Help organising a "mature" stag do - Barcelona

Help organising a "mature" stag do - Barcelona

Author
Discussion

Speed.deman

Original Poster:

214 posts

193 months

Tuesday 14th January 2020
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Hi All

A good friend is getting married and 6 of us will be going to Barcleona for the stag.

We're a "mature" group with everyone 45 plus. While we're quite happy to have a few drinks and hit a couple of clubs, it won't quite be as "happening" a stag as we might have had 20 years ago!

We are there for 2 nights in March 2020.

We are staying in a hotel in the Gothic Quarter, but none of us have ever been to Barcelona so I would hoping we could have a few suggestions with regard to good restaurants, so fun and/or unique things to do and some good bars.

SaulGoodman

193 posts

72 months

Tuesday 14th January 2020
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Do a Segway tour. Really easy to pick up - will only take a couple of minutes despite how complicated it looks. We did the 2 hour one with Barcelona Segway Tour and went from the centre right out to the beach and back. Great fun and a fantastic way to see more of the city.

S8QUATTRO

843 posts

150 months

Wednesday 15th January 2020
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I was there in August 2019, and it was a good 15 years since I had been before. The gothic quarter is literally next too/in el born. It’s a smaller area where a lot of the locals go, much more chilled out and relaxed rather than night clubs. Me and my mates are 39-42 years old.

Check out a small bar called la whiskeria, if any of you like whisky. It’s one of the coolest bars I’ve ever been to with so many whisky cocktails available. It’s towards to top of las ramblas on a small side street.

Towards the beach there are more bars and restaurants that are worth a try too, can’t remember any names of places.

Very cool place, safe for a bunch of fellas. There’s a lot of talk of it being risky at night but not for a group of 40 somethings going for a few beers.

Plaza de Catalunya is a smart square that you should visit. Looks like it could be in South America!

Loads of cabs outside the airport, they were cheap to use whilst we were in the city. Enjoy

RC1807

12,532 posts

168 months

Wednesday 15th January 2020
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Las Ramblas - have your wits about you, especially late at night when you've have a few cervezas

w8pmc

3,345 posts

238 months

Wednesday 15th January 2020
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I'd defo suggest an evening down by the Beach. As said above, loads of bars, restaurants & generally a great atmosphere. Agua is one of my favourite places to eat down there.

Slightly less touristy, the Marina (small one, not the Super-yacht one) also has loads of bars & places to eat & is only a 5min walk from the Beach.

Barcelona is one of my favourite cities & your options are endless.

Another recommendation if you like seafood is head down by the Super-yacht marina (also worth a mooch just for the wow factor).

WinstonWolf

72,857 posts

239 months

Wednesday 15th January 2020
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The open top bus tour is definitely worth doing, you can hop on/off all day long.

Baldchap

7,636 posts

92 months

Wednesday 15th January 2020
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Another vote for the Segway tour.

We've used 'Segway Fun' in several cities and it's always good.

prand

5,916 posts

196 months

Wednesday 15th January 2020
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WinstonWolf said:
The open top bus tour is definitely worth doing, you can hop on/off all day long.
We did this - hopped off to have a look around Park Guell, then took it to drive around to the Nou Camp (perhaps if there's interest you can arrange a tour or try and get some match tickets?) then up to the Olympic park to see the view and the pool where Greg Luganis clouted his head on the diving board. You can also catch the Cable Car back to the port from up there too.

The Picasso Museum in/near the gothic quarter is good, though I remember it best because the tapas bar "El Xampanyet" is just next door and was my favourite place in Barcelona. We spent the night propped up at the bar being fed endless small dishes and glasses of Cava.

Speed.deman

Original Poster:

214 posts

193 months

Wednesday 15th January 2020
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Thanks all. Any particular suggestions for good restaurants for lunches and dinners?

La Whiskeria is already on our list!

Ynox

1,704 posts

179 months

Wednesday 15th January 2020
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Is the beer festival on when you're there? I went last year, it was awesome. Lots of good places for beer and tapas also.

S8QUATTRO

843 posts

150 months

Thursday 16th January 2020
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Speed.deman said:
Thanks all. Any particular suggestions for good restaurants for lunches and dinners?

La Whiskeria is already on our list!
It’s great, the cocktails were made by Melissa, excellent place.

HotJambalaya

2,026 posts

180 months

Friday 17th January 2020
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Speed.deman said:
Thanks all. Any particular suggestions for good restaurants for lunches and dinners?

