Barcelona is Spain's second largest city, with a population of nearly two million people, and the capital of Catalonia. A major port on the northeastern Mediterranean coast of Spain, Barcelona has a wide variety of attractions that bring in tourists from around the globe. The many faces of Barcelona include the medieval Old Town, and the unique street grid resulting from 19th-century urban planning. The city has long sandy beaches and green parks on the hills, pretty much side-by-side. It is also famous for a number of prominent buildings, of which the most-known are by the architect Antoni Gaudí, including his Sagrada Família, which became Barcelona's symbol to many.
Founded more than 2,000 years ago as the ancient Roman town Barcino, Barcelona is as historic as it is modern, with a constant flow of projects changing the face of the city and long-standing penchant for design and innovation. Thanks to the wealth of attractions, a very well-developed accommodation base, a lively nightlife and a robust transportation system, Barcelona has become one of Europe's, and pretty much the world's, most popular tourist destinations.
Districts[edit]
'"`UNIQ--maplink-00000002-QINU`"'Map of Barcelona
Ciutat Vella Barcelona's old town, including the medieval Barri Gòtic, La Rambla (Les Rambles), Ral, and El Born (also known as La Ribera) Eixample Modernist quarter, central hub of the city, and the area to go to find Antoni Gaudí's work. Gràcia Formerly an independent town, it joined the city in the 20th century. Narrow streets and a cosmopolitan and young atmosphere with not too many tourists Sants-Montjuïc Plaça Espanya and Montjuïc he been the focus of several great fairs and exhibitions. They he left behind museums, monuments and festivals for trellers to explore. Sant Martí More beaches along the coast, but generally fewer tourists and tourist attractions. Inland Suburbs Mostly residential, but there are some sights if you want to explore. It includes Camp Nou, home of FC Barcelona; Tibidabo, the highest point in Barcelona; and more Gaudí architecture.
Barcelona coastline in high summer
Understand[edit]
It rarely snows in Barcelona, but when it does it highlights the closeness of the mountain range at one end of the city to the seaside on the other
When to visit[edit]
Barcelona
Climate chart (explanation)
JFMAMJJASOND
44
15
9
31
16
9
33
17
11
48
19
13
47
23
16
33
26
20
25
29
23
41
29
23
82
26
20
97
23
17
45
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12
47
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation+Snow totals in mm
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
1.7
59
48
1.2
60
49
1.3
63
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1.9
66
55
1.9
73
61
1.3
79
68
1
83
73
1.6
84
74
3.2
79
68
3.8
73
62
1.8
64
53
1.8
59
49
Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation+Snow totals in inches
August is probably the busiest time for tourists in Barcelona. However, many shops and restaurants are closed from early-August to early September. During this time, you will find the most expensive hotel rates (outside of conference times such as the Mobile World Congress), and the city is devoid of locals, as the vast majority of residents go on vacation in August and lee the heat and humidity to the hordes of arriving tourists. This is also one of the highest periods of home break-ins, as criminals know that many places are unoccupied for an entire month.
While Barcelona has decent, albeit crowded beaches, the locals will be very appreciative if visitors do not consider Barcelona a beach resort and absolutely do not wear beachwear when visiting churches, restaurants, etc. If you only want a beach, and a good beach at that, head south to Costa Daurada, north to Costa Bra or out to sea for the Balearic Islands.
Barcelona can be visited off-season and despite the cold weather, is a lovely city even in the winter months of January and February, as long as the possibility of rain is low. Given the high humidity, 19–23 °C (66–73 °F) is considered comfortable weather, which is usually the temperature from May to June, and from late August to October. These are the best times to visit the city. Anything warmer than this can feel too hot, and the period from November to April is quite chilly and at times gloomy.
With children[edit]Toddler happiness is considered a public responsibility in Spain. In any public place, people around you will make every effort possible to make your toddler happy: whenever he or she looks bored or is crying, everyone does their best to entertain or to calm them. You will find a great list of things to do with children during your Barcelona visit.
Visitor information[edit] 41.3868032.1707231 Tourist office at Plaça de Catalunya, Plaça de Catalunya, 17-S (Metro: L1, L3. Bus: 9, 22, 28, 42, 47, 58, 66, 67, 68. Train: R4). 08:30-20:30. This is the main tourist office in the city.
