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From this guide you will learn:
But first things first.
Despite the fact that since 2015 the Barcelona City Hall has been pursuing a policy of limiting the number of tourists, and the websites of attractions have stopped translating into Russian, people continue to come here, and airplanes continue to fly. So, although not for a penny, there are ways to get there.
From Borispil airport there is a direct flight of UIA company. The flight takes just under four hours. A one-way ticket without luggage costs from €125 if you fly in high season. In winter it is cheaper.
The cost of a ticket for a direct Ryanair flight in summer starts from €65 per seat without luggage one way.
Tickets for indirect flights (which are usually more profitable) and combined options can be found here (pay attention to ticket details and luggage availability - on the right).
You can book a hotel in Barcelona with a discount of up to -65% on the website.
From El Prat airport to the city center is approximately 15 km. There is a choice of several types of transportation connections:
Right at the airport, in terminal T2, there is a RENFE station. You need the R2n train, which leaves every half hour - it will take you to Passeig De Gracia station in 25 minutes. This stop is a short walk from Plaça de Catalunya.
A ticket for the train costs €4.10, but the trip will cost you about €1 if you use a T10 pass. You can buy such a season ticket from a machine at the station (more about T10 in the "Transportation in the City" section).
A free bus runs 24 hours a day, running 15 minutes from one terminal to the other. It leaves every 5 minutes during the day and every 20 minutes at night. Use it if you want to take the train but are arriving at Terminal T1.
The Aerobus shuttle leaves from both terminals every 10 minutes and takes about 35 minutes to get to the center. Tickets are sold directly on the bus and cost €5.90 one way and €10.20 round trip (you can't pay with your T10 card on the Aerobus).
The Airbus goes to the most central center possible (Plaça de Catalunya) and stops at only three places along the way, which is rare for a European bus. The stops are as follows: Aeropuerto, Sepúlveda-Urgell, Plaza de Espanya, and Plaça de Catalunya.
It is possible to use it at these times:
A ticket for it costs €2.15, which is already cheaper than on the airbus, and you can pay with a T10 card and get a bit more than €1.
But there are disadvantages too. Firstly, this bus does not go to Plaza Catalunya, but to Plaza España, which is convenient if you stop in that area and less convenient if you then need to take the metro to the center (although it is also easy and still twice as cheap as the airbus).
Secondly, this bus takes 40 to 55 minutes, stopping at every stop, as public transportation should. Besides, it departs less frequently - about every 20 minutes.
And as a bonus, you will have fewer opportunities to comfortably place your luggage.
There is a station in both terminals. The ticket costs €4.50 and you can't use the T10 pass - there is a special fare for trips that include the airport station.
The metro schedule in Barcelona is as follows:
For further travel around the city, the metro is a comfortable enough option - 12 branches covering Barcelona and the nearest suburbs, stations are located frequently, trains and stations are clean. A single trip around the city costs €2.20, or one trip with a T10 pass.
If your arrival or departure is at night and you don't want to spend money on cabs, the yellow night buses: N16 (from Terminal T2) and N17 (from Terminal T1) are your option. Both routes run to Plaza Catalunya from 00:30 every 20 minutes. The journey time is between 40 and 50 minutes. Cost: €2.15 or one T10 ride.
In summer there is an additional bus, the N18, which follows the route of the N16 and N17 buses, entering both terminals, but is faster due to fewer stops.
By cab, you'll pay between €30 and €35 by meter. The drive to the center takes between 20 and 35 minutes depending on the time of day and traffic. Look for black and yellow cab cars near the main exit of each terminal.
To get around the city further, you can order a cab online, with a fixed price. Uber does not work in Spain, but there is a similar service - Cabify And another one, already familiar to Ukrainians, Bolt.
On an individual transfer:
This assumes that you will be met with a sign at the exit from the terminal and taken to the desired address. Prices for such a pleasure, for example, start from €39 for a car for three people.
