10 Tips Before Traveling To Barcelona
So, you’re heading to Barcelona and looking forward to a magical vacation. But you still have many questions and doubts. We will help you plan your vacation by sharing useful, practical information and small tips on choosing accommodation, food, and attractions.
In this comprehensive guide, we have shared a tentative list of the best stays in Barcelona, the language these people speak, and the best shopping destinations, among others.
Thus, continue reading till the end and discover the 10 most significant tips before visiting Barcelona.
Where Is It Better To Stay: A Hotel Or An Apartment?
In Barcelona itself, unlike the beach towns on the coast, there are practically no hotels with the “all inclusive” system.
A typical hotel in the city is a comfortable shelter for the night with the possibility of leaving the keys at the reception and having breakfast without leaving the building.
Therefore, if you are looking for home comfort and convenience, we recommend renting an apartment . Spending a holiday in an old house with a quaint layout, drinking coffee in a pastry shop on the corner, looking at the city – this is an opportunity to see another Barcelona and not just the tourist facade.
Prices for apartments are comparable to prices for hotels, from 50 euros to an abstract sum. The difference is that for this money you rent an apartment with a living room and several bedrooms, it is convenient to come with a group of friends or family.
When considering offers in the old city, such as Born, Gotico, or Raval, be prepared for noise outside your windows. Look on Google maps to see if your apartment is located next to a bar, restaurant, or disco – this part of the city is bustling with life.
How To Get From The Airport?
You have several options to get from the airport to the city – by taxi (naturally, this is the most expensive option), by bus (the most convenient) or by train (the cheapest) or order Barcelona airport transfers.
Regarding taxis, it is worth knowing that many drivers in Barcelona speak only Spanish and trips are metered. You can pay for the trip with a bank card. You can find a car at official taxi stands near the terminals.
If you don’t want to run and wave your hands, you can take care of the transfer in advance and order a taxi before your arrival through this online service . Then the driver will speak English and will meet you at the terminal.
If you go by train, it is important to understand that El Prat Airport consists of two terminals: T1 and T2, and the train station is located at terminal T2. If you arrive at terminal T1, a free shuttle will take you to the other terminal in about 10-15 minutes.
From the train station, you can go to the city center, stop at Gracia (Passeig de Gràcia) (journey time 26 minutes), and to Sants station (journey time 19 minutes). Trains run every half hour. Tickets are purchased from a machine or at the ticket office, the ticket price is about 5 euros.
You can buy travel cards for Barcelona transport. If you plan to travel further by metro and buses, buy a ticket for 10 trips called T10. The card costs 9.95 euros, and this is a reasonable saving, since one trip costs 2.15 euros. The card is universal and is suitable for any city transport (except for the Aerobus to and from the airport).
Having trouble purchasing a ticket? Ask for help from those around you; tourists are loved and protected here, and they will be happy to help.
Most tourists use special buses from the airport (airbuses). They run from early morning until night; a ticket costs 5.9 euros, and when buying a roundtrip ticket (if you fly back within 15 days), the ticket will cost 10.2 euros.
What To Fear?
Barcelona is considered a city where theft is extremely common. Sadly, but true, while a relaxed tourist takes photos of “me and the Sagrada Familia”, pickpockets quickly and elegantly relieve him of excess material values.
Conclusion – take care of your wallet, and do not yawn. Particularly risky areas are the metro, La Rambla, and the beach.
How Not To Go Wrong With Clothes: A Down Jacket Or A Swimsuit?
Tourists often do not understand what things to take to Barcelona since the climate of the city and its surroundings are capricious, and cloudy days are not uncommon here. July is generally hot and sunny, but it can rain, and sea temperatures can be somewhat chilly.
Therefore, even on a summer trip, it is worth taking a windbreaker and a thin cotton sweater. In the off-season and winter – forget the phrase “hot Spain” and take a hat, jacket, and gloves, as it is cold both indoors and outdoors.
Before your trip, we recommend that you find the month you need in our series of articles; there is information about the weather and necessary things.
What Language Should I Speak?
The language barrier is easily overcome by active gesticulation and a basic knowledge of English.
