Rest in Spain. What do you need to know about a trip to Barcelona?

Going on a trip, I would like to provide all the details so as not to get into trouble because of an annoying little thing. Forewarned is forearmed. We are going to Barcelona fully armed!

How to get to Barcelona?

Trains to Barcelona

• In Barcelona, \u200b\u200bas many as three railway stations. On two of them - Barcelona-Sants and Passeig-de-Gracia -Local trains arrive (from the resorts of Costa Brava and Costa-Dorada), as well as long-range, including high-speed (from other regions of Spain and EU countries). The third station - Estacio-de-Franca - accepts only long -range trains
• Passeig-de-Gracia is located in the very center, Barcelona-Sants and Estacio-de-Franca are removed from the center, but are connected with it by the metro lines, so the road takes no more than 7-10 minutes

Intercity buses

• Intercity buses of local lines (from Costa-Brava, Costa del Marest, Costa del Garraf and Costa-Dorada) arrive on Catalonia Square)
• The Estacion Del Norte bus station connects Barcelona with all over Europe (France, Sweden, Switzerland, England and other countries)

Flights to Barcelona

• El-Prat-de-Llobregat arrives at the Barcelona Airport from almost anywhere in the world
• Inexpensive European low-cost airlines often fly to Girona (a city on Costa Brava 120 km from Barcelona)-however, you will have to get with two transfers, but perhaps the price of a ticket from a low-cost airline will justify these torment

Sea message with Barcelona

• Barcelona is the largest international port, in which almost all ships making cruises on the Mediterranean Sea make stops
• There is a regular ferry message with Italy (Genoa, Rome, Sardinia) and France (Marcel). A steam ticket from Italy is cheaper than a train or air travel

Where to stay in Barcelona

Hotel or renting an apartment?

• Pros of residence in the hotel: reception officers are ready to help on any issue; Do not have to deal with a bunch of household issues: cleaning, washing, cooking
• Cons of residence in the hotel: price (most Barcelona hotels are very expensive); the presence of neighbors (in all Barcelona hotels there are very thin walls and good audibility); the need to follow the general rules (you can not make noise after 23:00, you can not oversleep for a restaurant for breakfast, you can not drive guests to the room and the like); You can not save on food (there are no kitchens in hotel rooms)

• Pros of residence in a rented apartment: significant savings in price compared to the hotel; You can live according to the usual graphics; You can cook yourself and save on food; There is a great opportunity to see the life of Barcelona "from the inside", and not from the hotel window
• Cons of rented apartments: all questions will have to be dealt with on your own (how to turn on the stove, get to the center, where to buy washing powder); All household issues need to be taken (washing, cleaning, cooking)
• you need to know at least a few phrases in Spanish or Catalan (take a phrasebook), otherwise the neighbors and the owners of the apartment may not understand you (not everyone knows English)

Center or outskirts of Barcelona?

• The central part of Barcelona (Rambla, Catalonia Square, the Eshamples area) is very convenient for inspecting attractions (almost everything in walking distance)
• The center has the highest housing prices, products, services; There are too many people in the center in the center; If you plan to live longer than three days, quickly get tired of the noise and the crush
• The areas remote from the center are relatively cheap, calm and comfortable for living, but the need to spend time and money on the road can quickly tire and “eat” a considerable part of the budget

• The areas along the embankment are good only in the summer. From November to March from the sea, a cold piercing wind often blows, and a panorama of beaches in gray rainy weather looks completely unattractive. In winter, you should settle away from the sea
• In the Raval region, a lot of immigrants from the Arab countries, India and Pakistan are traditionally settled. Accommodation there may not be comfortable and unsafe in the dark
• The Gothic quarter is also in some places unsafe and not attractive in terms of purity and smells
• The main thing that needs to be taken into account when choosing a hotel is not in the center is proximity to the subway. If you have to get to the nearest metro station by local transport with transfers, you run the risk of undermining your nerves or getting lost
• A good option for inexpensive residence is the suburbs of Costa del Harraf and Costa del Mareste. Here hotels and apartments are much cheaper, and electric trains go to Passeig-de-Gracia station in the very center of Barcelona

Transport in Barcelona

Metro Barcelona

• The metro Barcelona is open from 5:00 to midnight, on holidays and weekends, the working hours are extended until 2:00 in the morning. The metro branches are wearing a letter-digital designation, for example, L2, and in addition, each is highlighted with its own color. In addition to the name of the station, the signs contain a branch code and are painted in the appropriate color

• Tickets can be purchased at the station in machine guns (cash and bank cards are accepted) or at the cashier (if necessary, it can give a free metro scheme - “mapa”). There are several types of tickets, the most convenient option is the T-10 ticket (that is, a ticket that gives the right to 10 trips, while several people can go through one ticket-one trip will be blamed for each)

