DIRECTORY
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BUSINESS HOURS
Generally barcelonins work Monday to Friday from 8am or 9am to 1.30pm or 2pm, and then again from between 4pm and 5pm for another three or so hours. In the hot summer months, many work an horario intensivo (intensive timetable), from around 7am to 3pm.
Banks tend to open between 8.30am and 2pm Monday to Friday. Some also open from around 4pm to 7pm on Thursday evenings and/or Saturday mornings from around 9am to 1pm. Click here for post office opening times.
Museum and art gallery opening hours vary considerably, but as a rule of thumb most places are open between 10am and 8pm (some shut for lunch from around 2pm to 4pm). Many museums and galleries close all day Monday and at 2pm Sunday. For shop opening hours, see Click here.
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CHILDREN
One of the great things about Barcelona is the inclusion of children in many seemingly adult activities. Going out to eat or sipping a beer at a terrassa (terrace) on a late summer evening needn’t mean leaving children with minders. Locals take their kids out all the time and don’t worry too much about keeping them up late. For some ideas and practical tips, take a look at www.kidsinbarcelona.com.
The daytime spectacle of La Rambla (Click here) fascinates kids as much as adults. And while the latter might like to sneak a look at the Museu de l’Eròtica, kids will happily lose themselves in the old-fashioned Museu de Cera (wax museum; Click here) further down the boulevard. Nearby, head to the top of the Mirador de Colom for the views or to the Golondrinas harbour tour by boat (Click here). The shark tunnel and children’s activities at L’Aquàrium (Click here) are guaranteed success. You might also score points with the nearby 3-D IMAX cinema. Hire a ‘trixi-kid’ to cycle your young ones around in fun fashion (Click here).
The Transbordador Aeri (Click here), across the harbour between La Barceloneta and Montjuïc, is another irresistible attraction. To the north of town the Tramvia Blau, the blue tram that runs to the Tibidabo funicular station (Click here), may also raise a smile. While on Tibidabo, scare the willies out of your youngsters with some of the wild rides at the Parc d’Atraccions amusement park (Click here).
Of the city’s museums, the ones most likely to capture children’s imagination are the Museu Marítim (Click here), the Museu de la Xocolata (Click here) and the interactive CosmoCaixa (Click here).
In summer, you will be rewarded with squeals of delight if you take the kids to one of the city’s pools (Click here) or the beach (Click here). In cooler weather, parks can be a good choice. A roam around Montjuïc, including exploration of its Castell (Click here), should appeal. The sheer weirdness of Gaudí’s Park Güell (Click here) will have older children intrigued, and everyone likes getting lost in the maze of the Jardins del Laberint d’Horta (Click here). The Zoo de Barcelona (Click here) is a universal child pleaser.
You could take younger kiddies (maximum age 11) along to Happy Parc (Map; 
93 317 86 60; www.happyparc.com, in Catalan/Spanish; Carrer de Pau Claris 97; per hr €4; 
5-9pm Mon-Fri, 11am-9pm Sat & Sun) for a play on the slides and other diversions.
For general advice on travelling with children, grab a copy of Lonely Planet’s Travel with Children.
Babysitting
Most of the mid- and upper-range hotels in Barcelona can organise a babysitting service. A company that many hotels use and that you can also contact directly is 5 Serveis (Map; 93 412 56 76; www.5serveis.com, in Catalan; Carrer de Pelai 50). There are multilingual canguros (babysitters). Rates vary, but in the evening expect to pay around €10 an hour plus the cost of a taxi home for the babysitter.
Tender Loving Canguros (647 605989; www.tlcanguros.com) offers English-speaking babysitters for a minimum of three hours (per hour €8 for one child, €10 for three children), plus a placement fee of €15 and, where necessary, transport costs.
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CLIMATE
Barcelona enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with cool winters and hot summers. July and August are the most torrid months, when highs can reach 37°C. The seaside location promotes humidity, but sea breezes can bring relief. A hotel room with a fan or air-conditioning can make all the difference to a good night’s sleep.
In the depths of winter, especially in February, it gets cold enough (average lows of 6.7°C) for you to wish you had heating in your room, but by March things begin to thaw out. January tends to be sunny, though not warm.
Rainfall is highest in autumn and winter. During September and into October the city often gets a wash down in cracking thunderstorms.
As Barcelona is downwind from the Pyrenees, cold snaps are always on the cards and the April–May period is particularly changeable. At its best, May can be the most pleasant month of the year – clear and fresh.
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CONSULATES
Most countries have an embassy in Madrid. Look them up under Embajada in that city’s Páginas Amarillas (Yellow Pages). Various countries also maintain consulates in Barcelona:
Australia (Map; 93 490 90 13; Plaça de Gal.la Placídia 1-3; 
FGC Gràcia)
Canada (Map; 93 412 72 36; Plaça de Catalunya 9; 
Catalunya)
France (Map; 93 270 30 00; www.consulfrance-barcelone.org; Ronda de la Universitat 22B; Universitat)
Germany (Map; 93 292 10 00; www.barcelona.diplo.de; Passeig de Gràcia 111; Diagonal)
Ireland (Map; 93 491 50 21; Gran Via de Carles III 94; Maria Cristina)
New Zealand (Map; 93 209 03 99; Travessera de Gràcia 64; FGC Gràcia)
UK (Map; 93 366 62 00; Avinguda Diagonal 477; Hospital Clínic)
US (Map; 93 280 22 27; http://barcelona.us consulate.gov; Passeig de la Reina Elisenda de Montcada 23-25; FGC Reina Elisenda)
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COURSES
Language Courses
With its bilingual mix Barcelona may not be the ideal location for embarking on Spanish (Castilian) courses, but there is no shortage of places to do so. The cost of language courses depends on the school, the length of the course and its intensity. Across Catalonia, more than 220 schools teach Catalan. Pick up a list at the Llibreria & Informació Cultural de la Generalitat de Catalunya (Map; 93 302 64 62; Rambla dels Estudis 118; Liceu).
