More Tips Barcelona

General

• Barcelona has mild temperatures, without days with excessive heat or cold. The average high temperature is 29Cº and the average low is 9Cº.
• The best period to visit it is in September (mainly when the La Merce festival takes place). Download the app Mercé.
• The ideal number of days to discover it is 7 (seven).
• Get ready for a lot of walking. The distances are long and the attractions are a lot (you need to be moving all the time).
• All the shop owners as well as the employees at attractions speak English fluently. In the means of public transport there are drivers who are not fluent.
• Download this application (app) in order to find out where there are fountains with free water in the city. Extra tip 1: Always carry a bottle with you. Extra tip 2: The water at some fountains has an odd flavor, but it is potable.
• In many hotels, you must inform the front desk if you want your room to be cleaned (the next day), even though it is a free service. Extra tip: You can inform them on the first day of your stay about the days that you would like your room to be cleaned.
• Do you like dancing? On Sunday mornings, outside the City Hall, a small party takes place, where the national dance of the Catalans is being danced…the Sardana!
• The excessive tourist traffic may wear you out at some well-known attractions. Visit them during the opening in order to avoid the hustle.
• The use of drone cameras is allowed in most parts of the city.
• All stores have POS systems for card payments.
• At souvenir shops located on La Rambla or at the Gothic Quarter, you can buy items with up to 60% discount, of course with a little haggling.
• The Felipe Neri Square in the Gothic Quarter is closed during the hours schools are open.
• Outside the Estaciò del Norte train station there are lockers that can be used every day 09:00-21:00 with the cost starting at 6€.

Transportation

General

• Barcelona is divided in eight zones. Most points of interest are within the first zone.
• Entrance to city buses is through the front of the bus.
• In the bus you can issue a ticket by the driver.
• In metro areas there is no air-conditioning, but there is inside the trains.
• The buses have usb ports to charge your phone.
• Free Wifi access is offered in the means of public transport.
• All means of transport from and to the El Prat airport are free with the Hola Bcn and the Barcelona Card.
• Barcelona has three cable cars.
  • 1) Montjuic Cable Car
  • 2) Port Vell Cable Car και
  • 3) Tibidabo

El Prat Airport-Barcelona Center

• AEROBUS: Buses every 5’, trip duration 35’, cost 5.90€ for single transit (10.20€ round-trip). Stop: Plaça de Catalunya
• Bus: No 46, Buses every 20’, trip duration 50’, cost 2.20€. Night buses N16, N17 and N18. Stop: Plaça Espanya
• Metro: trip duration 30’, cost 4.60€
• Train: Train every 30’, trip duration 30-40’, cost 4.50€
• Taxi: trips duration 25-35’, cost 30-40€
• The transportation from and to the airport is included in Hola Bcn and the Barcelona Card. Caution for the AEROBUS, it is valid only for one trip (you choose which one).

Metro

• On weekdays it operates 05:00-00:00 & on Fridays until 02:00.
• Every Sunday and bank holidays it operates all 24 hours.
• On Christmas Eve it stops at 23:00.

Girona Airport – Barcelona

• Bus (Segales): rip duration 75 minutes to the Estaciò del Norte station. Cost 16€ for single transit, 25€ round-trip (the ticket is open and is valid for one month).
• Extra tips: a) Book your ticket online in order to find a seat. b) Next to the ticket stand there is an electronic vendor to avoid the queue (it only accepts card payments). c) Caution with the return buses (take a program so that you see the departure times from Barcelona).

Attractions

General

• Many museums offer free entrance every first Sunday of the month and every Sunday after 15:00.
• Anyone planning to see everything in Barcelona, the Barcelona City Pass will save them a lot of money.
• For visiting the three mansions of Gaudi, the Casa Battlo, Casa Mila and Casa Vicens, book a combo ticket.
• Another alternative card for seeing Barcelona’s museums is the Articket BCN discount card.
• On the International Museum Day (May 18th), as well as on national holidays and during festivals (La Merce), entrance in many museums is free.
• On the Night of the Museums, entrance in many of the city’s museums is free from 19:00 until 01:00. Check out the schedule HERE.