• The ticket should be worn neatly, as turnstiles do not read crumpled and damaged tickets. If the machine does not accept your ticket, you can contact an employee of the station with a request to replace it

• At the entrance to the subway, a scheme is usually hanging with an indication of the station at which you are now, and the direction of movement from this station. For passage through the turnstile, the ticket must be inserted into the side front slot and wait for the machine to give it through the hole in the upper lid of the turnstile

Barcelona metro scheme can be downloaded here

Taxi in Barcelona

• A taxi in Barcelona is relatively inexpensive, but convenient only for moving to remote areas. There are often traffic jams in the center, so a much more convenient way of moving is an subway
• Official taxi Barcelonas are painted in yellow-black. If a green light burns on the roof or windshield, then the car is free. Payment is levied strictly by the counter, tips are not required and remain at the discretion of the passenger
• At the airport and at stations, the car can be found on special parking lots. On the streets of the city, you can stop the free taxi with your hand, call on the phone or order via the Internet

You can order a taxi by phone 933-993-737, 932-783-000, 934-331-020 or leave a request on the website Taxi Barcelona

Barcelona Card

• The map provides for free travel on all types of city transport, as well as a discount on entrance tickets to the most popular museums of Barcelona, \u200b\u200ba discount when buying tickets to the Philharmonic and Opera, small discounts of the card owners are provided in some souvenir shops and restaurants
• Together with the card, you will be provided for free of the metro, a card with the sights of Barcelona and a detailed list of services available to Valdel Card. Cards are issued by 2.3.4 and 5 days
• Cards cannot be transferred to third parties, since they indicate the name of the owner. The number of days is automatically counted from the date of activation of the card indicated on the back, regardless of whether you used it or not

You can get more detailed information about the map and make an online purchase here

Should I take the car for rent in Barcelona?

• In Barcelona, \u200b\u200ba rented car is the most expensive and inconvenient mode of transport, because
  There are no free parking lots, and the cost of paid guarded parking is quite high
• In the center of Barcelona (especially during periods of the influx of tourists) it is simply unrealistic to find free space, you will have to spend hours to solve the problem
• Leave the car outside the parking-a guaranteed penalty for parking in the wrong place, in the worst case, payment of the penalty (from 200 euros and above)
• A car under the control of foreigners - tasty booty for car thieves. Your car will not be stolen, but they will thoroughly gut

Tourist buses Barcelona

• In Barcelona there are 3 popular excursion routes along which tourist buses run, stopping near the main attractions
• Each route is indicated by its color: red, blue, green. Buses are painted in the same color.
  Tickets are sold for 1 and 2 days
• The ticket gives the right to free travel along the entire route during the dates indicated on it. You can go and get out of the bus at any stop unlimited number of times. The price includes an audio guide, a tourist can listen to reference information about a tourist facility, which is located at the next stop
• In good weather, places on the upper tier of the bus are open
• The routes operate all year round with the exception of two days a year - Christmas and New Year. Buses run from 9 a.m. to 7 pm. The interval of movement is approximately half an hour

You can see a detailed scheme of tourist routes here

City buses Barcelona

• Ordinary day buses have rather confusing routes and for movement in the center they can be successfully replaced by the metro
• Bus stops look the same as in Russia (roof, bench, sign and flock of waiting passengers). To stop the bus you need, you should give the driver a sign with your hand
• Payment of the fare is made when landing on the bus directly to the driver, so you should always get into the bus through the front door

• Do not linger at the entrance, since a small impatient queue is usually formed on landing
• To get out of the bus, before the desired stop, you need to click on one of the bright red stop buttons located in the middle and end of the cabin on the turnstiles before leaving before
• There is in Barcelona night busesWhich is very convenient, since the rest of the city Tarsport stops moving at night. All night routes start from Catalonia Square in the city center

A detailed scheme of night bus routes Barcelona can be viewed here

Food in Barcelona

There are several network restaurant brands in Barcelona, \u200b\u200bwhere food is organized as self-service, food is much more useful than fast food, and prices are about the same level. So for those who want to save such restaurants is ideal.

The price of lunch in the restaurant is fixed-around 8-12 euros. This cost includes salad, soup, second, drink and dessert. For each type, a choice of several dishes that are exhibited in a transparent window is offered. Visitors move along the showcase and choose dishes on their own. At the end of the showcase, a calculation with a cashier is made.