(updated Oct 2015)
Tourist office at Plaça de Sant Jaume, Ciutat, 2 Ajuntament de Barcelona (City Hall). M-F 08:30-20:30, Sa 09:00-21:00, Su and public holidays 09:00-14:00. (updated Dec 2017)
Tourist office at Estació de Sants, Plaça dels Països Catalans (Metro: L5,L3. Bus: 63,68). Daily 08:00-20:00. (updated Dec 2017)
Tourist office at Aeroport del Prat (Terminal 1 and 2.). Daily 09:00-21:00. (updated Dec 2017)
All tourist offices are closed on 1st January and 25th December. For a full list of tourist information points check the link above.
The department store El Corte Ingles publishes a free street map for tourists. You can pick a copy at the store, or at one of the many hotels in the city.
The Turisme de Barcelona site might be helpful.
Tourist Passes[edit]Barcelona Card. This card gives free entry to more than 25 museums and other sites in Barcelona. For over 70 moresites it offers various kinds of discounts. It also includes a trel pass for public transport in Barcelona (for details see Hola BCN! card below). The card is ailable for purchase for periods of 2 to 5 days. If you don't plan to see lots of museums every day, then it may be cheaper to buy transport-only tickets (see below), and if you spend a lot of time in the largest museums, the Barcelona Art Passport may be better value. This card cannot be used on the cable cars or funiculars (except for Montjuïc). In general, if you plan to see only the famous highlights and don't visit museums, this card is not worth the hefty price or the hassle. Plenty of trel websites recommend and promote these kind of discount cards because they receive a commission. You should also remember that many museums offer free or discounted admission if you are over 65. From €27 for a Barcelona Card Express (2-day), up to €77.00 for a 5-day card (5% discount if bought online in advance); a version for children is ailable as well. (updated Mar 2024)
Artiticket Barcelona (Art Passport), ☏ +34 934 439 470, info@articketbcn.org. This is an Art Passport covering six of the main art museums. Namely; MACBA; Museu Picasso; CCCB; Fundació Antoni Tàpies; Fundació Joan Miró; Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya. It is valid for one year and comes in a passport style book. It does not include any public transport. €38. (updated Mar 2024)
Barcelona City Pass. a package that combines preferential skip the line tickets and use of the hop-on hop-off bus in Barcelona. This city pass package could se you money during your visit, only if you heily use it. €85.00+. (updated Mar 2024)
Talk[edit]
The Sagrada Família church by Antoni Gaudí is perhaps the most known landmark of Barcelona
Barcelona's official languages are Catalan and Spanish. About a half prefer to speak Catalan, a vast majority understands it, and virtually everyone knows Spanish. However, most signs are indicated only in Catalan because it is established by law as the first official language. Yet, Spanish is also widely used in public transport and other facilities. Regular announcements in the Metro are made only in Catalan, but unplanned disruptions are announced by an automated system in a wide variety of languages including Spanish, English, French, Arabic and Japanese. On the other hand, FGC announcements – either regular or disruptions – will be made only in Catalan, and disruption announcements on RENFE's network will usually be made only in Spanish. As in most other cities, any attempt by visitors to use the native languages is always appreciated. Most locals are bilingual in Catalan and Spanish, and instinctively address foreigners in Spanish. Catalan is a separate Romance language, not a dialect, and sounds closer to Italian, Portuguese and French in many ways. Avoid referring to Catalan as a dialect, which will offend Catalans.
You might find some locals answer in Catalan after being asked in Spanish, that's not because they are being rude but because they assume you are bilingual. In Catalonia, it's not uncommon to hear people code switching between different languages in the same conversation. In case you can't understand what they are saying, tell them you don't speak Catalan and politely ask them to repeat it in Spanish or English.
The main cause of Spanish and Catalan social bilingualism in modern Catalonia is a large scale immigration process from the rest of Spain, which occurred over the 20th century, as Catalonia started a significant industrialization which demanded an increased workforce from elsewhere. 60% of the people in Catalonia use Spanish as their first language, and 40% use Catalan. The issues regarding language, national identity, and politics are like politics anywhere.
In tourist areas, almost all shops and bars he some English speaking staff. People will generally make an effort to try to help you if you speak English. If you are a native English speaker, you will he few problems, as Barcelona hosts many tourists.
Get in[edit] By plane[edit]
Barcelona International Airport
The main airport is 41.2969442.0783331MISSING WIKILINK Barcelona El Prat (BCN IATA). Some low-cost carriers, notably Ryanair, use the airports of Girona (GRO IATA), nearly 100 km (62 mi) to the north, or Reus (REU IATA), around the same distance to the south, instead. Since Ryanair started operating at BCN, you should check carefully where your flight goes. The three-letter IATA code should be part of your booking process.
