Barcelona Travel Guide
Immerse yourself in sizzling Catalan culture and absorb the relaxing Mediterranean beach life on your short break to Barcelona. Enjoy a beach break and a city break rolled into one and discover medieval romance in its gothic quarter, the golden sands of Barceloneta, the amazing art nouveau architecture of Gaudi in the Sagrada Famillia and don&rsquot miss the stunning views from Parc Guell and Castel Monjuic. Indulge in delicious Catalan cuisine, including fresh seafood paella on the Barceloneta beach front, creative fine-dining in the area of L&rsquoEixample and tasty tapas in trendy El Born district.<br /><br />Barcelona is a shopper&rsquos paradise! With everything from independent boutiques to exclusive designer stores it&rsquos impossible to leave without a few souvenirs. Whether you&rsquore after high-fashion shoes, Mediterranean home wares or the new Barcelona FC strip, you&rsquoll be shopping til you drop.<br /><br />You&rsquoll be surprised to hear how easy it is to get to and around the city. Wander round on foot along the many picturesque pedestrianised squares and avenues and hop from place to place on the simple Metro system. There&rsquos always something going on in the city, from fiestas to football, so check out our Barcelona events listings to see what&rsquos on during your visit. Our Barcelona Guide is bursting with inside knowledge, recommendations and travel tips to ensure your <a href="http://www.superbreak.com/barcelona-hotels-YE.htm">trip to Barcelona</a> is unforgettable. These little two-seater open-top yellow cars are a fun way to explore Barcelona that takes you on a tour around the city following loudspeaker directions. The advanced GPS system delivers an informative audio tour, highlighting different sights as you drive through the streets of Barcelona. You can choose between a variety of routes depending on which sights you want to see. The Go Cars can be parked in scooter spaces, meaning you can hop out and view the sights as you go. For larger groups of more than two people, multiple cars can be hired for an adventure in convoy.  The Metro is extremely tourist friendly with clearly sign posted and colour coded wall maps at every entrance, ticket booth attendants, free maps and ticket machines that translate into English. All trains are air conditioned so also provide a welcome cool break from the hot Barcelona sun! Trains run til 12pm on weeknights, 2am on Friday nights and run continuously through the night during the weekend. Prices start from &euro2.00 per journey but there are various money saving ticket options for multiple use. Barcelona has a clean, punctual, air-conditioned metro system that will take you to most of the major sites. It is especially useful in the summer when it can be too hot to walk. This is the most economical way to travel in the city. Situated on the beautiful North-Eastern tip of Spain, the city of Barcelona is on the coast and close to the French border meaning you can experience both a vibrant city and sparkling sandy beaches in one fantastic destination.<br /><br />The easiest, fastest and <a href="http://www.superbreak.com/flights-hotels/barcelona">most popular way to travel to Barcelona is by air</a>, with an average UK flight time of just 2 hours. The Barcelona El Prat International Airport is located just 7 miles South-West of the city and has various transport options to bring you to the centre of Barcelona.<br /><br />Barcelona is also accessible by road from the UK across routes across Europe. With cheap, efficient and reliable public transport methods, you can get around the city with ease. The underground Metro system is the city&rsquos most popular form of public transport as it offers high speed and frequent links between all the major attractions and central areas. Alternative methods also include buses and taxis, which provide handy alternatives depending on your destination.<br /> <br />Barcelona is also home to Go Cars, a novel and fun attraction where tourists can explore the city in an open top mini car. With over 35,000 shops, Barcelona is a shopaholics paradise! The city boasts an endless selection of independent boutiques, designer stores, international brands and quaint traditional shops, offering a shopping experience that caters for every taste and budget.