Barcelona
Discover Barcelona
Barcelona is Spain's second largest city, with a population of nearly two million people, and the capital of Catalonia. A major port on the northeastern Mediterranean coast of Spain, Barcelona has a wide variety of attractions that bring in tourists from around the globe. The many faces of Barcelona include the medieval Old Town, and the unique street grid resulting from 19th-century urban planning. The city has long sandy beaches and green parks on the hills, pretty much side-by-side. It is also famous for a number of prominent buildings, of which the most-known are by the architect Antoni Gaudí, including his Sagrada Família, which became Barcelona's symbol to many. Founded more than 2,000 years ago as the ancient Roman town Barcino, Barcelona is as historic as it is modern, with a constant flow of projects changing the face of the city and long-standing penchant for design and innovation. Thanks to the wealth of attractions, a very well-developed accommodation base, a lively nightlife and a robust transportation system, Barcelona has become one of Europe's, and pretty much the world's, most popular tourist destinations.
What to Experience in Barcelona
Taste of Barcelona...
As with all cities which welcome large numbers of tourists, Barcelona's cuisine is inconsistent in quality, but there are plenty of restaurants serving excellent food at very reasonable prices, if you know where to look. The usual rules of thumb apply: to save money and get better food, look for places off the beaten track used by fellow travellers, and seek out cafés and restaurants which the locals frequent. In practice, this usually involves searching out eateries in residential districts away from the main sightseeing attractions. Avoid restaurants with touts outside, and have a basic understanding of the traditional foods served in restaurants, as well as the local drinks. One slightly crafty way of sussing a place's authenticity at a glance is to take note of how they spell a certain word: a menu board advertising tapas, written the Spanish/international way, is likely to be somewhere which primarily caters to tourists, whereas somewhere offering tapes, using Catalan spelling, is in all probability a venue frequented by locals. Some districts to check out include Gràcia, which is a hub of quality, affordable Catalan cooking of both the traditional and more avant-garde varieties, and the Eixample, whose chic boulevards have upscale restaurants aplenty worthy of your splurge money.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThe main airport is 41.2969442.0783331MISSING WIKILINK Barcelona El Prat (BCN). Some low-cost carriers, notably Ryanair, use the airports of Girona (GRO), nearly 100 km (62 mi) to the north, or Reus (REU), around the same distance to the south, instead. Since Ryanair started operating at BCN, you should check carefully where your flight goes. The three-letter IATA code should be part of your booking process. Barcelona International Airport (BCN), also known as El Prat, is a major transport hub, with flights from all over Europe and beyond, is by far the closest airport to the city. To get to the city centre, there are different options. Both terminals have a metro station and the ticket machines before the turnstiles will sell you a Billet aeroport ticket to anywhere in the city by metro (only)for €5.90. You can also reach Barcelona's city centre by train or by bus with a T-casual on a T-mobilitat contactless card....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The public transport in the city and the surrounding area managed by Autoritat del Transport Metropolità (ATM) consortium who provide information about services by all operators. The whole area is covered by the Integrated Fare System, which is divided into 6 zones. This system includes the most of the public transport in the area: metro, city and intercity bus, tram and commuter trains. Like most major European cities Barcelona has moved to a rechargeable ticketing system called T-mobilitat.. The city limits of Barcelona are completely inside zone 1. The public transport in the city is mostly operated by Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB). They have a separate site dedicated for tourists. Other operators in Barcelona are Rodalies de Catalunya ; Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya(FGC) & Tram. T-mobilitat is a card or smartphone app that is the carrier of many of the contactless pass types below and can allow you to travel throughout the Barcelona metropolitan area.
Where to Stay
Barcelona offers a great range of accommodations, from cheap, decent apartments, hostels and guest-houses to five-star hotels. Every district has plentiful offerings, and thanks to the efficient public transportation you can stay comfortably in any of them, depending on your budget and preferences. During festivals (see Festivals and events above), especially during Mobile World Congress, which is a major trade show at the Fira, accommodation in Barcelona and especially near the Fira is much more difficult to find and more expensive than usual. See the district articles for detailed listings of accommodation opportunities. Barcelona has 5G from all Spanish carriers. Wi-Fi is widely available in public places and on transport. Pickpocketing is the most pressing issue for visitors to Barcelona. Never keep your wallet, cash or important documents in trouser pockets or in bag pockets: a money belt is an easy and inexpensive way to prevent being robbed.
Money & Budget
Most shops and shopping malls are closed on Sundays because of law restrictions. In Ciutat Vella you will find plenty of small fashion shops, souvenir shops and small supermarkets open on Sundays. The souvenir shopping scattered throughout the Barri Gotic and all along La Rambla are tourist traps, none of them sell Catalan or Spanish products but the typical array of Chinese general souvenirs, they should be avoided. Moreover on the Port Vell, right at the end of The Ramblas there is Maremagnum, a shopping mall that stays open all Sundays. If you see people selling items on the street on a blanket, do not buy from them. The products are often of dubious origin and low quality, and are often the result of human trafficking.
Language & Talk
Barcelona's official languages are Catalan and Spanish. About a half prefer to speak Catalan, a vast majority understands it, and virtually everyone knows Spanish. However, most signs are indicated only in Catalan because it is established by law as the first official language. Yet, Spanish is also widely used in public transport and other facilities. Regular announcements in the Metro are made only in Catalan, but unplanned disruptions are announced by an automated system in a wide variety of languages including Spanish, English, French, Arabic and Japanese. On the other hand, FGC announcements – either regular or disruptions – will be made only in Catalan, and disruption announcements on RENFE's network will usually be made only in Spanish.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Pickpocketing is the most pressing issue for visitors to Barcelona. Never keep your wallet, cash or important documents in trouser pockets or in bag pockets: a money belt is an easy and inexpensive way to prevent being robbed. You will almost certainly be scoped out several times during your trip if you're in a tourist area or clearly don't fit in as a local, and it only takes a single momentary slip-up to lose your possessions. As always, be alert in crowded places, such as public transport, train and bus stations, La Rambla and Raval. If you are in a crowd, beware of anyone suspiciously or with no intention deliberately coming close to you. Pickpockets usually work with more than one people, with one person using all kinds of tricks to distract you as their accomplices take action. The following are a few common methods: If you need a police report to make an insurance claim for your stolen possessions, you can file a report online if you have no leads or witnesses.
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Barcelona
aerial view of city buildings during daytime
aerial view of city buildings during daytime
Sunset view of Gran Via in Madrid
cathedral on hill
A view from the benches on a summer day at Park Güell in Barcelona, Spain
During my journey in Barcelona I went to the Barceloneta in order to see the sea and think. It’s hard to explain what I was feeling but the sea was like an old friend: you can travel, you can change as you want but he will be there whenever you need to make you feel loved.
clear glass building near sea under grey sky
Barcelona, Spain https://instagram.com/upmanis
Barcelona City Beach
people sitting on bench near building during sunset
aerial view of city buildings during daytime
aerial view of city buildings during daytime
Sunset view of Gran Via in Madrid