Rent a car:
You can rent a car directly at the airport and leave it there at the end of the trip. As is common in large European cities, there are many car rental companies at Barcelona airport. The price per day depends not only on the chosen model, equipment, gearbox, but also on insurance and the total number of rental days.
Here you can see the cars available on the dates you need and compare prices from several companies.
You can't use this pass on the subway if the departure or arrival station is an airport, and they are not accepted on Airbus.
Tip: Two trips within 75 minutes count as one trip, even if you took the subway and switched to a bus.
The T50/30 season ticket is a ticket for 50 rides within 30 days. It costs €43.50 and only one person can use it at a time. But this person can also go to the airport without a special fare.
There is also a similar card for 70 trips for €60.90. The monthly unlimited costs €54.00.
Barcelona, with its ever-increasing number of tourists, is dotted with hostels, hotels and apartments to suit all tastes. Your travel goals will determine whether you want to live closer to the seafront in the Barceloneta district, to the sights and nightlife in El Gòtic, to the bohemian youth in El Born, to the indigenous locals in Sants, or to a more modern neighborhood where the houses already have central heating in L'Eixample.
If you stay in any of these or other areas, you won't go wrong - the city is full of interesting things to do and the transport network is well developed. It's better to look in advance where your chosen accommodation is located on the map, and take into account that the city center is Plaza Catalunya (not Sagrada Familia, as inexperienced tourists mistakenly believe).
Below are some examples of accommodation worthy of your attention.
Address: Pamplona, 114
A modern, technological eco-hostel in a multi-storey building with a view terrace. Guests have access to laundry facilities, a kitchen-dining room with free breakfasts, a common area with computers, and high-speed wi-fi. The hostel often organizes concerts on the terrace and unusual excursions.
Address: Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 547
Here all rooms are individual, each with its own bathroom. Modern author's interior, location in the center, 24-hour reception, kitchen and ironing facilities and even breakfast - everything for a comfortable stay of tourists. The price for a room for two persons starts from €100.
Another guesthouse with no shared rooms. Double and single rooms are available. There are no private bathrooms, but some have atmospheric balconies. There is a shared kitchen, microwave and washing machine. The location is close to the center in an old building. What is rare for old neighborhoods in Barcelona - there is heating. The price for a room for one person starts from €65.
Address: Carrer Valencia, 226 1º-1ª
A hostel in the newer Eixample neighborhood, near the Sagrada Familia Cathedral. There's also a bike rental service, with rentals for guests costing €5 to €7 per day.
Overnight accommodation costs from €28 for a bed in a 16-bed mixed room to €100 for a double room with private bathroom.
Address: Diputación, 360
Residencia Universitaria Campus del Mar
A middle ground between a hostel and a hotel, this is a university dormitory that rents out rooms to tourists. It looks like a mini studio apartment with its own bathroom.
There are other residences of this type around the city (look for them by the phrase Residencia Universitaria). Specifically in this one there is no air conditioning, but the location is very good - between the beach and the old town. Price for two people - from €100.
Address: Passeig Salvat Papasseit, 4.
Motel One Barcelona-Ciutadella
Modern, very stylish hotel in the bohemian neighborhood of El Born. The rooftop terrace offers views of the citadel park, the city and the waterfront. It offers parking and a lounge area with places to work.
Address: 11 Passeig de Pujades
Prices: from €110 for a double room and from €80 for a single room.
Modern, stylish three-star hotel overlooking the harbor. Close to the Barceloneta promenade and many fish restaurants. The city center is also within walking distance.
Address: Passeig Joan de Borbó, 54.
The price for a room for two people starts from €110.
An adults-only hotel in the heart of Barcelona, on one of the narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter. Behind the inconspicuous exterior and discreet signage are 22 rooms, a rooftop pool yoga area, a gourmet restaurant, and the largest vertical garden in the city, right in the hotel's courtyard. Room rates for two people start at €300.
Address: Riudarenes, 7
A hotel in the Gothic Quarter with a view roof, featuring a Michelin-starred pool and restaurant. This 1846 building once housed Pablo Picasso's first workshop in Barcelona. All rooms have handmade furniture from the official furniture suppliers to the British royal family since 1929. A night in a room for two people costs from €380.
