Make the most out of your trip to Barcelona with this comprehensive travel guide. This practical guide prepares you with everything you need to know before you go.

Why you should visit Barcelona

Barcelona has everything you’re looking for in a city trip. From historical landmarks to vibrant city life, it’s foodie heaven, has perfect weather and there’s even a beach - This city has it all!

Barcelona is located on the east coast of Spain and is the capital of the Catalonia region. This gorgeous city is known for its unique art and architecture. The mind-boggling Sagrada Familia cathedral and other stunning Gaudí landmarks are scattered all around the city. The Gothic Quarter takes you back to medieval times and there are even hidden ancient Roman ruins! Foodies will think they’ve gone to heaven with all the excellent restaurant options this city has to offer. And if you need a break from all the hustle and bustle there's a beach to relax and lay back. 

Check out our Top 10 Things To Do in Barcelona and start planning your trip!

Keep on reading for all the tips and tricks to make your visit to this stunning city unforgettable!

Language

In Barcelona, the official languages are Spanish and Catalan. Catalonia has its own language, food specialities and traditions. In Spain, the Catalan language is spoken in Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands. Outside of Spain, it’s spoken in some parts of France and Italy and it’s also the official language of Andorra. 

You’ll notice that road signs, ads and media will be printed in both Spanish and Catalan. Most residents of Barcelona are fluent in both Catalan and Spanish, but many locals also speak English. It’s fascinating to see many locals speaking at least three languages fluently! Many restaurants offer English menus and most tourist sites offer information in multiple languages.

Currency

The Euro (€) is the official currency used in Spain. We paid by debit card everywhere we went, even tiny tapas bars accepted payment by card. However, it’s a good idea to carry some cash for tips, as tipping by card isn’t always possible.

Tap Water Safety

Tap water is regarded as safe to drink but has a peculiar taste due to chlorine treatment. Many locals and tourists prefer bottled water for this reason. Bottled water is readily available in grocery shops all around the city. If you have no problem with the chorine taste you’ll be happy to know that throughout the city you’ll find many drink water fountains where you can refill your own bottle.

How to get around in Barcelona

Walking in Barcelona

The best way to explore Barcelona is on foot. Many popular sights are within walking distance of each other. Some places of interest can be found a bit further away from the city centre, it’s best to go there by public transport or taxi and then walk around on site. While strolling around you’ll come across many charming little side streets, small shops and beautiful buildings. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes, because you’ll want to keep exploring and see what’s around the next corner!

Using Public Transport in Barcelona

Barcelona has an extensive public transportation system that includes options like buses, metros and trains. Using public transportation is the most cost-effective way to quickly get to another part of the city. If you plan on using a lot of public transportation during your stay then buying a ‘Hola Barcelona Travel Card’ is a good idea. This card will give you unlimited access to public transport for 2, 3, 4, or 5 days, making it a cost-effective option for exploring tourists.

Taxis and Ride-Sharing in Barcelona

For quick and easy transportation within the city there are plenty of black and yellow taxis around. Hail a taxi down from the side of the road or order them via a mobile app. Using a taxi is the easiest and most convenient option, but also the most expensive one. Ride-sharing services like Uber and Freenow are also available. Many of the taxis also offer rides using the Freenow app. We ordered several rides on Freenow and liked it because you know exactly how much a certain trip will cost you in advance. Keep in mind that if you’re in a group, going by taxi or ride-share might actually be cheaper since you can split the costs!

Car Rentals in Barcelona

Renting a car for a stay within Barcelona is not advised due to traffic and parking issues, but it’s a great option if you plan on doing a day trip outside the city. We rented a car to go on an awesome day trip to Montserrat Monastery. Stay tuned for an in-dept day trip travel guide! Sign up for our newsletter and be the first to know when “The perfect day trip from Barcelona: Montserrat Monastery” goes live!

Getting from Barcelona-El Prat (BCN) Airport to the City Centre

Depending on your budget and time restraints there are several options to get to and from the airport. The closest airport is Barcelona – El Prat (BCN) which is about 14 kilometres (8,5 miles) away from the city centre. Officially this airport is called the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona - El Prat Airport. 

Important Barcelona Airport Terminal Tip:

Barcelona Airport has 2 terminals. Make sure you know which terminal you’re flying from. Terminal 1 (T1) and Terminal 2 (T2) are located 4 km apart. There is a free shuttle bus that connects the two terminals, but keep in mind that this will take between 10-15 minutes. Your departure terminal can be found on your flight details. 

By Car

The easiest and most comfortable way to get to the city centre with your luggage is by car or taxi. The taxi stand is right outside the airport and will take you to the city centre in about 30 minutes. We took an Uber which cost us €39. We later found out that FreeNow is the app that most people around there use instead of Uber. The cost of a taxi should be similar. 

By Aerobus

The Aerobus service will take you from the airport (both terminals) directly to the city centre in about 30-35 minutes. It runs 24/7 and 365 days a year. At the time of writing a one-way ticket is €5,90, and a return ticket is €10,20. 

The Aerobus also offers combination tickets with the ‘Hola Barcelona Travel Card’ which gives you access to public transport for a set amount of hours. The Aerobus makes several stops with Plaça Catalunya as its final stop. Make sure to check that one of these stops is near your hotel. Our hotel was a 20-minute walk from the final stop, which meant we would either have to walk from there or continue on another form of public transport. We opted to get a taxi instead, but if your hotel is close to a stop or you’re travelling light then the Aerobus is a great way to get to the city centre!

By Public Bus

The regular bus (number 46) is the cheapest option to get to the city centre during the daytime. But keep in mind that it runs less frequently and makes a lot of stops. Getting to the centre by regular bus will take an hour and you’ll probably need another form of transport to get to your actual end destination. 

