Barcelona.
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Overview

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.

Understand

August is probably the busiest time for tourists in Barcelona. However, many shops and restaurants are closed from early-August to early September. This is also one of the highest periods of home break-ins, as criminals know that many places are unoccupied for an entire month.

While Barcelona has decent, albeit crowded beaches, the locals will be very appreciative if visitors do not consider Barcelona a beach resort and absolutely do not wear beachwear when visiting churches, restaurants, etc. If you only want a beach, and a good beach at that, head south to Costa Daurada, north to Costa Brava or out to sea for the Balearic Islands.

Barcelona can be visited off-season and despite the cold weather, is a lovely city even in the winter months of January and February, as long as the possibility of rain is low – if large crowds are a major concern of yours, visiting in the winter is a good way to guarantee they'll be lower than peak season during the summer. Given the high humidity, 19 - is considered comfortable weather, which is usually the temperature from May to June, and from late August to October. These are the best times to visit the city. Anything warmer than this can feel too hot, and the period from November to April is quite chilly and at times gloomy.

With children Toddler happiness is considered a public responsibility in Spain. In any public place, people around you will make every effort possible to make your toddler happy: whenever he or she looks bored or is crying, everyone does their best to entertain or to calm them. You will find a great list of things to do with children during your Barcelona visit.

Tourist office at Plaça de Catalunya. This is the main tourist office in the city.

Tourist office at Plaça de Sant Jaume.

Tourist office at Aeroport del Prat.

All tourist offices are closed on 1st January and 25th December. For a full list of tourist information points check the link above.

The department store El Corte Ingles publishes a free street map for tourists. You can pick a copy at the store, or at one of the many hotels in the city.

The Turisme de Barcelona site might be helpful.

Barcelona Card. This card gives free entry to more than 25 museums and other sites in Barcelona. For over 70 moresites it offers various kinds of discounts. It also includes a travel pass for public transport in Barcelona (for details see Hola BCN! card below). The card is available for purchase for periods of 2 to 5 days. If you don't plan to see lots of museums every day, then it may be cheaper to buy transport-only tickets (see below), and if you spend a lot of time in the largest museums, the Barcelona Art Passport may be better value. This card cannot be used on the cable cars or funiculars (except for Montjuïc). Plenty of travel websites recommend and promote these kind of discount cards because they receive a commission. You should also remember that many museums offer free or discounted admission if you are over 65.

Artiticket Barcelona. This is an Art Passport covering six of the main art museums. Namely; MACBA; Museu Picasso; CCCB; Fundació Antoni Tàpies; Fundació Joan Miró; Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya. It is valid for one year and comes in a passport style book. It does not include any public transport.

Barcelona City Pass. a package that combines preferential skip the line tickets and use of the hop-on hop-off bus in Barcelona. This city pass package could save you money during your visit, only if you heavily use it.

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. As in most other cities, any attempt by visitors to use the native languages is always appreciated. Most locals are bilingual in Catalan and Spanish, and instinctively address foreigners in Spanish. Catalan is a separate Romance language, not a dialect, and sounds closer to Italian, Portuguese and French in many ways. Avoid referring to Catalan as a dialect, which will offend Catalans.

You might find some locals answer in Catalan after being asked in Spanish, that's not because they are being rude but because they assume you are bilingual. In Catalonia, it's not uncommon to hear people code switching between different languages in the same conversation. In case you can't understand what they are saying, tell them you don't speak Catalan and politely ask them to repeat it in Spanish or English.

The main cause of Spanish and Catalan social bilingualism in modern Catalonia is a large scale immigration process from the rest of Spain, which occurred over the 20th century, as Catalonia started a significant industrialization which demanded an increased workforce from elsewhere. 60% of the people in Catalonia use Spanish as their first language, and 40% use Catalan. The issues regarding language, national identity, and politics are like politics anywhere.

In tourist areas, almost all shops and bars have some English speaking staff. People will generally make an effort to try to help you if you speak English. If you are a native English speaker, you will have few problems, as Barcelona hosts many tourists.

Get in

The main airport is . 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 , 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. You can also reach Barcelona's city centre by train or by bus with a T-casual on a T-mobilitat contactless card. The train leaves from Terminal 2, and there is a free shuttle from Terminal 1 to terminal 2. Trains run every 30 minutes until around midnight. If you arrive on a late flight, you can get into Barcelona using the N18 night bus, which stops at Plaça d'Espanya on its way to Plaça Catalunya. See the Public Transport section in Get Around below for more information on tickets & passes as there were major changes in 2023. Prices updated February 2026.

Girona–Costa Brava Airport The Barcelona Bus service runs a shuttle bus from Estació del Nord (which is walking distance to the Arc de Triomf metro stop) in Barcelona to Girona Airport, synchronised with various flight times. The journey takes approximately 1 hour 10 minutes. Timetables are available online.

