Barcelona holiday apartment: el borne

We stayed in this apartment at the end of September and had a blast - it is located in the Borne area which is perfect for restaurants, bars, etc. It had everything we needed - it was well worth the cost.

Wifi was great and reliable - the satellite TV not so much during storms (frustrating as it kept cutting out at the end of shows!). The bed was comfortable, the fans were adequate, the kitchen was sufficient for our stay.

Only complaints were the stairs (after a long day, what can I say other than ARGH) and the shower which tends to leak all over the bathroom as it has a flimsy shower curtain.

I would absolutely stay here again - it was perfect, and marked a great ending to our European expedition!

This was the second year we've (my 3 teenagers and I) stayed in the Picasso apartment, which is comfortable, modern, secure and well located. It was even better because we were now familiar with the area, so tasks such as food shopping and navigating were easier and quicker. The deciding points in choosing the apartment again were mainly: price, location, comfort and cable tv!
Our local metro stop is Jaume I – a 5 minute walk on the way to Las Ramblas, where I went almost daily to La Boqueria market to buy fabulous fruit, vegetables and cheese. We were here for 6 nights and ate in on about 3 of them.
There’s a very nice little supermarket in Passeig del Born, which has everything really. The food is better quality than in the little shops that are very near to the apartment, though these are fine for such items as baguettes, (the one on Carrer Assaonadors), water etc.
Passeig del Born is a pretty place, with many eateries, trendy little boutiques and craft markets.
We went to a flamenco session at a club called Sala Tarantos on Plaça Reial, which was highly entertaining and impressive – good value.
We also went on a train to Sitges twice and Garaf (the stop after Sitges). The beaches are lovely and the little town of Sitges is gorgeous. The journey is only 30 minutes on the RENFE overground train from Passeig de Gràcia station. The train is air-conditioned, which is a nice relief from the heat, (unlike the station, which is like a very unpleasant sauna). The apartment is just around the corner from the Picasso museum, which I visited and is lovely – many more art works than I expected, plus a great exhibition by Kees Van Dongen included in the ticket. Other good stuff we took in included Gaudi’s Parc Güell and Sagrada Familia, the cable car up to the Castell de Montjuïc (the panoramic views from the top are fantastic), the Magic Fountain – this was refreshingly different and cooling. You just get a metro from Liceu station (on Las Ramblas) to Espanya and you’re there.
Even if we’d done none of these things, I could spend at least a week just exploring all the narrow streets of the old city, stumbling upon little shops that you feel no one else has seen. I also liked the little back-streets near the Cathedral, particularly Banys Nous and Cucurulla, for strange little bookshops, designer clothes and cheap shoes.
To summarise, the apartment is convenient, comfortable and ideally situated to appreciate this city which feels so relaxed,

In August 2009 some friends and I rented the Picasso apartment for a short break in Barcelona. Upon arrival we made our way to Jaume I metro station and were met by Claire the owner in a cafe within 20 minutes of calling her. She took us the 5 minute walk to the apartment pointing out some nice bars and restaurants on the way. When we got to the place Claire gave us some tips on going out in Barcelona and showed us how to use all the facilities in the apartment. The apartment was fantastic and very spacious for four people. All the rooms were very clean and furnishings very modern. There is one large bedroom with two single beds and a large living room with the widest sofa bed I've ever seen. The apartment has English Sky television so we didn't miss X Factor on the Saturday night and a decent kitchen with a fridge freezer and a dining table. The apartment does not have air conditioning and stayed quite hot all the time but there are large fans provided to keep the air moving. The location of the apartment in El Born is fantastic for boutique shopping in the day and bars and restaurants in the evening. The beach is a 30 minute walk away but with pleasant enough sights on the way. The apartment was very safe with two locking front doors but the three flights of stairs could be a consideration for some. I would recommend this place to anyone going to the city but for the record our group consisted of 19-23 year olds.