Barcelona – Travel guide at Wikivoyage
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Understand

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When to visit

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August is probably the busiest time for tourists in Barcelona. However, many shops and restaurants are closed from early-August to early September. During this time, you will find the most expensive hotel rates (outside of conference times such as the Mobile World Congress), and the city is devoid of locals, as the vast majority of residents go on vacation in August and leave the heat and humidity to the hordes of arriving tourists. This is also one of the highest periods of home break-ins, as criminals know that many places are unoccupied for an entire month.

While Barcelona has decent, albeit crowded beaches, the locals will be very appreciative if visitors do not consider Barcelona a beach resort and absolutely do not wear beachwear when visiting churches, restaurants, etc. If you only want a beach, and a good beach at that, head south to Costa Daurada, north to Costa Brava or out to sea for the Balearic Islands.

Barcelona can be visited off-season and despite the cold weather, is a lovely city even in the winter months of January and February, as long as the possibility of rain is low. Given the high humidity, 19–23 °C (66–73 °F) is considered comfortable weather, which is usually the temperature from May to June, and from late August to October. These are the best times to visit the city. Anything warmer than this can feel too hot, and the period from November to April is quite chilly and at times gloomy.

With children

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Toddler happiness is considered a public responsibility in Spain. In any public place, people around you will make every effort possible to make your toddler happy: whenever he or she looks bored or is crying, everyone does their best to entertain or to calm them. You will find a great list of things to do with children during your Barcelona visit.

Visitor information

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All tourist offices are closed on 1st January and 25th December. For a full list of tourist information points check the link above.

The department store El Corte Ingles publishes a free street map for tourists. You can pick a copy at the store, or at one of the many hotels in the city.

The Turisme de Barcelona site might be helpful.

Tourist Passes

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Talk

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Barcelona's official languages are Catalan and Spanish. About a half prefer to speak Catalan, a vast majority understands it, and virtually everyone knows Spanish. However, most signs are indicated only in Catalan because it is established by law as the first official language. Yet, Spanish is also widely used in public transport and other facilities. Regular announcements in the Metro are made only in Catalan, but unplanned disruptions are announced by an automated system in a wide variety of languages including Spanish, English, French, Arabic and Japanese. On the other hand, FGC announcements – either regular or disruptions – will be made only in Catalan, and disruption announcements on RENFE's network will usually be made only in Spanish. As in most other cities, any attempt by visitors to use the native languages is always appreciated. Most locals are bilingual in Catalan and Spanish, and instinctively address foreigners in Spanish. Catalan is a separate Romance language, not a dialect, and sounds closer to Italian, Portuguese and French in many ways. Avoid referring to Catalan as a dialect, which will offend Catalans.

You might find some locals answer in Catalan after being asked in Spanish, that's not because they are being rude but because they assume you are bilingual. In Catalonia, it's not uncommon to hear people code switching between different languages in the same conversation. In case you can't understand what they are saying, tell them you don't speak Catalan and politely ask them to repeat it in Spanish or English.

The main cause of Spanish and Catalan social bilingualism in modern Catalonia is a large scale immigration process from the rest of Spain, which occurred over the 20th century, as Catalonia started a significant industrialization which demanded an increased workforce from elsewhere. 60% of the people in Catalonia use Spanish as their first language, and 40% use Catalan. The issues regarding language, national identity, and politics are like politics anywhere.

In tourist areas, almost all shops and bars have some English speaking staff. People will generally make an effort to try to help you if you speak English. If you are a native English speaker, you will have few problems, as Barcelona hosts many tourists.

Get in

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By plane

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The main airport is (BCN IATA). Some low-cost carriers, notably Ryanair, use the airports of Girona (GRO IATA), nearly 100 km (62 mi) to the north, or Reus (REU IATA), around the same distance to the south, instead. Since Ryanair started operating at BCN, you should check carefully where your flight goes. The three-letter IATA code should be part of your booking process.

Barcelona International Airport

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Main article: Barcelona El Prat Airport

Barcelona International Airport (BCN IATA), also known as El Prat, is a major transport hub, with flights from all over Europe and beyond. To get to the city centre, there are different options. Both terminals have a metro station and the ticket machines before the turnstiles will sell you a Billet aeroport ticket to anywhere in the city by metro (only)for €5.50. You can also reach Barcelona's city centre by train or by bus with a T-casual on a T-mobilitat contactless card. This costs €12.15 for 10 journeys on any Suburban Train (Rodalies), metro (not from the airport) , tram, or bus in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, and cannot be shared by more than one person. It is also much cheaper than the Aerobus (€6.75 for a single journey). The train leaves from Terminal 2, and there is a free shuttle from Terminal 1 to terminal 2. Trains run every 30 minutes until around midnight. If you arrive on a late flight, you can get into Barcelona using the N18 night bus, which stops at Plaça d'Espanya on its way to Plaça Catalunya. See the Public Transport section in Get Around below for more information on tickets & passes as there were major changes in 2023.