Non-EU citizens who want to study at a university or language school in Spain should have a study visa. This type of visa is renewable within Spain but only with confirmation of ongoing enrolment and proof that you are able to support yourself.
Some schools worth investigating:
Babylon Idiomas (Map; 93 467 36 36; www.babylon-idiomas.com; Carrer del Bruc 65; Girona) This small school offers a high degree of flexibility – you can study for a week or enlist for a half-year intensive course in Spanish. The big selling point is class size, with a maximum of eight students per class. A week of tuition (30 hours plus five hours of culture) costs €260.
Escola Oficial d’Idiomes de Barcelona (Map; 93 324 93 30; www.eoibd.es; Avinguda de les Drassanes s/n; Drassanes) Part-time courses (around 10 hours a week) in Spanish and Catalan (per semester €185.65) are offered. Because of the demand for Spanish, there is no guarantee of a place.
International House (Map; 93 268 45 11; www.ihes.com/bcn; Carrer de Trafalgar 14; Arc de Triomf) Intensive courses from €410 for two weeks. It can also organise accommodation.
Universitat de Barcelona (Map; for Catalan 93 403 54 77; www.ub.edu/slc; Carrer de Melcior de Palau 140; Sants; for Spanish 93 403 55 19; www.eh.ub.es; Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 585; Universitat) Intensive courses (40 hours tuition over periods ranging from two weeks to a month €426) in Catalan and Spanish year-round. Longer Spanish and Catalan courses are also available.
Other Courses
Alicianet (Map; 670 267276; www.alicianet.net; Carrer dels Pinzón 16, La Barceloneta; Barceloneta) Offers various levels of flamenco instruction. One-off classes cost €25 per hour, or you can enrol in courses (up to four hours a week, at €110 a month).
Antilla BCN Escuela de Baile (Map; 93 451 45 64, 610 900558; www.antillasalsa.com; Carrer d’Aragó 141; 10 1hr classes once a week €120; Urgell) The place to learn salsa and other Caribbean dance, and students can practice moves later on as the dance club opens.
Cook & Taste (Map; 93 302 13 20; www.cookandtaste.net; Carrer del Paradís 3; half-day workshop €60; Liceu) Learn to whip up a paella or stir a gazpacho in this Spanish cookery school.
KEEPING YOUR NOSE CLEAN
Since 2006 tougher city bylaws make drinking in the streets, urinating in the streets and various other vexatious pastimes illegal. You can be fined on the spot and, theoretically, serious misbehaviour can attract penalties of up to €3000. Local police have few qualms about enforcing these laws.
Dom’s Gastronom Cookery School (93 674 51 60; http://domsgastronom.com; Passeig del Roser 43, Valldoreix; 8 hours of classes over 4 days €100) Cordon bleu–trained chef Dominique Heathcoate holds cookery classes in anything from Catalan, Spanish and French cuisine to tapas and autumn mushroom cooking. Valldoreix is about a 30-minute train ride from Plaça de Catalunya on the line to Sabadell and Terrassa, and Dominique can arrange pick-up from the train station. Groups are catered for.
Escuela de Baile José de la Vega (Map; 93 454 31 14; Carrer d’Aribau 19; per month €55; Oct-Jun; Universitat) People come from all over town to learn to dance flamenco at this school, which offers classes twice a week.
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CUSTOMS
People entering Spain from outside the EU are allowed to bring one bottle of spirits, one bottle of wine, 50mL of perfume and 200 cigarettes into Spain duty free. There are no duty-free allowances for travel between EU countries. For duty-paid items bought in one EU country and taken into another, the allowances are 90L of wine, 10L of spirits, unlimited quantities of perfume and 800 cigarettes.
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DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
It cannot be stressed enough that newcomers to Barcelona must be on their guard. Petty theft is a problem in the city centre, on public transport and around main sights. Report thefts to the national police. You are unlikely to recover your goods but you will need to make this formal denuncia (police report) for insurance purposes. To avoid endless queues at the comisaría (police station), you can make the report by phone (902 102112) in various languages or on the web at www.policia.es (in Spanish; click on ‘Denuncias’). The following day you go to the station of your choice to pick up and sign the report, without queuing. You can also report losses to the Catalan police, the Mossos d’Esquadra (www.gencat.net/mossos, in Catalan). There’s a handy (and busy) police station (Map; Carrer Nou de la Rambla 80; Paral.lel) near La Rambla and you can also report petty crime online at www.policia.es/denuncias. You could also try the Guàrdia Urbana (local police; Map; La Rambla 43).
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DISCOUNT CARDS & TICKETS
The ISIC (International Student Identity Card; www.isic.org) and the European Youth Card (www.euro26.org) are available from most national student organisations and allow discounted access to some sights. Students generally pay a little more than half of adult admission prices, as do children aged under 12 and senior citizens (aged 65 and over) with appropriate ID.
Possession of a Bus Turístic ticket (Click here) entitles you to discounts to some museums.
