Barcelona Airport (El Prat) is 8 miles or 13 km to the South West of the City Centre.
The airport bus service to Plaza Catalunya operates every 15 minutes Monday to Friday and every 30 minutes at weekends. The cost is €3.45 (about £2.50) and has a journey time of 35 minutes.
Rail: Rail journeys from the airport to the main station, Estacio De Sants, operate every 30 minutes with a cost of €2.20 (£1.50) and a journey time of 20 minutes.
Taxi: A taxi from the airport to the city centre including airport surcharges should cost about €24 Euros (£17.00) and many taxis accept payment by credit card.
BARCELONA AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT
The Metro underground is a fast and easy way to move around Barcelona. Get your ticket at any metro stop and if you're planning to make more than one journey during your stay, a T10 metro pass is highly recommended, as you get 10 zone-free journeys for still under 7 Euros.
Metro: The Metro operates Monday-Thursday from 5am till midnight, Friday 5am-2am; Saturday is now open 24 hours around the clock until midnight on Sunday. During certain city fiestas and special events, the metro is open 24 hours.
Bus: Buses are very frequent and although a slow means of transport, you can enjoy Barcelona's wonderful views and get your bearings. Normal buses run from around 6am until 10.30pm.
Barcelona Bus Touristic. A good way to discover the city’s most interesting and attractive sights. You can get on and off the double decker buses as many times as you like at the 42 stops around the city. An informative guide about each of the stops is issued with the ticket, as well as a discount voucher booklet you can use at the main sights and landmarks. A 1 day ticket will cost €19 for an adult and €11 for a child aged 4-12 or €23.00/€15.00 for a 2 day ticket and can be bought onboard the bus. Please see on the following page details of routes and stops.
There's also an excellent Nitbus service running all night on limited routes from Plaza Catalunya. Your standard metro pass operates on Metro, bus, Nitbus, and also the Ferrocarril to Montjuïc.
Taxis: Taxis in Barcelona are black with a yellow stripe. They are readily available, and still relatively inexpensive. To hail a cab, look for a taxi showing a green light on its roof. This indicates that it is free. Just wave your hand.
City Centre to The Nou Camp The Nou Camp is about 3 miles from The City Centre and can be reached by taxi. Take the Metro to Les Corts or Collbanc and follow the crowds.
City Centre to The Estadi Ilimpic Lluis Companys Metro: Lines 1 & 3 to Plaça Espanya Station Railway (Ferrocarriles Generalitat de Catalunya): Plaça Espanya Station Bus: Lines 27, 50,56,57,157,30,9,37,109 & 55
TOURIST OFFICES Plaza Catalunya, 17 s, open daily from 9am-9pm, Tel: 906-301-282. Sants Rail Station, open Mon-Sat 8am-8pm and on Sundays and public holidays 8am-2pm.
EMERGENCY SERVICES Medical emergencies: Tel: 061 General emergencies: Tel: 112 Fire Service: Tel: 080 Local police: Tel: 092 Pharmacy services: Tel: 93-481-0060 Dental emergency: Tel: 93-415-9922
When using the above numbers it is advisable that you ask somebody who speaks fluent Spanish to relay your message.
BRITISH CONSULATE Consulado General, Av. Diagonal 477, 13th floor. Tel: 93-419-9044.
BANKING HOURS Monday to Friday 0830 – 1630.
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS
The Avenue Ramblas It's the best known landmark of Barcelona, meandering down from Plaza Catalunya to the Columbus statue. It is filled with gift shops, restaurants, small bars, newspaper kiosks, flower and animal stalls. Throughout the day and more so after nightfall you will be entertained by all types of artists and magicians along the length of La Ramblas as they compete for your small change.
The Sagrada Familia Temple Building was commenced over 100 years ago and is still less than half completed, Gaudi’s most emblematic work and a symbol of Barcelona all over the world. Open October to March, 9am-6pm, April to September 9am-8pm. Admission is €8 and there is a €2 charge if you wish to use the lift that takes you up 65 metres to the Passion Façade.
