Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona, Spain
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barcelona_panorama_from_Parc_Guell_-_Jan_2007.jpg
Author: Diliff


Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is the second biggest city in Spain and the sixth most populous urban area in the European Union behind Paris, London, the Ruhr area, Madrid and Milan. The city is the financial and commercial center of Catalonia. It is also a major port on the Mediterranean Sea and also a major international airport. Barcelona is the fourth biggest tourist destination in Europe after London, Paris and Rome.

Sagrada Familia, the most famous icon of Barcelona
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sagrada_Familia_02.jpg
Author: Bernard Gagnon


Barcelona is located on the northeast part of Spain, between two rivers, the Llobregat and the Besòs. On the western side of the city is the Serra de Collserola ridge, which rises to 512 meters. The city enjoys a Mediterranean climate. Summers are warm while the winters are mild.

Cathedral of Barcelona
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cathedral_of_Santa_Eulalia_Barcelona.JPG
Author: Jorge Lascar

When to visit Barcelona

In winter - January and February - you can enjoy a cool weather with little rain. On the other hand, August is when most people staying in Barcelona go away for their vacation, so many business may be closed. On the other hand, the hotels slash their prices as business is low during that month. For the most comfortable weather, visit between April and June, and between September and November.

Tomb of St Eulalia, the patron saint of sailors, at the Cathedral of Barcelona
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tomb_of_Saint_Eulalia,_Cathedral_of_Barcelona.jpg
Author: Canon in 2D

Going to Barcelona

Barcelona International Airport (BCN) is one of the major airports in Europe. The airport is located 18 km from downtown Barcelona. It comprises two terminals, T1 and T2, which are miles apart. T1 is a new Terminal 1 serving mostly international airlines. Budget carrier easyJet flies to T2.

Santa Maria del Mar interior, Barcelona
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Santa_Maria_del_Mar_-_Nau_interior.JPG
Author: Josep Renalias


If you arrive at T2, you can take the RENFE C-2 suburban train to downtown Barcelona. If you arrive at T1, you can take a bus service to the train station at T2. The fare is €1.40 for a single journey ticket or €7.85 for a 10-journey ticket. Alternatively, you can take public buses from both terminals to downtown.

If you fly by Ryanair, you will arrive at the airport in Girona, some 100 km to the north. From there, you can take the Barcelona Bus to the Estació del Nord station in downtown. The ticket costs €12 one day and €21 return.

Torre Agbar, Barcelona
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barcelona125.jpg
Author: Miguel Carminati

Getting around in Barcelona

The Barcelona metro is perhaps the most practical way to explore the city. It uses the same ticket as the train from the airport, with the fare being €1.40 for a single journey ticket or €7.85 for a 10-journey ticket. The metro runs from 5:00 am to 12:00 midnight on Mondays to Thursday, till 2:00 am on Fridays, and 24 hours on Saturdays. The metro is operated by two companies, TMB for lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 11 and FGC for 6, 7 and 8. When you hold the 10-journey T-10 ticket, you can change between lines without paying additional charge when you transfer. However, if you hold the one-journey ticket, you need to get a new one for each transfer.

If you plan to use the metro a lot, and don't want to be bothered with counting the number of rides, get the Barcelona Card, which allows for unlimited rides as well as discounts for entry to some 100 tourist attractions. The Barcelona Card costs €24 for 2 days and €34 for 5 days. These are worthwhile if you intend to spend lots of time visiting museums and art galleries.

Estació de Muntaner subway station, Barcelona
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Estaci%C3%B3_de_Muntaner.JPG
Author: Josep Renalias


Palau de la Música Catalana
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Palau_de_la_Musica_Catalana_-_interior_1.jpg
Author: Montrealais


Barceloneta
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barceloneta_7_%28by_Awersowy%29.jpg
Author: Awersowy


Casa Milá, Barcelona
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barcelona_Casa_Mila_01.jpg
Author: German Ramos


Plaça d'Espanya, Barcelona
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Montjuic_Placa_Espanya_Barcelona.jpg
Author: Baikonur


Cazsa Batlló, Barcelona
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CasaBatllo_0171.JPG
Author: tato grasso

Sights in Barcelona Old Town

Sights in Eixample

Eixample is the "new town" section of Barcelona dating to the early 19th century.

Sights in Montjuïc

Monjuïc is the southern precinct of Barcelona, a place of museums, art galleries and nightclubs.

Sights near Barcelona

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Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.