Address: Passeig de Colom, 9
Luxury hotel in a building - architectural monument of the XIX century, which used to be a cotton-textile fund (hence the name and interior style). Located a five-minute walk from Plaza Catalunya. Among other things, offers guests an atmospheric interior terrace and a small rooftop pool. Prices for a double room start from €400 per night.
Address: Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 670
You already know that Barcelona is teeming with sights and interesting places. The secret is not to try to cover everything in two days.
Remembering the Spanish favorite state of "mañana" ("tomorrow" / "will do tomorrow") and leisurely strolling through the streets of the city, you will see more than on many excursions
And if you want to plunge even deeper into the atmosphere of the city and communicate with the locals - arrange an "impression".
On this site you can book a photoshoot in the city, a paella master class, or a flamenco lesson at prices more like Kyiv's than Europe's.
Next is a list of places, each of which will show you a different side of the city:
The central boulevard connecting Plaza Catalunya with the seafront. Always filled with people, living statues, street artists and vendors, café terraces and flower shops. As you stroll along La Rambla, don't forget to turn off into the adjacent small streets.
There you will find a lot of interesting things:
Another secret of the local Columbus is that it can be reached by an elevator built into the column. This 360-degree viewpoint, although centrally located, is not very popular with tourists - the elevator doors are usually just overlooked.
Here you can buy a ticket for €6, or €8 with a glass of wine.
P.S.: be careful, unfortunately, this part of town attracts pickpockets as much as tourists.
This is a story about an urban revolution that is now underway. Barcelona City Hall has an ambitious plan to limit traffic on 70% of the roads. This is possible thanks to the straight lines and block structure of the newer neighborhoods. Nine flat blocks are being combined into one super neighborhood, leaving highways only on its perimeter. The inner parts of the roads and large intersections become pedestrian zones. On them they make squares, squares, places for games and socializing, put benches, draw street art - in general, everything to make it comfortable for a person to be on the streets of his city.
In L'Eixample neighborhood there are already some ready super quarters, you can go there to be a little jealous.
Address: Carrer de la Ciutat de Granada, 08018
An arch that, like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, served as the grand entrance to the World's Fair. Here in Barcelona, the exposition was the year before the Paris one.
Like everything in Barcelona, this arch is brightly colored and decorated with lots of little details. From it there is a spacious pedestrian walkway to the Citadel Park.
Address: Passeig de Lluís Companys
A large green space that on weekends is filled with locals. Families come here to picnic, ride bicycles, lie on the grass, feed the ducks and go boating on the pond. Some dance or juggle, others learn to walk the tightrope - that's what Barcelona is all about.
Here, in the park, is the building of the Catalan Parliament, as well as several museums, a zoo and a huge fountain, one of the co-authors of which was Antoni Gaudi.
Entrance to the park is free, and boat rentals cost from €6 for two people.
Across the street from Citadel Park is perhaps Barcelona's most creative neighborhood, El Born.
The address is Passeig de Picasso, 21.
The city's neighborhood is like Kyiv's Podol - creative and youthful. Here, in the narrow streets, there are many theaters, cafes, stores of local designers and handicraftsmen, creative workshops. Getting lost in the labyrinths of El Born, you may come across a cozy green patio, a creative sign of some institution, a building with eyes or a carved and painted Palace of Catalan Music.
A functioning concert hall listed as a UNESCO heritage site due to its unusual architecture with many interesting details. You can get inside for a guided tour from €15 or go to one of the performances from €20 per ticket. But even for free, there's plenty to see outside.
Address: C/ Palau de la Música, 4
Located side by side with the El Born district, this neighborhood allows tourists to continue their journey "lost in the labyrinths" (Nowadays everyone has smartphones with geolocation, but just 10 years ago, a tourist with a paper map was very difficult to figure out "who builds like this", but the journey was worth it).
