How to get there, what to do, how to get around and where to eat? And how to do this affordably? Below is the Pangea Barcelona Guide.
Getting Into The City From The Airport:
Taxi
To the center of the city will cost approx. 30 euros. This can be an affordable option if travelling in a group.
Refe (train)
A very efficient and cost effective way to get into the city. From the main stations in the city (Barcelona Sants or Passeig de Gracia) there are metro connections. The train and metro in Barcelona are excellent - clean and air conditioned.
Follow the signs in the airport to the Refe. At the entrance to the train station there are machines to purchase tickets and also a serviced kiosk. Pick up the Refe pocket timetable which has a map on the inside.
The best option is to purchase a T-10 ticket which will provide 10 trips on either the train (ie into he city) or the metro. The cost for at T-10 is 7,70 euros (seven euros and seventy cents). Pretty affordable travel option! More about the T-10 in "getting around".
Getting On The Train
Take train "2 North" (the airport is the end of the line so that makes it pretty easy) The train runs approximately every 30 minutes. From the airport to Sants it should take approximately 20 minutes.
There is a posted schedule at the entrance but really no need to review it (it's also on the pocket timetable), just wait with the crowd for the next train into Barcelona.
The metro works like most major city metros in terms of tickets and directions. If you are familiar with these systems, it's pretty easy to follow. If metros are new to you, follow these instructions. Use the T-10 ticket to get into the train entrance. There is an arrow on the ticket to indicate the direction in which the ticket goes into the slot. Go through the turnstiles and take the ticket back on the other side (it's work ten trips so you need it for the next nine!).
Once on the train, review the map on the screen or in the pocket timetable and find the stop, Barcelona Sants which is the first of the two city stops or Passeig de Gracia. Note the screen may not say Barcelona Sants it may say Sants Estacio (the metro stop) - which can be confusing.
At Sants or Passeig de Gracia transfer to the appropriate metro line (From Sants either L3 or L5 and from Passeig de Gracia either L2,L3 or L4). On the pocket Refe timetable the map inside also shows the metro line connection points and line numbers. Find the destination on the metro map inside the station. The metro lines work based on final stop. Each line will indicate a station, one on each end of the line. In order to determine which direction to go, find the location of where you are, where you want to go and follow that to the end of the line, that's the direction to take. Use the T-10 to enter into the metro line, taking back the ticket as you enter.
Getting Around:
By Metro or Bus
The metro and bus system as mentioned above is excellent in Barcelona. They are clean and air conditioned and many have electronic message boards indicating the next stop. Getting around Barcelona by metro is very easy.
Buses are like in most cities a little more challenging to figure out but it can be done in Barcelona unlike some other destinations where you need a MBA in map reading to figure it out.
Likely the most challenging part of figuring out the bus system is understanding one way street directions. This needs to be considered before planning which bus to take and how to get back. If in doubt take the metro, again it is very, very easy.
By Bicycle
Barcelona has a number of wide bike lanes and bicycles can be rented. If it is a particularly hot time of year, the air conditioned metro is a better option, however a day on a bicycle can be a nice outing.
On Foot
Depending on the temperature, taking a metro close to the area you plan to explore and then walking around is a great combination of convenience and exploring the beautiful city architecture.
Tourist Card - Barcelona Card:
Like many cities, Barcelona sells a tourist card called the "Barcelona Card". The card can be purchased for 2, 3, 4 or 5 days. Cost start at 16 euros per person.
The card includes access to the public transportation system (bus/metro) over 100 discounts and some freebees.
Areas To Explore:
Below are a number of suggested areas to explore, do them in whatever order works best for you. I always find the formulated itineraries too difficult to fit into a day and too structured.
Passeig de Gracia
Walk this street starting at Metro Diagonal and heading all the way down to Plaça Cataluña (or vice versa if you are staying at the other end). This street is a great example of the Gaudi architecture and has some lots of shopping opportunities.
There are two museums featuring Gaudi on this street alone. Casa Mila "La Pedrera" and "Casa Batillo" Both are highly recommended, see below in museums.
Plaça Cataluña
Placa Cataluna sits at the top of La Rambla and is the main square (actually circular) in Barcelona. The square is surrounded by department store/shopping, restaurants and terraces. In the centre of the square are fountains, buskers and sculptures. A little too touristy (there's a Hard Rock Cafe in the square) for my taste but a must see at least once.
La Rambla
La Rambla runs between Placa Cataluna on one end and Mirador de Colon on the other. This is by far the most touristic place in all of Barcelona. Again another visit just to see if but not a place to spend most of your time.
The street is filled with restaurant terraces, buskers and vendors selling everything from birds to painting to jewelry. At the end closest to Mirador de Colon there are a few artisan stalls worth some time exploring otherwise just keep walking.
Mirador de Colón
This is a monument in honour of Christopher Columbus and is situated at the end of La Rambla in a circle just beside the harbour.