<br /> <br />Shopping in Barcelona is famous for its 5km shopping strip, which stretches all the way from the top of Las Ramblas, through Plaça de Catalunya along Passeig de Gràcia and up Avenue Diagonal. With much of the shopping strip and surrounding streets being pedestrianised, shoppers can wander by the shops with ease. The area has a buzzing atmosphere with plenty going on and is the perfect place to spend an afternoon shopping for souvenirs and watching the world go by. Being a culinary infusion of French, Spanish and Mediterranean cuisines, it&rsquos no wonder Catalan specialities are amazingly tasty. From gourmet dining to backstreet bars, Barcelona is a gastro-hub with endless dishes to try. If you enjoy al fresco dining, buzzing atmosphere, fresh ingredients and food cooked with TLC, Barcelona dining is for you. <br /> <br />Many Restaurants in Barcelona serve authentic Catalan tapas dishes, which are hot and cold small plates designed to be shared. Tapas dishes feature seafood, meats, cheeses, salads and more. Be sure to try &lsquoAlioli&rsquo, the Catalan equivalent of garlic mayonnaise, and the &lsquoPan y Tomates&rsquo, fresh bread infused with olive oil and fresh tomatoes. Barcelona is a city that never sleeps. The Spaniards eat late, drink late and go out very late and come nightfall the city becomes a hub of buzzing activity that cannot be missed. Young adults, old couples and large families all emerge for their evening fiesta and you feel a real sense of community on the streets. It wouldn&rsquot look out of place to have the youngsters still up at 1am, so do as the Catalans do and make the most of the afternoon siestas! As you can probably imagine, there are no shortage of bars in Barcelona. Known for its vibrant nightlife, Barcelona&rsquos watering holes include feature chic wine bars, buzzing cocktail bars, traditional public houses and everything inbetween. The Catalans savour and enjoy their drinks slowly and love nothing more to socialise in a trendy bar til the early hours of the morning.<br /><br />Whether you&rsquore looking for somewhere to enjoy a margherita on the beach as the sun goes down or you&rsquore in search of Barcelona&rsquos finest cava, you won&rsquot have to look to far to find the perfect Bar in Barcelona. Barcelona is brimming with cultural attractions and historical sites around every corner. Culture vultures will love getting lost in Gaudi&rsquos wacky architecture and soaking up the lively atmosphere in Barcelona&rsquos most popular areas. Visit Park Guell, Barcelona&rsquos most colourful and crazy landscaped park designed by Gaudi and the Barcelona FC Nou Camp is a must for any sports fans. Go a little further afield and you will find Port Aventura and Illa Fantasita Water Park, great for families and the young at heart!<br />Attractions in Barcelona are spread around the whole city, meaning you will explore new areas with every sight you see. Barcelona is serviced by two railway stations, the main Barcelona train station is Estació Sants which is the city&rsquos main rail hub providing access across Spain via the AVE high-speed train. Barcelona also has a second train station the Estació França which is next to the Parc de la Ciutadella. Both stations have excellent links to the city&rsquos metro system.With a flight time of around 2 hours from the UK, by far the quickest and easiest way to reach Barcelona is by air. Barcelona El Prat International Airport is located just 7 miles south-west of the city.If yo
u are planning to drive to Barcelona, you can drive from the South of France on the main road down the coast on the E-15 to Barcelona. From the North you can drive from Valencia on the E-15. If you are driving from Madrid the E-90 will take you to and from Barcelona. Easyjet, Jet2, Ryan Air and FlyMonarch all fly into Barcelona from UK regional airports on a daily basis. Once at the airport there are numerous ways to get to your hotel including the Aerobus which runs regularly to and from the city centre. There is a clean and efficient bus service that serves Barcelona centre. With 100 different bus routes, buses in Barcelona cover a distance of over 900km around the city and ten surrounding cities.  Barcelona centre is not as big as you may think, so pick up a street map and try getting around on foot for a while. You'll be surprised how quick and easy it is. Once you are tired of all the walking there are 3 main ways you can explore the city. An affordable 15 minute taxi journey will cost you around 10&euro. Official Barcelona Taxis are yellow and black and a green illuminated light on the top indicates it's available for hire. But remember that most of the city centre is pedestrianised. Eat out in a traditional Spanish Tapas Bar.Marvel at Sagrada Familia's architecture.The Magic Fountain of Montjuic is a must see.Tour the awesome Nou Camp Football Stadium.Dance the night away at a Flamenco show.See 3,000 works of art at the Picasso Museum.You can reach Barcelona from nearly all UK regional airports, as well as London&rsquos Heathrow, Gatwick and Stanstead, meaning it is within easy reach for all UK travellers in just 2 hours. Multiple flights leave each airport on a daily basis, giving you a flexible choice of arrival and departure times.