Your Port Guide To Barcelona

Renowned for its vibrant culinary scene, museums dedicated to great artists and Antoni Gaudí architecture, the capital of Catalonia is popular for good reason.

All the major cruise lines sail from Port de Barcelona, where there are seven cruise terminals. There is a blue shuttle, the Cruise Port Shuttle Bus, that runs between the piers and city centre in 10 minutes.

Much has been written about overtourism in Barcelona so choose a cruise in the shoulder or winter season to avoid summer crowds. Viking Cruises offers a 16-day Malta, Morocco and the Mediterranean sailing in December, which begins and ends in Barcelona aboard the 930-guest Viking Neptune. The sailing includes such ports as Casablanca, Seville, Algiers and Rome.

Meanwhile, Celebrity Cruises’ nine-night Italian Riviera and France round-trip itinerary from Barcelona aboard the 3260-guest Celebrity Ascent takes in Nice, Santa Margherita, Florence, Rome and Naples.

the Sunset Bar at Celebrity Ascent — Come by Celebrity Ascent’s Sunset Bar for a sundowner. (Image: Michel Verdure)

Barcelona highlights

Most first-time visitors to Barcelona will gravitate towards La Rambla – one of the world’s greatest boulevards. Look up to admire the architecture of the Gran Teatre del Liceu and look down to appreciate the giant yellow, red and blue Joan Miró mosaic on the footpath.

Barcelona, Spain — Check out Barcelona’s iconic Gothic Quarter. (Image: Maxim Morales via Getty Images)

Of course, you will want to browse the 19th-century food market La Boqueria. From there, wander towards the nearby Gothic Quarter. here in the narrow streets, you’ll find the best of Barcelona’s Gothic architecture, and Old City cafes and bars.

Then, ramble over to the Picasso Museum and Moco Museum next door, featuring some of the greatest hits of modern art from Banksy to Basquiat.

visitors browsing through the Barcelona Picasso Museum — See the joint Miró and Picasso exhibition at the Barcelona Picasso Museum.

Mercat dels Encants

Make your way to the glorious flea market Mercat dels Encants, also known as Mercat Fira de Bellcaire. Open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, there are 500 stalls to peruse for books, vinyl records and vintage fashion. It’s a great place to chat with locals. Head here for opening at 9am, there’s coffee onsite.

Casa Vicens

Don’t line up at La Sagrada Família if time is tight. Visit Casa Vicens instead.

The first home by the great architect of modernism was built between 1883 and 1885 and is tucked away on a side street of the Gràcia district. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed house opened as a museum in 2017.

the interior of Casa Vicens in Barcelona — The modernist house is Gaudí’s notable masterpiece. (Image: Pol Viladoms)

Casa Mila is also worth checking out: the last private residence designed by Gaudí is located on Passeig de Gràcia. Step inside for the price of coffee by heading upstairs to El Cafè de la Pedrera.

Where to eat and drink in Barcelona

Aborigens

Book in a food or wine tour with Aborigens for an in-depth journey into Catalan cuisine curated by two passionate journalists. Options range from tapas tours to day trips out of Barcelona for wine tasting and truffle and mushroom hunting. The company can also tailor tours to satisfy your deepest culinary pleasures.

Weekly travel news, experiences
insider tips, offers, and more.

Bar Cañete

Come dinner, book at the delightfully designed Bar Cañete, which offers deliciously fresh seafood such as razor clams, tuna tartare and Galician baby scallops.

Bar Brutal

Make your way to Bar Brutal where there’s a wall of wine with 700 selections to sample. The music here is worth lingering late into the night for.

Barcelona accommodation

Radisson Blu 1882

Named for the year construction began on Antoni Gaudí’s La Sagrada Família, Radisson Blu 1882 offers exceptional rooftop views of the one-of-a-kind cathedral. There are also bikes to explore Barcelona’s sights and a rooftop swimming pool.

Hotel Arts Barcelona

Prefer views of the Med? Book the five-star Hotel Arts Barcelona, which has two pools overlooking the sea and restaurant Enoteca Paco Pérez, which has two Michelin stars.

Chic&Basic Born Boutique Hotel

Housed in a former palace, the aptly named Chic&Basic Born Boutique Hotel offers well-designed simple rooms (think: crisp white bedding and high ceilings) at a decent price.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.