Hi Madridman and everyone else,
I'm wondering what part of town is best to stay in Barcelona. I'm headed there in May and only have a day and a half to sight see. I want to stay in hostals and am looking into Hostal Levante --if I stay there, I'll let you know know what I think. But location-wise, is it a good place to be? I'm mostly interested in seeing Gaudi architecture and possibly going to the museum where Picasso's works are located.
Thanks for your help!

I love the Gothic quarter and in particular the El Born area where there are lots of shops and cafes. It's near the Picasso museum too. I traveled solo and stayed on the main streets particularly in the evenings but never felt unsafe or afraid to venture out in the evenings on my own.

Thanks for the info--how difficult was it to get around from that area? I've got such a short amount of time and definitely want to get to Parc Guell, La Familia Sagrada Catedral and the Picasso museum.

There's metro stops very nearby and the Picasso museum is right in the area. I like to stay in the heart of things and this was perfect for me.

Sounds great! One more thing--can I ask where you stayed?

Hi, I stayed at the Hostal Levante two times last year, and really liked the location. It was like two blocks or so from the Rambla and close to everything. I walked to the Picasso museum from there...but to get to the Parc Guell you will need to take the metro.

Another thought...if you have a short time, and want to get to all the sights in Barcelona, think about taking the turistic bus tour. The bus stops at various places around town, including Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell. You pay around 16 euros and can get on and off the bus at the stops you want. The tour starts at the Plaza Catalunya which is within walking distance from the Hostal Levante. I found that the bus the easiest way to get to all of the tourist sights.

Thanks Katha! The bus sounds perfect for us.

When I was in Barcelona, I stayed on Las Ramblas. It was awesome and fairly cost effective.

I stayed at the Regencia Colon:

http://www.hotelregenciacolon.com/

My single was a little under 100 euros - a bit more than the Hostal Levante. However, they are both in the Gothic quarter.