Barcelona International Airport[edit] Main article: Barcelona El Prat AirportBarcelona International Airport (BCN IATA), also known as El Prat, is a major transport hub, with flights from all over Europe and beyond, is by far the closest airport to the city. To get to the city centre, there are different options. Both terminals he a metro station and the ticket machines before the turnstiles will sell you a Billet aeroport ticket to anywhere in the city by metro (only)for €5.70. You can also reach Barcelona's city centre by train or by bus with a T-casual on a T-mobilitat contactless card. This costs €12.55 for 10 journeys on any Suburban Train (Rodalies), metro (not from the airport), tram, or bus in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, and cannot be shared by more than one person. It is also much cheaper than the Aerobus (€7.25 for a single journey). The train lees from Terminal 2, and there is a free shuttle from Terminal 1 to terminal 2. Trains run every 30 minutes until around midnight. If you arrive on a late flight, you can get into Barcelona using the N18 night bus, which stops at Plaça d'Espanya on its way to Plaça Catalunya. See the Public Transport section in Get Around below for more information on tickets & passes as there were major changes in 2023.
Girona–Costa Bra Airport[edit]The Barcelona Bus service runs a shuttle bus from Estació del Nord (which is walking distance to the Arc de Triomf metro stop) in Barcelona to Girona Airport, synchronised with various flight times. A one-way ticket costs €16 and a return ticket costs €25. The journey takes approximately 1 hour 10 minutes. Timetables are ailable online. You can also take a train (you can choose between local Rodalies, Media Distancia and high speed E trains with different trel times and price points) to Girona main train station and a local bus from there to the airport.
Reus Airport[edit]The easiest way is to get there is to take the bus run by Hispano Igualadina from the Barcelona Sants bus station to the airport. Bus departures are synchronized with Ryanair plane departures/arrivals. One way ticket costs €13 and a return ticket costs €24. The journey takes from 1 hr 30 min to 1 hr 45 min, depending on the traffic on the motorway. Timetables are ailable online[dead link]. A slightly cheaper, yet longer option is to take a train from Barcelona Sants station to Reus and then the local bus no. 50 to the airport. The train costs €7.25 and then the bus costs €2.5. This takes about 2½ hours. Train timetables can be checked at Renfe's website and the bus timetable is ailable at the website[dead link] of Reus public transport.
Barcelona Sants railway station
By train[edit]
Superfast trains will whiz you to Barcelona from across Spain and France
Barcelona is well-connected to the Spanish railway network, and to the rest of Europe. High-speed trains run frequently from main station 41.3791122.1398782 Barcelona Sants 
(in the southwest of the city) to Madrid, Seville and Malaga. There are also regular long-distance connections that partially use high-speed infrastructure to all major Spanish cities. The station is also served by many regional lines including R1 R2 R2SUD R2NORD R3 R4 R11
The historic 41.3842.1863 Estació de França now mostly serves regional trains.
Direct regular high-speed train service goes to destinations in France. In addition to two daily TGV services from Paris (trel time ~7 hr to Barcelona), there is a daily service from Lyon (5 hr), and a daily service from Marseille (4 hr). Prices start at €39, so even though the train could take longer than a flight, it is often a cheaper, more relaxed alternative and less climately harmful option.
The former Talgo trains from Montpellier to Barcelona and Cartagena via Portbou ceased to run when direct high speed services started. It is still possible to trel via Cerbère/Portbou using local trains, but it's cumbersome, painfully slow and timetable coordination at the border is awful; however it may be the only alternative if all TGVs are fully booked. Also, if booked in advance, TGV can be way cheaper than using these local trains. However, for trelers using Eurail and Interrail passes these local routes are a useful way to oid the high additional reservation fees on the international TGVs, which can be almost as high as an advance-booked standalone ticket on some of the longer routes.
There is also a less-known rail line over the Pyrenees to Toulouse. There is roughly one train every 3 hours on the Spanish side and one every two or four on the French side, including a sleeper train from Paris (with a branch to Portbou which splits at Toulouse: check all timetables to see whether route is faster, it greatly depends on waiting times at the border). Purchasing tickets for this route can be tricky. The Spanish line is considered a commuter line despite being far away from Barcelona and does not appear in any global European timetable, so it is impossible to get an international CIV ticket, every portion must be purchased separately. Also, for southbound trel, the Latour-de-Carol station only sells SNCF tickets so the Spanish portion must be bought directly at the ticket inspector, cash only. The journey takes 7–8 hours (including transfer) and costs roughly €30.