The Barcelona Bus service runs a shuttle bus from Estació del Nord (which is walking distance to the Arc de Triomf metro stop) in Barcelona to Girona Airport, synchronised with various flight times. A one-way ticket costs €16 and a return ticket costs €25. The journey takes approximately 1 hour 10 minutes. Timetables are available online. You can also take a train (you can choose between local Rodalies, Media Distancia and high speed AVE trains with different travel times and price points) to Girona main train station and a local bus from there to the airport.

The easiest way is to get there is to take the bus run by Hispano Igualadina from the Barcelona Sants bus station to the airport. Bus departures are synchronized with Ryanair plane departures/arrivals. One way ticket costs €13 and a return ticket costs €24. The journey takes from 1 hr 30 min to 1 hr 45 min, depending on the traffic on the motorway. Timetables are available online[dead link] . A slightly cheaper, yet longer option is to take a train from Barcelona Sants station to Reus and then the local bus no. 50 to the airport. The train costs €7.25 and then the bus costs €2.5. This takes about 2½ hours. Train timetables can be checked at Renfe's website and the bus timetable is available at the website of Reus public transport.

By train

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Barcelona is well-connected to the Spanish railway network, and to the rest of Europe. High-speed trains run frequently from main station (in the southwest of the city) to Madrid, Seville and Malaga. There are also regular long-distance connections that partially use high-speed infrastructure to all major Spanish cities. The station is also served by many regional lines including R1 R2 R2SUD R2NORD R3 R4 R11

The historic now mostly serves regional trains.

Direct regular high-speed train service goes to destinations in France. In addition to two daily TGV services from Paris (travel time ~7 hr to Barcelona), there is a daily service from Lyon (5 hr), and a daily service from Marseille (4 hr). Prices start at €39, so even though the train could take longer than a flight, it is often a cheaper, more relaxed alternative and less climately harmful option.

The former Talgo trains from Montpellier to Barcelona and Cartagena via Portbou ceased to run when direct high speed services started. It is still possible to travel via Cerbère/Portbou using local trains, but it's cumbersome, painfully slow and timetable coordination at the border is awful; however it may be the only alternative if all TGVs are fully booked. Also, if booked in advance, TGV can be way cheaper than using these local trains. However, for travelers using Eurail and Interrail passes these local routes are a useful way to avoid the high additional reservation fees on the international TGVs, which can be almost as high as an advance-booked standalone ticket on some of the longer routes.

There is also a less-known rail line over the Pyrenees to Toulouse. There is roughly one train every 3 hours on the Spanish side and one every two or four on the French side, including a sleeper train from Paris (with a branch to Portbou which splits at Toulouse: check all timetables to see whether route is faster, it greatly depends on waiting times at the border). Purchasing tickets for this route can be tricky. The Spanish line is considered a commuter line despite being far away from Barcelona and does not appear in any global European timetable, so it is impossible to get an international CIV ticket, every portion must be purchased separately. Also, for southbound travel, the Latour-de-Carol station only sells SNCF tickets so the Spanish portion must be bought directly at the ticket inspector, cash only. The journey takes 7–8 hours (including transfer) and costs roughly €30.

The launch of the high-speed service spelled the end of the overnight sleeper-car service called Trenhotel between Barcelona and Paris. Trenhotels still do, however, run between Barcelona and Granada, A Coruña and Vigo.

The security checks are taken seriously and may take some time. Arrive in advance, and do not bring anything that could be interpreted as potential weapon as it may be destroyed (knife, tools…).

By boat

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The city's port is one of the busiest on the Mediterranean.

Large cruise ships dock 1–2 km (0.62–1.24 mi) to the southwest. Many of them offer bus-shuttles to locations at the south end of La Rambla. The ferries dock almost directly on the Ramblas.

There are regular ferry connections with the Balearic Islands (Alcúdia, Ciutadella de Menorca, Ibiza City, Sant Antoni de Portmany, Mahón, Palma de Mallorca), Italy (Genoa, Porto Torres and Civitavecchia for Rome) and Tangier, in Morocco. From Rome (Civitavecchia) it is actually cheaper to take the ferry than a bus.

Some of the largest shipping companies includes Baleària, Grimaldi Lines and Trasmediterranea but there are several smaller companies as well.

By bus

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All bus connections are at (Barcelona Nord, Estacion del Norte) station (☏ ). This includes national (e.g. 18 buses per day from Madrid) and international routes.

