Barcelona

Spain

Overview Activities Acco Guide

Overview

Barcelona is the largest city in Catalonia and the second largest in Spain. Situated on the Mediterranean coast of the country, Barcelona is a beautiful blend of rich history and modern elements that further beautify and preserve its ancient heritage. Combine this with the city’s perennially favorable weather conditions, buzzing nightlife and globally renowned cuisine and it is easy to see why Barcelona is one of the top tourist destinations in the world today.

Things to do in Barcelona!

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Hotels

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Guide

Neighborhood

The city is in a state of constant renovation and is an amalgamation of the ancient and modern that can be often captured in the same glance. The neighborhoods in Barcelona are also referred to as “Barri’s” by the local people. Barcelona is roughly cut into half by the Avinguda Diagonal, one of the city’s broadest and most prominent avenues, which runs across from west to east.

 

Ciutat Vella and Barcelona: This area is the older part of the city further divided into three parts that are densely populated and mostly consist of narrow streets interspersed with small squares.


 

 

 

Barceloneta:

  • Consisting of the original Barcelona beach, this is the area towards the harbor where fishermen used to live traditionally. This region is now known for its fish restaurants.
  • Main attractions and landmarks include the Barceloneta Beach.

 

Poble Sec:

  • This is primarily a residential area with fresh and peaceful tree-lined streets. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, this area is also known for its beautiful architecture.
  • Main attractions and landmarks include:

 

The Eixample:

  • This area is known for its celebrated modernista architecture and promises you an experience of the real Barcelona life.
  • Main attractions and landmarks include:

 

Gracia:

  • This area has a village-like charm to it and is a very cosmopolitan area, popular amongst tourists from around the globe.
  • Main attractions and landmarks include:

 

Sarria:

  • Sarria is known for its beautiful modernized old structures and delicious food. It is more peaceful than the main city with a village-like feel.
  • Main attractions and landmarks include:

Getting around

General info

The Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) serves the transport needs of the city by offering an efficient public transit system (bus and metro).

As a visitor you might consider using the following travel cards:

 

You could also consider a few special services to enhance the Barcelona experience:

  • Telefric de montjuic:
    • Experience an aerial view of the city in a cable car.
    • An adult round-trip costs 10.80€.
  • Tramvia blau:
    • Barcelona's heritage tram system which runs 1,276 metres up to the foot of the Tibidabo funicular.
    • A single ticket costs 4.20€.
  • Barcelona bus turistico: A 2 days adult pass costs 31.50€.

Bus

From the Airport

  • The Aerobus connects the Barcelona-El Prat International Airport to the centre of Barcelona.
  • The service is available everyday throughout the year with a bus leaving every 5 minutes.
  • The trip takes approximately 35 minutes from either of the Airport Terminals (T1 or T2).

 

In the City

  • Barcelona has an extensive bus network providing service 24 hours across the city
  • You can use the Barcelona travel card for unlimited access to the city bus service.
  • The TMB website has details of various bus lines and routes.

Taxi

Staying connected

  • Spain uses the GSM 900 and 1800 frequency bands. For 3G carriers use the 2100 band. Vodafone is now providing 4G services in the country.
  • There are multiple service providers in Spain that offer prepaid SIM / Pay As You Go options.
    • Major national carriers:
      • Movistar
      • Vodafone
      • Orange
    • Mobile Virtual Network Operators:
      • Lebara
      • Mas Movil
      • Yoigo

Eat / Drink

Local

Catalonia’s Mediterranean coastline coupled with access to fields and mountains has allowed the Catalonian cuisine to evolve into the epitome of sophisticated Spanish cooking. Some typical food items that you should try out while visiting Barcelona are:

  • Pa Amb Tomaquet: made with bread and fresh tomatoes, this is a true Catalan vegetarian treat.
  • Escudella: A Catalan stew made of meat and vegetables.
  • Paella: A typical Catalan rice dish made with vegetables, meat or sea food.
  • Romesco: A sauce made from almonds, roasted garlic, olive oil and dried red peppers.
  • Panellets: small round sweets made with almonds, sugar, eggs and pine nuts.

 

Some notable local restaurants for Catalan cuisine include:

Gourmet

  • ABaC
    • Cuisine: Modern Catalan
    • Traveller’s Choice 2014 Winner

 

  • Alkimia
    • Cuisine: Spanish
    • Certificate of Excellence 2013

 

  • Cinc Sentis
    • Cuisine: Contemporary
    • Certificate of Excellence 2013

 

 

  • Via Veneto
    • Cuisine: Catalan with a twist
    • Certificate of Excellence 2013

Vegetarian

 

 

 

Drink

Spanish wines are known the world over and Catalan wines are among the best in Spain:

 

Though Spain is mostly known for its wines, Barcelona is slowly evolving to be a great beer destination, here are some of the well known pubs in the city:

Tipping

Tipping is in Spain typically depends on the quality and type of the service.

  • Hotels: Tip your porter 1 - 2€ per bag depending on the bag weight. Housekeeping can be tipped 2 – 5€ per day. The concierge can be tipped 5 – 10€, depending on the quality of service.
  • Restaurants: Tip your server 10% of the bill in cash, if the service is good.
  • Spas: Tip your therapist 10% and up depending on the service.
  • Tour Guide: You can tip your tourist guide around 20€, only if it is a personal tour.
  • Taxi: Tip your driver about 10% of the total fare or round-up the fare.

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Banner image credits: Jesus Solana

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