The launch of the high-speed service spelled the end of the overnight sleeper-car service called Trenhotel between Barcelona and Paris. Trenhotels still do, however, run between Barcelona and Granada, A Coruña and Vigo.
The security checks are taken seriously and may take some time. Arrive in advance, and do not bring anything that could be interpreted as potential weapon as it may be destroyed (knife, tools…).
Barcelona is a popular port of call for cruise ships
By boat[edit]
The city's port is one of the busiest on the Mediterranean.
Large cruise ships dock 1–2 km (0.62–1.24 mi) to the southwest. Many of them offer bus-shuttles to locations at the south end of La Rambla. The ferries dock almost directly on the Ramblas.
There are regular ferry connections with the Balearic Islands (Alcúdia, Ciutadella de Menorca, Ibiza City, Sant Antoni de Portmany, Mahón, Palma de Mallorca), Italy (Genoa, Porto Torres and Civitecchia for Rome) and Tangier, in Morocco. From Rome (Civitecchia) it is actually cheaper to take the ferry than a bus.
Some of the largest shipping companies includes Baleària, Grimaldi Lines and Trasmediterranea but there are several smaller companies as well.
By bus[edit]41.3941422.1827424 Barcelona Nord is the station for all long-distance buses. It's on Carrer de Nàpols near Arc de Triomf metro and railway stations. Buses may also pick up / drop off at Barcelona Sants railway station.
Alsa is the main bus line in Spain. They run every couple of hours from Madrid Estacion Sur, taking 8 hours via Madrid Airport T4, Zaragoza, and Barcelona Sants.
Flixbus runs coach services between Barcelona Nord and London Victoria Coach Station, via Paris and Toulouse. They also connect to Amsterdam, Cologne, Brussels and many UK cities. They can be very cheap, but be prepared for a 24-26 hour coach ride from London! There is a small service fee. There may or may not be plug sockets or Wi-Fi on board. Flixbus recommend that you be at your departure point at least 30 minutes before departure time (except London Victoria where you are required to arrive 60 minutes before departure).
Twiliner buses take 14 hr 15 from Zurich via Bern and Girona. Their seats fold flat into a bunk: there's some disturbance from bumps in the road and noise at intermediate stops, but no worse than in a railway sleeping car, for similar comfort and half the price.
By car[edit]Several main roads connect Barcelona to France and to the rest of Spain. Traffic is usually relatively light outside of peak hours. Free parking spaces can be found a few metro stops from the center of the city.
Blue parking spaces are paid M-Sa 09:00-14:00 and 16:00-20:00. At some crossroads, the pay time starts at 08:00. Anyone can use a blue space, but they aren't that easy to find. You pay at the meter and put the ticket on the dashboard. Green parking spaces are for residents only. White parking spaces are free at all times, but there aren't any in the city centre.
City car parks are found throughout the city.
Get around[edit] By public transport[edit]The public transport in the city and the surrounding area managed by Autoritat del Transport Metropolità (ATM) consortium who provide information about services by all operators. The whole area is covered by the Integrated Fare System, which is divided into 6 zones. This system includes the most of the public transport in the area: metro, city and intercity bus, tram and commuter trains. Like most major European cities Barcelona has moved to a rechargeable ticketing system called T-mobilitat..
The city limits of Barcelona are completely inside zone 1. The public transport in the city is mostly operated by Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB). They he a separate site dedicated for tourists. Other operators in Barcelona are Rodalies de Catalunya ; Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya(FGC) & Tram.
Barcelona's metro system and commuter railway lines in the city center.
T-mobilitat is a card or smartphone app that is the carrier of many of the contactless pass types below and can allow you to trel throughout the Barcelona metropolitan area.
An anonymous T-mobilitat reloadable card (1€)
There are three physical types.