Flixbus runs coach services between Barcelona Nord and London Victoria Coach Station, via Paris and Toulouse. They also connect to Amsterdam, Cologne, Brussels and many UK cities. They can be very cheap, but be prepared for a 24-26 hour coach ride from London! There is a small service fee. There may or may not be plug sockets or Wi-Fi on board. Flixbus recommend that you be at your departure point at least 30 minutes before departure time (except London Victoria where you are required to arrive 60 minutes before departure).

By car

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Several main roads connect Barcelona to France and to the rest of Spain. Traffic is usually relatively light outside of peak hours. Free parking spaces can be found a few metro stops from the center of the city.

Blue parking spaces are paid M-Sa 09:00-14:00 and 16:00-20:00. At some crossroads, the pay time starts at 08:00. Anyone can use a blue space, but they aren't that easy to find. You pay at the meter and put the ticket on the dashboard. Green parking spaces are for residents only. White parking spaces are free at all times, but there aren't any in the city centre.

City car parks are found throughout the city.

Get around

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By public transport

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The public transport in the city and the surrounding area managed by Autoritat del Transport Metropolità (ATM) consortium who provide information about services by all operators. The whole area is covered by the Integrated Fare System, which is divided into 6 zones. This system includes the most of the public transport in the area: metro, city and intercity bus, tram and commuter trains. Like most major European cities Barcelona has moved to a rechargeable ticketing system called T-mobilitat..

The city limits of Barcelona are completely inside zone 1. The public transport in the city is mostly operated by Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB). They have a separate site dedicated for tourists. Other operators in Barcelona are Rodalies de Catalunya ; Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya(FGC) & Tram.

T-mobilitat is a card or smartphone app that is the carrier of many of the contactless pass types below and can allow you to travel throughout the Barcelona metropolitan area.

There are three physical types.

Personal reloadable plastic card costing €4.50 that has to be registered. It is mainly aimed at local residents but people staying for an extended period may find it useful as it supports all pass types. If lost, it is possible to block the card and recover the passes on the card.

Anonymous reloadable cardboard cards which cost €0.50 and can only support one pass at a time. They can support T-casual, T-familier or T-grup passes. T-usual passes are also available on this type of card but can only be reloaded with T-usual passes. This is low cost option aimed at less frequent users like tourists.

NFC Smartphone app has a €1.00 registration fee. Supports all ticket types (but do you want to pull your phone out every time you want to validate a pass?)

Passes & tickets available:

Billet aeroport Non-itegrated ticket for use on the metro between any point on the metro system and the airport. There are other tickets that can be used on metro line 9 at the airport, see below. €5.50.

Integrated for a fixed number of journeys. Unfortunately these passes are not valid for travel to/from the airport by metro L9, but they are valid to/from the airport on the bus and train. All use T-mobilitat.

T-casual. This pass is for a single-person for 10 single journeys. During each journey it's possible to make up to three transfers. The whole duration of a journey must be no more than 1hr 15min and within zone 1. The T-casual is the good option for tourists. It's more convenient than buying single tickets and better value than the single tickets for more than 4 trips. It's far cheaper than the various discount cards with free transportation option. And finally, it doesn't bind one to specific routes like the hop-on-hop-off buses. T-casual for Zone 1 €12.15.

T-familier. Multi-person pass valid for 8 journeys, valid for 30 days. To correctly share this pass, the number of validations must match the number of people traveling together. T-familier for 1 zone €20.30

T-grup. Multi-person pass for 70 journeys, valid for 30 days. To correctly share this pass, the number of validations must match the number of people traveling together. T-grup for zone 1 €85.80

Integrated for an unlimited number of journeys for a number of days. These passes are valid for travel from the Airport on the Metro L9.

T-dia Single-person pass with an unlimited number of integrated journeys for 24 hours. Only one round trip to/from the airport on the metro L9 is allowed. T-dia for zone 1 €11.20. (not issued on T-mobilitat)

T-usual Non-transferable single-person pass with an unlimited number of journeys on any means of transport within the integrated system, for 30 consecutive days as of the first use, for the number of zones purchased. You must enter your passport or identity card number when purchasing these passes and you must carry the identity document when using the pass. T-usual for zone 1 €21.35 (discounted price during 2024). If loaded onto a cardboard T-mobilitat card, only T-usual cards can be reloaded onto the card. This pass is valid for travel to/from the airport on metro L9.

During 2024 some T-usual cards are discounted so may be worth considering for shorter stays.

An operator independent travel planner is available on the Barcelona Government website. There is a tendancy for operators to emphasise thir own services on their maps.

By metro

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The Metro (subway) is an efficient way of getting around town. Operation times are 05:00–24:00 (M–Th), 05:00–02:00 (F), and continuous service from Saturday at 05:00 until Sunday at midnight. Stations are marked on most maps; every station has a detailed map of exits to the city. Trains are fast, often coming in two minute intervals. However, on holidays and weekends trains only run every 6-8 minutes and can get easily packed. Announcements are made only in Catalan, though signs and ticketing machines generally include Spanish and English too.