Articket (www.articketbcn.org) gives you admission to seven important art galleries for €22 and is valid for six months. The galleries are the Museu Picasso (Click here), Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC; Click here), the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (Macba; Click here), the Fundació Antoni Tàpies (Click here), the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB; Click here), the Fundació Joan Miró (Click here) and La Pedrera (Fundació Caixa Catalunya; Click here). You can pick up the ticket through Tel-Entrada (902 101212; www.telentrada.com) and at the tourist offices at Plaça de Catalunya, Plaça de Sant Jaume and Sants train station.
Something a little different is the Arqueo-Ticket, designed for those with a special interest in archaeology and ancient history. The ticket (€14) gets you entry to the Museu Marítim (Click here), Museu d’Història de la Ciutat, Museu d’Arqueologia de Catalunya (Click here), Museu Egipci (Click here) and Museu Barbier-Mueller d’Art Pre-Colombí (Click here). You can get it at participating museums and tourist offices.
If you want to get around Barcelona fast and visit multiple museums in the blink of an eye, the Barcelona Card (www.barcelonacard.com) might come in handy. It costs €26/31.50/36/42 (a little less for children aged four to 12) for two/three/four/five days. You get free transport (and 20% off the Aerobús), and discounted admission prices (up to 30% off) or free entry to many museums and other sights, as well as minor discounts on purchases at a small number of shops, restaurants and bars. The card is available at the tourist offices and online.
The Ruta del Modernisme pack (Click here) is well worth looking into for visiting Modernista sights at discounted rates.
Night owls and shopaholics should check out the Go and Connect card (www.goandconnect.com). Valid for one year (€18), the card offers a wide range of discounts (anything from a cut-price haircut to free entry to some clubs).
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ELECTRICITY
The electric current in Barcelona is 220V, 50Hz, as in the rest of continental Europe. Several countries outside Europe (such as the USA and Canada) use 110V, 60Hz, which means that some appliances from those countries may perform poorly in Barcelona. It is always safest to use a transformer. Plugs have two round pins, as in the rest of continental Europe.
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EMERGENCY
The following are the main emergency numbers:
Ambulance (061)
Catalan police (Mossos d’Esquadra; 088)
EU standard emergency number (112)
Fire brigade (Bombers; 080, 085)
Guardia Civil (civil guard; 062)
Guàrdia Urbana (local police; 092)
Policía Nacional (national police; 091)
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GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELLERS
Barcelona has a busy gay scene, but the region’s gay capital is the saucily hedonistic Sitges (Click here), a major destination on the international gay party circuit. The gay community takes a leading role in the wild Carnaval celebrations (Click here) there in February/March. In Barcelona, the bulk of the nocturnal goings happen in what is known as the ‘Gaixample’, the part of L’Eixample bounded by Gran Via de les Corts Catalans, Carrer de Balmes, Carrer del Consell de Cent and Carrer de Casanova. As a rule, the city is pretty tolerant and the sight of gay couples arm in arm is generally unlikely to raise eyebrows. That said, attacks on gay men cruising the gardens of Montjuïc at night are reported and care should be exercised.
The free biweekly Shanguide, jammed with listings and contact ads, is sometimes available in gay bookshops. Although Madrid-centric, you’ll find useful tips on Barcelona too. Magazines with at least some listings and also available in gay bookshops include Nois (‘boys’ in Catalan) and Gay Barcelona (www.gaybarcelona.com). The pocket-sized G has some Barcelona and Sitges listings. The annual, worldwide Spartacus guide (www.spartacus.de) is often on sale at newsstands along La Rambla.
Check out the following websites:
60by80 (www.60by80.com) An excellent gay travellers’ website. Click on Barcelona under Cityguides and take it from there.
Coordinadora Gai-Lesbiana (www.cogailes.org) A good site presented by Barcelona’s main gay and lesbian organisation, with nationwide links. Here you can zero in on information ranging from bar, sauna and hotel listings through to contacts pages.
Gay Apartments Barcelona (www.gayapartmentbarcelona.com) Aside from the apartments for holiday rent, this site has plenty of info on gay life in Barcelona, from saunas to shops.
GayBarcelona.com (www.gaybarcelona.com) News and views and an extensive listings section covering bars, saunas, shops and more in Barcelona.
GaySitges (www.gaysitges.com) A specific site dedicated to this gay-friendly coastal town (Click here).
Lesbian Spain (www.lesbianspain.com) Some Barcelona-specific information for gay women.
LesboNet.Org (www.lesbonet.org, in Spanish) A lesbian site with contacts, forums and listings.
Shangay.com (www.shangay.com, Spanish only) For news, art reviews, contacts and Shanguide listings. You have to register to get full access.
VisitBarcelonaGay.com (www.visitbarcelonagay.com) A busy listings site for visitors to Barcelona, with everything from fetish sections through to saunas and gay accommodation tips.
For gay bookshops, see the Shopping chapter. Organisations include the following:
Casal Lambda (Map; 93 319 55 50; www.lambdaweb.org; Carrer de Verdaguer i Callís 10; Uquinaona) A gay and lesbian social, cultural and information centre in La Ribera.
Coordinadora Gai-Lesbiana Barcelona (Map; 93 298 00 29; www.cogailes.org; Carrer de Violant d’Hongria 156; Plaça del Centre) The city’s main coordinating body for gay and lesbian groups. Some lesbian groups are to be found at Ca la Dona (Click here). It also runs an information line, the Línia Rosa (900 601601).