Reus Airport The easiest way is to get there is to take the bus run by Hispano Igualadina from the Barcelona Sants bus station to the airport. Bus departures are synchronized with Ryanair plane departures/arrivals. The journey takes from 1 hr 30 min to 1 hr 45 min, depending on the traffic on the motorway. Timetables are available online. A slightly cheaper, yet longer option is to take a train from Barcelona Sants station to Reus and then the local bus no. 50 to the airport. This takes about 2½ hours. Train timetables can be checked at Renfe's website and the bus timetable is available at the website of Reus public transport.

Barcelona is well-connected to the Spanish railway network, and to the rest of Europe. High-speed trains run frequently from main station (in the southwest of the city) to Madrid, Seville and Malaga. There are also regular long-distance connections that partially use high-speed infrastructure to all major Spanish cities. The station is also served by many regional lines including

The historic now mostly serves regional trains.

Direct regular high-speed train service goes to destinations in France. In addition to two daily TGV services from Paris (travel time ~7 hr to Barcelona), there is a daily service from Lyon (5 hr), and a daily service from Marseille (4 hr).

The former Talgo trains from Montpellier to Barcelona and Cartagena via Portbou ceased to run when direct high speed services started. It is still possible to travel via Cerbère/Portbou using local trains, but it's cumbersome, painfully slow and timetable coordination at the border is awful; however it may be the only alternative if all TGVs are fully booked. Also, if booked in advance, TGV can be way cheaper than using these local trains. However, for travelers using Interrail passes, these local routes are a useful way to avoid the high additional reservation fees on the international TGVs, which can be almost as high as an advance-booked standalone ticket on some of the longer routes.

There is also a less-known rail line over the Pyrenees to Toulouse. There is roughly one train every 3 hours on the Spanish side and one every two or four on the French side, including a sleeper train from Paris (with a branch to Portbou which splits at Toulouse: check all timetables to see whether route is faster, it greatly depends on waiting times at the border). Purchasing tickets for this route can be tricky. The Spanish line is considered a commuter line despite being far away from Barcelona and does not appear in any global European timetable, so it is impossible to get an international CIV ticket, every portion must be purchased separately. Also, for southbound travel, the Latour-de-Carol station only sells SNCF tickets so the Spanish portion must be bought directly at the ticket inspector, cash only.

The launch of the high-speed service spelled the end of the overnight sleeper-car service called Trenhotel between Barcelona and Paris. Trenhotels still do, however, run between Barcelona and Granada, A Coruña and Vigo.

The security checks are taken seriously and may take some time. Arrive in advance, and do not bring anything that could be interpreted as potential weapon as it may be destroyed (knife, tools…).

By boat The city's port is one of the busiest on the Mediterranean.

Large cruise ships dock to the southwest. Many of them offer bus-shuttles to locations at the south end of La Rambla. The ferries dock almost directly on the Ramblas.

There are regular ferry connections with the Balearic Islands (Alcúdia, Ciutadella de Menorca, Ibiza City, Sant Antoni de Portmany, Mahón, Palma de Mallorca), Italy (Genoa, Porto Torres and Civitavecchia for Rome) and Tangier, in Morocco. From Rome (Civitavecchia) it is actually cheaper to take the ferry than a bus.

Some of the largest shipping companies includes Baleària, Grimaldi Lines and Trasmediterranea but there are several smaller companies as well.

By bus is the station for all long-distance buses. It's on Carrer de Nàpols near Arc de Triomf metro and railway stations. Buses may also pick up / drop off at Barcelona Sants railway station.

Alsa is the main bus line in Spain. They run every couple of hours from Madrid Estacion Sur, taking 8 hours via Madrid Airport T4, Zaragoza, and Barcelona Sants.

Flixbus runs coach services between Barcelona Nord and London Victoria Coach Station, via Paris and Toulouse. They also connect to Amsterdam, Cologne, Brussels and many UK cities. They can be very cheap, but be prepared for a 24-26 hour coach ride from London! There is a small service fee. There may or may not be plug sockets or Wi-Fi on board. Flixbus recommend that you be at your departure point at least 30 minutes before departure time (except London Victoria where you are required to arrive 60 minutes before departure).

Twiliner buses take 14 hr 15 from Zurich via Bern and Girona.

The bus station is by the side of an old railway station. As of March 2026, it is being refurbished, which might improve the terrible signage, both in terms of where things are and which bus is where. The only toilets are temporary ones by the ramp the buses use to enter/exit.

Some companies run more than one bus to the same location at the same time. The only way to know which one you are supposed to be on is to show your ticket to the driver. Don't put your luggage on a bus before checking it's the right one.

By car Several main roads connect Barcelona to France and to the rest of Spain. Traffic is usually relatively light outside of peak hours. Free parking spaces can be found a few metro stops from the center of the city.

Blue parking spaces are paid M-Sa 09:00-14:00 and 16:00-20:00. At some crossroads, the pay time starts at 08:00. Anyone can use a blue space, but they aren't that easy to find. You pay at the meter and put the ticket on the dashboard. Green parking spaces are for residents only. White parking spaces are free at all times, but there aren't any in the city centre.