Pay attention to the fact that to get from metro lines operated by TMB ( L1 , L2 , L3 , L4 , L5 , L9 / L10 and L11 ) to the ones operated by FGC ( L6 , L7 and L8 ), or vice versa, you need to exit and then enter through a new pay-gate. In this case, if you had a one-journey ticket, you need to get a new one. If you used a multiple journey ticket you won't be charged for a second time when changing lines as long as you are within the stated travel time for a single journey. Also, you can't repeat operator, so you can't use a FGC ride to make a shortcut. For instance: changing to L9S to L1 via L8 using Fira and Espanya will charge you with two journeys, you should go via Torrassa instead although its way longer. All trains are air-conditioned, however metro stations themselves are not, so beware because the stations can become very hot during summer months.

Also be aware when travelling to/from the airport by Metro line L9 Sud: while the T-casual is valid for R2NORD Renfe services (or buses), it is not accepted for the Metro. If you use the Metro line L9 Sud to and from the airport using a T-casual ticket, you'll be forced to pay the full fare, which is €5.50, and the ticket you've used will not be refunded.

By tram

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There are two main sets of tram lines, Trambaix T1 T2 T3 towards the North West of the city and Trambesòs T4 T5 T6 towards the East of the city near the coast. There are interchange points with other modes of transport. These lines are run by Tram and all lines are in zone 1.

There is one other tramway run by TMB but is not part of the integrated ticketing system: Tramvia Blau. This is a historic tram that connects to the Tibidabo Funecular. Unfortunately in 2024 it is closed for maintenance with bus 196 available as a replacement.

By train

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Regional suburban trains run through Barcelona and share ticketing with the modes of transport above. There are two operators: RENFE and FGC. Wrongly ignored by some tourists, they provide a useful additional mode of transport for getting across the city or connecting with mainline rail services and the airport.

The trains run by RENFE share tracks with mainline trains and are called Rodalies (known in the rest of Spain as Cercanías). They operate lines R1 R2SUD R2 R2NORD R3 R4 R7 R8 . NOTE that the integrated system map shows fare zones that do not coincide with the integrated transport zones of different transportation companies but the integrated fare Zone 1 is shown with the addition of the airport T2 station on R2NORD .

The trains run by FGC are S1 S2 S3 S4 S8 S9 and some are confusingly prefixed with an R R5 R50 R6 R60 . In addition FGC operates L6 L7 L8 but these are considered to be part of the Barcelona metro.

Watch out, it is possible to travel beyond integrated fare Zone 1 on both systems. There is a good map on the FGC website showing all rail lines and the boundary of Zone 1.

By bus

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The bus network in Barcelona is pretty extensive. Perhaps the best option in planning your route is to consult with one of the route planners mentioned above.

A major reorganisation of bus lines was completed in November 2018, so disregard old bus schedules and recheck routes. For example, bus line 92 to Park Güell, used by many tourists to get there after a visit to the Sagrada Familia, has been suspended, and a new line V15 stops there but takes a different route through the city centre (Passeig de Sant Joan).

Here are some tips for bus line codes:

Hxx lines run parallel to the coastline, low numbers run on the high side, high numbers on the sea side.

Vxx lines run from the beach to the hills, high numbers on the northern side (Besòs), low numbers on the southern (Llobregat).

Dxx lines run in a somewhat diagonal path, although interestingly none of these cover neither Diagonal or Meridiana avenues, the main oblique streets.

Mxx lines are found at the outer perimeter of metro coverage and link a metro stop to a neighbourhood lacking metro service.

Bxx lines run on the northern area outside Barcelona or linking Barcelona to neighbouring municipalities in the metropolitan area, B stands for Besòs river.

Lxx lines run on the southern area alike Bxx lines, L stands for Llobregat river.

Some municipalities have lines fully inside the town limits with two letters and a digit, theses two letters are reminiscent of the town name, such as BDx for Badalona and LHx for L'Hospitalet

Nxx lines run only at night when all other lines do not run, roughly from 23:00 to 6:00.

Cxx lines link Barcelona the various northern coastal Maresme towns up to Mataró.

Exx lines are express buses from Barcelona to various municipalities 10–60km (6.2–37.3mi) outside of the metropolitan area.

Lines with one or two digits without any letter follow historical routes from before the H-V-D schema.

Lines between 100 and 199 are usually very local lines served with low-capacity cars and poor frequency, 30 min or worse. Notable cases are line 111 to the Tibidabo amusement park, line 120 through Ciutat Vella, and line 150 to Olympic venues and the Montjuïc castle; others are mostly useless for tourists.