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HOLIDAYS
For barcelonins the main holiday periods are summer (July and August), Christmas–New Year and Easter. August is a peculiar time as Spain largely grinds to a halt. Tourists flock in regardless of the heat, but many locals escape to cooler climes. Finding accommodation can be more difficult around Christmas and Easter. For information on the city’s colourful festivals and other events, see Click here.
Public Holidays
The following is a list of national public holidays:
New Year’s Day (Any Nou/Año Nuevo) 1 January
Epiphany/Three Kings’ Day (Epifanía or El Dia dels Reis/Día de los Reyes Magos) 6 January
Good Friday (Divendres Sant/Viernes Santo) March/April
Easter Monday (Dilluns de Pasqua Florida) March/April
Labour Day (Dia del Treball/Fiesta del Trabajo) 1 May
Day after Pentecost Sunday (Dilluns de Pasqua Granda) May/June
Feast of St John the Baptist (Dia de Sant Joan/Día de San Juan Bautista) 24 June
Feast of the Assumption (L’Assumpció/La Asunción) 15 August
Catalonia’s National Day (Diada Nacional de Catalunya) 11 September
Festes de la Mercè 24 September
Spanish National Day (Festa de la Hispanitat/Día de la Hispanidad) 12 October
All Saints Day (Dia de Tots Sants/Día de Todos los Santos) 1 November
Constitution Day (Día de la Constitución) 6 December
Feast of the Immaculate Conception (La Immaculada Concepció/La Inmaculada Concepción) 8 December
Christmas (Nadal/Navidad) 25 December
Boxing Day/St Stephen’s Day (El Dia de Sant Esteve) 26 December
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INTERNET ACCESS
Barcelona is full of internet centres. Some offer student rates and also sell cards for several hours’ use at reduced rates. Look also for locutorios (public phone centres), which often double as internet centres.
Bornet (Map; 93 268 15 07; Carrer de Barra Ferro 3; per hr/10hr €2.80/20; 10am-11pm Mon-Fri, 2pm-11pm Sat, Sun & holidays; Jaume I)
Internet MSN (Map; Carrer del Penedès 1; per min €0.02; 10am-midnight; Fontana)
WI-FI ACCESS
Many hotels offer their guests wi-fi access (not always for free). A paying wi-fi service operates at the airport and train stations. A growing array of city bars and restaurants are latching on to the service – look for the black-and-white wi-fi signs. The Fresh & Ready fast-food chain is one, and the 16 branches of Starbucks offer 45 minutes of wi-fi with your caramel latte.
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MAPS
Tourist offices offer free city and transport maps. Also handy is Michelin’s ring-bound Barcelona, scaled at 1:12,000.
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MEDICAL SERVICES
All foreigners have the same right as Spaniards to emergency medical treatment in public hospitals. EU citizens are entitled to the full range of health-care services in public hospitals, but must present a European Health Insurance Card (enquire at your national health service) and may have to pay up front.
Non-EU citizens have to pay for anything other than emergency treatment. Most travel-insurance policies include medical cover.
For minor health problems you can try any farmàcia (pharmacy), where pharmaceuticals tend to be sold more freely without prescription than in places such as the USA, Australia or the UK.
If your country has a consulate in Barcelona, its staff should be able to refer you to doctors who speak your language.
Hospitals include the following:
Hospital Clínic i Provincial (Map; 93 227 54 00; Carrer de Villarroel 170; Hospital Clínic)
Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau (Map; 93 291 90 00; Carrer de Sant Antoni Maria Claret 167; Hospital de Sant Pau)
Hospital Dos de Maig (Map; 93 507 27 00; Carrer del Dos de Maig 301; Hospital de Sant Pau)
Some 24-hour pharmacies:
Farmàcia Castells Soler (Map; 93 487 61 45; Passeig de Gràcia 90)
Farmàcia Clapés (Map; 93 301 28 43; La Rambla 98)
Farmàcia Torres (Map; 93 453 92 20; www.farmaciaabierta24h.com, in Spanish; Carrer d’Aribau 62)
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MONEY
As in 15 other EU nations (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia), the euro is Spain’s currency. In 2010, the euro zone found itself under considerable pressure as burgeoning public debt in Greece saw the price of government bonds soaring, and the EU and IMF obliged to stump up huge loans to Athens in an effort to calm speculation in the lending markets. All this drove the euro down against other currencies and raised questions over the European monetary union.
Changing Money
Increasingly, the subject of how to take your money abroad, especially within Europe, has only one answer – plastic. Though some people still like to take some cash and travellers cheques. If you wish to be sure to have some ready euros on arrival, fine, but only take in enough to cover needs over the first day or two. Having a little cash at all times is a good idea, just in case cards are stolen and you find yourself in a jam.
Travellers cheques have lost the allure they once had, but as a backup in case cash and or cards are stolen, they are not such a bad idea.
You can change cash or travellers cheques in most major currencies without problems at virtually any bank or bureau de change (usually indicated by the word canvi/cambio).
Barcelona abounds with banks, many with ATMs, including several around Plaça de Catalunya and more on La Rambla and Plaça de Sant Jaume in the Barri Gòtic.
The foreign-exchange offices that you see along La Rambla and elsewhere are open for longer hours than banks, but they generally offer poorer rates. Also, keep a sharp eye open for commissions at bureaux de change.
Interchange (Map; 93 342 73 11; Rambla dels Caputxins 74; 9am-11pm; Liceu) represents American Express and will cash Amex travellers cheques, replace lost cheques and provide cash advances on Amex cards.