The Old Town Containing the Gothic Quarter, the Ribera and Raval districts famed for its historical monuments, narrow streets and bohemian atmosphere, the perfect place for a stroll.
The Olympic Harbour With its many bars and restaurants.
The Olympic Stadium Venue for the 1992 Olympics and now home to Barcelona’s second side Espanyol.
Columbus Monument The Christoffel Columbus was built in 1888 in honour of the renowned explorer and discoverer of America. The monument is placed at the site where Christoffel Columbus arrived in 1493 after his discovery of America the year before. Columbus was presumably born in Genoa, Italy. He first moved to Portugal and later settled in Spain. Nevertheless in the 19th century Columbus was considered a Catalan - some historians still claimed he was born in Catalonia, hence the monument for the famous explorer in Barcelona. The 7m high statue shows a standing Columbus pointing towards the sea. Oddly enough, he is not pointing in the direction of the new world he discovered.
The Guëll Park It's one of the most intriguing parks in the world. The pavilions and main staircase designed by Antoni Gaudí look like they belong in some fairy tale.
Golondrinas Pleasure boats which travel around Barcelona harbour from the Columbus monument (harbour end of La Ramblas) to Barcelonas beaches and Olympic harbour.
L’Aquarium Barcelona The most important marine, leisure and education centre if the world concerning the Mediterranean. Open from 9.30am until 9.00pm the aquarium can be found at Moll d’Espanya located at the bottom end of La Ramblas. Admission is €15 for adults and €10s for adults over 60 years of age for children aged between 4 and 12 years, less than 4 years are admitted free of charge.
The Museu Picasso Which contains a huge amount of Picasso’s early work. Open Tue-Sat 10.00 am to 8.00 pm, Sunday 10.00am to 3.00pm, closed Mondays.
Barcelona Zoo Housing over 7,000 different animals including “Copito de Nieve“, (Snowflake in English) the only albino gorilla in captivity and FC Barcelona’s museum which is open Monday-Saturday from 10.00-17.30 and on Sundays and bank holidays from 10.00-13.30.
Tibidado Amusement Park A family amusement park situated at the highest point of the city of Barcelona. Not open all year round so please check the website for opening hours if you are planning a visit.
BARS
London Bar, Nou de la Rambla, Barcelona Very friendly and welcoming, popular with Brits living in the city. Open 7pm-4am, closed Mondays.
The Shamrock Irish Bar, Barcelona Meeting point for the Irish community living in Barcelona. Large screen TV’s for football and Irish rugby. Open 6pm-2/3am daily.
Alt Heidelberg, Ronda Universitat 5, Barcelona German beer hall located in the centre of Barcelona. Popular with locals and tourists. Good assortments of German dishes, tapas and of course plenty of German beer. Open 7.30am-1.30 am daily.
Mirablua, Plaça Doctor Andreu 2 Barcelona Few bars in Barcelona can boast such a magnificent view of the city. Elegant and intimate disco-cocktail bar. Expensive, but well worth making the journey up Tibado hill for. Open 11pm-5am Tues-Sun.
The Clansman, Calle Vigatans 13. Barcelona Atmospheric pub with imported UK and worldwide beers. Premier league football shown.
Scobies, Ronda Universitat 8, Barcelona Irish pub named after famous jockey Scobie Breasley. Four screens showing Premier league football, also the place to go for live for live NFL coverage.
Kennedys Irish Sailing Club, Moll Mestral 26-28, the Olympic Harbour. Barcelona This large and comfortable bar has now become even bigger and better with a new bar area, in true Kennedy style. Located at the heart of the Port Olympic, this is a great place to enjoy your favourite drinks and all the sport on large screen TV, or sit on the seafront terrace and watch the boats in the Port Olympic harbour.
The Philharmonic, c/ Mallorca 204, Barcelona Best British beer and cider, Sunday lunch roast beef. Traditional English breakfast also available. All major sporting events covered. Open weekdays 9am-3am, Sat and Sun 1am-3am.