Barri Gòtic
Just off La Rambla part way down is the Gothic neighbourhood. Take a stroll through this area and appreciate the architecture of the time. Again touristy but the architecture is amazing.
Plaça Reial
This is one of the oldest squares in Barcelona (part of the Gothic area) and is characterised by it's 19th century lamp posts, pillars and archways. Another major tourist attraction.
La Ribera
This is another area in the heart of Barcelona, neighbouring the Gothic area. Stroll around the streets to appreciate more of the history and architecture of Barcelona. In this area is the Picasso Museum.
Sagrada Família
There will likely be a line up to get in but if churches are important to you this will likely be one worth waiting. Otherwise you can explore the beauty of the structure from the outside, take a walk around and snap a few shots.
Parc Güell
A little challenging to get to and a lot of walking from the metro but again worth checking out. You can walk around the park and get a few of the city (the park is on top of a hill overlooking the city). Otherwise you can visit with the many other tourists, the central Gaudi area which features beautiful Gaudi mosaic sculptures and examples of Gaudi architecture. There is also a Gaudi museum in the central area.It is interesting to know that this park was originally designed by Gaudi to be a residential area, he himself lived there, however the project was not a success and never took off.
La Barceloneta
Nice for a stroll along the water but otherwise way to touristic. Skip the restaurants here which tend to be overpriced and poor service.
L'Eixample
L'Eixample is a 19th century neighbourhood and is a wonderful area to go in the evening for tapas or dinner. A number of streets have a median filled with restaurant terraces, very charming.
Montjuïc
This park is a wonderful place to spend a morning, afternoon or early evening. The park in on a steep hill (but there are escalators). At the top of the hill is a castle which has been converted into a museum. From the top of the hill there is another amazing view over Barcelona.Museums:
If you plan to visit a lot of museums, you may consider purchasing an "Articket" or the Barcelona card (mentioned above). The articket allows you to visit 7 main art centres in Barcelona (one time each) and is valid for a 6 month period (from the time of first use). The ticket costs 20 euros per person. Another benefit of the ticket is it enables you to "skip the line".
Picasso Museum
If you visit this museum and most people do, go when it is less busy or the experience will be down right unpleasant. It will be difficult to even see a painting, the crowds are so heavy.
This is a large museum and has an excellent collection of Picasso art so it is definitely worth visiting, just choose the time wisely.
MACBA (contemporary art museum)
A beautiful example of modern architecture. If you are not interested in contemporary art, this museum is not for you. It's very modern in it's interpretation of what "art" is.La Pedrera de Caixa Catalunya
This was one of my favourite museum visits. It is really interesting and a very good way to develop an understanding of the Gaudi's thinking behind the structure of his architecture. A must visit!Read an article about Gaudi here.
Casa Batllo
Wander through a Gaudi building. The mosaic work, the curves and the mind of a genius on full display. A must visit!
MNAC
Art collection from Romanesque to Modernisme.
There are many more museums, pick your favourites and take time to explore.
What To Eat/Drink:
If you like Tapas, Barcelona is a great place to enjoy them even though Tapas are not typical Catalan cuisine.
Cerveseria Catalana
A must visit for tapas in Eixample. If you don't like crowds this is not the place for you. In the evening either go very early or very late or expect to wait an hour for a table. The restaurant is also open at lunch with more manageable crowds.
The quality of the tapas was excellent, worth the wait and very affordable. The volume is very high so the food turn over ensures they are always fresh.
Do not go to - Cancosta in Barceloneta. Frommers recommends this restaurant as having the best calamari. It was the worst meal (no exaggeration) we have ever had and it cost over 50 euros for one plate of calamari (or rubber bits), one paella and a bottle of rose wine.
In general, I would not recommend eating in Barceloneta - very touristy.
A Night Out
The area around the casino at the harbour is one of the popular places among tourists, young people and bacholorette/bachelor parties. There is a wonderful boardwalk lined with restaurants and bars. Prices here will of course be higher than more residential areas but worth a visit for one night.
Another popular area for bars is the Barri Gothic.
What to drink? Cava of course (sparkling Spanish wine).
Where To Shop:
Zara, Zara, Zara
If you like Zara, you are in the right country. Zara is a Spanish brand and there are Zaras everywhere in Barcelona!
The Barcelona Tourism Board has created a "Shopping Line" which is 5 km of shopping, architectural interest and cuisine. Ask at your hotel for the "Shopping Line" map.
There are a number of other Spanish fashion brands/stores to explore. Spanish fashion is generally quite affordable.
El Corte Ingles
this is the major Spanish department store. The store has everything from gourmet grocery items, in case you want to take home some Spanish ham to designer fashions.
Sfera
Another fashion department store.
Barcelona is a really wonderful city to visit and many of the best things to do are free. There are certain times when museum visits are free and one of the best experiences is strolling along the streets and parks for which the only cost is energy.
Enjoy a truly wonderful city and your affordable travel adventure!
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