And it was built this way by the inhabitants of the Middle Ages - in the XIV-XV centuries. This is the oldest part of Barcelona, which used to be a self-sufficient city surrounded by a high wall.
The streets, one narrower than the other, flow into each other here, changing name and direction very imperceptibly. Today they are home to many bars and clubs, restaurants and stores, mixed with ancient temples, squares and museums.
When choosing a hotel in the Gothic Quarter, keep in mind that cabs will probably not be available.
A monumental, medieval cathedral located in the Gothic quarter of Barcelona. It is it, and not the Sagrada Familia, that is considered Barcelona's main cathedral. Guidebooks call it "the main masterpiece of Barcelona's medieval architecture".
From the unexpected - in the cathedral lives thirteen white geese. According to legend, this is how old St. Eulalia was when she died a martyr's death.
Address: Pla de la Seu, S/N
Another UNESCO legacy in Barcelona. Built between 1901 and 1930, these 26 buildings remained a functioning hospital until 2009. Now the doctors and patients have been moved to a new location, and the Hospital de San Pau is visited by locals and tourists to walk around the grounds and enjoy the colorful art nouveau architecture, different from the works of Antoni Gaudi. The architect who designed this hospital is Lluís Domènech i Montaner.
A place in the city where many attractions come together at once.
On the day you want to spend in Montjuïc, you will be able to see:
You can also climb to the top of the mountain in a telecabin and ride the cable car that connects the mountain to the Barceloneta district (ticket €11).
Those who are uncomfortable with such a long walk can take the city bus 150 from the Plaza de España to the fortress itself, or the tourist double-decker bus that stops at all significant places (tickets can be bought from the driver).
The highest of the two mountains between which Barcelona is located. It has many viewpoints, including one on the Torre de Colserolla TV tower. There's also an amusement park there, one of the first in the world, for those who want to soar above the city. And the temple of the Sacred Heart - Temle Del Sagrat Cor.
Address: Pl. del Tibidabo, 3-4
It seems that even if Barcelona had nothing to offer but Gaudi-designed houses, people from all over the world would still come to Barcelona.
Gaudi's buildings are considered one of the most popular and most expensive attractions in Europe. Therefore, in order to save money and time in queues, it is better to buy tickets online.
Sagrada Família is a one-of-a-kind basilica that has been under construction since 1882 until now. The builders follow the blueprints that Gaudi left behind. It was only consecrated in 2010 and is scheduled to be completed in 2026.
It is said that by then this temple will be the tallest building in Barcelona and the tallest church in the world. They also say that after it was built for 100+ years, the subway was put under the basilica and it started to wobble.
And it is also known that all these cafes-restaurants and tourist shops, encircling the temple closely, was not planned and around it should have been a large observation platform. And now the whole basilica can be seen from everywhere in the city, but not near.
And a lot of other things are said, but it is better to listen to it, looking at the building itself.
Address: Mallorca Street 401
Tickets start at €15.
Aka "La Pedrera" - the quarry and aka "The House of Sand". Not understood by contemporaries, but favorite in the future, a residential house, the forms of which the architect looked up from nature.
Address: (Garcia, 92).
Aka "House of Bones", "Yawning House", "House of the Dragon". In this building you can also get to the night musical performance on the roof.
Address: Consell de Cent, 381
A very recently (only in 2017) opened to the public a mudejar style house. One of Gaudi's first projects.
Address: Carrer de les Carolines 24.
This is the closest to traditional architecture that Antoni Gaudí's building won him the prize for the best building of the year in 1900.
Address:Carrer de Casp, 48.
A Neo-Gothic house built on the site of a medieval castle that once belonged to the last Catalan king. It is said that it was King Marti the Merciful who named this city Barcelona.
Antoni Gaudi, in turn, in respect for the king, did not change the style of the facade, but with the volumetric cross on the tower and details of the interior made it clear who the architect was.
Address: Calle Bellesguard, 20
Once a residential building. One of the architect's earliest works, in which the author's style and wealthy owner are already clearly visible. The shaped chimneys on the roof are like the beginning of a thought that later led Antoni Gaudí to the forms of Casa Milà, and the many columns in the basement refer to the future Parc Güell.