City car parks are found throughout the city.

Get around

By public transport 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. 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.

There are three physical types. It is mainly aimed at local residents but people staying for an extended period may find it useful as it supports all pass types. If lost, it is possible to block the card and recover the passes on the card. Can be reloaded with the TMB app. They can support T-casual, T-familier or T-grup passes. T-usual passes are also available on this type of card but can only be reloaded with T-usual passes. Can be reloaded with the TMB app. The TMB app also provides a link to it.

Single ticket. A non-integrated ticket is valid only for single mode of transport of a specific operator: either bus, metro or funicular, etc. On buses you can use a contactless bank card without a physical ticket for one journey.

Billet aeroport Non-integrated ticket for use on the metro between any point on the metro system and the airport. There are other tickets that can be used on metro at the airport, see below.

Hola Barcelona cards. For unlimited number of journeys for 2, 3, 4 or 5 days. They are valid for TMB metro and bus, tram, FGC and regional trains in the city and metropolitan area. You will find the T-casual and its sister passes better value. They are one of the passes valid on airport metro L9. (not issued on T-Mobilitat)

Integrated for a fixed number of journeys. Unfortunately these passes are not valid for travel to/from the airport by metro , but they are valid to/from the airport on the bus and train. All use T-mobilitat. T-casual. This pass is for a single-person for 10 single journeys. During each journey it's possible to make up to three transfers. The whole duration of a journey must be no more than 1hr 15min and within zone 1. The T-casual is the good option for tourists. It's more convenient than buying single tickets and better value than the single tickets for more than 4 trips. It's far cheaper than the various discount cards with free transportation option. And finally, it doesn't bind one to specific routes like the hop-on-hop-off buses. T-familiar. Multi-person pass valid for 8 journeys, valid for 30 days. To correctly share this pass, the number of validations must match the number of people travelling together. Multi-person pass for 70 journeys, valid for 30 days. To correctly share this pass, the number of validations must match the number of people travelling together. These passes are valid for travel to/from the Airport on the Metro . T-dia Single-person pass with an unlimited number of integrated journeys for 24 hours. Only one round trip to/from the airport on the metro is allowed. T-usual Non-transferable single-person pass with an unlimited number of journeys on any means of transport within the integrated system, for 30 consecutive days as of the first use, for the number of zones purchased. You must enter your passport or identity card number when purchasing these passes and you must carry the identity document when using the pass. If loaded onto a cardboard T-mobilitat card, only T-usual cards can be reloaded onto the card.

An operator independent travel planner is available on the Barcelona Government website. There is a tendency for operators to emphasise their own services on their maps.

By metro The Metro (subway) is an efficient way of getting around town. Operation times are 05:00–24:00 (M–Th), 05:00–02:00 (F), and continuous service from Saturday at 05:00 until Sunday at midnight. Stations are marked with a diagonal "M" on most maps; every station has a detailed map of exits to the city. Trains are fast, often coming in two minute intervals. However, on holidays and weekends trains only run every 6-8 minutes and can get easily packed. Announcements are made only in Catalan, though signs and ticketing machines generally include Spanish and English too.

Pay attention to the fact that to get from metro lines operated by TMB (, , , , , , and ) to the ones operated by FGC (, and ), or vice versa, you need to exit and then enter through a new pay-gate. In this case, if you had a one-journey ticket, you need to get a new one. If you used a multiple journey ticket you won't be charged for a second time when changing lines as long as you are within the stated travel time for a single journey. Also, you can't repeat operator, so you can't use a FGC ride to make a shortcut. For instance: changing to L9S to L1 via L8 using Fira and Espanya will charge you with two journeys, you should go via Torrassa instead although its way longer. All trains are air-conditioned, but the metro stations themselves are not, so beware because the stations can become very hot during summer months.

Also be aware when travelling to/from the airport by Metro line : while the T-casual is valid for Renfe services (or buses), it is not accepted for the Metro.

By tram There are two main sets of tram lines, Trambaix towards the north west of the city and Trambesòs towards the east of the city near the coast – these are not connected by tram, but plans to connect it are on the immediate radar. There are interchange points with other modes of transport. These lines are run by Tram and all lines are in zone 1.

There is one other tramway run by TMB but is not part of the integrated ticketing system: Tramvia Blau. This is a historic tram that connects to the Tibidabo Funicular. Unfortunately, it has been closed since 2018 it is closed for maintenance with bus 196 available as a replacement.

By train Regional suburban trains run through Barcelona and share ticketing with the modes of transport above. There are two operators: RENFE and FGC. Wrongly ignored by some tourists, they provide a useful additional mode of transport for getting across the city or connecting with mainline rail services and the airport.

