Barcelona - Quick guide

Barcelona is the passionate capital of Catalonia, an unforgettable city of art, culture and beauty. Gaudi's works, museums, concerts and FC Barcelona’s football team homeland. Walk along the Ramblas to enjoy street musicians, living statues, hustlers and just plain loonies. Hop onto the Tramvia Blau for a tram trip up to the top of Tibidabo and take in the magnificent sights of the city below you. Shop along the Passeig de Gracia, at the most well known boutiques in Barcelona.

Have a sunset drink at a chiringuito bar on the Barceloneta beach, then after dark, join the locals for pub crawling at the Barri Gotic for a huge selection of tapas bars, wine bars, cocktail lounges and even Irish pubs! Now that you've worked up an appetite, head for El Born where you'll find the finest in new catalonian cuisine.

City Information:

  • Population: 1.6 million
  • Currency: Euro €
  • Language: Catalan and Spanish
  • Opening hours: Usually 9.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. and 4.30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday – Friday with some variations. Many establishments have the same opening hours on Saturdays and some open until lunchtime on Sundays. Shopping centres and many large stores do not close for lunch/siesta.
  • Emergency numbers: 112 all emergencies / 092 local police / 061 medical emergencies


Getting There:


The easiest way to get to Barcelona is by airplane. But watch out with the different companies. Easyjet, Vueling, Condor, Air Berlin, Niki and others flies to Barcelona El Prat airport, which is the principal airport in Barcelona, and can reach the city by bus, train and taxi or if you have a higher budget, use our private transport directly to your hotel in less than 30 minutes. Ryanair, probably the cheapest one, flies to the Girona or Reus airports. From there you need to take a bus (one way aprox. 12€) that takes about 1:10 hours and leaves you at the Estacio del Nord.
Check our flight search engine for the best value flight to come to Barcelona, including all low cost companies.

Moving around – Transportation:

  • Walking: ok and obvious, but also the best way to visit the Old Town, Gothic quarter streets, the old fisherman’s village of Barceloneta and the beach, the fantastic Palau de la Musica Catalana in the Borne district, leading you all the way over to the garden of Barcelona – La Cuitadella . This is a huge part of Barcelona and is a really great way to spend a day, believe me.
  • Buses and Metro: Metro stations are the best way to move around and the fastest way. You can buy a 2 day (11.20€) or 3 day (15.90€) tickets. You can combine the metro with the bus system, and the new "tranvía". With the public transportation system, you will save time, money and will be more ecological. For a global visit, we recommend to use the Bus Turistic, that has 2 different routes and visits the major tourist places in Barcelona. Also called the Hop-on Hop-off Bus. 
  • Car Rental: If you will be visiting for a few days and have limited time, do not bother renting a car. Otherwise you can rent a car to go outside the city and visit the Costa Brava, Montserrat or other places worth if you have the time and already visited Barcelona. Also, the Barcelona Card gives nice discounts on transportation and museums.
What to Visit (do no miss!)
  • Museums & Monuments
Sagrada Familia: Gaudi's unachieved cathedral 
Address : Sicilia, 286 / Phone : 00 34 932073031

La Pedrera – An impressive Gaudi building at the Passeig de Gracia 
Address : C. Provença, 261-265. / Phone : 00 34 93 484 59 00

Santa Maria del Mar : XIV century Gothic Church with famous stained glass windows.
Address : Plaça de Santa Maria

MACBA : Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona
Address : Pl. dels Angels, 1. ( el Raval) / Phone :00 34 93 412 08 10

Picasso Museum (La Ribera, El Born) 
Address : C. Montcada, 15-23 / Phone : 93 319 63 10

  • Areas to walk & visit

Las Ramblas & Gothic Quarter
Port Vell, Barceloneta & Port Olimpic

  • Interesting
Nou Camp : The F.C. Barcelona football team Stadium
Address: Avinguda Aristides Maillol, s/n

Restaurants by budget:
  • Very low-cost restaurants from 10 to 15€
Typically Catalan… Often tapas or worker menu (fixed price menu).

El QuimIn the Boqueria market, on the Rambla. Delicious tapas for your lunchtime stop.. 
Phone:+34 93 301 98 10

Ès: In the Raval area, this little restaurant has a very fine 10 Euro menu! 
Address: Carrer del Doctor Dou, 14 
Phone: +34 933 185 865

  • Restaurants at low-cost 15-30€
Quality menus that includes wine, or very good bargain restaurants.

Cuines Santa CaterinaThis restaurant offers 4 different types of kitchens: Asian, Mediterranean, Italian and vegetarian in the beautiful market Santa Caterina. Not to miss. 
Address: Avinguda de Francesc Cambó, 20
Phone: +33 - 93.268.99.18

Los CaracolesTypical Catalan restaurant specialized in paella and rice.. 
Address: C/ Escudellers 14 
Phone: +34 933 023 185

  • Average cost restaurants from 30€ to 50€
Very good restaurants… But at the Spanish price!!

Vinya Roel is a restaurant enoteca in Barcelona where you can enjoy traditional catalan recipes in combination with a full wide-ranging list of wines.
Address: C/ Villaroel, 190-192 
Phone: +34 93 430 72 79

Cinc SentitsThe Cinc Sentits (Five Senses) is one of the nicest tables in Barcelona. Creative dishes far from traditional flavors but with incredible tastes...
Address: aribau, 58 Phone: +34 93 323 9490
  • High prices restaurant, over 50€


It is expensive obviously… but it is really an experiment…


AlkimiaJordi Vilà the Chef of Alkimia (alchemy in English) is part of the young guard of the New Catalan cuisine. The best for this experience…
Address: C/ Indústria 79 
Phone: +(34) 93 207 6115

Casa CalvetFor the ones in love with Gaudi, the unique experience of having lunch or dinner in a building of the Master: La Casa Calvet.Adventurous Mediterranean kitchen. 
Address: Casp, 48 
Phone: (+34) 93 412 40 12

Going Out

  • A Drink 
Shhh... No se lo digas a nadie for special quiches and cocktails 
Address: C/ Torrijos, 53 / Phone: 93 566 28 93

Macarena Mar Beach Club luxury party in the beach 
Address: Port Forum / Phone: 34 933 560 328

Mantra exotic place 
Address: Salvà, 21 / Phone: 93 441 59 90

Torre Rosa for the finest mojitos and amazing views.. 
Address: Francesc Tàrrega, 22 / Phone: 93.340.88.54

  • Night Out

Night clubs for never ending nights:
Sala Becool best electronic music 
Address: Pl. Joan Llongueras, 5 / Phone: 93 362 04 13

Sala Apolo a top of the city, indie and electronic music 
Address: Nou de la Ramblal, 113 / Phone: 93 441 40 01

Luz de Gas in the “zona alta “ 
Address: Muntaner 246 / Phone: 00 34 93 209 77 11

Razzmatazz for the big sound 
Address: C/ Almogavers 122

Sala Apolo for Nitsa club and Dj’s 
Address: Nou de la Rambla 113 / Phone: 00 93 441 40 01

The Sutton Club for glamorous people 
Address: Tuset, 13 / Phone: 93 414 42 17

Hotels:


Beware of:

Violent crime is almost unknown in Barcelona, but bag-snatching and pickpocketing are rife – the former especially occurs in the Old City and on the beach, the latter on public transport and along La Rambla. Leave whatever you can in your hotel, and be ware of anyone trying to clean something off your shoulder or sell you a newspaper. Those wanting to swap a coin for one from your country may also try to empty your wallet.

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