Address: C/ Nou de la Rambla, 3-5
The park, designed by A. Gaudi, was originally planned as part of an elite residential neighborhood of 62 houses. It was intended for the rich and successful. But because of the remoteness from the center of Barcelona and problems with communications, none of the bourgeoisie were interested in houses in this area. (Yes, yes, a fate like Kiev's Vozdvizhenka: built to be "an elite place for the wealthy," but water problems turned it into a photo-zone and tourist attraction).
In the end, only three demonstration buildings were built and lived in by the architect A. Gaudi himself, the philanthropist E. Güell and their lawyer friend. These houses are now museums. And the Hall of the Hundred Columns; the world's longest bench with numerous legends about how it was built; gingerbread stairs and a mosaic lizard, which has already become a symbol of the city - all this went to tourists and curious residents.
Address: Carrer d'Olot, 5
The entrance ticket on the website costs €10. It is important to buy it in advance, otherwise you may not be able to get into the park due to restrictions on the number of visitors.
You can also download a guide to the park (also in Russian) on your phone from AppStore or Google Play.
Opening hours:
The park is free to enter after hours, but it may not be as beautiful in the dark.
What you won't get in Barcelona is a hungry search for "something to eat". There are indeed many cafes, bars and restaurants in the city.
To find the best ones, get away from the tourist routes. A restaurant on La Rambla or in front of the Sagrada Familia is clearly designed for tourists who won't return. A lost patio establishment, on the other hand, lives off the locals. Service in such a place will be much more friendly, the food tastes better. It may turn out that menus in such places will have to be translated by yourself (but with modern gadgets, is that a problem?).
Below are a few options for establishments where you're highly likely to enjoy yourself.
A city market, near the Pablo Picasso Museum, in the El Born neighborhood. Although it's close to the city center, there are far fewer tourists there than at the famous La Boqueria, and prices are correspondingly lower. Inside you can buy fresh fish, meat, fruits, vegetables, nuts, olives, jamon. There, inside, behind the counters, you can take local dishes to go, on weight. For example, a portion of paella in a plastic container will cost you €8 - €10 (by the way, near the main entrance to the market, on the square, there are many shops for all those who like paella in plastic containers).
At the entrance to the market there is a small restaurant Cuines Santa Caterina and tapas bar, where you can sit at tables and pay for a portion of paella for more than €18 or take tapas and low-alcohol drinks. Coffee here costs from €1 and a glass of wine from €2 - €3.
Address: Avinguda de Francesc Cambo, 16
A small bakery cafe in the El Raval neighborhood. Very friendly service here, as it should be in a cafe where the owner personally serves the guests. There is a large selection of pastries. There are also breakfast options; salads; pasta, tortellini and other "fuller" dishes. There are not many places to sit, but you can take all the food with you.
Address: Carrer de Joaquin Costa 3
If you want a small portion of pizza with fresh ingredients, only from the oven and a little socializing with friendly Italians, this is the place to go. The pizzeria is open for lunch and dinner, and takeaway is available.
Address: Calle Llibreteria 10.
Go here for fresh oysters (three pieces and a glass of wine cost €11), as well as shrimp, fish, crab. There are seats inside and a few tables outside.
The address is Plaza Sant Josep 13 | La Boqueria
An atmospheric, small place with a great selection of authentic Spanish tapas and Catalan wine. If you come here during dinner, be prepared to queue at the entrance.
Address: Nou de San Francesc, 7
Here, the recipes of traditional Catalan dishes have been lovingly modernized. And when it's with love, you can always feel it.
A place for those who want both attentive service and quality food.
Address: Carrer de Bailen, 117
The trick of the restaurant is that all the dishes offered traditionally belong to different countries. There is a choice of fresh fish and seafood. You can have breakfast from €6, a glass of wine costs €3.70, beer from €4.
