Visiting Barcelona and maybe more of Europe for the first time

[Joules]

Update (3/20/2018): We are all three going!! Second week in May, but just 7 days.  First question is solved, but all other advice would be even more appreciated now!

 

Ds may have an opportunity to tour a lab and spend a week in Barcelona.  It would probably be early May as soon as his semester is over.  I've never been to Europe, so if we can afford it, I might go along and tour a bit while he learns.  I also have a niece in Scotland I might be able to see on the same trip.

 

I have a million questions, but I'll start with a few.:

1) We usually fly Delta and I see that it serves Barcelona.  Is there a better airport to fly into?  Is May a good time?  I was hoping it was before traditional holiday starts.  If I visit two countries, do I fly in one and back out of the other, or is it better to have a round trip to a single airport?

We got reasonably priced tickets by flying to JFK first.

2) What else is reasonable to see, if I can carve out 10 or so days?  I'm not really so interested in the traditional tourist things...Eiffel Tower, Louvre...but more the smaller local historical sites and communities.

3) Safety issues I should know about?  Aside from the independence thing (and the Olympics), I don't know much about Barcelona at all.  I'm not afraid of big cities and spend lots of time in Atlanta, but there I do know where to avoid, same with SF.

4) And as always...I have Celiac...will this be impossible for me?  I don't speak a word of Spanish.

 

I'm also happy for links to great sites for first-timers to Europe, since so many of my questions are probably on a FAQ somewhere.

Edited March 20, 2018 by Joules

[mommyoffive]

I think May would be a great time.  Before lots of schools are out of session. 

 

It is easier to fly into one airport and out another if you are traveling around.  Less time back tracking to the start of your trip.   I don't know how you are paying for the trip but sometimes open jaw tickets are more $$.  But then you have to think of the money and time you would spend getting back to the first airport. 

[Joules]

Thanks! I was hoping early May would be good. I do need to make the tickets as inexpensive as possible for me to go along. Ds’s college money will be used to pay for his part, but I need to figure out how I can manage my side

[bibiche]

Here are some gluten free cafes and bars in Barcelona. A bigger problem would be if you didn't like ham. ;P

 

You can google your city and where you want to travel and your dates and google flights will bring up what is available. I often start planning my trips that way, to get an idea of prices and airlines.

[Joules]

Here are some gluten free cafes and bars in Barcelona. A bigger problem would be if you didn't like ham. ;P

 

You can google your city and where you want to travel and your dates and google flights will bring up what is available. I often start planning my trips that way, to get an idea of prices and airlines.

 

Thank you!  We are actually going!!!

[Joules]

Bumping this, and as I now have airfare, my biggest question is where to stay.  I'd really like a kitchen and I've looked at Air BnB.  Anyone know what the best neighborhoods are?  I'm looking for reasonably affordable, reasonably safe, and walking distance to the cool stuff :-)

[mommyoffive]

Yay, I am so happy you are going.