The local population, especially in the tourism industry, knows English, but it cannot be said that it is their second language, so stock up on a Spanish phrasebook to facilitate communication.
However, they are used to tourists here, and even if you only speak Russian, do not hesitate to explain yourself with signs. But ordinary locals, as a rule, do not know English. And neither do residents of small towns.
How To Feel Like A Bohemian Just 10 Minutes From La Rambla?
Don’t be afraid to go off the tourist trail , even the most seedy areas of the city are quite safe and great for walking, you just need to be careful about your wallet and valuables.
Wander around the old city and go to the most multicultural and picturesque Raval district, full of ancient buildings, dark corners, museums, and universities. Try absinthe at the Marsella bar. The bar is considered one of the oldest in the city.
This nostalgic place attracts the atmosphere of a long-vanished era. How to get there: metro stops Paral-lel or Liceu (green line, line 3), career San – Pau, 65.
By the way, let’s just say about the beaches – they are all equipped with showers and sun loungers, and almost each has a cafe with drinks and snacks.
But it’s better to head to the left of the sea – there the beaches are more spacious and cleaner, the public is more refined, and you can explore the more respectable coastal areas of the city away from the noisy La Rambla .
How Not To Go Hungry?
Attention, if you intend to have lunch or dinner, accustom yourself to the local schedule – the famous siesta or lunch time begins around 2 pm and ends around 5. Dinner starts from 7-8 pm until 11.
If a hunger attack catches you between these sacred hours meals, fast food chains and snack bars are at your service, where you can always snack on a sandwich and the eternal Russian salad, which has actually already become a local national food.
Yes, yes, our Olivier can be found here much more often than in the vastness of our homeland.
How Much Do Cigarettes Cost, And Where Can I Buy Them?
The cost of a pack of cigarettes starts from 4.5 euros, you can buy cigarettes only in tobacco kiosks or in machines located in bars. If you want to save money and do not want to rush around on a vacation day looking for a tobacco machine, then bring cigarettes from your homeland, or better yet, strengthen your willpower and try not to smoke.
When To Go Shopping?
On Sundays and public holidays, only restaurants, pastry shops and some souvenir shops with an assortment painted in the style of Gaudi and the local football team with the invariable inscription “I love Barcelona” are open.
Keep this in mind when planning your shopping . As for shopping and souvenirs, take a closer look at the local hand-made jewelry, which can be found in markets and vintage shops – the Catalan capital is full of talented people creating interesting, original things that can be brought back as unusual souvenirs.
By the way, when flying home, you can also use Kiwitaxi.com transfer service from the hotel to the airport. It’s very convenient and cheaper.
Where To Go From The City?
Despite the large number of cool attractions in Barcelona itself, do not be lazy and go to Montserrat mountain.
This natural park with an unusual mountain landscape has become an emblematic place of Catalonia, just like the architectural masterpieces of Antoni Gaudí. Located in the mountains, the monastery, combining elements of Roman and Gothic architecture, is the sanctuary of the most revered Catalan saint, Our Lady of Montserrat.
The entire mountain range is crossed by hiking trails of varying difficulty levels, and on a clear day, the peaks offer impressive views of the surrounding area. You need to go to Montserrat early, because the last train and cable car leave around 6 pm.
You can stay for a couple of days – there are several hotels, cafes and restaurants in Montserrat. It is a special pleasure to wait for the departure of the tour buses and stay in the square surrounded by mountains and the sunset, painting the sky in alien colors.
Summing It Up
The trip can be easily and spontaneously planned independently – for this, you need to take the metro and go to the Espanya stop, connecting the metro and the local railway.
A combined ticket from Barcelona Plaça Espanya station to the mountain peaks can be purchased at the machine, choosing one of two options: a train to Monistrol – Montserrat station with a transfer to a small funny train that climbs the mountain almost vertically (tren + cremallera).
Or a train plus a ride in a cable car. Compared to the cost of a bus tour, the trip costs money; a round-trip ticket for adults costs about 15 euros, and a ticket for children 10 euros.
At the train station, there are people on duty whose job is to help you choose the right ticket – do not forget this, meditating on the names of the stations. Note: if you choose the train plus cable car option, you need to get off at l’Aeri de Montserrat station.
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