The trains run by RENFE share tracks with mainline trains and are called Rodalies (known in the rest of Spain as Cercanías). They operate lines . However, due to chronic underfunding severe disruptions are more the norm than the exception. Since January 2026, the Rodalies RENFE system runs very unreliably, with reduced service, unplanned train cancellations, plenty of emergency slow restrictions and some lines with partial service or total suspension , even full network closures lasting some days. Train schedules are more an exercise of wishful thinking than anything else: waiting times and delays exceeding an hour had become the norm. Seriously consider other alternatives before choosing RENFE-operated trains.

The trains run by FGC are and some are confusingly prefixed with an R (R5, R50, R6 and R60). In addition FGC operates but these are considered to be part of the Barcelona metro.

There is a good map on the FGC website showing all rail lines and the boundary of Zone 1.

The bus network in Barcelona is pretty extensive. Perhaps the best option in planning your route is to consult with one of the route planners mentioned above.

A major reorganisation of bus lines was completed in November 2018, so disregard old bus schedules and recheck routes. For example, bus line 92 to Park Güell, used by many tourists to get there after a visit to the Sagrada Familia, has been suspended, and a new line V15 stops there but takes a different route through the city centre (Passeig de Sant Joan).

Here are some tips for bus line codes:

Hxx lines run parallel to the coastline, low numbers run on the high side, high numbers on the sea side. Vxx lines run from the beach to the hills, high numbers on the northern side (Besòs), low numbers on the southern (Llobregat). Dxx lines run in a somewhat diagonal path, although interestingly none of these cover neither Diagonal or Meridiana avenues, the main oblique streets. Mxx lines are found at the outer perimeter of metro coverage and link a metro stop to a neighbourhood lacking metro service. Bxx lines run on the northern area outside Barcelona or linking Barcelona to neighbouring municipalities in the metropolitan area, B stands for Besòs river. Lxx lines run on the southern area alike Bxx lines, L stands for Llobregat river. Some municipalities have lines fully inside the town limits with two letters and a digit, theses two letters are reminiscent of the town name, such as BDx for Badalona and LHx for L'Hospitalet Nxx lines run only at night when all other lines do not run, roughly from 23:00 to 6:00. Cxx lines link Barcelona the various northern coastal Maresme towns up to Mataró. Exx lines are express buses from Barcelona to various municipalities outside of the metropolitan area. Lines with one or two digits without any letter follow historical routes from before the H-V-D schema. Lines between 100 and 199 are usually very local lines served with low-capacity cars and poor frequency, 30 min or worse. Notable cases are line 111 to the Tibidabo amusement park, line 120 through Ciutat Vella, and line 150 to Olympic venues and the Montjuïc castle; others are mostly useless for tourists. Line numbers from 200 upwards are used for some routes going outside the metropolitan area, while some others of the same kind have no number at all.

Buses H-V-D run about every 6–12 min weekdays, 15–20 min weekends.

Nitbus (N) run every 20 min all night. Information is available from AMB All Nitbuses (except N0 & N19) start or pass through Pl Catalunya

Sightseeing buses There are two types of official sightseeing buses in Barcelona, operated by different companies. Both of them use double-deck buses with a retractable roof.

Barcelona Bus Turístic. Operated by TMB with blue-and-red buses, it has three routes (map provided as you board), including a northbound and a southbound line that leave from opposite sides of the Plaça de Catalunya. Each takes 1–2 hours. The hop-on/hop-off format lets you get-off at any interesting stop, see what interests you, then get back on any later bus at that or any other stop. One approach is stay on for an entire route, then continue while getting off at locations that interested you earlier. Buses are double-decked, with the open-air upper deck offering much better views – but sunscreen is essential in summer months, jackets in winter, early spring and late autumn. Earphones are offered when you first get on so you can hear the commentary as you drive by significant locations. Outlets near every seat let you choose among many languages and playback volumes. The buses are very frequent. For a cheaper option with more flexibility in routes opt for the metro and the T-casual.

Barcelona City Tour. Operated by Moventis with red buses, it has two routes: the northbound green route that goes by the beaches and Barceloneta, as well as important landmarks like Plaça de Catalunya, Hospital de Sant Pau, and Parc Güell; as well as the southbound orange route that runs over the Montjuïc mountain and passes by the Sagrada Família and the Camp Nou football stadium.

By scooter Except for deliveries, electric scooters are forbidden on sidewalks and all pedestrian walks throughout Barcelona. Doing so may subject one to hefty fines, as well as frequent, audible disdain from pedestrians. Electric scooters are permitted in bicycle lanes, and may share the road with automobiles.

Mattia46 scooters for rent: 50cc to 200cc. GoCar is a two-seater, 3 wheeled vehicle that runs with a 49cc engine. It is legally classified as a scooter to drive on the roads. The GoCars were created with the purpose of being rented to tourists as a different way to see a city. Cooltra Motos Scooter rental. You can rent a moped for 1 day up to 1 month. You can also take a part in private or group tours. Barcelona BikesBooking Scooter and motorcycle rental in Barcelona. Cheap motorbike hire in Barcelona area with helmets, GPS, top case, hotel and airport delivery.