Credit Cards
Major cards such as Visa, MasterCard, Maestro and Cirrus are accepted throughout Spain. They can be used in many hotels, restaurants and shops. Credit cards can also be used in ATMs displaying the appropriate sign. Check charges with your bank. If your card is lost, stolen or swallowed by an ATM, you can telephone toll free to immediately stop its use:
Amex (900 994426)
Diners Club (901 101011)
MasterCard (900 971231)
Visa (900 991124)
Travellers Cheques
Travellers cheques are being left behind by plastic. Amex, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted brands. If you lose your cheques, call a 24-hour freephone number (for Amex 900 994426, for Visa 900 948978 or 900 948973, for Thomas Cook MasterCard 900 948971).
Travelex (www.travelex.com), which issues Amex travellers cheques, also offers prepaid Cash Passports. Load funds onto the card before you travel and use it like any cash card in Visa ATMs worldwide.
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NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES
A wide selection of national daily newspapers from around Europe (including the UK) is available at newsstands all over central Barcelona and at strategic locations such as train and bus stations. The International Herald Tribune, Time, Economist, Der Spiegel and other international magazines are also available.
El País includes a daily supplement devoted to Catalonia, but the region also has a lively home-grown press. La Vanguardia and El Periódico are the main local Spanish-language dailies. The latter also publishes a Catalan version. The more conservative and Catalan-nationalist-oriented daily is Avui. El Punt concentrates on news in and around Barcelona.
The most useful publication for expats is Barcelona Metropolitan (www.barcelona-metropolitan.com), with news, views, ads and listings information. Pilote Urbain (www.piloteurbain.com) is a French equivalent. Catalonia Today is a slim newssheet put out by the owners of El Punt.
Conservative Spaniards tend to read the old-fashioned ABC, while most of the left-of-centre crowd study El País, which identifies with the Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE). El Mundo is a robustly right-wing publication in competition with the more respectable ABC. One of the best-selling dailies is Marca, devoted to sport.
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ORGANISED TOURS
Organised tours range from walking tours of the Barri Gòtic or Picasso’s Barcelona to organised spins by bicycle.
The Oficina d’Informació de Turisme de Barcelona organises a series of guided walking tours under the name of Barcelona Walking Tours (Map;93 285 38 34; Plaça de Catalunya 17-S; Catalunya). One explores the Barri Gòtic (adult/child €12.50/5; 10am daily in English, noon Saturday in Spanish and Catalan), another follows in Picasso’s footsteps and winds up at the Museu Picasso, to which entry is included in the price (adult/child €19/7; 4pm Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday in English, 4pm Saturday in Spanish and Catalan) and a third takes in the main jewels of Modernisme (adult/child €12.50/5; 4pm Friday and Saturday in English, 4pm Saturday in Spanish, all tours in both English and Spanish at 6pm June to September). It also offers a ‘gourmet’ tour of traditional purveyors of fine foodstuffs across the old city (adult/child €19/7; 10am Friday and Saturday in English, 10.30am Saturday in Spanish and Catalan). It includes a couple of chances to taste some of the products. All tours last two hours and start at the tourist office.
BICYCLE TOURS
Barcelona is awash with companies offering bicycle tours. Tours typically take two to four hours and generally stick to the old city, the Sagrada Família and the beaches. Operators include the following:
Bike Tours Barcelona (Map; 93 268 21 05; www.biketoursbarcelona.com; Carrer de l’Esparteria 3)
Barcelona By Bike (Map; 93 268 81 07; www.barcelonabybike.com)
CicloTour (Map;93 317 19 70; Carrer dels Tallers 45; tours €21; 11am daily, 4.30pm mid-Apr–Oct, 7.30pm Thu-Sun Jun-Sep) Three-hour tours starting in Plaça de Catalunya. Just turn up in front of the Hard Rock Café (Map) 10 minutes before.
Fat Tire Bike Tours (Map; 93 301 36 12; www.fattirebiketoursbarcelona.com; Carrer dels Escudellers 48)
BarcelonaBiking.com (Map; 656 356300; www.barcelonabiking.com; Baixada de Sant Miquel 6)
Terra Diversions (Map; 93 844 63 88; www.terradiversions.com; Carrer de Santa Tecla 1bis) Mostly mountain-bike tours outside the city.
Barcelona Metro Walks consist of seven routes across the city which combine use of the Metro and other public transport as well as stretches on foot. Tourist information points (Click here) sell the €12.50 package, which includes a walks guide, transport pass and map.
Barcelona Guide Bureau (93 268 24 22; www.barcelonaguidebureau.com; Via Laietana 54) places professional guides at the disposal of groups for tailor-made tours of the city. Several languages are catered for. It also offers a series of daily tours, from a six-hour exploration of Barcelona (adult/child €60/40; 9am) to a trip to Montserrat (Click here), leaving Barcelona at 3pm and lasting about four hours (adult/child €40/25).
Bus Turístic (Map; 010; www.tmb.net) is a hop-on hop-off service that links virtually all the major tourist sights. Click here for more information.
For a trip around the harbour, board a Golondrina Excursion Boats (Map; 93 442 31 06; www.lasgolondrinas.com; Moll de les Drassanes; adult/under 4yr/4-10yr/student & senior €13.50/free/5/11; Drassanes) golondrina (swallow) from Moll de les Drassanes in front of Mirador de Colom. The one-hour round trip takes you to Port Olímpic, the Fòrum and back again. The number of departures depends largely on the season and demand. If you just want to discover the area around the port, you can opt for a 35-minute excursion to the breakwater and back (adult/child under four years/child aged four to 10 years €6.50/free/2.60).