<br />Flights to Barcelona can often be snapped up at bargain prices, especially with airline carriers such as EasyJet, Jet2, Ryanair and Fly Monarch. British Airways also fly to Barcelona Airport from most UK regional airports. There&rsquos never been a better time to visit Barcelona by rail as a new high speed link between Perpignan and Figueres takes a considerable 1.5hrs off the journey time. The train link goes from London St Pancras to Barcelona&rsquos Estacio de Franca station via one change in Paris. The average journey time is around 15 hours, but if you&rsquove got the time to spare, it could cost you considerably less than flying.<br /><br />The main train station in Barcelona is Estacio Sants which provides further access across Spain via the AVE high speed train. Driving to Barcelona from the UK requires taking a ferry from Dover to Calais, driving down the length of central France until you reach the South coast. Located on the northern tip of Spain, Barcelona is just a short drive away from the South of France down the coast on the E-15. The average journey time from London is 14 hours (but be sure to calculate the ferry crossing, breaks and over night stops into your journey time)<br />If you are driving from Madrid the E-90 will take you to and from Barcelona. With 100 different bus routes, buses in Barcelona cover a distance of over 900km around the city and ten surrounding cities. Covering such a wide spread area means you can get just about anywhere via bus and depending on your destination, it can often be the most direct way of getting there. Open top tourist buses also circulate a route around the main sights and attractions providing a more leisurely experience. Tickets for these buses are valid on a hop-on-hop-off basis, so you can make multiple journeys with one ticket.  Many popular streets in Barcelona such as Las Ramblas are pedestrian only areas and the surrounding streets are narrow and often highly congested, so using a taxi for short central trips may not be the best method of transport. However, you will find a taxi around every corner in Barcelona as well as endless taxi ranks based around popular tourist and central areas. Official Barcelona Taxis are yellow and black and a green illuminated light on the top of the Taxi indicates that they&rsquore available for hire. All taxis in Barcelona are operated by a meter system and are cheaper than you might expect. Top 5 Spanish Shops in Barcelona Top 5 Shopping Areas in Barcelona Top 5 Gourmet Food Shops in Barcelona Top 5 Romantic Restaurants in Barcelona Top 5 Tapas Restaurants in Barcelona Top 5 Family Restaurants in Barcelona A real tapas education! Choose from a wide range of creative and delicious tapas dishes featuring seafood, meats, cheeses and more.Both T1 and T2 offer an Aerobus Express bus service to Barcelona city centre. It is a cheap and reliable option costing only €9.75 for a returnA small outdoor terrace restaurant hidden away in an interior garden in the Boqueria market of the Gothic area.  Great for peace of mind with kids.An al fresco candlelit restaurant serving delicious seafood and wine right on the beach. It doesn&rsquot get more romantic than this!For multiple journeys on the Metro a T10 travel pass allows you to take 10 single journeys for just &euro9.25 and are sold at every Metro ticket machine around the city.Sit back and be dazzled by the firey Catalan flamenco dancers at one of the many dance shows around the city such as El Tablao de Carmen or Los Tarantos.Serving speciality sparkling Catalan wine (cava), El Xampanyet is one of the coolest champagne bars in the city and is decorated with an eclectic range of antiques and artefacts.   If you only have time to see one thing during your time in Barcelona, make sure it's this prepare to be wowed by Gaudi's most famous piece of architectural magic.Spain&rsquos answer to H&M, popular with teens and twenty something&rsquos filled with all the latest fashion at very reasonable pricesOne of the most famous streets in Barcelona home to famous luxury and high street brands alike. Get ready to spend!Experience a colourful variety of Mediterranean cuisine including seafood and tapas at this unmissable Barcelona food market.Famous for its mouth-wateringly delicious chocolate cake, don't miss this fantastic chocolatier and restaurant.Kids will love a visit to this world-famous restaurant chain, serving American and tex-mex dishes along with some Rock and Roll! Kids menus available.Dine in an elegant and formal atmosphere with luxurious decor in this authentic Italian restaurantBy night, Barcelona&rsquos famous boulevard turns into a buzzing hive of street