By bicycle Barcelona also has its own shared bike system, called BiCiNg. However, this is only accessible to locals. Mainly in the Western parts of the city, these are replaced by Ambici bikes - while non-residents can sign up, the conditions are not overly attractive (significant annual fee and rental prices encourage short-time rentals).

Donkey Republic. The orange bikes of Donkey Republic are placed all around the city. Tourists can rent and unlock the bikes via the company's app 24 hours a day, which can lock and unlock the bike by Bluetooth. Bolt offers app-based ebike rentals, however the number of bikes is limited. Ridemovie offers app-based rentals.

Perry Tours - Bike Tours Barcelona Perry Tours offers daily guided bike tours in Barcelona with English and Dutch guides, providing a fun and unique way to explore the city's highlights and experience its lively atmosphere. Located at Plaça de George Orwell, 08002 Barcelona – Business hours: Monday till Sunday: 10:00 – 18:00h. Their tours provide an unforgettable experience, showcasing the city's beauty and rich history. The company offers tours in English, French, and Spanish, with daily departures in the morning, afternoon, and evening. For detailed schedules and booking, visit their website.

Barcelona Segway Day. Visit Barrio Gotic and Barceloneta.

On foot Barcelona is a very walkable city. It takes little over an hour to walk from Port Vell at the seaside to Park Güell at the foothills of the mountain range at the northeastern end of the city, and you can see a range of attractions, including La Rambla and Sagrada Família, on your way. There are opportunities all around to sit down and enjoy a drink or a meal everywhere. If you are fit, you can pretty much explore the city by foot alone, unless the heat beats you in the warmer months (and then you can always resort to the air-conditioned metro).

Barcelona is plagued with the same problems that plague other major European cities: massive traffic jams and extremely narrow streets in some areas, coupled with a very complicated road system. As such, driving yourself around is not recommended for tourists, especially those with no driving experience in large cities. Public transport will get you to all the major areas, and you should use that as your main mode of transport.

Having a driving map is essential - plan your route before you set off. Navigating with an average tourist map is frequently misleading: many streets are one-way; left turns are more rare than rights (and are unpredictable). As an example, Gran via de Les Corts Catalanes is actually a one-way northbound street between Espanya and Marina, the opposite direction is reserved for buses and taxis only.

Some free parking spots reported by travelers are: Near Moll de Sant Bertran (which is south-west from Museu Maritim) - driving at B–10, exit to WTC and make a complete round at roundabout, heading to warehouses - and park next to its employees cars. Somewhere near Guell Park. Near Font Màgica, in Plaça Espanya and the Montjuïc hill.

Getting around by car makes sense if you plan to spend much more time driving outside the city borders than inside it - and ideally if you don't plan to park overnight at all. Otherwise, for purely in-city transportation, consider renting a scooter, or using public transportation instead.

By taxi As of January 2019, ride-sharing services such as Uber require at least one hour's notice. For less than one hour's notice, you need to call a regular taxi.

See

The old city Walk around the winding streets and hidden squares, fountains and palaces in the Barri Gòtic (Ciutat Vella). Highlights include the , the (formerly known as the Museu d'Història de la Ciutat), and .

Since 1984 seven buildings by the architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926) in or near Barcelona have been listed as "Works of Antoni Gaudí" on the UNESCO World Heritage List: the basilica of , (La Pedrera) and in Eixample, in Ciutat Vella, and in Gràcia, the in Colònia Güell.

The works by the Catalan art nouveau architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List: in Ciutat Vella and at the border of Eixample.

The Ruta del Modernisme run by Modernisme Centre (Pl. It takes you to all the best Modernisme (art nouveau) buildings in Barcelona. The main part of the route can be walked in a couple of hours, if you don't stray too far from the main routes. The Tourist Offices offer a pack that includes discounted tickets to many attractions such as La Pedrera and La Casa Batlló. All can be seen from the outside for free.

With children Museum of Natural History in the Forum - Museu Blau CosmoCaixa: Museum of Science Amazing museum for kids from 4-5 upwards. Adults will really enjoy it also. Zoo and Parc de la Ciutadella.

Tibidabo Mountain amusement park. Tibidabo is a popular attraction with stunning vistas, an historic amusement park, and the iconic Sagrat Cor church.

