Traveling to...Barcelona? Iceland?

[AfroKen]

Hey! I'm considering taking a trip this summer...not sure yet. Here's a few ideas that I'm toying around with right now. I am flexible on time, having several weeks if necessary.

Barcelona: I am interested in seeing, among other things, some fascinating architecture, Cuitat Vella, Cassa de lax punxes, Fundacio Joan Miro, Las Ramblas, Gothic Quarter, etc.
- How long would you recommend staying in Barcelona to soak it in without rushing?
- What are some areas near Barcelona that you would recommend?
- What do you feel is a "must see" in or around Barcelona that most people miss?

Iceland / Reykavik: Where are the best, weirdest, most fantastic landscapes in Iceland? And for that matter, what do you recommend in Reykjavik?

A trip to Iceland is, admittedly, probably a long shot for me because of the sheer cost of it. Even given their economic collapse, it's not exactly cheap. And if you do a search around the internet just for flights, just that is brutally expensive. Flights to Reykjavik from LAX are expensive, although there are some under US$1700. And so far, my frequent flier miles don't seem to be helping...United doesn't seem to have any flights there.

I admittedly don't know very much about Iceland. It's always been a mystery to me...part of its allure.

Quito, Ecuador: I love Ecuador. I've been there already, and have some good ideas on where to go. This is much cheaper, and is my fallback.

Nowhere: I may just stay put and record a bunch of music and try and organize/clean up my studio, which is a disaster zone.

 

[PJL]

You can save a lot of money booking trips separately. We did that for our trip to New Zealand and flew from JFK to Auckland for around $1,400 during their peak season, booking separate flights from NYC to LAX, then from LAX to Auckland via Australia. My buddies saved money flying from US to England, then from England to Iceland. Iceland has a road that goes around pretty much the entire circumference of the island and takes you to some pretty fabulous places. You can't spit without hitting something breathtaking.

If you're into extreme landscapes, I also recommend the South Island of New Zealand.