entertainment including dancers, live music and artists and is fun for all ages.Don’t get ripped off: the average cost of a taxi from the airport to the city centre is about €25.00. Use this price as a benchmark for negotiationWhen getting a taxi, tipping is welcome but not obligatory. If you wish to tip your driver, tip something between 5-10% or simply round up your fare.This place is a famous artist&rsquos hangout spot decked out with antique paintings, iron-wrought chandeliers and teak wood frames. Sip your favourite tipple at the vintage bar and enjoy live music.One of the most stunning public parks in the world on a hill North of Gracia, where Gaudi turns his genius talent into colourful and wacky landscape gardening. A must see!The famous beauty emporium is a treasure trove of high end perfume, beauty products and immaculately presented sales assistants!This bustling restaurant is a Barcelona highlight for any foodie, serving some of the best Tapas in the city.One of the newest shopping centres in Barcelona, it has over 150 stores, cinemas and a food court. A Great choice for families.Don&rsquot be put off by its back street location close to La Ramblas, this Catalan tapas bar is hidden gem which many tourists don&rsquot know about.Enjoy this courtyard restaurant serving pizzas, crepes and tapas in Montjuic, a safe car free zone. Family activities organised every Sunday.Good, honest home cooked Catalan cuisine located in a quaint square in the Gothic quarter of Barcelona.Take a stroll along the long beach promenade to the Port Olympic, where you
can enjoy a chic cocktail by the sea and simply absorb the vibrant atmosphere til the early hours.Some taxi drivers don&rsquot speak any English, so make sure you know your destination name in Catalan to avoid any miscommunication.Going by car? Why not leave your car at the long stay car park at Barcelona airport for €10.95 per day and then hop on the Aerobus Express?Visitors flock to this bar for the delicious – and cheap – mojitos, but stay for the chilled-out, trendy ambience.If the Sagrada Familia was Gaudi&rsquos main course, this is his dessert. Step inside this magically distorted town house, completely renovated by Gaudi himself. Look out for the immense detailing and vivid colours.Shopping in Barcelona is not complete without a visit to one of the many &lsquohigh-street-chic&rsquo Zara stores.A shopping neighborhood specialising in vintage clothing and unique international products from all over the world.With an extraordinary array of speciality vinegars, this store is well worth a visit be sure to bring home a bottle of balsamic.Quirky and friendly little tapas bar decorated with an aviation theme. Excellent value at just &euro3-4 per plate.Spacious restaurant near Plaza Catalunya serving a menu of salads, pizzas, nachos, pastas and ice creams. High chairs available.If you&rsquore willing to queue, you&rsquoll be in for some seriously good seafood. It&rsquos worth the wait we promise!An excellent place to see live music and authentic flamenco, this club in the Ciutat Vella district is well worth the trip.Whether you&rsquore a football fan or not, nobody can fail to admire the incredible atmosphere and unrivalled passion held within the Nou Camp, home to the most successful team in the world.Something of a hidden gem, this bar has some of the best cocktails in Barcelona and is popular with the locals and tourists alike.An out-of-city-centre shopping outlet specialising in high-end brands at 60% off. Bus trips operate from Fabra I Puig station.Browse amongst the collection of 4,500 traditional Spanish wines and pick out your favourite bottle to take home – all reasonably priced. A well known Spanish designer, popular for his use of colour and wacky designs. Prices are steep but the clothing is fabulous darling!This place is famous for its Empanadas, a Latin deep fried pastry crammed with delicious savory fillings. Excellent value and lovely atmosphere.A family-friendly seafood chain with lots of tasty fresh fish – their huge platters are perfect after a long day of sightseeing.Indulge in sumptuous Spanish cuisine in the decadent dining room of Fonda Espanya. Absorb the atmosphere with a bottle of wine and good company.Located right on Port Vell, the IMAX cinema is a fun night out for all the family featuring aqua-themed 3D films.Barcelona&rsquos most famous street is an attraction in itself, filled with street entertainers, busy outdoor cafes, artists, shops and bursting with European charm.The perfect place to find a quiet corner and enjoy a good bottle of wine, Andu offers flickering candles, brick walls, low archways and a relaxing ambience.One of the trendiest neighbourhoods in Barcelona bursting with jewellery, clothing