Barcelona Travel Information

Barcelona is a cosmopolitan city with around 1.5 million people. The metropolitan area adds the same amount for a total of 3 million. The city is very compact and easy to get around. You will have no difficulty getting (cheaply) from A to B. The city is generally considered to be very safe but caution needs to be taken with regards to petty theft so always keep a very good eye on your belongings.

Money

Spain is part of the Euro region and you can find a very good conversion tool for your currency into Euros here. You'll find a bank machine almost on every corner of the street which makes it very easy to withdraw cash whenever you need to. Credit cards are widely accepted but mostly restricted to Visa and MasterCard.

Getting around

Barcelona has an excellent public transport system. Metros now run 24 hours per day from Friday night till Sunday evening so you can stay out late and still get home quickly and safely.

The most economic way of getting round is either buying a T-10 pass (valid for 10 journeys) or if you are for a longer time in the city, you can buy a monthly pass. These passes are valid on the metro, bus and trains. For more information, click here.

Climate

Barcelona is warm in Summer and mild in winter with some fresh days in January and February. Humidity can be high from time to time but the beach is always nearby to cool down.

Airport

The airport of Barcelona is called "El Prat " and is located approximately 15km from the city centre. You can take the bus or train from the airport to the centre. A taxi will cost around € 25.00 from Terminal 2 and € 30.00 from Terminal 1.

Electricity

Spain has a 220V network and you may need an adaptor if you come from the UK or a non European country.

Daily expenses

Barcelona is not an expensive city compared to other destinations in Western Europe but the gap between Spain and other countries has narrowed over the years. The following overview provides a guideline for typical expenses excluding your accommodation cost:

Breakfast: croissant + coffee: € 3.00
Lunch: sandwich (bocadillo) + drink: € 4.50 or
Lunch: menú del día: € 10.00
Dinner: grocery shopping: € 6 or
Dinner: "cheap & cheerful" restaurant: € 20
Transportation cost per day: € 1.50 (based on purchasing a multi trip pass)
Glass of wine / beer: € 2.00

Once you include other costs such as telephone card, entrance tickets to museums / cinema etc. a minimum daily allowance of € 30 is the minimum to survive on [excluding accommodation].

Working and Visa

No visa is required for anyone holding a EU passport. If you are from the United States, Canada, Australia, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland or Iceland you can stay up to 90 days without a visa.

If you want to stay longer or you are a citizen from another country, check with your local Spanish consulate or embassy. You can find a list at the Spanish Ministry of Foreign affairs at www.mae.es.

Holders of an EU passport can work in Spain without a work permit. All that is required is to apply for a registration number (N.I.E.) and a social security number which is an administrative formality. Non EU passport holders cannot work without a work permit.