In this video, we’ll cover all you need to know before traveling to Barcelona,
including where are all the major attractions,
best time to visit,
where to stay and for how long,
how to get around the city,
how much things cost,
best apps to use,
best views of the city and other practical information.
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And share your own experience or ask a question in the comments below.
We also created a mobile-friendly .pdf document covering all the things in this video
plus the Top 20 things to do in Barcelona
including multiple maps.
Here are 16 essential tips to know before you visit Barcelona:
NUMBER 16: THE MAP OF BARCELONA
Facing the Mediterranean Sea, Barcelona lies on the northeast coast of the Iberian Peninsula's.
Let’s look at the map and see where major attractions are located.
For orientation, let’s start with Sagrada Familia,
a famous Roman Catholic church, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Northwest of Sagrada Familia, you’ll find Park Güell,
another UNESCO World Heritage Site under "Works of Antoni Gaudí".
Located on the west side of the park is Tibidabo,
a mountain with amazing view of Barcelona.
Casa Milà, another one of Gaudi's remarkable buildings,
is located southwest of the Sagrada Familia.
In the southeast you’ll find Ciutadella Park, with a zoo, lake, and other popular spots
Also, don’t miss the nearby Arc de Triomf.
South of the park, you’ll find La Barceloneta.
This seaside neighborhood is home to one of the most loved beaches in Barcelona,
and to W Barcelona,
a sail-shaped hotel with fantastic city and sea views.
The old city, the Gothic Quarter known for its medieval plazas and streets
takes you to the famous promenade La Rambla.
From La Rambla, you can enter the world-renowned La Boqueria food market.
Don’t miss the famous Columbus Monument right at the end of La Rambla next to the sea.
Farther southwest, at the foot of Montjuïc Hill, is Plaça d'Espanya,
one of the most important squares in the city and a major transport hub.
Near the square are the Magic Fountain and the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.
On top of Montjuïc Hill you will find the Montjuïc Castle.
Hop on a Montjuïc cable car to the castle for a stunning view of Barcelona.
And of course, if you’re a sports fan, don’t miss the world-famous Camp Nou.
Normally, you will arrive in Barcelona at Barcelona-El Prat Airport,
which is close to the city.
The main train station is Barcelona Sants Station, located near Plaça d'Espanya.
To get a better sense of the distance,
a 1.3 mi. or 2.1 km walk from Park Güell to La Sagrada Familia takes about 30 minutes.
If you use public transport, it will take approximately the same amount of time.
You will spend about 45 min to walk 2.3 mi. or 3.7 km from Sagrada Familia
to the La Barceloneta beach, or 30 minutes if you use public transport.
NUMBER 15: WEATHER AND CLIMATE
Barcelona has Mediterranean climate.
Winters are mild, with temperatures ranging between 48 and 60 °F or 8 and 15 °C
It is often sunny, sometimes cloudy or rainy, but rarely snowy in the city center.
Summers are hot and humid.
Temperatures range between 68 and 85 °F or 20 and 29 °C.
In spring and fall, the weather is mild and relatively rainy.
Barcelona gets frequent cold winds this time of year, specially in April.
Temperatures range between 54 and 79 °F or 10 and 23 °C in spring,
and between 47 and 70 °F or 12 and 26 °C in fall.
Of course, these are all just averages.
The weather and temperature can be different at the time of your visit,
so remember to check the weather forecast before you travel.
NUMBER 14: BEST TIME TO VISIT
The best time to visit Barcelona is in late spring and early summer from May to June,
and in the fall from September to October.
At these times of the year, the weather is pleasant, and the crowds are relatively small.
January and February are the cheapest months to visit the city.
The least convenient time to visit is probably August, when it’s very hot and humid
and there are summer tourists everywhere.
But don’t worry – Barcelona is one of the world’s most beautiful cities,
so you’ll have a great time regardless of the season.
And how can you figure out the best days and hours to see the attractions?