Do

Stroll along the following famous streets in Ciutat Vella: (Las Ramblas), a gorgeous tree-lined pedestrian walkway, the busiest and most lively street of the city. Mostly occupied by tourists, expect to pay higher prices for food and drink. Avoid the groups of people supposedly betting on a game played on a cardboard table – they are thieves. Head off into some of the side streets for a cheaper, more local, and authentic experience of Barcelona. Often called Las Ramblas, because it is a series of several different streets each called 'Rambla de ____', the sections also have distinct feels. As you get closer to Plaça Catalunya, you find more street performers doing stunts. In the middle, you'll find street performers in costumes. Towards the pier, there are artists who will do pencil drawings, paintings, etc. . Connecting all the major streets in the city, the Plaça is known for its fountains and statues, and the central location to everything in the city. A favourite meeting spot for locals. . Large pedestrian walkway with many new and stylish shops in which to browse. Cruise miles of beachfront boardwalk starting from Barceloneta, or get a tan on the beach. Eat good seafood and rice dishes at La Barceloneta neighbourhood Sit on a wooden bridge to Maremagnum in Ciutat Vella and cool your toes at the water's edge with a book, sandwich, or just for a short rest. Wander the Barri Gotic in Ciutat Vella, the largely intact medieval centre of the city and visit the Cathedral and its wonderful cloister. Enjoy your Sangria at La Plaça Reial in Ciutat Vella, near La Rambla Street. Great place to sit, relax, and drink. (People from Barcelona do not drink sangria, it's just a tourist drink! But you can enjoy it anyway!) Walk in El Born neighbourhood in Ciutat Vella, a former very popular area with great restaurants and places to have a few drinks. If your accommodation is on Rambla, El Born is a great place to enjoy a more relaxed atmosphere, and find more creative shops and craftsmen. El Born means jousting field, and its history and stories can fill one of those huge books stored in old libraries. There are interesting and quirky details to uncover while walking around, such as the name given to its streets, the medieval signs to brothels, and remnants of the secession war of the end of the 18th century. Indulge yourself at Hofman or Bubó bakeries and make sure you visit the Santa Maria del Mar church. Visit a Flamenco Show in a real tablao. One of the best is Tablao de Carmen in Sants-Montjuïc. A cheaper alternative is in the jazzclub Jazz Si in Ciutat Vella. (Although Flamenco is mostly just a touristy activity, Catalan people are not into flamenco. It's a dance and music from Andalucía, the south-east region in Spain)

Cable car. Ride the Cable Way to get from the sea front to Montjuïc mountain in Sants-Montjuïc.

Sit and sip on a coffee in Plaça dels Àngels in Ciutat Vella, while admiring the whiteness of the MACBA and the best street skate tricks in town. Catch a performance at the beautiful Teatre del Liceu or the Palau de la Musica Catalana, both in Ciutat Vella. Rent a bike, or join a bike tour, and see the highlights of the city in a different way. Ride from the magic beaches of the Mediterranean to Gaudí's modernist buildings through the medieval atmosphere of the Gothic Quarter. Sail 3 hours to see Barcelona from the sea. Mail boats serve almost all populated in Barcelona, and are among the cheapest way to reach many areas, though far from the fastest or most comfortable. The government has a mailboat schedule of routes online, which may or may not reflect reality. Sail on a classic yacht. Enjoy a day trip sailing along the Barcelona coastline on a classic yacht. Walk in Gracia neighbourhood, a very popular area with a great variety of restaurants, cafés and terraces where you can still feel the local ambiance that has already been lost in El Born. For good views over Barcelona: visit Park Güell, Tibidabo, Montjuïc or Carmel's bunkers.

Artoba Tours. City and day tours of Barcelona and Catalonia led by a professional archaeologist.

Spanish Civil War tours. Walking tour of Barcelona visiting key sites relating to the Spanish Civil War, covering themes such as Anarchism, the International Brigades, George Orwell and the realities of daily life and bombing during the war.

The Comedy Clubhouse Barcelona, is an English focused comedy club with 2 locations in the centre of the Born neighbourhood. They run 25 shows a week including stand-up comedy in English, Spanish, Italian & Russian. They also have live music from local artists several days a week as well as other relaxed entertainment options (Pub Quizzes, Karaoke etc).

Football: the city has two professional soccer teams. Their local Derbi barceloní has political undertones, as FC Barcelona is associated with the Catalan independence movement, while Espanyol is seen as pro-Spanish unity and anti-Catalan independence. These clubs are active also in other sports, such as handball and basketball. FC Barcelona are the famous club, known for their iconic and politically-charged El Clásico rivalry with Real Madrid, playing in La Liga the top tier at Camp Nou (capacity 99,000), 1 km west of Sants railway station. Nearest Metro is Palau Reial. Their women's team plays in Liga F, their top tier, at Johan Cruyff Stadium west edge of the city. RCD Espanyol play in Segunda División the second tier. Their RCDE Stadium (capacity 40,500) is at the western edge of the city. No metro, take a bus towards Ave del Baix Llobregat. is a motor-racing circuit hosting Grand Prix / Formula One and other big events, in the northern suburb of Montmeló. The next F1 races are in June 2028 with no race in 2027. Basketball: FC Barcelona Bèsquet play in the Euroleague and Liga ACB. Their home stadium is Palau Blaugrana, next to Camp Nou.

Barcelona hosts a number of annual fiestas, many of which are unique to Catalonia and offer an insight into its distinctive culture.

Sónar. An annual three-day music festival. It is described officially as a festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Art. Music is by far the main aspect of the festival. The festival runs for three days and nights, usually starting on a Thursday in the third week of June. There is a day location and a night location.

