Barcelona Spain Weekends 2008

Spain's Barcelona is proving to be one of the most popular detsinations for a weekend break among European tourists, especially from the UK.

Reports suggest Barcelona is expected to receive 70,000 tourists this year from the East Midlands alone, helped along by Britain's biggest discount airline flying from the regional airport - and they will also be offering cheap flight deals to the island of Majorca.

But what to do once in Barcelona, and settled into one of the many Barcelona hotels available?

Barcelona's rich heritage and mild climate makes it an attractive city to be anytime of the year, the winters in Barcelona are humid and the summers are dry.

And it's conveniently located close to Andorra for winter skiing - under three hours drive to Andorra's ski holiday resorts.

Barcelona offers plenty to do for everyone in the family. Barcelona has it all, from amazing architectural structures to live entertainment and active nightlife, including:

* Theatre and live entertainment.
* Museums, including art, history, science and more.
* Monuments, towers and arches.
* Architecture and buildings from medieval times.
* Spectacular cathedrals.
* Bus tours that feature the highlights of the city.
* Annual festivals.
* Nightlife.
* Walking tours and bike rentals.
* Shopping districts.
* Parks and beaches.

And if you're visiting Barcelona during the football season, and they've got a home match, book one of the hotels in Barcelona close to the stadium so you can walk to the game.

The only drawback about Barcelona is that it has the highest cost of living in Spain. It is also said that certain shopping areas in Barcelona, like Las Rambas (a busy tree-lined walkway covered in tiles) put holiday-makers at risk for pick-pockets. Use a little caution and keep a close eye on your belongings when travelling through these districts.

The main shopping areas tend to be very expensive. Save money by shopping in the less crowded areas that aren't overrun by tourists.

Getting around by car in Barcelona is not a fun experience. Parking is expensive and the charge for overnight parking is high compared to many cities. Bring a high-quality mapping system and plan your route ahead of time if you must travel by car. Many of Barcelona's streets are one-way and difficult to work out.

It is more cost-effective and safe to sign up for a bus tour, use the local transit system, rent a bike or walk to local destinations.

Taking a ferry from Barcelona to Menorca is another way to expand your holiday and see more sites without having to spend a lot more money. Ferry services offer as many as seven or eight trips per day from Barcelona to Menorca. Take an excursion without adding a lot of travel time or expenses.

For British tourists planning a holiday in Menorca or a ski holiday in Andorra, flying to Barcelona and stopping for a night or two in one of the Barcelona hotels adds to the vacation experience.

New lost cost flights makes it easy to travel from the United Kingdom to Barcelona and back. The price for airfare is reasonable and makes it an affordable getaway for couples and families. And Barcelona hotels often aren't that expensive when booked on-line.

Barcelona hotels information and Andorra ski trips including the weather and an Andorra snow report are at yourandorra.com

The Andorra guide also has Thomson Ski 2008/9 information.