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DESTINATION GUIDE

Travel Guide Barcelona printable version
Barcelona Introduction
A lizard in Parc Güell in Barcelona, Spain. Photo credit to Ian Williams.

A Catalonian cocktail of modern art, fashion and Gothic spires by the glittering Med

Escape: To peaceful Parc de la Ciutadella's palm-fringed lake, Montjuïc's hilltop Jardins Costa i Llobera, the sandy beaches of Barceloneta and Nova Icària and to the secluded coves that punctuate the Costa Brava and Costa Dorada.
Discover: The Barri Gòtic's jumble of hidden courtyards and cobbled plazas, street entertainers, bird-sellers and pavement cafés on the mile-long Las Ramblas boulevard, curvy modernist buildings in Gràcia, glass-fronted malls and intimate bodegas in Port Vell.
Take Home: Funky footwear from Casa Camper, hand-thrown pots and sparkling Cava from Art Escudellers, the latest Catalan designs from waterfront Maremagnum mall and Cacao Sampaka's olive-flavoured chocolates.
Barcelona Lowdowntop
Highlights

Catch the Carnival's parties and parades (Feb), theatre, dance and music at the Summer Festival (Jun-Aug), fire-breathing dragons and fireworks at the Fiesta de la Mercè (Sep) and big bands at the Jazz Festival (Oct-Dec).

Electricity

220 volts

International Dialling Code

+34

Money (currency)

Local currency is the Euro (€)

Time

GMT: precisely, GMT plus 1 hour in summer

British Consulate

Address: Avda Diagonal 477-13
08036 Barcelona
Spain
Tel: +34 933 666 200

Barcelona Tourist Office

Address:
08008 Barcelona
Spain
Tel: +34 93 285 3834
Web: Barcelona Tourism

Halifax Travel Insurance

Tel: 0800 032 1751

Web: Halifax Travel Insurance

Halifax Travel Money

Tel: 0845 246 0006

Barcelona Experiencestop
Best Attractions

Spy Barcelona Cathedral's smooth arches and vaulted cloister and the skeletal spires and flying buttresses of La Sagrada Familia, Gaudí's crazed cathedral. The Museo Picasso shelters 3,000 works in a Gothic palace, while high notes resonate in the red brick Palau de la Música, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Best Hidden Gems

Seek out Santa María del Mar's octagonal towers and 15th-century rose windows, Gaudí's wave-shaped Casa Milà and mad mosaic garden Park Güell. Explore the Amazon at interactive science museum CosmoCaixa, or Fundació Joan Miró's superb 20th-century art.

Best Views

Whizz to Montjuïc in a cable car, or scale La Sagrada Familia and Barcelona Cathedral for bird's-eye views of Barcelona. A funicular climbs steep slopes to Montserrat's Benedictine monastery, affording giddy views over the Catalonian countryside.

Best Buys

Behind the lattice iron gates, sniff out chorizo, olives, cheeses, seafood and fruit in La Boqueria food market. Find quirky, one-off creations in the Barri Gòtic and designer labels on the elegant Passeig de Gràcia.

Best Dining

Savour tapas and a party vibe in the Barri Gòtic's pavement brasseries, or world flavours from sushi to fiery Thai curries in Gràcia's laid-back restaurants. The freshest fish lands on your plate in the al-fresco restaurants pepperingBarceloneta and the Olympic Port.

Best Nightlife

Sip full-bodied Spanish wines in the Barri Gòtic's moody bodegas and mojitos in La Ribera's fashionable haunts. Mingle with a young, party-loving crowd in arty El Born and spend summer nights in Gràcia's squares and in Port Vell's salsa bars.