Monegros Desert Festival. The most famous and biggest one day/night electronic music festivals in Spain is in the desert of Fraga, from Barcelona. More than 40,000 people gather every July to celebrate electronic music with the best DJs representing styles from house, electro, minimal, techno, to drum&bass, dubstep, and hiphop. 20 hours non-stop, it is a unique desert experience.

The Barcelona Fringe Festival. This is an arts festival organized by The Comedy Clubhouse that primarily focuses on stand-up comedy but also includes poetry, music, theatre, dance & more. It kicks off in the first 10 days of November every year - In November 2025 it boasted 300 shows across 12 different venues in Barcelona. It has shows in several languages and has shows geared towards children specifically as well as plenty of options for adults as well. The slogan is 'Alguna Cosa Per A Totham' because there is truly 'Something For Everyone'

Festes de la Mercè. Barcelona's main annual festival around 24 September, encompassing many events such as human towers (castellers), free live music events on the streets, firework displays, and processions of wooden giants. It is a holiday and the city offers a lot of activities to have fun. Enjoy a fountains and fireworks show at the base of the Montjuïc hill.

Festes de Gràcia. The Festes de Gracia is a Catalonian celebration, held around 15 August each year to commemorate the Assumption. During the week of festivities that mark one of Barcelona's most important fiestas, the city of Gracia explodes with fun, excitement, colour, and fireworks. Many streets are decorated by neighbours, and there is live music, food in the streets, and the parties continue all night.

Festes de Sants. Similar to Gracia's event, but smaller and later on in August. If you can't go to Gracia's event, try to go to this festival.

Sant Jordi. 23 April. Considered to be like Valentine's Day. People give roses and books around the streets. Traditionally, men give women roses and women give men books. It is one of the most popular and interesting celebrations in Catalonia.

Corpus. Late in May (Corpus Christi day). An egg shell is placed over the jet of water coming out of various fountains such that the egg "magically dances" over the water. These fountains typically are beautifully decorated with flowers and are mostly at churches, most of which are located in the city centre: Cathedral's cloister, Santa Anna, Casa de l'Ardiaca, Museu Frederic Marés, and a dozen other fountains.

Fira de Santa Llúcia. From 2/3 December to 23 December, to commemorate St. Llúcia (13 December). During this time, in front of the Cathedral, Christmas objects are sold. Some places sell Christmas trees, but most of them sell elements for making the pessebres (Nativity scenes). These include small sculptures, wooden pieces, and moss used to simulate grass. 13 December is the feast day of Santa Llucia, patron saint of fashion designers and blind people, who gather at the Santa Llucia chapel in the cathedral to pay their respects.

Barcelona Jazz Festival. A brighter way to celebrate the colder Autumn days, the annual Jazz festival has been running for nearly 50 years now and runs roughly from the last week in October and all the way through November

Revetlla de Sant Joan. This is the midsummer solstice celebration. It is celebrated on 23 June every year and is signified by the fireworks (there are frequent and loud amateur fireworks all night long, which may make it hard to sleep) that are permanently on display during this time.

Fira de Barcelona. There are trade events all year round in Barcelona.

Learn

For those wishing to make a real attempt at learning the language, there are plenty of Catalan and Spanish language schools in Barcelona.

Don Quijote. Spanish courses taught entirely in Spanish, even the beginner courses.

Linguaschools Barcelona. Organizes Spanish courses for foreigners.

Enforex. Spanish courses: intensive or private. Minimum student age: 14 years.

FreeDa Language Space. Intensive Spanish and Catalan courses for foreigners.

International House Barcelona Escuela Mediterráneo. School that is specialised in teaching Spanish as a foreign language.

Buy

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.

Secondhand English books in Gràcia. Design lovers head for Gràcia.

El Corte Inglés. Spanning several floors and several buildings, and in several locations around town, many in Eixample and Inland Suburbs and a couple also in Ciutat Vella. You can find anything and everything in this department store, from food to pneumatics. Tax return checks are made on a separate floor of the store. See review for the whole chain in the Spain article.

La Boqueria. In Ciutat Vella. Large public market with a diverse range of goods and produce. Closed Sundays.

Stamps are actually sold in 'Tabacs' or tobacconists. Once you know what they look like, you'll notice them on every block or so. To post your mail, you need to find one of the rare yellow letter boxes along the sidewalks. Records For vinyl records, try the wonderful shop Discos Revolver at 13 Carrer dels Tallers. Supermarkets are spread across the city. BonÀrea, Bonpreu and Condis are the most popular supermarket chains from Catalonia. Mercadona, Consum, and Dia are other popular chains from the rest of Spain. There are also organic/specialty supermarkets like Casa Ametller or Veritas which are pricier. Small corner stores are the most visible on city streets, but tend to mark up prices in exchange for convenience.