Personal reloadable plastic card costing 4.50€ that has to be registered. It is mainly aimed at local residents but people staying for an extended period may find it useful as it supports all pass types. If lost, it is possible to block the card and recover the passes on the card. Anonymous reloadable cardboard cards which cost 1€ and can only support one pass at a time. They can support T-casual, T-familier or T-grup passes. T-usual passes are also ailable on this type of card but can only be reloaded with T-usual passes. This is low cost option aimed at less frequent users like tourists. NFC Smartphone app has a 1.00€ registration fee. Supports all ticket types, up to five different types of passes at a time (but do you want to pull your phone out every time you want to validate a pass?)Passes & tickets ailable:
Single ticket. A non-integrated ticket is valid only for single mode of transport of a specific operator: either bus, metro or funicular, etc. On buses you can use a contactless bank card without a physical ticket for one journey. 2.65€. (updated Dec 2025) Billet aeroport Non-integrated ticket for use on the metro between any point on the metro system and the airport. There are other tickets that can be used on metro line 9 at the airport, see below. 5.70€. Hola BCN! cards. For unlimited number of journeys for 2, 3, 4 or 5 days. They are valid for TMB metro and bus, tram, FGC and regional trains in the city and metropolitan area. You will find the T-casual and its sister passes better value. They are one of the passes valid on airport metro L9. (not issued on T-Mobilitat) between 18.10€ (2-day card) and 42.10€ (5-day card). (updated Dec 2025) Integrated for a fixed number of journeys. Unfortunately these passes are not valid for trel to/from the airport by metro L9, but they are valid to/from the airport on the bus and train. All use T-mobilitat. T-casual. This pass is for a single-person for 10 single journeys. During each journey it's possible to make up to three transfers. The whole duration of a journey must be no more than 1hr 15min and within zone 1. The T-casual is the good option for tourists. It's more convenient than buying single tickets and better value than the single tickets for more than 4 trips. It's far cheaper than the various discount cards with free transportation option. And finally, it doesn't bind one to specific routes like the hop-on-hop-off buses. T-casual for Zone 1 12.55€. T-familiar. Multi-person pass valid for 8 journeys, valid for 30 days. To correctly share this pass, the number of validations must match the number of people trelling together. T-familiar for 1 zone 11.05€ T-grup. Multi-person pass for 70 journeys, valid for 30 days. To correctly share this pass, the number of validations must match the number of people trelling together. T-grup for zone 1 87.35€ Integrated for an unlimited number of journeys for a number of days. These passes are valid for trel from the Airport on the Metro L9. T-dia Single-person pass with an unlimited number of integrated journeys for 24 hours. Only one round trip to/from the airport on the metro L9 is allowed. T-dia for zone 1 11.55€. (not issued on T-mobilitat) T-usual Non-transferable single-person pass with an unlimited number of journeys on any means of transport within the integrated system, for 30 consecutive days as of the first use, for the number of zones purchased. You must enter your passport or identity card number when purchasing these passes and you must carry the identity document when using the pass. T-usual for zone 1 22.00€ (discounted price till date to be announced). If loaded onto a cardboard T-mobilitat card, only T-usual cards can be reloaded onto the card. This pass is not valid for trel to/from the airport on metro L9 .The discount on T-usual looks like it is going to be extended into 2026 so may be worth considering for longer stays.
An operator independent trel planner is ailable on the Barcelona Government website. There is a tendency for operators to emphasise their own services on their maps.
By metro[edit]The Metro (subway) is an efficient way of getting around town. Operation times are 05:00–24:00 (M–Th), 05:00–02:00 (F), and continuous service from Saturday at 05:00 until Sunday at midnight. Stations are marked 
on most maps; every station has a detailed map of exits to the city. Trains are fast, often coming in two minute intervals. However, on holidays and weekends trains only run every 6-8 minutes and can get easily packed. Announcements are made only in Catalan, though signs and ticketing machines generally include Spanish and English too.
Pay attention to the fact that to get from metro lines operated by TMB ( L1 , L2 , L3 , L4 , L5 , L9 / L10 and L11 ) to the ones operated by FGC ( L6 , L7 and L8 ), or vice versa, you need to exit and then enter through a new pay-gate. In this case, if you had a one-journey ticket, you need to get a new one. If you used a multiple journey ticket you won't be charged for a second time when changing lines as long as you are within the stated trel time for a single journey. Also, you can't repeat operator, so you can't use a FGC ride to make a shortcut. For instance: changing to L9S to L1 via L8 using Fira and Espanya will charge you with two journeys, you should go via Torrassa instead although its way longer. All trains are air-conditioned, but the metro stations themselves are not, so beware because the stations can become very hot during summer months.