and footwear boutiques.Pick up some Spanish style at trendy new Spanish clothing and accessories retailer for men, women and children.Check this place out for some delicious &lsquoButifarras&rsquo Catalan sausages, Jabugo ham and Spanish cheeses.Go high-brow with a night at Barcelona&rsquos famous Opera venue right on Las Ramblas, showcasing Opera, Ballet and classical music. Tickets are surprisingly affordable.Situated 1.5 hours outside of Barcelona, <a href="http://www.superbreak.com/themeparks-attractions/portAventura-theme-park">PortAventura is home to the only 8-looped rollercoaster in the world</a> and six fantasy worlds.The perfect spot for a sun downer, situated just off the beach this bar has an outdoor terrace and well priced cocktails. Look out for the novelty phones to order your drinks!From 9.30pm- 11pm on weekends throughout October &ndash May enjoy a beautiful show of lights, water and music. Best of all, it&rsquos completely free!This classy bar is situated in the trendy El Borne area and is known around the city for its amazing moijitos.Based centrally within the grounds of the beautiful Parc Ciutadella, Barcelona Zoo is a haven of exotic animals, birds and reptiles just waiting to be discovered.Between July and August head up to Montjuic hill and enjoy the city&rsquos open air cinema in-between the old castle walls. Who cares if the films in Spanish, it&rsquos all about the experience!  Located just off Las Ramblas, this vibrant bar comes alive at night welcoming a trendy and gay-friendly crowd. Watch out for the cocktail juggling waiters!For a true taste of Barcelona, head to this popular food market and mingle with the locals. Peruse the colourful stalls and pick up a few local delicacies.Take an evening stroll through the El Born district and discover the winding side streets, trendy shops and fantastic character. This place is bursting with atmosphere and shouldn&rsquot be missed!Chic design dominates this sophisticated lounge bar which is attached to the stylish Hotel Omm. Popular with locals and the fashion conscious.Hop on the cable car up to the beautiful mountain of Montjuic. Explore the village and visit the 18th century fortress for amazing views of the city and coastline.Splash out with a trip to one of Europe&rsquos largest water parks. Just a 30 minute train ride outside of Barcelona, kids and adults alike will love this day out.If you fancy meeting new people and exploring the city whilst sampling delicious tapas, get involved one of the various gourmet walking tours available around the city.This historic bar was famously frequented by artist Picasso and writer Hemingway in their heydays and offers live music every night of the week.This unique little establishment is an Espadrille museum, active workshop and shop wrapped into one. Discover the history of the famous Catalan footwear that dates back to the 14th century and purchase a personalised pair as a souvenir.The H10 Universitat is a fully refurbished 19th century building located just 100 metres from Plaza Catalunya and Las Ramblas and very close to the incredible Gothic quarters. Only moments from the nearest Metro station the H10 Universitat boasts 94 bedrooms which are all well equipped with modern comforts and amenities.This trendy eatery is a massive hit with the locals and serves Northern Spain&rsquos version of tapas Pinxto. The cuisine has become a bit of a trend in Barcelona and offers a fun twist on the traditional tapas plates.Celebrate this festive public holiday at Spain’s biggest Christmas paradeBarcelona is a shopping mecca – with a 3 mile shopping line from Las Ramblas, through Placa de Catalunya along Passeig de Gracia and up Avenue Diagonal.This traditional Catalan feast is a culinary treat not to be missedBarcelona's restaurants specialise in Catalan cuisine, with extensive use of garlic, olive oil and fish. Tapas, now popular worldwide, is a firm favourite in the city.Visit Montmelo racetrack for this world famous, star-studded sporting eventKey spots are Barri Gòtic and Las Ramblas which, despite its medieval atmosphere, boasts a great selection of clubs. For a more relaxed evening, enjoy Flamenco at various venues.<span>Choose a square in the Old Town to relax and sip on a glass of Sangria or during the summer months head to</span><em> </em><span> chiringuitos (beach bars) open along the urban beaches.</span>Look no further for a city-wide party featuring wonderful entertainmentJoin this festival to celebrate the city's patron saint and protector of BarcelonaBarcelona Guide – A City Guide to Barcelona – SuperbreakBrowse our Barcelona Guide and make the most out of your break. You'll find tips and inspiration on the best attractions, events, restaurants and hotels in Barcelona.
