euros. A big increase. A walk-up day-pass will cost 60 Euros. Wow.

Now I'm fearing something will happen when I show up and they won't have me on the press list. Would I be willing to pay 60 Euros per day for entry? Not likely. But at the very least I'm in Barcelona and 6 days to spend seeing the sights again, walking the Barrio Gótico, admiring the Barcelona architecture and buildings designed by the great Antonio Gaudi, taking photos, eating and drinking well, and hopefully taking a tour or two. So if all fails, at least I'm in cool Barcelona!

useful links:
Alimentaria Barcelona
Barcelona Tourist information
Barcelona Lodging (don't wait 'til the last minute!)