Camp Nou

• In order to watch a match live, book your tickets ONLY through the official website. If you book through other sites, you might pay even double the money for the same seat.
• To take a tour of the Camp Nou stadium book a ticket online.
• The standard tour includes entrance to the museum, the bridge and the stadium benches, some basic parts of the locker rooms, the bleachers and the press boxes.
• The best time for a tour is the first hour when tours take place, namely 09:30 or 10:00, depending on the season.
• On the day of a match, tours do happen, but you do not have the chance to enter the field (this is why tickets are cheaper).
• Tickets purchased at the ticket office have an extra charge of 4€.

Casa Batlló

• Book your tickets online in order assure a spot and avoid lines.
• Casa Batlló becomes flooded with people in zero time after the opening. So..
  • Smart tip 1: In order to avoid the crowds, book an early entry ticket.
  • or Smart tip 2: Make sure to book the 9 o’clock ticket and, also, get first in line (these 4-5 first minutes without people will offer you beautiful pictures).
• In our opinion: The silver and gold tickets are not worth the money for what they include (entrance to the hall and photos with uniforms).
• You can also book an evening experience (moon nights) with a glass of champagne and in the company of the moon.
• The ticket at the ticket office is 4€ more expensive.

Boqueria Market

• It is best to be on an empty stomach, so that you try as many flavors as you can!
• The prices for the show dishes are pretty steep. Prefer normal portions.
• Even though the schedule is until 20:00, most shops close up at 17:00, as they have sold out!
• A bit before closing, prices on leftover products drop.
• Many thefts have been noticed. Keep your belongings on your front and valuable items in front pockets that close.

La Rambla

• La Rambla is one of the most beautiful pedestrian walkways in Europe and, at the same time, one of the most dangerous ones, when it comes to thefts! So:
  • i) Keep your bag on your front and your mind on all items.
  • ii) Be aware that they operate in groups, with their members being men and women beyond all suspicion.
  • iii) Do not keep valuable items in back pockets.
  • iv) Avoid close contacts. They steal phones, wallets and money and disappear in zero time.
• It is not safe during the evening hours.
• It is not recommended for people with agoraphobia. Especially on weekends and days with events.
• Police presence is heavy and they proceed with many arrests daily.

Park Güell

• A few words about Park Güell: As you can see in the photo, the largest part of the park is accessible for free. But all the points of interest are within the smaller part which is on charge. A few of the most well-known attractions of this space are the house with the tiled rooftop (Casa del Guarda), Gaudi’s home, the veranda with the tiles (Greek theatre), the alleys, the steps, the lizard and more.
• SUPER TIP: 30 minutes before the official opening as well as after the official closing, entrance is free. (The official operating hours change according to the season. Check them out HERE!))!
• During the official operating hours there are bars placed on the gates and the display of electronic ticket is mandatory.
• You will find the best lighting in the afternoon, when the sun is behind.
• If you have purchased an electronic ticket, the bus 116 will transport you to the park for free.

• The park welcomes 400 people every half an hour and only through the display of ticket. For the rest, the free entrance that we talked about above applies.
• Picnic is allowed only outside the Monumental Zone.
• If you exit the Monumental Zone, you cannot go back in with the same ticket.
• Close to the park you will find the Gaudí Experiència, a space dedicated to the great artist and his work.

Casa Milà

• Visit it during the sunset. The colors from the rooftop with the Sagrada Familia in the background are magical.
• Book your tickets online to avoid the line at the ticket office.
• From 09:00 until 10:00, as well as after 16:30 there are fewer people.
• The rooftop remains closed on rainy days.