Also be aware when trelling to/from the airport by Metro line L9 : while the T-casual is valid for R2NORD Renfe services (or buses), it is not accepted for the Metro. If you use the Metro line L9 to the airport using a T-casual ticket, you'll be forced to pay the full fare when exiting the metro at the airport, which is 5.70€, and the ticket you've used will not be refunded.
There are two main sets of tram lines, Trambaix T1 T2 T3 towards the North West of the city and Trambesòs T4 T5 T6 towards the East of the city near the coast. There are interchange points with other modes of transport. These lines are run by Tram 
and all lines are in zone 1.
There is one other tramway run by TMB but is not part of the integrated ticketing system: Tramvia Blau. This is a historic tram that connects to the Tibidabo Funicular. Unfortunately, it has been closed since 2018 it is closed for maintenance with bus 196 ailable as a replacement.
By train[edit]Regional suburban trains run through Barcelona and share ticketing with the modes of transport above. There are two operators: RENFE and FGC. Wrongly ignored by some tourists, they provide a useful additional mode of transport for getting across the city or connecting with mainline rail services and the airport.
The trains run by RENFE share tracks with mainline trains and are called Rodalies (known in the rest of Spain as Cercanías). They operate lines R1 R2SUD R2 R2NORD R3 R4 R7 R8 . NOTE that the integrated system map shows fare zones that do not coincide with the integrated transport zones of different transportation companies but the integrated fare Zone 1 is shown with the addition of the airport T2 station on R2NORD . However, due to chronic underfunding severe disruptions are more the norm than the exception (as of March 2025, the service on line R3 had been completely suspended, without expectations of either restoration the same day or any replacement services), so seriously consider other alternatives before choosing RENFE-operated trains.
The trains run by FGC are S1 S2 S3 S4 S8 S9 and some are confusingly prefixed with an R . In addition FGC operates L6 L7 L8 but these are considered to be part of the Barcelona metro.
Watch out, it is possible to trel beyond integrated fare Zone 1 on both systems. There is a good map on the FGC website showing all rail lines and the boundary of Zone 1.
By bus[edit]
An articulated Barcelona city bus
The bus network in Barcelona is pretty extensive. Perhaps the best option in planning your route is to consult with one of the route planners mentioned above.
A major reorganisation of bus lines was completed in November 2018, so disregard old bus schedules and recheck routes. For example, bus line 92 to Park Güell, used by many tourists to get there after a visit to the Sagrada Familia, has been suspended, and a new line V15 stops there but takes a different route through the city centre (Passeig de Sant Joan).
Here are some tips for bus line codes:
Hxx lines run parallel to the coastline, low numbers run on the high side, high numbers on the sea side. Vxx lines run from the beach to the hills, high numbers on the northern side (Besòs), low numbers on the southern (Llobregat). Dxx lines run in a somewhat diagonal path, although interestingly none of these cover neither Diagonal or Meridiana enues, the main oblique streets. Mxx lines are found at the outer perimeter of metro coverage and link a metro stop to a neighbourhood lacking metro service. Bxx lines run on the northern area outside Barcelona or linking Barcelona to neighbouring municipalities in the metropolitan area, B stands for Besòs river. Lxx lines run on the southern area alike Bxx lines, L stands for Llobregat river. Some municipalities he lines fully inside the town limits with two letters and a digit, theses two letters are reminiscent of the town name, such as BDx for Badalona and LHx for L'Hospitalet Nxx lines run only at night when all other lines do not run, roughly from 23:00 to 6:00. Cxx lines link Barcelona the various northern coastal Maresme towns up to Mataró. Exx lines are express buses from Barcelona to various municipalities 10–60 km (6.2–37.3 mi) outside of the metropolitan area. Lines with one or two digits without any letter follow historical routes from before the H-V-D schema. Lines between 100 and 199 are usually very local lines served with low-capacity cars and poor frequency, 30 min or worse. Notable cases are line 111 to the Tibidabo amusement park, line 120 through Ciutat Vella, and line 150 to Olympic venues and the Montjuïc castle; others are mostly useless for tourists. Line numbers from 200 upwards are used for some routes going outside the metropolitan area, while some others of the same kind he no number at all.Buses H-V-D run about every 6–12 min weekdays, 15–20 min weekends.