Line numbers from 200 upwards are used for some routes going outside the metropolitan area, while some others of the same kind have no number at all.

Buses H-V-D run about every 6–12 min weekdays, 15–20 min weekends.

Nitbus (N) run every 20 min all night. Information is available from AMB All Nitbuses (except N0 & N19) start or pass through Pl Catalunya

Take note that some lines have special fare restrictions: Barcelona cards (unlimited travel for 2 to 5 days) are valid only on Hxx, Vxx, Dxx and line numbers below 200. Fare 1 travelcards are not valid for Cxx, Exx and line numbers above 200 – actually, trips fully inside fare zone 1 are not permitted on these lines no matter what ticket is used. If you board any of these buses inside fare zone 1 you won't be able to get off until reaching another fare zone.

By scooter

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Except for deliveries, electric scooters are forbidden on sidewalks and all pedestrian walks throughout Barcelona. Doing so may subject one to hefty fines, as well as frequent, audible disdain from pedestrians. Electric scooters are permitted in bicycle lanes, and may share the road with automobiles.

Mattia46 scooters for rent: 50cc to 200cc.

GoCar is a two-seater, 3 wheeled vehicle that runs with a 49cc engine. It is legally classified as a scooter to drive on the roads. The GoCars were created with the purpose of being rented to tourists as a different way to see a city.

Cooltra Motos Scooter rental. You can rent a moped for 1 day up to 1 month. You can also take a part in private or group tours.

BookYourMoto Scooter and motorcycle rental in Barcelona. Cheap motorbike hire in Barcelona.

By bicycle

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Barcelona also has its own shared bike system, called BiCiNg. However, this appears to be only accessible for locals.

Donkey Republic. The orange bikes of Donkey Republic are placed all around the city. Tourists can rent and unlock the bikes via the company's app 24 hours a day, which can lock and unlock the bike without internet connection (by Bluetooth?). Bikes start at €12 per day.

Orange Fox Bike Tours Barcelona. Bike rental in Barcelona. Best bike tours with live guides (7 languages) near the Arc de Triomphe, Orangefox has different types of bikes and scooters. Bikes start at 5 € per hour.

By segway

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Barcelona is a very walkable city. It takes little over an hour to walk from Port Vell at the seaside to Park Güell at the foothills of the mountain range at the northeastern end of the city, and you can see a range of attractions, including La Rambla and Sagrada Família, on your way. There are opportunities all around to sit down and enjoy a drink or a meal everywhere. If you are fit, you can pretty much explore the city by foot alone, unless the heat beats you in the warmer months (and then you can always resort to the air-conditioned metro).

By car

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Parking around all major tourist destinations is expensive (€3/hour, €20-36/day) and the spaces are difficult to navigate, as there are several classes of public parking spaces, with complicated rules for each class. Barcelona is plagued with the same problems that plague other major European cities; massive traffic jams and extremely narrow streets in some areas, coupled with a very complicated road system. As such, driving yourself around is not recommended for tourists, especially those with no driving experience in large cities. Public transport will get you to all the major areas, and you should use that as your main mode of transport.

Having a driving map is essential - plan your route before you set off. Navigating with an average tourist map is frequently misleading: many streets are one-way; left turns are more rare than rights (and are unpredictable). As an example, Gran via de Les Corts Catalanes is actually a one-way northbound street between Espanya and Marina, the opposite direction is reserved for buses and taxis only.

Some free parking spots reported by travelers are:

Near Moll de Sant Bertran (which is south-west from Museu Maritim) - driving at B–10, exit to WTC and make a complete round at roundabout, heading to warehouses - and park next to its employees cars.

Somewhere near Guell Park.

Near Font Màgica, in Plaça Espanya and the Montjuïc hill.

Getting around by car makes sense if you plan to spend much more time driving outside the city borders than inside it - and ideally if you don't plan to park overnight at all. Otherwise, for purely in-city transportation, consider renting a scooter, or using public transportation instead.

By taxi

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As of January 2019, ride-sharing services such as Uber require at least one hour's notice. For less than one hour's notice, you need to call a regular taxi.

Eat

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As with all cities which welcome large numbers of tourists, Barcelona's cuisine is inconsistent in quality, but there are plenty of restaurants serving excellent food at very reasonable prices, if you know where to look. The usual rules of thumb apply: to save money and get better food, look for places off the beaten track used by fellow travellers, and seek out cafés and restaurants which the locals frequent. In practice, this usually involves searching out eateries in residential districts away from the main sightseeing attractions. Avoid restaurants with touts outside, and have a basic understanding of the traditional foods served in restaurants, as well as the local drinks. One slightly crafty way of sussing a place's authenticity at a glance is to take note of how they spell a certain word: a menu board advertising tapas, written the Spanish/international way, is likely to be somewhere which primarily caters to tourists, whereas somewhere offering tapes, using Catalan spelling, is in all probability a venue frequented by locals.