Orsom (Map; 93 441 05 37; www.barcelona-orsom.com; Moll de les Drassanes; Apr-Oct; adult/4-10yr/11-18yr & senior €12.50/6.50/9.50; Drassanes) has similar trips to those of Golondrina Excursion Boats, but on a giant catamaran. There are up to three departures per day and the trip lasts about 1½ hours. The third, leaving at 6pm, includes a jazz band and costs a little more (€14.90/6.50/12.90). It also has 45-minute speed-boat tours to and from the Fòrum (adult/four to 10 years/11 to 18 years and senior €10.95/6.50/9.50). Check departure times and availability in advance.
Cultural organisation La Casa Elizalde (Map; 93 488 05 90; www.casaelizalde.com; Carrer de València 302; Passeig de Gràcia) runs several Barcelona walks (which generally occupy a Saturday morning and cost up to €9.25 per person) and one-day or weekend excursions outside the city – tours are in Catalan.
Barcelona Segway Fun (670 484000; www.barcelonasegwayfun.com) offers urban and even country tours on two-wheel people-movers! A one-hour tour costs €30 and leaves from in front of the Torre Mapfre (Map) at 12.30pm daily. Segway-mounted guides wait about in front of the Torre Mapfre from 10am daily.
My Favourite Things (637 265405; www.myft.net; tours from €26-32) offers tours for no more than 10 participants based on numerous themes: anything from design to food. Other activities include flamenco and salsa classes and cycle rides in and out of Barcelona.
See BCN Skytour (Map; 93 224 07 10; www.cathelicopters.com; Heliport, Passeig de l’Escullera; tour per person €80; 10am-7pm) for a 10-minute thrill at 800m above the city by helicopter that truly gives a bird’s-eye view of the city. A 35-minute trip for €240 per person takes in Montserrat (Click here). Get to the heliport.
Barcelona Scooter (Map; 93 285 38 32; €45; 10.30am Sat), run by Cooltra (Click here), offers a three-hour tour around the city by scooter (€50) in conjunction with the city tourism office. Departure is from the Cooltra rental outlet at 3.30pm on Thursdays and 10.30am on Saturdays.
GoCar (Map; 902 301333; www.gocartours.es; Carrer de Freixures 23bis; per hour/day €35/€99; 9am-9pm Apr-Oct, 10am-7pm Nov-Mar) has GPS-guided ‘cars’ (actually two-seat, three-wheel mopeds) that allow you to tour around town, park where motorbikes are allowed and listen to commentaries on major sites as you go. The GPS system makes it virtually impossible to get lost.
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POST
Correos (902 197197; www.correos.es, in Spanish) is Spain’s national postal service. Barcelona’s main post office (Map; 8.30am-9.30pm Mon-Fri, 8.30am-2pm Sat; Jaume I) is just opposite the northeast end of Port Vell at Plaça d’Antoni López. Another handy branch for travellers lies just off Passeig de Gràcia at Carrer d’Aragó 282 (Map; 8.30am-8.30pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-1pm Sat; Passeig de Gràcia). Many other branches tend to open between 8.30am and 2.30pm Monday to Friday and from 9.30am to 1pm on Saturday.
Segells/sellos (stamps) are sold at most estancos (tobacconists’ shops) and at post offices throughout the city.
A postcard or letter weighing up to 20g costs €0.64 from Spain to other European countries and €0.78 to the rest of the world. The same would cost €2.88 and €3.02, respectively, for certificado (registered) mail. Sending such letters urgente, which means your mail may arrive two or three days sooner than usual, costs €3.25 and €3.15, respectively. You can send mail both certificado and urgente if you wish.
Ordinary mail to other western European countries usually takes around three to four days; to North America and Australasia anything from one to two weeks. Delivery times to Spain are similar to those for outbound mail. All Spanish addresses have five-digit postcodes; using postcodes will help your mail arrive a bit quicker.
Lista de correos (poste restante) mail can be addressed to you anywhere in Catalonia that has a post office. It will be delivered to the place’s main post office unless another is specified in the address. Take your passport when you pick up mail.
A typical lista de correos address looks like this:
Jenny JONES
Lista de Correos
08080 Barcelona
Spain
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RADIO
The Spanish national network, Radio Nacional de España (RNE; www.rtve.es/radio), has several stations: RNE 1 (738AM; 88.3 FM) has general interest and current affairs programmes; RNE 3 (98.6 FM) presents a decent range of pop and rock music; RNE 5 (576AM; 99FM) concentrates on sport and entertainment. Among the most listened-to rock and pop stations are 40 Principales (www.los40.com, in Spanish; 93.9 FM), Onda Cero (www.ondacero.es, in Spanish; 93.5 FM) and Cadena 100 (www.cadena100.es, in Spanish; 100 FM).
Those wanting to get into some Catalan can tune into Catalunya Ràdio (www.catradio.cat; 102.8 FM), Catalunya Informació (92 FM) and a host of small local radio stations.
You can also pick up the BBC World Service (www.bbc.co.uk) on, among others, 6145kHz, 9410kHz and 12,095kHz (short wave). Voice of America (VOA; www.voiceamerica.com) can be found on a number of short-wave frequencies, including 1593kHz, 9685kHz, 11,765kHz and 15,205kHz.