Nitbus (N) run every 20 min all night. Information is ailable from AMB All Nitbuses (except N0 & N19) start or pass through Pl Catalunya
Take note that some lines he special fare restrictions: Barcelona cards (unlimited trel for 2 to 5 days) are valid only on Hxx, Vxx, Dxx and line numbers below 200. Fare 1 trelcards are not valid for Cxx, Exx and line numbers above 200 – actually, trips fully inside fare zone 1 are not permitted on these lines no matter what ticket is used. If you board any of these buses inside fare zone 1 you won't be able to get off until reaching another fare zone.
Sightseeing buses[edit]There are two types of official sightseeing buses in Barcelona, operated by different companies. Both of them use double-deck buses with a retractable roof.
Barcelona Bus Turístic. Operated by TMB with blue-and-red buses, it has three routes (map provided as you board), including a northbound and a southbound line that lee from opposite sides of the Plaça de Catalunya. Each takes 1–2 hours. The hop-on/hop-off format lets you get-off at any interesting stop, see what interests you, then get back on any later bus at that or any other stop. One approach is stay on for an entire route, then continue while getting off at locations that interested you earlier. Buses are double-decked, with the open-air upper deck offering much better views – but sunscreen is essential in summer months, jackets in winter, early spring and late autumn. Earphones are offered when you first get on so you can hear the commentary as you drive by significant locations. Outlets near every seat let you choose among many languages and playback volumes. The buses are very frequent. For a cheaper option with more flexibility in routes opt for the metro and the T-casual. Adult prices: 1 day ticket 33€, 2 days 44€; tickets can be bought at the bus stops, some hotels, etc. or online with 10% discount.. (updated Dec 2025) Barcelona City Tour. Operated by Moventis with red buses, it has two routes: the northbound green route that goes by the beaches and Barceloneta, as well as important landmarks like Plaça de Catalunya, Hospital de Sant Pau, and Parc Güell; as well as the southbound orange route that runs over the Montjuïc mountain and passes by the Sagrada Família and the Camp Nou football stadium. Adult prices: 1 day ticket 33€, 2 days 44€; tickets can be bought at the bus stops, some hotels, etc. or online with 10% discount.. By scooter[edit]Except for deliveries, electric scooters are forbidden on sidewalks and all pedestrian walks throughout Barcelona. Doing so may subject one to hefty fines, as well as frequent, audible disdain from pedestrians. Electric scooters are permitted in bicycle lanes, and may share the road with automobiles.
Mattia46 scooters for rent: 50cc to 200cc. GoCar is a two-seater, 3 wheeled vehicle that runs with a 49cc engine. It is legally classified as a scooter to drive on the roads. The GoCars were created with the purpose of being rented to tourists as a different way to see a city. Cooltra Motos Scooter rental. You can rent a moped for 1 day up to 1 month. You can also take a part in private or group tours. Barcelona BikesBooking Scooter and motorcycle rental in Barcelona. Cheap motorbike hire in Barcelona area with helmets, GPS, top case, hotel and airport delivery. By bicycle[edit]Barcelona also has its own shared bike system, called BiCiNg. However, this is only accessible to locals. Mainly in the Western parts of the city, these are replaced by Ambici bikes - while non-residents can sign up, the conditions are not overly attractive (significant annual fee and rental prices encourage short-time rentals).
Donkey Republic. The orange bikes of Donkey Republic are placed all around the city. Tourists can rent and unlock the bikes via the company's app 24 hours a day, which can lock and unlock the bike by Bluetooth. Bikes start at €12 per day. Bolt offers app-based ebike rentals, however the number of bikes is limited. Ridemovie offers app-based rentals. Perry Tours - Bike Tours Barcelona Perry Tours offers daily guided bike tours in Barcelona with English and Dutch guides, providing a fun and unique way to explore the city's highlights and experience its lively atmosphere. Located at Plaça de George Orwell, 08002 Barcelona – Business hours: Monday till Sunday: 10:00 – 18:00h. – Phone: +34 603 32 65 88 Tres Gatos Bike Tours offers unique guided bike tours in Barcelona, including exclusive routes to Montjuic and Tibidabo. Their tours provide an unforgettable experience, showcasing the city's beauty and rich history. The company offers tours in English, French, and Spanish, with daily departures in the morning, afternoon, and evening. For detailed schedules and booking, visit their website. By segway[edit] Barcelona Segway Day, Rull 2 08002, ☏ +34 608 408 112. Visit Barrio Gotic and Barceloneta. from €29. (updated May 2015) On foot[edit]Barcelona is a very walkable city. It takes little over an hour to walk from Port Vell at the seaside to Park Güell at the foothills of the mountain range at the northeastern end of the city, and you can see a range of attractions, including La Rambla and Sagrada Família, on your way. There are opportunities all around to sit down and enjoy a drink or a meal everywhere. If you are fit, you can pretty much explore the city by foot alone, unless the heat beats you in the warmer months (and then you can always resort to the air-conditioned metro).