Eat

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. The fishing quarter of Barceloneta (in Ciutat Vella) is an example of a neighbourhood where it pays to be picky: closer to the gentrified seafront, a slew of mojito beach bar-style places serve up expensive tourist tapas; for the real thing, head into the backstreets, where many traditional bars are still tucked away. In all cases, be prepared to "promenade" in search of the most attractive-looking menu; that's what the locals do, after all.

The portions may be quite generous, or rather small. During the week, some smart restaurants offer lunch specials from 14:00 to 16:00.

If you're looking for a place where everyone can choose their own meal, ask for restaurants that serve platos combinados, which is the closest thing to an American/Northern European meal.

Smoking is not permitted inside bars and restaurants since 2011, but it's usually allowed in terraces.

You can get food from any part of the world in Barcelona, but make sure you try some Catalan food.

See Catalan cuisine section in the Catalonia article.

The selection of seafood is consistently great, although not a lot of it is local (this part of the Mediterranean is pretty well fished-out).

A treat to try that no travel guide mentions is waffles sold at street stands. They will tempt you with their mouth watering smell and taste.

Tapas restaurants are now all over the city (although tapas originated in Andalusia in the south of Spain). Each Spanish region has its native tapas; signature 'Catalonia' tapas is delicious. Some Catalans eat a more French-style three course meal (appetizer, main dish and dessert) and would more likely go for a pre-meal beer/vermouth and some snacks (olives, chips, etc.); others go for a meal entirely of tapas. This pre-meal snack is called 'fer el vermut' or 'making the vermouth'. As you travel to smaller towns in Catalonia outside of Barcelona, it is less likely that you will find tapas and more likely you'll see restaurants serving traditional Catalan food in three courses.

Gyros are delicious! You can also consider the Asian selection, with a lot of Chinese, Japanese and Indian restaurants. As with anywhere else, there are plenty of Italian restaurants, while Latin American offerings, particularly Argentine and Mexican, are well-represented too.

If you feel lost in the variety of food choices there are – Catalan, Basque, Spanish, and beyond – it may be helpful to do a food tour to quickly get oriented. Many independent tour operators run food and wine tours in the city.

Barcelona Eat Local Food Tours. A family-owned business that showcases the best of Catalan gastronomy in off-the-beaten districts of Barcelona.

Depending on where you are in the city, there may be restaurants galore, or none at all. The following areas tend to be restaurant "hubs", with a large variety of restaurants to choose from: Barceloneta: A popular quarter for locals, where you can try fish based dishes, such as Paella (a name that may hide many different kinds of rice concoctions) or Arròs negre (Black Rice), that takes its colour because it is made using squid ink. Barceloneta is a very good place to eat tapas as well. Sant Antoni is the new addition to the culinary scene in Barcelona where old and trendy cuisine mingle. Eixample Esquerra (between Gran Via and Mallorca) Barri Gòtic (especially for tapas) "El Born" (next to Barri Gòtic)

Around Plaça Catalunya there are dozens of restaurants serving tapas. One should be careful with the tourist traps as the area is highly populated with tourists.

Be aware that sometimes the menu and the staff are only in Spanish.

The large cafes that line the Passeig de Gràcia and the Rambla Catalunya, just north of the Plaça Catalunya, offer a variety of acceptable tapas. This part of the town is quite touristy and a bit expensive.

In several supermarkets you can find a wide stall with a great selection of ready-to-eat dishes.

Comer y no Bombas. Shares free vegan food.

Juice bars. More and more the city is being populated by bars that serve organic/vegan food and cold-pressed juices.

El Glop. Three locations, in Eixample and Gràcia. Excellent mid-range Catalan meals.

Balordi. Located near Plaça d’Espanya. Casual Italian street-food spot specialising in panini and handmade meatballs. Expect bold flavours and quick counter service, with a few sidewalk benches for eating in.

Drink

Cafes Try a "café con hielo" an espresso served with a glass of ice cubes on the side in any local 'cafeteria'. Cafes are found on each corner in Barcelona, and these days a conscious movement in favour of top quality coffee is changing the scene in the Catalan capital with a new trend in terms of coffee houses.

Bars Chupitos are found in several locations throughout the city, including one in Barceloneta. Chupitos is Spanish for "shots" and offers hundreds of unique shots including the "Harry Potter" (a shot that sparks as cinnamon is sprinkled over it), and "Monica Lewinsky" (a variety of flaming shots) among others. As much a show as it is a place to get a drink, it's a fun night out.

Sleep

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.

Ciutat Vella offers a mix of luxury hotels and cheerful hostels within a dense urban environment. Staying there means being at the heart of Barcelona's nightlife - which is both lively and noisy. Eixample and Gràcia and Sants-Montjuïc are calmer, but quite as dense, and popular due to closeness to attractions. You will find more mid-market properties there. Sant Martí contains most of Barcelona's beaches and a string of very modern hotels along the Diagonal The suburbs are not as far away as you may think thanks to the metro and local railway. Some hillside hotels offer great views, but may be far away from public transit though.

See the district articles for detailed listings of accommodation opportunities.