You can tune in to all these stations online too.
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TAXES & REFUNDS
Value-added tax, or VAT, is also known as IVA (impuesto sobre el valor añadido, pronounced ‘EE-ba’). IVA is 7% on accommodation and restaurant prices and is usually – but not always – included in quoted prices. On most retail goods the IVA is 16%. IVA-free shopping is available in duty-free shops at all airports for people travelling between EU countries.
Non-EU residents are entitled to a refund of the 16% IVA on purchases costing more than €90.15 from any shop, if the goods are taken out of the EU within three months. Ask the shop for a Cashback (or similar) refund form showing the price and IVA paid for each item and identifying the vendor and purchaser. Then present the form at the customs booth for IVA refunds when you depart from Spain (or elsewhere in the EU). You will need your passport and a boarding card that shows you are leaving the EU, and your luggage (so do this before checking in bags). The officer will stamp the invoice and you hand it in at a bank at the departure point to receive a reimbursement.
For more information, check out the Euro Refund website (www.eurorefund.com).
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TELEPHONE
The ubiquitous blue payphones are easy to use for international and domestic calls. They accept coins, tarjetas telefónicas (phonecards) issued by the national phone company Telefónica and, in some cases, credit cards. Tarjetas telefónicas come in €6 and €12 denominations and are sold at post offices and tobacconists.
Public telephones inside bars and cafes, and phones in hotel rooms, are nearly always more expensive than street payphones.
Locutorios (call centres) are another option. You’ll mostly find these scattered about the old town, especially in and around El Raval. Check rates before making calls. Increasingly, these double as internet centres.
To call Barcelona from outside Spain, dial the international access code, followed by the code for Spain (34) and the full number (including Barcelona’s area code, 93, which is an integral part of the number).
The access code for international calls from Spain is 00. To make an international call, dial the access code, country code, area code and number.
You can dial an operator to make reverse-charge calls to your own country for free – pick up the number before you leave home. You can usually get an English-speaking Spanish international operator on 1408. For international directory enquiries, dial 11825. A call to this number costs €2.
Dial 1409 to speak to a domestic operator, including for a domestic reverse-charge call (llamada por cobro revertido). For national directory inquiries, dial 11818.
Mobile-phone numbers start with 6 (from 2011 new ones will begin with 7). Numbers starting with 900 are national toll-free numbers, while those starting with numbers between 901 and 905 come with varying conditions. A common one is 902, which is a national standard-rate number. In a similar category are numbers starting with 803, 806 and 807.
Mobile Phones
Spain uses GSM 900/1800, compatible with the rest of Europe and Australia but not with the North American GSM 1900 or the system used in Japan. If your phone is tri- or quadriband, you will probably be fine. You can buy SIM cards and prepaid call time in Spain for your own national mobile phone (provided what you own is a GSM, dual- or tri-band cellular phone and not code-blocked). You will need your passport to open any kind of mobile-phone account, prepaid or otherwise.
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TIME
Spain is one hour ahead of GMT/UTC during winter, and two hours ahead during daylight saving, or summer time (the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October). Most other western European countries are on the same time as Spain year-round. The UK, Ireland and Portugal are one hour behind. Spaniards use the 24-hour clock for official business (timetables etc) but generally switch to the 12-hour version in daily conversation.
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TOURIST INFORMATION
Several tourist offices operate in Barcelona. A couple of general information numbers worth bearing in mind are 010 and 012. The first is for Barcelona and the other is for all Catalonia (run by the Generalitat). You sometimes strike English speakers, although for the most part operators are Catalan/Spanish bilingual. In addition to the following listed tourist offices, information booths operate at Estació del Nord bus station and at Portal de la Pau, at the foot of the Mirador de Colom at the port end of La Rambla. Others set up at various points in the city centre in summer. In addition to what follows, check out www.turismetotal.org for info on Barcelona province.
Oficina d’Informació de Turisme de Barcelona Plaça de Catalunya (Map; 93 285 38 32; www.barcelonaturisme.com; Plaça de Catalunya 17-S, underground; 9am-9pm; Catalunya); Ajuntament (Map; Carrer de la Ciutat 2; 9am-8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-8pm Sat, 10am-2pm Sun & holidays; Jaume I); Estació Sants (Map; Estació Sants train station; 8am-8pm late Jun-late Sep, 8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 8am-2pm Sat, Sun & holidays Oct-May; Sants Estació); El Prat airport (Terminal 1 arrivals, Terminal 2B arrivals hall, Terminal 2A arrivals hall; 9am-9pm) The Plaça de Catalunya tourist information office concentrates on city information and can help book accommodation. Expect to queue.
Palau de la Virreina Arts Information Office (Map; 93 301 77 75; Rambla de Sant Josep 99; 10am-8pm; Liceu) A useful office for events information and tickets.
Palau Robert regional tourist office (Map; 93 238 80 91 or 902 400012 from outside Catalonia; www.gencat.net/probert; Passeig de Gràcia 107; 10am-7pm Mon-Sat, 10am-2.30pm Sun; Diagonal) A host of material on Catalonia, audiovisual resources, a bookshop and a branch of Turisme Juvenil de Catalunya (for youth travel).