The Michael Collins Irish Pub, Placa Sagrada Familia 4, Barcelona Spacious with 3 bar areas and an Irish cottage style dining room. Serves up Guinness, Kilkenny and Cashels cider. Live Irish music Thur-Sun, open daily 2pm-late.
Kitty O’ Sheas, Calle Nau Santa Maria, 5-7 Barcelona The restaurant has a very successful lunchtime trade, offering a mixture of traditional Irish dishes and international cuisine, as well as "a la carte" menu in the evening. Also, the bar is well stocked with the best of Irish whiskeys, beers and of course the ever popular Irish coffee which always goes down well. Due to its proximity to the Camp Nou, Kitty's is one of the meeting points for Barca football fans. A few drinks before the match to get into the spirit and, afterwards back to celebrate / commiserate, depending on the result.
RESTAURANTS AND CAFES
Can Culleretes, C/ Quintana, 5 Barcelona Founded in 1786 this gem is Spain's second oldest restaurant after Botins in Madrid. It is centrally located just off C/Ferran in the Gothic Quarter. There is a great range of Catalan dishes at unbelievably low prices served by members of the family who own it. Wine selection and prices are equally impressive including a house wine at just €2.50 a bottle. Good lunchtime menus available in dining rooms covered with paintings and photos of famous people who have dined here. Closed on Sunday night and all day Monday except for pubic holidays.
El Cangrejo Loco (The Crazy crab), Moll de Gregal, 29-30 Barcelona Located at Porto Olimpico, this is one of Barcelonas favourite restaurants. Specialising in all varieties of seafood cooked to succulent perfection. Open daily 1pm-1am.
Suquet de l'Almirall, Passeig Joan de Borbó, 63 Barcelona Between the new Olympic Port and Port Vell lies the traditional residential area of Barceloneta where you will find a large choice of excellent seafood establishments with views out to sea. Just head for Passeig Joan de Borbó and find one that takes your fancy. Nearer the Olympic port you'll find others along the Passeig Marítim such as Agua. Closed on Sunday and Monday.
Lasani, C/ Nou de la Rambla, 22 Barcelona This is an unlikely inclusion on a list of recommended Barcelona restaurants but with so many curry lovers from the UK visiting the city it fully deserves to be here. El Raval is the run down area lying just west of La Rambla. It is home to a large immigrant population as such there are plenty places selling curries and kebabs. The Lasani is only a short distance off La Rambla and is a Pakistani restaurant serving excellent curries at rock bottom prices.
Casa Alfonso, Roger de Llúria 6 Barcelona Spaniards love their mountain ham, which comes from many different regions. The best of the best is jamón Jabugo, the only one sold at this traditional establishment. Entire hams hang from steel braces. They're taken down, carved, and trimmed into paper-thin slices. This particular form of cured ham, generically called jamón serrano, comes from pigs that are fed acorns in Huelva, in deepest Andalusia. Devotees of all things porcine will ascend to piggy-flavoured heaven. Also served are salads and grilled meat dishes.
Casa Tejada, Tenor Viñas 3, Barcelona Covered with rough stucco and decorated with hanging hams, Casa Tejada (established in 1964) offers some of the best tapas. Arranged behind a glass display case, they include such dishes as marinated fresh tuna, German-style potato salad, ham salad, and five preparations of squid (including one that's stuffed). For variety, quantity, and quality, this place is hard to beat. There's outdoor dining in summer.
Bodega la plata, Mercè 28 Barcelona Established in the 1920s, La Plata is one of a trio of famous bodegas on this narrow medieval street. This one occupies a corner building -- whose two open sides allow aromatic cooking odours to permeate the neighbourhood -- and contains a marble-topped bar and overcrowded tables. The culinary specialty consists of raciones (small plates) of deep-fried sardines -- head and all. You can make a meal with two servings coupled with the house's tomato, onion, and fresh anchovy salad. The highly quaffable Penedés house wine comes in three varieties, tinto, blanco and rosado, and is 80 centimos a glass.
