Thinking of planning a trip to Barcelona? You must know these things before traveling to the beautiful capital city of Catalonia so that you make the most of your vacation.
Meenakshi Sutar
Football Club, Camp Nou
Famous for world’s richest Football Club also known as Barca, it is Barcelona’s most favorite attraction for football lovers. This biggest stadium in Europe has a seating capacity of 99,354.
Sagrada Familia
To visit the biggest attraction, Sagrada Familia, a unique architecture designed by Antoni Gaudi, ensure that you do prior online ticket booking to save on time standing in the queue for couple of hours.
Park Guell
Visiting Park Guell is best around evening with fewer crowds and beautiful sunset views of the city.
If you don’t want to spend on tickets, you can plan a free visit to the park on the first Sunday of every month or every Sunday from 5 to 8 p.m during the summer, or on 23rd April, 18th May and 24th September of the year.
Casa Battlo & Casa Mila
Visit these masterpieces designed by Antoni Gaudí that are declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The buildings form one-of-kind modernism and expressionist architecture.
Casa Mila is known as "The stone quarry" with unusual rough-hewn appearance. Visit in early mornings or late afternoons to avoid the crowd.
Gothic Quarter
Strolling around in narrow lanes and exploring the old city with restaurants, bars, and clubs is a thrilling experience. You can enjoy the nightlife here. Also, visit the historic square Plaza Del Rey and other nice places.
La Rambla
This famous street in central Barcelona stretched upto 1.3 kilometers has a tree-lined pedestrian zone. It is also famous for street performers including human statues.
Place D’ Espanya
One of the most important squares in Barcelona is best to visit at night with a view of the lighting and magic fountain in the front.
Barceloneta Beach
Beach lovers will be enthralled by the fact that various Barcelona beaches including Barceloneta beach, are just 10 minutes’ walk from the center of the city. Avoid buying drinks, beers illegally from strolling chaps on the beach.
Barcelona Museums
Barcelona is blessed with several unique museums including contemporary art and sports. It is one of the skateboard capitals of the world. MACBA is the modern art museum in the Raval district.
The Funeral Carriages Museum is also a unique museum that houses a collection of funeral carriages from 18th century, that were used to carry bodies to cemeteries.
You can visit the museums for free on the last Sunday of every month or on 18th May.
Public Transportation System
In Barcelona, public transport includes metro or city buses. You can also travel by bikes, scooters, or cable cars.
However, you will have to walk a lot while visiting many sites here. So, wear comfortable shoes.
Barcelona is the busiest metropolis in the world and is visited by millions of visitors every year. So, it is recommended not to travel in peak hours to avoid the crowd. Explore early in the morning or late afternoon.
Language
Language of local people in Barcelona is Catalan or Spanish. So, even if not fluent, be used to basic phrases of their language such as bon dia (good morning), si us plau (please), vagi be (be well), and visca Barça! (long live FC Barcelona!)
Beware of Pickpockets
Well, while exploring Barcelona, you have to be beware of pickpockets as crowded and famous destinations are prone to pickpockets. Avoid carrying wallets, iPhone, computer bags, jewelry, and purses.
Feeling Hungry? Try traditional Catalan dishes including Paella, tapas, Spanish omelet, and Patatas Bravas.
Give a Tip or Not?
Well, you don’t have to pay a tip in restaurants there. However, if you want to appreciate their service then you may give a tip of around 5 to 10%.
If you are a shopaholic or want to shop from local shopping centers then you can visit Santa Caterina Market or Mercat Princesa.
Connecting to the internet is no problem! Barcelona is popular for having the biggest Free WiFi networks at various hot spots all over the city. Be connected to Google Maps and other apps for easy excursion.
Feeling Thirsty?
Well, you will get numerous free public drinking water taps around the city which is completely safe for drinking. So, no need to buy and carry water bottles.
It is better to carry some cash with you. You can use ATMs or currency exchange centers to withdraw currency Euros. Also, carry universal adapters to charge your phone.
Best & Worst Time to Visit
The best time to visit Barcelona is from May to June in late spring or from Sept to Oct in the fall time. Jan and Feb are relatively cheaper to visit. The least visited time is in the month of August. 3 days stay would be sufficient to explore Barcelona. You may want to extend the stay for a detailed excursion.
So, a well-planned vacation with things to know before traveling to Barcelona can give you the most pleasant and hassle-free experience. When are you traveling to Barcelona?