Just check Google to see how crowded a specific location is at a certain time of day.
Of course, we recommend going early during the week and/or in the morning.
NUMBER 13: LENGTH OF YOUR STAY
Many travelers stay in Barcelona for three days to see its top attractions
and get a basic feel of this extraordinary city.
But if you want a more relaxed and authentic experience,
we recommend staying one to three more days.
NUMBER 12: WHERE TO STAY AND COST OF ACCOMMODATIONS
If this is your first time in the Barcelona, we recommend staying in the Gothic Quarter,
El Born, or Eixample, where you’ll be close to many top attractions.
These areas are also great for night life, along with Poble Nou and Sant Antoni.
To experience a small-town vibe, stay in Gràcia,
which is also a great family-friendly neighborhood.
If you love the beach, choose Barceloneta.
For convenience, stay within or just right outside the city.
Also, be sure to check if there is a metro station nearby
so you can easily reach the city center.
On average, a mid-range hotel room in Barcelona costs around 150 EUR or 170 USD per night.
For budget hotels, the average is about 50 EUR or 60 USD.
Again, these are all just averages
and the ranges for different hotel categories are relatively wide.
With a little research online, you can get good deals,
especially if your dates are flexible and you don’t travel in peak seasons.
Check out our video on the best apps to book your stay.
NUMBER 11: AVOIDING CROWDS
Barcelona is one the most densely populated cities in Europe,
and gets around eight million international visitors every year.
With these huge crowds, exploring the city can be a challenge.
But even if you can't avoid all the crowds, you can do some things
to make your trip to Barcelona a more pleasant experience.
You can avoid peak seasons,
avoid taking the Metro during rush hours
get up early in the morning to explore the city without the crowds.
Use Google or Google Maps to check how crowded a specific location is at a certain time of day
or explore outside the city center once you’ve visited the must-see attractions.
NUMBER 10: TRANSPORTATION
From and to the airport
To get to and from Barcelona-El Prat Airport you can use:
Metro and train,
Busses,
Taxis and private transfers,
and Car rentals
Check out our travel guide for links and additional information on how to get
to and from the Barcelona-El Prat airport.
Arriving by train
If you are coming to Barcelona by train, you will normally arrive at Barcelona Sants Station,
which is located northwest of the city center,
about a 10-minute walk from Plaça de Espanya.
Another major train station is Estació de França,
which is near Ciutadella Park and the beach.
From this station, you can take medium- distance routes to other regions of Spain.
Before your trip, check which station is closer to where you’re staying in Barcelona.
Arriving by car
If you are arriving in Barcelona by car,
consider booking a hotel or an apartment with a nearby cark park.
Parking rates are from €2 to €3 per hour, and daily rates range between €15 and €40.
You can also consider park-and-ride lots on the outskirts of the city.
These facilities are located close to metro, train, or bus stations,
so you can easily reach the city center through public transport.
Rates are from €9.95 for 1 day
to €60 for 7 days.
Getting around the city
Barcelona is well-covered by public transportation.
However, you’ll still have to walk a lot, so bring comfortable shoes.
To get around the city you can use:
TMB, Barcelona’s public transport service,
which includes the metro and city buses.
It is a cheap and efficient way to see the sights throughout the city.
A single ticket costs €2.20.
You can also buy an integrated ticket for multiple journeys for 1 to 5 days.
Other transportation options include:
trams, taxis, Hop On Hop Off buses, bikes, scooters.
and, of course, funiculars and cable cars.
Check out our travel guide for timetables, prices, links and additional information.
NUMBER 9: GENERAL INFORMATION
Here are some other things you should know for a nice and easy experience in Barcelona:
DRINKING WATER
It is safe to drink tap water in Barcelona.
There are around 1600 free drinking fountains throughout the city.
We’ll cover apps for finding water fountains in a minute.
TOILETS
You'll rarely see public toilets on the streets in Barcelona.
