Christmas in Barcelona!

Nigelpickin

Nigelpickin

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 Apr 2011
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Location
Falmouth
www.cornishcottageholidays.co.uk
We are driving from Bilbao to Barcelona for the Christmas week, staying in the W and really looking forward to some great food and relaxation.

Question is, if I had an ulterior motive and wanted to sell my wife on the idea of a berth in the area, which marina would I, 'stumble upon'?

Restaurants shopping and markets should do the trick...any suggestions appreciated.

My plan is to get the boat down from Falmouth in 2015, I'd like to get her to think that it was her idea :)

Covenant is that we don't fly, won't fly, we have great access from Plymouth to Spain and love to drive, hence my view that Barcelona or nearby would be our best bet for med based boating.
 
Nigelpickin said:
We are driving from Bilbao to Barcelona for the Christmas week, staying in the W and really looking forward to some great food and relaxation.

Question is, if I had an ulterior motive and wanted to sell my wife on the idea of a berth in the area, which marina would I, 'stumble upon'?

Restaurants shopping and markets should do the trick...any suggestions appreciated.

My plan is to get the boat down from Falmouth in 2015, I'd like to get her to think that it was her idea :)

Covenant is that we don't fly, won't fly, we have great access from Plymouth to Spain and love to drive, hence my view that Barcelona or nearby would be our best bet for med based boating.
Click to expand...

Why don't you pop the boat down there in advance, then when she has the idea, you can immediately step aboard :D
 
I have always preferred Port Olympic, it is handy for the centre of Barcelona but quiet. It does however get busy in the late hours/early mornings as this is when it all comes alive.
 
You need to drop a PM to our Paulineb - if anyone knows what joys Barcalona holds for a lady it will be Pauline:)

May
xx
 
Nigelpickin said:
TVM, will check it out but I don't think that my tub will qualify as a super-yacht...
Click to expand...

Port Vell is not a super yacht haven. You will find a whole range of craft there. We tried to get a permanent berth there some years ago and were going down on the waiting list. Fab place for visiting Barcelona. Not a great cruising ground though.
 
DavidJ said:
Port Vell is not a super yacht haven. You will find a whole range of craft there. We tried to get a permanent berth there some years ago and were going down on the waiting list. Fab place for visiting Barcelona. Not a great cruising ground though.
Click to expand...

hmm waiting lists; I guess that will be the problem, by the time we are ready to take the boat across/down the economy will be picking up and berths will be at a premium....

not good cruising because.....?
 
Nigelpickin said:
hmm waiting lists; I guess that will be the problem, by the time we are ready to take the boat across/down the economy will be picking up and berths will be at a premium....

not good cruising because.....?
Click to expand...

The coastline is very sandy and dull with no rocky inlets or coves. You have to go north to Begur and above to get the real Costa Brava rocky coastline or go south, as many on the forum have done, to San Carles where you can hop across to the Balearics.

ps While you are driving around Barcelona go south to a little place called Garaf for lunch overlooking a beautiful beach.....they have a marina too but don't get tempted, there is a lot of quarrying nearby and lots of dust to settle on your boat.
 
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Nigelpickin said:
hmm waiting lists; I guess that will be the problem, by the time we are ready to take the boat across/down the economy will be picking up and berths will be at a premium....

not good cruising because.....?
Click to expand...
I'd be surprised if there was much of a waiting list now if at all. Matriculation tax and the recession has substantially thinned out the pleasure boat fleet in Spain. Yes I agree there isn't much of a cruising ground north or south of Barcelona and it will take you a good hour to get to the Costa Brava where the coastline is more interesting. Yes the Balearics are within reach and an altogether much more interesting cruising area but they're too far away for anything other than longer holiday cruises. Not flying and driving from Santander/Bilbao really does reduce your options and I think you're going to have to decide whether you want the bright lights of Barcelona with it's less interesting cruising area or whether you want the cruising area of the Costa Brava but no bright lights. Personally I'd go for the latter as you can always visit Barcelona by boat or car if you want. There is always the option of berthing your boat in Majorca and taking a 2nd ferry from Barcelona to Palma but to me that sounds like a schlep too far
 
Nigelpickin said:
David, that's great...will look it up :)

So maybe Barca will be our 'gateway' location and on closer examination my wife will decide that Sant Carles is the way forward....
Click to expand...

As usual - I'll jump in here
If you are interested in Sant Carles I suggest you sign up to our berth holders forum - web address is www.scmchat.com
The marina is located behind a large lagoon - 7 miles long by 1.5 miles wide and about 6m deep - good daytime anchorage away from the marina.
The site is about 100 miles from Barcelona
Most of us drive out there regularly - I imagine that in your OP you are referring to the Plymouth Santander ferry and then an easy drive across Spain.
When we do the trip, we "peel off" early just after Zaragoza and take good roads down to Tortosa - Santander to Sant Carles is about 6 hours.

If it is good cruising you want - the Balearics are just 100 miles away - arguably some of the best cruising in the world.
Boats from Sant Carles are always crossing back and forth.

The marina is one of the friendliest places we've been - no distinction between Yachties and Motorboaters - we often meet up and party.
Often you will find us together in the islands as well.

This year, we spent 7 weeks over in Mallorca in May/June/July
See this thread with pics http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?364822

During which time, we did a short week's cruise round Menorca
See this thread http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?363830

and finally a call into Calobra (Mallorca) on the way home to Sant Carles
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?366758


And - here's the best bit - Sant Carles is one of the cheapest places to keep a boat on the planet.

So, I suggest that you check it out - you will always be welcome to pop in if we are out there - plenty of chilled Cava in our fridge!!
 
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