Self -service restaurants in Barcelona

• Fresco restaurant network. The restaurant of the Freesko network closest to the center is located in the Moremagnum shopping complex in the port of Barcelona. The addresses of all the restaurants of Fresco in Barcelona can be viewed here

• Lactuca restaurant network. The Latuca restaurant closest to the center is located opposite the Sagrada Cathedral Surname at 427 Carrer de Prevenca

• La Paradeta restaurant network (seafood dishes). Here, visitors choose not ready -made dishes, but raw freshly used seafood and the method of cooking (there are not many options - fry, put out and eat raw)
• While the visitor selects drinks, dessert and pays for the order, cooks prepare a dish. At the checkout, a check is given with an order number that the cooks are shouted as soon as the dish is ready. The cost of lunch varies around 20-25 euros per person
• The restaurant closest to the center is located near the house of Leo Sebre on Paseo de Gracia, a full list of restaurants can be viewed here

• Another type of relatively inexpensive restaurants is local operational “Tapas". There are a great many of them in Barcelona, \u200b\u200bit is better to choose those that are located not on the central streets, but a little to the side

• AT restaurants fast food Lunch from a hamburger, fruit potatoes and a drink will cost 10-12 euros

• In small restaurants of Mediterranean cuisine and on food courts of large shopping centers, hot centers and a drink will cost around 15-20 euros per person

• Dinner or lunch in a classic restaurant in the center will cost 40-50 euros per person (salad, hot, water and wine)

Shopping in Barcelona

• The sales season in Barcelona is 2 times a year: from January to mid -February and from mid -July to the end of August
• Discounts for goods at the beginning of the sales season start from 10-15% and by the end of sales reach their peak of 70-80%. True, the choice in February and August is already small, but an experienced shopaholic will always find a suitable thing for such funny money
• The most fashionable and expensive brands of European clothing are sold on Passeig de Gracia. This is the most pathos street of Barcelona with the most pathos boutiques

• In the Gothic quarter, many fashionable clothing stores can be found in the area of \u200b\u200bPlaca de Sant Josep Oriol and the streets adjacent
• In the season of sales from Catalonia Square, a special Tomb Bus bus departs every hour, which delivers everyone on the most Kurpy trades of Barcelona
• On Diagonal Avenue there are quite a few branded stores of famous European clothing brands: Armani, Versace, Zara and others

Molly and Outlets Barcelona

• Ingles Court (El Corte Inglés) - The most famous shopping center of Barcelona, \u200b\u200blocated on Catalonia Square

• Maremagnum (Maremagnum) -shopping and entertainment complex near the aquarium in the old port of Barcelona

• Glories (Les Glories) - The shopping center on Diagonal Avenue near the Cathedral of Sagrada Surname

• Arenas de Barcelona Arena) The former stadium for conducting Corrida, which was converted under the shopping center after the introduction of the ban on battles with bulls in the country. Located on Spain Square near singing fountains

• Diagonal (Diagonal) - Big shopping center at the beginning of Diagonal Avenue near the El Maresme and Forum metro stations

The beaches of Barcelona

• Despite the fact that Barcelona is a huge metropolis, its beaches can be considered ideal in cleanliness. The beach strip starts from the Barcelonet area and stretches north for several kilometers
• There are 11 beaches in this area. Most of the equipped beaches are located in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Barceloneta, Cieutadell, Bogatell, Llacuna and Pable-Nou metro station
• Wild beaches are closer to the outskirts of the city next to the Selva de Mar, El Maresme and Forum metro

Security Rules in Barcelona

• In crowded tourist places in the city center there are many pocket thieves. Often they steal the bags and gadgets left unattended
• Also, tourists often become victims of thieves in the subway and suburban trains per rush hour
• Be especially careful if one of the local residents suddenly shows you unexpected interest or offers disinterested help (shake off a stooped back, ask about some kind of nonsense): pickpockets often work in pairs, and while one distracts, the second cleanses pockets and bags From money
• Wear bags and backpacks so that it is impossible to pull them off your shoulder on the go: this sometimes motorcyclists on the sidewalks along the roads

• Do not open bags and pockets with a large crowd of people. Often, tourists begin to fumble in their pockets in the crowd in search of a travel card, trifles for payment, phone and so on. At this moment, they become very easy prey for scammers
• Do not leave things on the beach unattended
• Avoid the Gothic quarter (especially the part located closer to the sea) in the dark in the dark)
• In rented cars, always lock the doors if you go in a traffic jam. Do not keep valuable things in the back seat of the car, do not leave things in the cabin when you leave the car, even if it is in a guarded parking lot

• Emergency numbers of Barcelona: Ambulance - 112, 061, police - 092, 091
• Consulate General in Catalonia: 933-938-146 (24-hour free Russian-speaking phone)

Video: How to choose housing in Barcelona?

Video: How to save in Barcelona?