Some districts to check out include Gràcia, which is a hub of quality, affordable Catalan cooking of both the traditional and more avant-garde varieties, and the Eixample, whose chic boulevards have upscale restaurants aplenty worthy of your splurge money. The fishing quarter of Barceloneta (in Ciutat Vella) is an example of a neighbourhood where it pays to be picky: closer to the gentrified seafront, a slew of mojito beach bar-style places serve up expensive tourist tapas; for the real thing, head into the backstreets, where many traditional bars are still tucked away. In all cases, be prepared to "promenade" in search of the most attractive-looking menu; that's what the locals do, after all.

Set menus (menú del migdia / menú del día) Most restaurants (and some bars) offer a menú del migdia / menú del día (menu of the day), which usually means a three course meal (a first plate often a salad or rice-based or pasta-based dish, a second plate usually a meat or fish, and a drink; plus a dessert or coffee), 3 or 4 options for each course, for €12 to €20, depending on the restaurant. The portions may be quite generous, or rather small. During the week, some smart restaurants offer lunch specials from 14:00 to 16:00. The savvy traveller will try the hip places for a fraction of the price during the day.

If you're looking for a place where everyone can choose their own meal, ask for restaurants that serve platos combinados, which is the closest thing to an American/Northern European meal.

Smoking is not permitted inside bars and restaurants since 2011, but it's usually allowed in terraces.

Dishes

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You can get food from any part of the world in Barcelona, but make sure you try some Catalan food.

See Catalan cuisine section in the Catalonia article.

The selection of seafood is consistently great, although not a lot of it is local (this part of the Mediterranean is pretty well fished-out).

A treat to try that no travel guide mentions is waffles sold at street stands. They will tempt you with their mouth watering smell and taste.

Tapas restaurants are now all over the city (although tapas originated in Andalusia in the south of Spain). Each Spanish region has its native tapas; signature 'Catalonia' tapas is delicious. Some Catalans eat a more French-style three course meal (appetizer, main dish and dessert) and would more likely go for a pre-meal beer/vermouth and some snacks (olives, chips, etc.); others go for a meal entirely of tapas. This pre-meal snack is called 'fer el vermut' or 'making the vermouth'. As you travel to smaller towns in Catalonia outside of Barcelona, it is less likely that you will find tapas and more likely you'll see restaurants serving traditional Catalan food in three courses.

Beyond Catalan food, there is no shortage of durum or shawarma stands in Barcelona, offering tasty beef or chicken and salad in toasted flatbread for around €5. Gyros are delicious! You can also consider the Asian selection, with a lot of Chinese, Japanese and Indian restaurants. As with anywhere else, there are plenty of Italian restaurants, while Latin American offerings, particularly Argentine and Mexican, are well-represented too.

Food tours

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If you feel lost in the variety of food choices there are – Catalan, Basque, Spanish, and beyond – it may be helpful to do a food tour to quickly get oriented. Many independent tour operators run food and wine tours in the city.

Areas to eat

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Depending on where you are in the city, there may be restaurants galore, or none at all. The following areas tend to be restaurant "hubs", with a large variety of restaurants to choose from:

Barceloneta: A popular quarter for locals, where you can try fish based dishes, such as Paella (a name that may hide many different kinds of rice concoctions) or Arròs negre (Black Rice), that takes its colour because it is made using squid ink. Barceloneta is a very good place to eat tapas as well.

Sant Antoni is the new addition to the culinary scene in Barcelona where old and trendy cuisine mingle.

Eixample Esquerra (between Gran Via and Mallorca)

Barri Gòtic (especially for tapas)

"El Born" (next to Barri Gòtic)

Around Plaça Catalunya there are dozens of restaurants serving tapas. One should be careful with the tourist traps as the area is highly populated with tourists.

For budget eating you may choose "menú del migdia" in small bars on the Avinguda del Parallel for €9-11 per person. Be aware that sometimes the menu and the staff are only in Spanish.

The large cafes that line the Passeig de Gràcia and the Rambla Catalunya, just north of the Plaça Catalunya, offer a variety of acceptable tapas. This part of the town is quite touristy and a bit expensive.

This page uses the following price ranges for a typical meal for one, including soft drink: BudgetUp to €10 Mid-range€10–€25 Splurge€25 and up

Groceries

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In several supermarkets you can find a wide stall with a great selection of ready-to-eat dishes. You can get a two-course lunch for less than €5.

Restaurants

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Individual listings can be found in Barcelona's district articles

Juice bars. More and more the city is being populated by bars that serve organic/vegan food and cold-pressed juices.