However, you can use the restrooms at museums and other public buildings,
and even shopping centers.
There are also toilets at cafes, bars, and restaurants,
where you’ll have to order something if you want to use the toilet.
FREE WiFi
Barcelona WiFi provides tourist with free WiFi access
at almost 2,000 hotspots all over the city,
including museums, parks, libraries, markets, metro stations,
and even on buses and on the street.
NUMBER 8: FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS
TRAVEL ADAPTERS
If you’re coming from outside Europe or from the UK,
you will probably need a special European travel adapter
to charge your phone and other devices.
This is what Spanish power plugs look like.
If you travel a lot, consider buying a universal travel adapter
that you can use in other countries too.
ALWAYS BRING SOME CASH
While most hotels, restaurants, and stores in Barcelona accept major credit cards
like Visa or MasterCard, it is wise to always have some euros in your wallet.
MONEY EXCHANGE
Like most other European cities, Barcelona uses the euro.
At the time of making of this video, €1 is worth approx. $1.11 or £0.89.
Be sure to check the exchange rate before traveling.
The easiest way to get euros is through ATMs.
In Spain, ATMs typically ask if you want to be charged in euros or in your home currency.
For better exchange rates and smaller fees,
choose to be billed in euros.
It's also best to withdraw as few times as possible to avoid multiple ATM fees.
You can also consider using debit cards like Revolut that don’t charge fees for limited ATM withdrawals.
Of course, you can also exchange your foreign cash for euros at currency exchange offices.
You can get competitive rates at tourist spots such as
La Rambla, La Sagrada Familia, Avenue of the Parallel, and El Raval.
Avoid airport and hotel currency exchanges,
which usually offer poor rates and charge high fees.
PREPAID SIM CARDS
You can purchase a prepaid SIM card to access the Internet on your phone.
Local carriers include: Vodafone, Orange, and Movistar.
See our travel guide for more information.
POCKET WI-FI
Alternatively, you can consider renting a pocket WiFi or mobile hotspot.
If you’re from the US and travel a lot, consider using Google Fi.
TIME ZONE
Barcelona uses Central European Summer Time or GMT+2.
Most countries in continental Europe are in this time zone.
NUMBER 7: SAFETY
Barcelona is generally a safe city,
but there are some areas to avoid, especially at night.
Learn more about which areas to avoid in our travel guide.
Unfortunately, Barcelona is not only popular with tourists
but also with pickpockets and bag and watch thieves,
especially around major attractions and metro stations.
Watch your valuables, and use common sense.
For emergency services, dial 112.
NUMBER 6: BEST APPS TO USE
Here is a list of useful apps to use during your stay there:
Barcelona Metro or Metro Bus Barcelona (TMBAPP)
for metro and bus schedules, routes, maps, and tickets
Withlocals, Meetup or Eatwith to doing things with locals
Yego, Reby and other providers for renting an electric scooter
Donkey Republic for bike, electric bikes and electric scooter rentals
Google Maps or Apple Maps for walking, driving, and using public transportation.
Google Maps also lets you download maps,
which is a great option if you don’t want roaming.
Citymapper or Moovit for information on public transport,
such as departure and arrival times, fastest routes, etc.
Barcelona Travel Guide, Ulmon Barcelona Travel Guide, Lonely Planet
or other similar apps for practical information on attractions and public transport.
The Fork for free, real-time restaurant bookings and special discounts
TripAdvisor and Yelp for restaurant, hotel, museum, and tour reviews
WiFi Map or Wi-Fi finder, which helps you find Wi-Fi throughout Barcelona
TAP to locate the closest water fountain
SitOrSquat or Flush for finding public restrooms in Barcelona
Check out our travel guide for links to download these apps on iOS and Android
and for more app suggestions.
NUMBER 5: LANGUAGE AND EXPRESSIONS
The languages spoken in Barcelona are Spanish and Catalan.