By car[edit]Parking around all major tourist destinations is expensive (€3/hour, €20-36/day) and the spaces are difficult to nigate, as there are several classes of public parking spaces, with complicated rules for each class. Barcelona is plagued with the same problems that plague other major European cities: massive traffic jams and extremely narrow streets in some areas, coupled with a very complicated road system. As such, driving yourself around is not recommended for tourists, especially those with no driving experience in large cities. Public transport will get you to all the major areas, and you should use that as your main mode of transport.
Hing a driving map is essential - plan your route before you set off. Nigating with an erage tourist map is frequently misleading: many streets are one-way; left turns are more rare than rights (and are unpredictable). As an example, Gran via de Les Corts Catalanes is actually a one-way northbound street between Espanya and Marina, the opposite direction is reserved for buses and taxis only.
Some free parking spots reported by trelers are:
Near Moll de Sant Bertran (which is south-west from Museu Maritim) - driving at B–10, exit to WTC and make a complete round at roundabout, heading to warehouses - and park next to its employees cars. Somewhere near Guell Park. Near Font Màgica, in Plaça Espanya and the Montjuïc hill.Getting around by car makes sense if you plan to spend much more time driving outside the city borders than inside it - and ideally if you don't plan to park overnight at all. Otherwise, for purely in-city transportation, consider renting a scooter, or using public transportation instead.
By taxi[edit]As of January 2019, ride-sharing services such as Uber require at least one hour's notice. For less than one hour's notice, you need to call a regular taxi.
See[edit]
'"`UNIQ--maplink-00000092-QINU`"'Map of Barcelona
Individual listings can be found in Barcelona's district articles
What to see in the dark
The most spectacular sights in the night are:
Musical fountains, in Plaça d'Espanya. May-Oct: Th-Su 20:30. Each session lasts 30 minutes, with the last one starting at 23:00. Casa Batlló. Torre Agbar office tower, highlighted F-Su 19:00-23:00. City views from Montjuïc hill
La Pedrera (Casa Milà)
The old city[edit]
Walk around the winding streets and hidden squares, fountains and palaces in the Barri Gòtic (Ciutat Vella). Highlights include the 41.3838892.1763891 Catedral , the 41.3839042.1776912 Museu d'Història de Barcelona (formerly known as the Museu d'Història de la Ciutat), and 41.382.1753 Plaça Reial .
Gaudí's Parc Güell in Barcelona
Since 1984 seven buildings by the architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926) in or near Barcelona he been listed as "Works of Antoni Gaudí" on the UNESCO World Heritage List: the basilica of 41.403692.174334 Sagrada Família , 41.3952782.1616675 Casa Milà (La Pedrera) and 41.391582.164926 Casa Batlló in Eixample, 41.378822.174397 Palau Güell in Ciutat Vella, 41.4136112.1527788 Parc Güell and 41.4034872.1506439 Casa Vicens in Gràcia, the 41.3637972.02784710 crypt of the Church in Colònia Güell.
Hospital de Sant Pau by Lluís Domènech i Montaner
The works by the Catalan art nouveau architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List: 41.3876672.17527811 Palau de la Música Catalana in Ciutat Vella and 41.4127782.17444412 Hospital de Sant Pau at the border of Eixample.
The Ruta del Modernisme run by Modernisme Centre (Pl. de Catalunya, 17, subterráneo; phone +34 933 177 652) is a guidebook and discount voucher book that costs €12 + €5 for each accompanying adult (Dec 2024). It takes you to all the best Modernisme (art nouveau) buildings in Barcelona. The main part of the route can be walked in a couple of hours, if you don't stray too far from the main routes. The Tourist Offices offer a pack that includes discounted tickets to many attractions such as La Pedrera and La Casa Batlló. All can be seen from the outside for free.
With children[edit] Museum of Natural History in the Forum - Museu Blau CosmoCaixa: Museum of Science Amazing museum for kids from 4-5 upwards. Adults will really enjoy it also. Zoo and Parc de la Ciutadella. 41.4217512.120044