Sagrada Familia

• During the opening there are fewer people.
• Avoid weekends.
• In order to get inside the church, you must be modestly dressed.
• Download the app Sagrada Familia for a FREE tour with audiovisual materia.
• You will take the best pictures from the bench located opposite of the church (Plaça de Gaudí). CHECK OUT THE SPOT HERE
• In order to make sure that you will get inside the Sagrada Familia, you must have booked your ticket online, because it is highly possible that you will not find one at the ticket office (mainly during high season).
• Every now and then, there are offers on the official website that concern online ticket purchases with a 5-10% discount.
• If you purchase your tickets at the ticket office you will have an extra charge of 3-6€ (depending on the ticket).
• Make sure to be there at least 20-30 minutes in advance, so that you don’t lose your spot.
• With the standard ticket you can enter the church only during the last two hours before closing.
• The standard ticket does not include an audio guide and access to the towers.
• The ticket for the towers provides the option to choose only one tower to visit. The Passion Tower is the tallest one and has a view of the sea.
• You go up the towers with an elevator and climb down through narrow stairs.
• In case of bad weather, the towers remain closed. But you can get your money back by filing an application at informacio@sagradafamilia.org (withing 30 days).
• Every Saturday, Sunday and on holidays you can attend the service at the church for free. Check out the schedule and availability HERE . Caution: For special events you can only enter with an invitation, which you can acquire from the official website.
• Every day there is a service in the church’s crypt. On weekends there are more than one, and entrance is free…but seats are limited!

Dali Museum

• Book your tickets only through the official website.
• Make sure to get in during the opening, so that you can enjoy his creations without many people around. Just one hour after the opening, the museum is flooded by tourist groups!
• In the summers, from 27/07 to 31/08, it offers night tours from 22:00 until 01:00 after midnight.
• With the same ticket you can also visit the Dalí jewelry exhibition. (Same building, different entrance).

Magic Fountain

• Before the fountains show starts, street artists give their own performance in the surrounding area.
• The best spot is on the small balcony, in front of the columns. In order to find a spot, you must be there early.
• The fountain is closed 26-31 of December, as the preparations for the New Year’s Eve are taking place.
• Do not stand too close to the fountain because you will be soaked.

El Born

• In the neighborhood you will find the cheapest souvenirs (up to three times drop).
• El Born comes alive during the late afternoon-early evening with the cafés and restaurants being sold out even on weekdays.

Picasso museum

• In order to make sure that you will find a ticket make an online booking.
• SUPER TIP: Every Thursday 18:00-21:30 entrance is Free. You must SIMPLY follow the procedure below:
  • a) You get in the museum’s official website four days in advance. (The option becomes available only four days before!)
  • b) You pick Thursday and on the right all the options for that day show up.
  • c) You click on Free Admission Day and press Continue on the bottom right side. Then, you choose how many tickets you want (5 max) and click Continue to see the available times! You enter your information and…That was it!
• There is also free entrance every first Sunday of the month, on February 12th, May 18th and September 24th. (The above procedure applies.)

Bunkers de Carmel

• To find a good spot you must be there at least two hours before the sunset.

Montjuic Hill

• The ascent up Montjuic Hill can be achieved in three ways. a) By bus b) by cable car c) the third and best one, on foot!
• If you opt for climbing up on foot, you will find plenty of parks and many food trucks for a stop.
• Bus 150 goes up to the castle.
• In the summer months, wear a hat and sunscreen.

Traps

• The pickpockets at La Rambla as well as in the Metro are magicians! They have not been characterized as the best in the world for nothing! They operate in groups and disappear within a few seconds.
• Caution! Your bag must always be on your front with all items inside and your hands on it.
• The fines for people buying from street sellers are steep. Be mindful..
• In the neighborhood of Raval you will be approached for weed. Refuse politely.
• Many of the tickets you will find outside the Camp Nou stadium are counterfeit. The authentic ones are highly priced, because they prey on one’s desire to watch the match.

Food

• In order to find a table on Fridays and weekends you must have made reservations (almost everywhere)!
• On Sundays many restaurants remain closed.
• The hottest areas for evening outings are El Born and Gracia (make reservations to find a table)!
• Try the Shakshuka, local dish with eggs, red sauce and cumin.
• The best water brand is Font Vella.
• In every neighborhood you will find supermarkets that are open 24/7.
• Try the Espanada in 16 flavors.
• Most cafés/restaurants located on La Rambla offer products of mediocre quality in very high prices.

More Tips Barcelona