Address: Carrer Hospital, 104
An old, atmospheric establishment in Barceloneta's waterfront district. Here you will be served authentic paella, tortilla, crama catalana dessert and other local specialties. There is fresh fish and a good selection of wine.
Address: Carrer del Mar, 29
Luxury restaurant with Mediterranean cuisine dating back to 1975. Prices here are not low, but the taste, freshness of products and quality of service correspond to them.
Address: Carrer Gran de Gracia, 81.
A bar with an atmospheric patio terrace tucked away in the old town, near the Palau de la Musica Catalana. Good for an evening with friends, with a glass of wine or cocktail and watching a local show.
Address: Carrer Verdaguer I Callis 12
A place with a great selection of both specialty and classic cocktails. Appetizers and main courses are also on the menu. The price of a specialty cocktail is €10.
Address: Carrer dels Mercaders 20
A small place for lovers of craft beer and sociable bartenders in the tangled streets of the El Born neighborhood. You can get burgers or small snacks to go with your beer.
Address: Bases de Sant Pere 10 bis
One of the oldest bars in Barcelona. Not the cleanest, but in this case it adds to the atmosphere. This is the place to go for absinthe, a glass of which costs €4.5.
Address: Sant Pau, 65
This bar is refreshing, in the truest sense of the word. The ice bar is located right on the Barceloneta promenade. In any heat inside it's -5º. €15 will get you in, a cocktail, a warm jacket and gloves.
Address: Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta 38 A
As well as the alcoholic drinks and evening events that often take place here, this bar is also popular for the free tours that start in the afternoon. You can get an English-language tour of Barcelona by coming to the bar at 11:00, 13:00 or 15:00.
Read about other free tour options in the useful links section at the end of the article.
Address: Carrer de la Boqueria, 27.
A bit of general information:
Here are some interesting places to shop:
This is the local Oxford Street, filled with expensive boutiques of global brands and luxury hotels.
Like its London sister, this street is named after the city to which it once connected Barcelona. Nowadays, Gracia is one of Barcelona's neighborhoods.
In addition to the boutiques of Prada, Escada, Armani, Burberry, Gucci, etc. there are also large stores of Spanish Zara, Mango and H&M.
Shopping center in the building of the former bullfighting arena, actually functioning since 1990.
Now, after renovation, there are stores (popular more with locals than tourists), a movie theater, a gym with a circular track, and a large observation deck overlooking the singing fountains and Montjuïc Mountain.
Lifehack: there is a separate paid elevator to the observation deck, but you can also get to it for free using the escalators.
There are a few restaurants on the rooftop, but the view is more of a view of the people on the observation deck, although you can have a nice dinner.
Address: Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 373-385
A multi-brand shopping center in the heart of the city, right on Plaza Catalunya. You can find everything from lipstick and plates, to branded raincoats and even special batteries for your camera. On a separate floor, there's a store with quality products and a good selection of wine.
Address: Plaça de Catalunya, 14.
Adjacent to El Corte Inglés, but more democratic in terms of prices shopping center. Here you'll find clothes, accessories, cosmetics, optics and Europeans' favorite FNAC with electronic gadgets and music products. What you'll definitely love is the tax-free return point right in the building. (There are such points in some other shopping centers - ask the consultants).
The address is Plaça de Catalunya 1-4.
One of the oldest flea markets in Europe. Those who like to find real treasures among the piles of things will have a blast here. It sells furniture, books, interior items, records, tableware, clothes and jewelry. There is a separate pavilion with food.
Open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Address: Plaça de les Glòries, s/n
On Sundays, a book fair forms next to this food market. Here you can find antique postcards, magazines, comics and some unexpected things. The center of everything is, of course, books. The cost of some copies reaches up to €5000. If you talk to one of the sellers, you may accidentally learn that he risked his life to fight for freedom of speech during Franco's dictatorship.
Take into account that this market, although it is the largest in the city, is not designed for tourists, and therefore works only until 14:30. But the prices for products here are not tourist prices either.
Address: Carrer del Comte Urgell, 1.