While English is not spoken or understood everywhere,
most tourist-oriented places such as restaurants, shops, and major
attractions will have people who speak English.
Here are some Spanish words and expressions that always come in handy:
Hola or Hello
Buenos días/ buen día or Good morning/ Good day
Adiós or Goodbye
¿Qué tal? or What’s up? and How are you?
Bien, gracias Good, thank you
¡De nada! You’re welcome! / No problem!
No entiendo or I don’t understand!
No hablo español or I don’t speak Spanish
¿Cuánto cuesta eso? or How much does it cost?
Find more useful Spanish and Catalan words and expressions in our travel guide.
NUMBER 4: FREE CITY TOURS
A great way to discover Barcelona,
walking tours are organized by expert guides who know
a great deal about the city’s fascinating history, and unique art and culture.
Some providers even offer free walking tours,
but it is still expected to leave a tip of your choice after the tour.
See our travel guide for links to websites
of free guided tours and other interesting tours of Barcelona.
NUMBER 3: CITY PASSES
There are several passes you can choose from to help you save money and time in Barcelona,
for example, The Barcelona Pass, The Barcelona Card, Barcelona.com, and Turbo Pass Barcelona.
These passes include entry to several top attractions, skip-the-line privileges,
various kinds of discounts, unlimited free use of public transport,
and/or Hop-On Hop-Off bus tickets tickets.
Check our travel guide for current prices and links.
NUMBER 2: FOOD PRICES AND TIPPING
Food prices can range widely in Barcelona,
and you'll have plenty of dining options no matter what your budget is.
We suggest using Yelp or TripAdvisor to find nearby places with good reviews.
Try to avoid restaurants next to major tourist sites;
you’ll often get a much higher price-quality ratio
at restaurants a street or two away from the main attractions.
An inexpensive restaurant meal ranges from 5 to 9 EUR for lunch and 8 to 15 EUR for dinner.
A small plate of tapas costs between 3 and 5 EUR
and you’ll get a tasty paella for around 8 EUR.
You can buy a baguette at a bakery or a cafe, for about 1 EUR,
a typical ensaimada or another similar pastry from 1 to 3 EUR,
and churros with hot chocolate for 4 to 5 EUR.
As for drinks, a coffee costs between 1.3 and 2.50 EUR,
a bottle of soda around 2 EUR,
a glass of beer between 2.5 and 4.5 EUR,
and a glass of wine from 1 to 3 EUR.
There are some great cheap eats in Barcelona.
Check out our travel guide for the list of best inexpensive dining places,
such as Can Paixano (La Xampanyeria) for tapas;
Tucco Real Food for fresh pasta and empanadas,
and Churrería Laietana for churros with hot chocolate.
To save some money, you can buy food and drinks at a grocery store
or fresh fruits at a local food market.
In fact, Barcelona is famous for its market culture.
There are about 40 food markets in the city.
The biggest and most impressive of which is La Bouqeria.
Use Google Maps or a similar app to locate a grocery store or market near you.
TIPPING
You are not expected to tip in Barcelona or Spain in general.
You can still tip if want to, because you feel you've been well taken care of.
We recommend tipping 5% to 10% of the bill based on the quality of service.
Also, always tip in cash even if you pay by credit card.
NUMBER 1: BEST VIEWS OF THE CITY
You can enjoy several amazing views of Barcelona from:
Tibidabo, Park Güell, Sagrada Famiglia, Bunkers of Carmel,
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Montjuic Castle,
and W Hotel Barcelona.
Check out our travel guide for more places with free and paid amazing views of the city
and maps to easily locate them.
Our travel guide is a mobile-friendly .pdf document that you can store on your phone
for offline use.
It covers the top 10 things to do in Barcelona,
plus 10 additional attractions,
maps, links, opening hours, and other information
that will help make your trip to Barcelona stress-free.
By purchasing our travel guide, you are also helping us sustain this channel.
So, big thank you.
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