La Whiskeria is already on our list!
for lively evening dinner action:

Boca Grande
Mr Porter


lunch

El Nacional
Bar Cañete (fantastic, book)

For a club it has to be Shoko. Book a table.

Dont forget people eat late, and hit the clubs even later!

ladderino

727 posts

139 months

Sunday 19th January 2020
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There's also a sunset Jazz Cruise, which we did a few years ago.

The Jazz element consisted of a guy with a saxaphone for about 10 minutes, but pottering around on a catamaran with a few drinks whilst the sun was going down was really enjoyable.

mikeiow

5,368 posts

130 months

Sunday 19th January 2020
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RC1807 said:
Las Ramblas - have your wits about you, especially late at night when you've have a few cervezas
Definitely this. We had a large work event there a couple of years ago, and one of our reasonably streetwise guys had his phone nicked. Famously dodgy area, Las Ramblas.....

Don’t remember the really nice tapas someone led us to, but there are many available, I am certain!
Kaelderkold was a lovely little “craft ale” bar near Pla de l’Os - get a wooden platter of small beers you pick, good fun and tasty too!
Do look down at the Joan Miro pavement - I now have a nice bottle opener that reminds me of that!

Haven’t done a Segway tour there, but have elsewhere, & I’d recommend them!

Speed.deman

Original Poster:

214 posts

193 months

Sunday 19th January 2020
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Thanks again everyone.

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

198 months

Sunday 19th January 2020
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Enjoy it.

Be aware though even at our age group “things” can and do happen. I remember one stag do coming back to the apartment I’d popped out for a very late burger to soak up the booze. On entering the apartment the 7 other guys were there but three of them had brought hookers back they were naked and “doing things”.

I declined. No my cup of tea but I enjoyed carrying on the booze.

HotJambalaya

2,026 posts

180 months

Sunday 19th January 2020
quotequote all
Welshbeef said:
Enjoy it.

Be aware though even at our age group “things” can and do happen. I remember one stag do coming back to the apartment I’d popped out for a very late burger to soak up the booze. On entering the apartment the 7 other guys were there but three of them had brought hookers back they were naked and “doing things”.

I declined. No my cup of tea but I enjoyed carrying on the booze.
Felina is the only spot you need to know in barcelona.... (well not you, but the broader 'you')

anonymous-user

54 months

Sunday 19th January 2020
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HotJambalaya said:
Speed.deman said:
Thanks all. Any particular suggestions for good restaurants for lunches and dinners?

La Whiskeria is already on our list!
for lively evening dinner action:

Boca Grande
Mr Porter


lunch

El Nacional
Bar Cañete (fantastic, book)

For a club it has to be Shoko. Book a table.

Dont forget people eat late, and hit the clubs even later!
Boca Grande is stupidly expensive! I got charged €40 for a large G&T.

PurpleTurtle

6,989 posts

144 months

Monday 20th January 2020
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I love Barcelona, but petty street crime in and around La Ramblas is out of control, in a very low key, professionally done way.

If any stranger talks to you on La Ramblas, they or their associates are trying to pickpocket you. Go with that attitude and you will be OK.

Last time I was there I was with 8 blokes on a stag do walking home to our hotel and still some little Romanian turd thought he could try it on by ‘befriending’ us, putting his arm around me to join in a bit of jovial singing whilst simultaneously reaching into my pocket for my wallet with his other hand. Little did he know I had taken it easy on the beers that night, was instantly aware of what he was doing and gave him a slap for the privilege before he could get away.

I really don’t want to be down on the city, but every time I have been there (five times) I have either experienced, been witness to, or heard of such crime.

Rest of the city is absolutely fine, but that bloody street is a nightmare.

Park Guell is lovely, well worth a daytime trip - use the Metro to get there cheaply. Lots of great bars in the Bari Gothic, catching a game at the Camp Nou is a great experience if Barcelona are at home.

Edited by PurpleTurtle on Monday 20th January 00:42

MarkJS

1,540 posts

147 months

Monday 20th January 2020
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PurpleTurtle said:
Rest of the city is absolutely fine, but that bloody street is a nightmare.
This is true - the ironic thing is that La Rambla is actually the most dull part of the city, so why people actually go there is beyond me - it shows nothing of the real charm to be found in the rest of the city.

I love Barcelona - it's a city that has everything.