Stay safe

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Pickpockets

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Pickpocketing is the most pressing issue for visitors to Barcelona. Never keep your wallet, cash or important documents in trouser pockets or in bag pockets: a money belt is an easy and inexpensive way to prevent being robbed. You will almost certainly be scoped out several times during your trip if you're in a tourist area or clearly don't fit in as a local, and it only takes a single momentary slip-up to lose your possessions. As always, be alert in crowded places, such as public transport, train and bus stations, La Rambla and Raval. If you are in a crowd, beware of anyone suspiciously or with no intention deliberately coming close to you.

Pickpockets usually work with more than one people, with one person using all kinds of tricks to distract you as their accomplices take action. The following are a few common methods:

At certain tourist hotspots, there are people who will try to show you a 'magic trick'. This involves tying a piece of string around your finger. While you are distracted (and your arm is effectively disabled), your wallet is stolen.

A milky or unpleasant liquid might be thrown on you. Strangers will come out of nowhere to help you clean it up. If this happens, immediately walk away, you are being pickpocketed.

East Asian visitors are interrupted by touts, who will showcase their "martial arts" on you by kicking your leg. While you are distracted, you will have been pickpocketed.

These people may also pose as a person looking for spare change, policemen who wishes to check your wallet for ID, or as tourists asking for directions.

Male travelers may be grabbed in the testicles by prostitutes or young female thieves. They will grab valuable possessions at the same time.

In the subway, a group of men will come out of seemingly nowhere while you attempt to enter a subway car and block your entrance and exit in a coordinated manner, effectively pinning you against the doors. They will act as if the car is just crowded and they are trying to get on as well, but, in reality, they have already gone through your pockets. They will quickly return to the platform just as the doors are closing, making you effectively trapped in the departing train. A more serious crime includes a person deliberately jamming the entry gate by inserting his subway card just as you are about to pass. His accomplice tries to 'help' you as the others are on your back snatching your items.

Under no circumstances should you leave your items unattended. While you are eating outside, a guy may babble near you asking for change with an unreadable poster in his hands and getting closer and closer to your smartphone until he eventually picks it up and passes it to a second guy that will run away with it. If you have a backpack or bag, don't place it on the ground without wrapping the loops around your leg or attaching it to the table using an S-Hook. Do not ask your friends to watch your luggage, thieves see ripe targets in people carrying too many bags, and will grab a carry-on bag and run.

If you need a police report to make an insurance claim for your stolen possessions, you can file a report online if you have no leads or witnesses. Police services generally expect you to provide a valid serial number to substantiate a theft allegation for electronic devices.

Scams

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See also: Common scams

People in Barcelona are often very friendly and love to practice their English, so don't be unfriendly. That said, you should be suspicious if someone approaches you in a touristy area speaking your language and asking you for help. This should put your guard up immediately. Do not be tempted to sign their petition, give them directions, or help them with their problem. You don't know anything about where you are, since you're a tourist, so you won't be able to help them in any case.

Professional scam artists exhibiting a high degree of coordination are active in many areas of the city. Be careful in tourist areas. A variety of methods are employed, including the No-change trick. A common scam involves fake cops who will show up ask to see your passport, then take your belongings at the first opportunity. The story varies, but they are almost certainly not real ones. When it happens, the best strategy is to just walk away instead of starting any sort of conversations with them. Another trick is that one seemingly confused person will ask you for directions, diverting your attention and then suddenly fake police will appear asking for your ID. This is a co-ordinated move to divert the attention and steal whatever is possible. If such incident happens, just walk away, without listening to any of their conversation. Stay alert, especially in busy tourist area near the Sants station and Plaça d'Espanya.

Another popular scam happens in the metro. A group of scammers (often middle-aged women) will take advantage of the fuss while people are entering the metro and surround a tourist, frantically asking for directions. Most tourists won't know what to say while one of the scammers empties their pockets. They will try to confuse the tourist while the metro stays in the platform, and will get out just before the doors are closed. When you realize you've been scammed, the train will have already left and they will be safely outside with your belongings.

The bird excrement scam is also common. One or more accomplices will secretly spray or throw a smelly liquid on you. When you look up thinking a passing bird has pooped on you, they will run up to you and tell you that they saw a bird poop on you. They will offer to help you clean up, and while you are cleaning they will go through your pockets and any bags you have set down. It is wise to beware of anyone who is attempting to touch a complete stranger.

A version of Three Card Monte is one of many common scams played on Les Rambles. There are also people holding petitions to install a wheelchair lift in locations with a lot of stairs. Once your signature is obtained they will then aggressively ask for a donation. Sometimes there can be crowds of children demanding money with hardly anyone else in the area, making it difficult to get away.

