Category Archives: Insider tip

February 26, 2016

Luggage Storage: 3 Places to Leave Your Bags in Barcelona

So, you’ve rented a great vacation property in Barcelona, but you’re arriving before the apartment’s check-in time or check-out is at 11:00am and you still have lots of sightseeing to do before departing the city.  We’ve discovered 3 great options in Barcelona’s city center where you can leave your luggage safely and affordably.

#1: Locker Barcelona

Near Placa de Catalunya (next to a main transportation hub with service to the train station and the airport), Locker Barcelona offers 3 locker sizes to hold bags measuring up to 50cm x 90cm x 90cm bags. Oversize items are also accepted and prices are quite reasonable, plus you can access your locker anytime you want during the day, at no extra charge. Other services include Wi-Fi access, boarding pass printing, luggage weighing, and use of their changing rooms. Perfect for large groups, too.

Locker Barcelona, C/ Estruc 36
Email: info@lockerbarcelona.com
(+34) 933.028.796
Hours: 8:30am to 9:00pm (winter hours: 8:30am to 8pm).

#2: Bag Drop Service

Bag Drop Service not only conveniently stores your dropped-off luggage, but you can save tons of time by arranging your luggage to be picked up from your rental property and delivered straight to your point of departure (train station, airport or cruise terminal). They have 3 locations in the city center that are all in close proximity to public transportation connections.

Bag Drop Service
Bag Drop Service: Ciutat Vella. c/ Jerusalem, 11
Bag Drop Service: Pl. Espanya. c/ Mèxic, 15
Bag Drop Service: Sants. c/ Joan Güell, 54
Email: info@getbagservice.com
(+34) 603 823 099
Hours: 9am to 9pm (year round)

#3: Easyin City

Our last recommendation, Easyin City, not only provides a place to store luggage, they add a really cool twist…with every locker rental you get a free bike loaner. Brilliant!

Easyin City, Carrer de Bertrellans, 4,08002
(+34) 932 80 96 91
Hours: 9:00 am to 9:00pm

February 21, 2016

Where to store bags in Venice before or after check in/out?

by Toni DeBella

There are many upsides to booking a vacation rental property in Venice.  Some of these include budget-friendliness, convenience, room to spread out, and kitchens to prepare some of your own meals.

But what if you arrive in town way ahead of your check-in time (generally around 3pm) and/or there’s a space between the 11am check-out and your train or flight departure? With 3 hours to kill, what ever will you do with your bags?

Although a handful of properties may have reception areas or offices that will hold your bags, most are privately owned and don’t offer this service. You don’t really want to be sipping your Bellini in St. Mark’s Square – having to keep one eye on the beautiful architecture and the other on your Samsonite, do you?  It’s a myth that rolling bags are prohibited in Venice, however, dragging them up and down tiny footbridges all morning may not be your idea of fun.

Your worries are over…

Located in the historic center of Venice, a 4-minute stroll from both Piazza San Marco and the famed Rialto Bridge, Venice Luggage Deposit provides a solution to one of the most common travel dilemmas.

Called a deposito bagagli in Italian, Venice Luggage Deposit offers reasonably priced, per-day holding of your luggage, with discounts for multiple bags.  Special delivery service is available and they also accept oversize or unconventional items (i.e., surfboards) – but that costs a little bit more.  If you prefer, you can also make arrangements beforehand online, although no appointment is necessary – just drop ‘em and go!

You’re now ready to roam the winding streets and canals of Venice, hands free.

Venice Luggage Deposit
Castello 5496, Calle de la Malvasia
Email: info@veniceluggagedeposit.com
(+39) 041 476 4907; Cell (+39) 320 294 05 00
Hours: 9:30am to 5:30pm (holidays included)

 

February 11, 2016

When NOT to Visit Barcelona

by Amy Knauff

I’ve written before about why I love Barcelona in the off-season, but over the years I’ve become adamant that Barcelona should really be avoided during the major events and conferences that are held there annually. This is not a matter of your classic peak season crowds and prices: this is when accommodation owners raise their rates by, like, a zillion euros.

These events sometimes take place during classic “low-season” periods (so really, Barcelona, is hopping throughout the year), but not to worry – they don’t last more than a few days each.

Unfortunately, the price-raising frenzy doesn’t just go for hotels but also for B&Bs and private apartments with normally very reasonable prices – including the ones on Cross-pollinate. Much love to Barcelona, one of my absolute favorite cities, but do yourself a favor and avoid coming during these events if you can:

Formula Uno (F1) – The Formula One Spanish Grand Prix held close to Barcelona each May. https://www.circuitcat.com/en/

Primavera Sound Festival – A huge rock festival that usually takes place in the early summer. https://www.primaverasound.com/

Sonar Festival – A world-famous electronic music festival in mid/late June. https://sonar.es/en/2016/

Mobile World Congress (3GSM) –A conference and the world’s largest exhibition for the mobile industry, held in February. https://www.mobileworldcongress.com/

There are plenty of other events and local festivals that take place in Barcelona, but these are the biggies. Pick another city if you’ll be traveling during these dates – we have plenty to choose from!

May 12, 2015

Left Luggage Florence – Where to Store Bags in Florence

We’ve just discovered a service in Florence that stores luggage for you – the only one in the historic center of the city! Just drop your bags off at their location a couple blocks from the Duomo and they’ll securely store the luggage for you and even drop it off for you at your accommodation — or you can pick it up at the same place, if you’re on your way out of the city. It’s open daily and costs €1/hour or €6/day.

Left Luggage Florence
Via de’ Boni 5R
Tel: +39 334 700 7714

 

March 19, 2015

What to do with leftover foreign coins

It always bugged me that you could only exchange paper money (for a steep fee) after a trip, and got stuck with the coins.

TravelersBox are placing these orange machines in departure gates at airports around the world, which offer a solution for leftover change at the end of your trip. An easy way to deposit foreign coins and bills directly into online products, like PayPal, Skype, iTunes – or you can simply donate it.

Just before you get on the plane back home, hit the TravelersBox machine near the gate, choose where you want the money to go, and the deposit is done.

So far, the machines are available in Turkey (Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara), Milan Italy, and Tbilisi Georgia, with big plans to get them in many more airports.

Sure beats a full jar of mixed coins!