By Underground (Metro)

The metro connects both airport Terminal T1 and T2 with the city centre and takes about 32 minutes. It’s important to note that there’s no direct metro line from the airport to the city centre. From the airport, you take metro line L9 Sud from where you’ll have to transfer to line L1 to get to the actual city centre, you might even need an extra transfer to line L4 to get closer to the Gothic Quarter. The metro departs every 7 minutes, but usually only runs from 5 AM to midnight (with extra runtimes on Friday and Saturday night). 

By train

The R2 Nord train line will take you from the airport to the city centre. Trains run every half hour and will take about 30 minutes. Keep in mind that the train only leaves from airport Terminal 2, so if you arrive at Terminal 1 you will first need to take the free shuttle bus to the right terminal. 

When to visit Barcelona?

Most people think of Barcelona as a spring and summer destination. While these two seasons are definitely the liveliest when it comes to festivals and tourists, each season has its own charms. Barcelona has a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters, making it a perfect year-round destination for city trips. 

Spring in Barcelona (March - May)

In March and April the temperature will start to rise towards 20°C (68°F). The travel season will usually start from May onwards, when the temperatures start getting warmer as well. The spring weather is still very changeable so be sure to wear layers. And don’t forget to bring an umbrella for the occasional spring rain shower. At night the temperature will usually still drop quite a bit. 

Summer in Barcelona (June - August)

The summers in Barcelona can be hot with average temperatures between 22-28°C (70-83°F). July and August can be really hot so keep this in mind when planning! Of course, there’s always the beach to escape to if you need to cool off. The summer is also peak time for many outdoor activities like festivals, concerts and street parades. It’s also the busiest time of year. 

Autumn in Barcelona (September - November) 

From September onwards the temperature will start dropping again from 25°C (77°F) in September to around 15°C (59°F) in November. There can also be some occasional rain and cloudy weather. Fall time is the low season, making it less crowded and ideal for exploring.

Winter in Barcelona (December - February)

The winters in Barcelona are mild with temperatures ranging between 5-15°C (41-59°F). The days can be sunny but feel chilly because of the cold sea air.

Barcelona Planning Tips

Barcelona is a bustling city with loads of things to see, do, eat, try and experience. Plan ahead and decide what to put on your Barcelona bucket list. You probably won’t be able to do everything Barcelona has to offer in one visit so planning it out helps you get the most out of your trip. 

‍Here are some planning tips to keep in mind:

Buy Online Tickets 

Most of the tourist attractions like the Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and Casa Mila can have huge waiting lines. Buy your tickets in advance and be sure of your spot. Tickets are sold with a date and time slot making it super easy to plan your day with little time wasted standing in line. Some lines can actually take hours only to find out that there are no more tickets available for that day, so be sure to pre-book your activities online. Important side note: only buy your tickets through the original website. Resellers will often add extra fees. 

Make Restaurant Reservations

This is not a necessity, but we found that in the high season restaurants get very busy, especially the popular ones. Many have a website where you can make an online reservation, often even for the same day. We usually booked our dinner for that day during the afternoon to be sure of a spot. This was purely because we had a bucket list of restaurants we wanted to go to. You can also take the chance and just walk in, especially if you're travelling solo or as a couple there's a good chance they'll be able to find you a table on the spot. 

If you want to find out which authentic restaurants in Barcelona you shouldn’t miss out on, then sign up for our newsletter and be the first to know when our “Where to eat in Barcelona” article goes live!

Closed on Sunday 

Keep in mind that on Sunday many shops and restaurants are closed. Most large chain shops are closed, but in the touristy areas most souvenir shops will remain open.

Sunday was the only day we had trouble finding a restaurant because all that were on our list were either closed or not within walking distance. After walking around for a long time and being tired and hungry we decided to get in line for a popular spot that had high ratings on TripAdvisor. Unfortunately, this was the only place we weren’t raving about, the food was by no means bad, but there are far better restaurants in this city! So avoid disappointment and plan for Sunday dinner in Barcelona. 

Most of the tourist attractions and museums are open on Sunday, so this is the perfect day to visit those!

Create an Itinerary

Normally we don’t like to plan our entire trip but since Barcelona in the summer is a very busy place, you really should at least make a general itinerary. Decide on must-see attractions and must-visit neighbourhoods. We recommend tackling one area of this city per day. That way you can pre-book tickets to sights you do not want to miss, maybe book a restaurant for lunch or dinner and spend the rest of the time exploring that area on foot. This way you’ll make the most of your time in Barcelona and minimise potential disappointments. 

If you want more tips on what to see and do check out our Top 10 things to do in Barcelona! 

Get in the Local Rhythm

Maybe the biggest tip is to just let go of your ‘regular’ routine and enjoy the local flow. Change up your schedule to meet the daily rhythm the locals adhere to. Slow down and enjoy everything this city has to offer. Have a late lunch paired with some cava or vermouth and an even later dinner that consists out of loads of tapas. One of the best things about Barcelona is that the city is lively and bubbly even on a weeknight!

Many shops close for lunch and reopen around 4 PM. Lunch is usually eaten between 1:30 - 3:30 PM and dinner from 9 to 11:30 PM. In fact, most dinner restaurants won’t even be open before 8 PM! 

More Barcelona Travel Inspiration

Now that you know all the practical Barcelona travel tips check out Top 10 Things To Do in Barcelona to plan out your city trip.

Coming soon

Stay tuned for more in-depth articles about what to do, see and eat in Barcelona. Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter so you’re the first to know when new articles go up on the blog!

• Where to eat in Barcelona
• A day trip from Barcelona: Montserrat Monastery
• How to Avoid Scams and Pickpockets in Barcelona