Violent crimes

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In 2019 there was a surge in violent crimes around Barcelona: in just the summer, there were almost as many violent deaths as there were for the whole previous year. While tourists are only occasionally targeted (and almost exclusively simple robberies), this should be not a going concern, many of these deaths are either drug-related or take place during drunken fights, so you are best advised to avoid such situations.

Local club FC Barcelona (also known as "Barça", a term used by locals to refer strictly to the club and not the city) is seen as a symbol of Catalan nationalism, and has a very heated and politically-charged rivalry with Real Madrid, which is seen as a symbol of the Spanish state and ruling establishment, and violent confrontations between the supporters of both clubs have been known to occur. Avoid wearing Real Madrid shirts while you're in Barcelona, especially on matchdays, as that could result in you being singled out for violence by local fans. On the other hand, wearing an Atlético Madrid (the other Madrid club) shirt might get you some stares and some harmless teasing, but certainly no violent reactions.

Furthermore, the local Derbi barceloní between FC Barcelona and Espanyol is also a politically-charged one, as FC Barcelona is traditionally supported by Catalan independence supporters, while Espanyol is traditionally supported by those who wish to remain part of Spain. If you hear Barça and Espanyol fans having an argument, be careful, as things can quickly escalate.

ATMs

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Barcelona offers ATMs in many locations. Many provide a wide range of services (withdrawals, transfers, mobile credit recharges, ticketing, etc.), and most accept ATM/debit/credit cards of various banks. Choose an ATM in a secure or highly-public space (e.g., in a bank lobby or airport terminal) to avoid machines modified by criminals to skim/video your card data or where you might be robbed after use. Ensure early in usage that the ATM supports a language you understand. For a full discussion of safe/effective charge/debit/ATM card usage and their cost trade-offs, They will charge you a usage fee on top of anything your bank charges you which should be declared on the screen before you proceed. see also Money.

Areas of caution

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Be very careful in the Barcelona Sants train station where thieves prey on new arrivals, even on the platforms. In general, try to stay away from suburban trains (cercanias in Spanish or rodalies in Catalan) late in the evening, as you may encounter young louts that disturb passengers, smoke, break windows and vandalize equipment. Don't rely too much on the railway security staff, as they prefer not to get involved, and by all means avoid messing with those troublemakers.

Women travelling alone should exercise caution while exploring the more isolated parts of Montjuïc. The city beaches, particularly the ones adjoining Barceloneta, have proven to be quite lucrative for bag snatchers. Anything that you would rather not lose is best left, locked, in your accommodation

Men traveling alone should expect the prostitutes on Les Rambles, St. Antoni, and Raval in the early hours to be very aggressive and in league with pickpockets and robbers.

Also, people need to be careful when leaving the bars of the Olympic Port late as there are many pickpockets around.

Be wary of wearing exposed jewelry such as gold chains and necklaces. People walking down a street may be attacked from behind by a snatch-and-run thief. Be especially careful of seedy looking men on bicycles, as snatch-and-run assaults can occur.

In the event of such a robbery, you will need to find the local police station to report the incident, especially if you are going to make a travel insurance claim. Don't expect any police action beyond the report, though, as these types of events are par for the course and arrests, even when made, almost never lead to prosecution due to a slow, antiquated, and overburdened legal system.

Parts of Barcelona are covered by closed circuit TV surveillance, but only the more popular spots.

Anti-tourism movement

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Many Barcelona residents have the impression that there are too many tourists in Barcelona and that it has increased living costs, as landlords prefer to rent to tourists and not to locals to make more profit. Also, a lot of local shops have closed to make way for souvenir spots, so many locals feel they are being expelled from areas they have lived their whole life. In some areas, particularly the ones next to the beach where drunken tourists often stroll in swimming suits, there were anti-tourism demonstrations by locals, which had the backing of the Mayor of Barcelona. By October 2019, this movement had nearly disappeared.

Cars

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Tourist drivers may attract special attention, such as Red light bag snatch or Flat tire scams

Public transportation

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Besides being a particular pickpocket hot spot, there are plenty of fare evaders who will stick to you when crossing a fare barrier. Do not even attempt to block their way and let them pass, as many of them can be quite aggressive. Although stations are full of surveillance cameras, they are seldom used to either enforce fare payment or as a proof for filed assault charges, except in the most severe cases. Lack of staff in many stations and few ticket inspections effectively mean carte blanche for them. The fare evasion fine is just €50 if paid on spot, no matter how many times the culprit has previously been caught, and many fines remain unpaid because payment enforcement is legally cumbersome.

Reporting crimes

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If you need to report a crime (for example, to claim on travel insurance), be prepared for the reality that in the downtown police station, officers generally do not speak English, even though the theft report form is in English, Spanish, and Catalan. The police station most often used to report theft is the one underneath Plaça Catalunya beside metro station, where they have some translators for common languages.