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TRAVELLERS WITH DISABILITIES
Some hotels and public institutions have wheelchair access. All buses in Barcelona are wheelchair accessible and a growing number of Metro stations are theoretically wheelchair accessible (generally by lift, although there have been complaints that they are only any good for parents with prams). Lines 2 and 11 are completely adapted, as are two-thirds of stops on Line 1. In all, about 70% of stops have been adapted (you can check which ones by looking at www.tmb.net and clicking on ‘Transport for Everyone’). All stations are due to be fully adapted by 2012. Ticket vending machines in Metro stations are adapted for the disabled and have Braille options for the blind.
You can order special taxis; Click here. Most street crossings in central Barcelona are wheelchair-friendly.
For more information on what the city is doing to improve accessibility, click on ‘Barcelona Accessible’ at the city council website (www.bcn.cat). Barcelona Turisme (www.vienaeditorial.com/barcelonaaccesible) also publishes the Accessible Barcelona Guide in several languages. Other services include the following:
Institut Municipal de Persones amb Discapacitat (Map; 93 413 27 75; Avinguda Diagonal 233) This organisation has information for people with disabilities in Barcelona, aimed mostly at permanent residents.
ONCE (Map; 93 325 92 00; Carrer de Sepúlveda 1; Plaça d’Espanya) The national organisation for the vision-impaired can help with information, including lists of places such as restaurants where Braille menus are provided.
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VISAS
Spain is one of 25 member countries of the Schengen Convention, under which 22 EU countries (all but Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the UK) plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland have abolished checks at common borders.
EU nationals require only their ID cards to visit Spain. Nationals of many other countries, including Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and the USA, do not require visas for tourist visits to Spain of up to 90 days. Non-EU nationals who are legal residents of one Schengen country do not require a visa to visit another Schengen country.
All non-EU nationals entering Spain for any reason other than tourism (such as study or work) should contact a Spanish consulate, as they may need a specific visa and will have to obtain work and/or residence permits. Citizens of countries not mentioned above should check whether they need a visa with their Spanish consulate.
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WOMEN TRAVELLERS
Think twice about going by yourself to isolated stretches of beach or down empty city streets at night. It’s inadvisable for women to hitchhike alone – and not a great idea even for two women together.
Topless bathing is OK on beaches in Catalonia and also at swimming pools. While skimpy clothing tends not to attract much attention in Barcelona and the coastal resorts, tastes in inland Catalonia tend to be somewhat conservative.
Ca la Dona (Map; 93 412 71 61; www.caladona.org; Carrer de Casp 38; Catalunya) The nerve centre of the region’s feminist movement, Ca la Dona (Women’s Home) includes many diverse women’s groups.
Centre Francesca Bonnemaison (Map; 93 268 42 18; www.bonnemaison-ccd.org; Carrer de Sant Pere més Baix 7; Urquinaona) A women’s cultural centre where groups put on expositions, stage theatre productions and carry out other cultural activities.
Institut Català de la Dona (Map; 93 495 16 00; www.gencat.net/icdona; Plaça de Pere Coromines1; Liceu) It can point you in the right direction for information on marriage, divorce, rape/assault counselling and related issues for long-termers. The hotline for victims of assault is 900 900120.
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WORK
Barcelona attracts not only tourists, but flurries of people from all over Europe and beyond hoping to find work and enjoy some of the summer lifestyle on a more long-term basis.
With around 17.5% unemployment (and a national rate just over 20%), the city is perhaps not the easiest place to realise such dreams. That does not make it impossible. Well qualified professionals in areas in demand do find positions. Teaching, bar work and jobs in the marinas are typical options. For more, Click here.
Doing Business
The main business district in Barcelona is along the western end of Avinguda Diagonal. The big banks cluster here with several major business-oriented hotels. Another centre of activity is the World Trade Center in Port Vell. A hi-tech district, known as 22@bcn, is emerging in the former industrial area of Poblenou. The giant congress centre in Fòrum attracts international get-togethers on the northeast coast of the city.
People wishing to make the first moves towards expanding their business into Spain should contact their own country’s trade department, such as the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (www.berr.gov.uk) in the UK. The commercial department of the Spanish embassy in your own country should also have information – at least about red tape.
In Barcelona your next port of call should be the Cambra de Comerç de Barcelona (Map; 902 448448; www.cambrabcn.es; Avinguda Diagonal 452; Diagonal). It has a documentation centre and business-oriented bookshop, the Llibreria de la Cambra.
With more than 80 trade fairs a year and a growing number of congresses of all types, Barcelona is an important centre of international business in Europe. The Fira de Barcelona (Map; 902 233200; www.firabcn.es; Plaça d’Espanya; Espanya) organises fairs for everything from fashion to technology, furniture, recycling, jewellery and classic cars. The information office offers business services (such as communications), meeting rooms and other facilities for people working at trade fairs.
The main trade fair (Fira M1; Map) is located between the base of Montjuïc and Plaça d’Espanya, with 115,000 sq metres of exhibition space and a conference centre, plus 50,000 sq metres of outdoor space. Fira M2 (Fair No 2), southwest of Montjuïc (en route to the airport) along Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, totals 200,000 sq metres.
On the waterfront, the World Trade Center (Map; 93 508 80 00; www.wtcbarcelona.com; Drassanes) at Port Vell offers a variety of meeting rooms and conference centres. The Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona (CCIB; Map; 93 230 10 00; www.ccib.es; Rambla de Prim 1-17) in the northeast of the city near the waterfront can host around 15,000 people (Click here) in various halls, auditoriums and meeting rooms.
The Barcelona Convention Bureau (Map; 93 368 97 00; Rambla de Catalunya 123; Diagonal) organises conventions and other events.