Honestly, it wasn’t the best time – at least for me. My daughter, easily entertained, likely had a blast, though! Used The Sun £9.50 holidays for this trip, having booked Haven and Butlins with them before, and decided to venture abroad for the first time.
I chose a campsite near an airport because I find it challenging to wrap my head around driving on the other side of the road.
Accommodation cost
The flights cost:
After British Airways lost and broke my buggy in Amsterdam last year, they offered me a £100 voucher. Despite swearing off flying with them again, I couldn’t resist using that £100! The flight was just under 2 hours, and I arranged transfers with Vilanova Park for €65, complete with a car seat for little miss.
Upon arriving at reception, we received a bag with information and were instructed to wait on the other side as someone would guide us to the Eurocamp reception (unaware there was more than one). Unfortunately, the guide took us to the wrong place, and, oblivious to the mistake, I waited for a good 25 minutes before he returned and realized the error.
Eventually, he took us to the Eurocamp reception, where an additional 15-minute wait ensued before someone checked us in. Finally, a staff member handed us the key and escorted us to our accommodation. Despite the initial impression of cleanliness, upon closer inspection, the property seemed untouched for a while. There were dead bugs on one bed and a swarm of living ones behind the sofa. Thankfully, I had brought bug killer and cleaning products, but it was disappointing to have to deal with it myself.
Despite my usual inclination to complain and request a move, I simply couldn’t be bothered this time, having been up all night previously. The supermarket’s opening hours were disappointing, forcing us to dine at their restaurant on the first day as it didn’t open until 5 pm – and the food wasn’t impressive.
More grievances to share 😅. There were 2 pools, but the one that appeared more enjoyable was closed. I suppose visiting during the low season lessened my grounds for complaint. Similarly, there was no evening entertainment, leading to an early bedtime for us, again attributed to the off-season timing.
Oh, the WiFi ordeal was a nightmare – paying €20 for a week’s worth, only to find it doesn’t work. I’m sure the campsite owners are well aware of the issue. While some may question the need for WiFi on vacation, it’s how I afford frequent trips, as I bring my work along. Unfortunately, I couldn’t work that week, but thankfully, I got a full refund.
Now, onto our day in Barcelona – no one informed us about ongoing protests, a real downer. After exploring the city, we discovered the bus we needed was out of service, taxis were scarce, and communication hurdles made finding a train back a nightmare. Two hours later, we found an English-speaking local who guided us to a train station, though it required a 39-minute walk. Despite the challenge, we still managed to capture some gorgeous photos, but the experience did put a damper on the holiday!
Despite the transportation hassle, the Big Fun Museum offered a fantastic experience in Barcelona. It’s the most original museum of illusions and entertainment in the city, featuring numerous photo-worthy attractions, from a giant sink to a massive block of cheese.
The blog post concludes here. I cannot recommend Eurocamp or Villanova Park based on our experience. Delving further feels overwhelmingly negative. We opted to spend our final days at the campsite, simply chilling by the pool every day.
