Let’s have a look in my Barcelona Travel Guide for practical information, because if you travel to Spain, you definitely have to make a stop in Barcelona!
Length of stay
This is for every city trip the same, it depends on your expectations. If you just want to see the highlights of the city or you want time to also see museums, do some shopping, maybe make a day trip in the surrounding.
I would say if you just want to see the major highlights, 3 days should be sufficient. At Barcelona Turisme you can find a suggested itinerary for 1, 2 or more days. (click on ‘What to visit’ and than itineraries)
Airport
Barcelona International Airport (BCN), also called El Prat, is located 12 km (7,5 miles) from the city center.
Airlines
I went with Brussels Airlines. But for foreigners, Iberia Airlines is the national airline. Also US Airways, American Airlines, Continental Airlines and Delta Airlines fly to Barcelona International Airport.
Ways to get to the Barcelona city center
Train: Renfe, R10 line (end station Estació de França). The best stop is Passeig de Gràcia, which is a 5 minutes walk to Plaza Catalunya.
Or you could take station Sants and take the metro to where your hotel is situated. The train runs every 30 minutes (always check for weekends and Holidays). The travel time is approximately 30 minutes. But delays are a possibility! A ticket costs 2.80 euros.
Bus: Aerobus. There is a bus every 6 minutes to Plaza Catalunya (in the early morning and evening it’s 15 minutes). It takes 35 minutes and approximately 5.05 euros one-way & 8.75 return* (can be very crowded) There are also lines from local buses that serve the airport.
Taxi: Expect to pay around 25 euros. This is without the airport supplement (3,10 euro) and luggage surcharge (1 euro per item) which is charged on all taxi fares. Rates can be found in the back of the taxi. If you don’t trust it, it’s always advisable to ask for a receipt. Because on the receipt it’s explained what to do if you want to make a complaint. (You can check taxi rates)
Accommodation
Friends of mine stayed at the Hotel Principal in Barcelona. They recommend it as a good price/quality hotel with a great location. It’s situated close to the Ramblas. If you want to look at more hotels in Barcelona, read reviews and compare prices, click here.
Sightseeing
The best way to discover a city, especially if you’re only there for a short period, is to take a ‘hop-on-hop-off’ bus. (I haven’t done it in Barcelona, because I wasn’t familiar with the concept, I discovered it in Lisbon. But I loved it!)
In Barcelona it’s called Barcelona Bus Turistic. There are 44 stops along 3 routes. Prices: one day is 21 euros (adult) and two days is 27 euros (must be consecutive days). The ticket also gives discounts on several tourist sights!
Go from my Barcelona Travel Guide to Places to Visit in Barcelona for more information on the highlights of this city!
When you go visit Barcelona, you might want to learn some Spanish phrases to express yourself in a foreign country. So, what are you waiting for? Leave my Barcelona Travel Guide and go learn some useful Spanish phrases 😉
*: The prices were accurate at the time of publishing. These may change.
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