There are plenty of things to see and do in the city if you’re lucky enough to have some time to spend taking in the sights.
For any football fan, one of the main trips if you’ve not done it before, is a visit to the FC Barcelona Museum at the Nou Camp and a stadium tour. The museum is open 10am – 6.30pm during the week, with tours running until 5.30pm and on Sundays from 10am – 2pm with tours running until 1.30pm. As part of the Camp Nou tour, you get to visit the changing rooms and run down the tunnel onto the pitch and sit in the Directors’ Box. The tour costs €10.50 for adults or €6.50 to just visit the museum. For further details, or to purchase tickets online, visit the FC Barcelona website.
However there are also numerous other things worth seeing and doing whilst in the city. The most popular in terms of visitor numbers is the Sagrada Familia built by Antonio Gaudi .It is open from 9am – 6pm during the Winter months and costs €8 to go in. There is a lift which takes you up 65m to the viewing platform. Construction began in 1882 and it is still estimated to be another 50 – 80 years before it is finished. Like marmite, it’s one of those things you’ll either love or hate. For further details visit the website at sagradafamilia.org.
Some of the more recent attractions include the Aquarium and Zoo. The aquarium (metro L3 Drassanes or L4 Barceloneta) is located in the port area and is open daily from 9.30am – 9pm and costs €15 for adults and €12 for children. If you are a qualified diver, you also have the option of swimming with sharks. If this appeals, visit a psychiatrist. Barcelona Zoo is located in the Parc de la Ciutadella (metro L4 Ciutadella ) and is open 10am – 6pm during March. It costs €14.50 adults and €8.75 for children up to 12. As well as plenty of animals, there is a children’s play area, bars, restaurants and picnic tables.
Since the 1992 Olympics, the city has been known for its numerous fountains around the city. There are currently over 200 ornamental fountains in parks, gardens and walkways. One of the most famous since its creation in 1929 is la font Màgica de Montjuic, or the Magic Fountain (metro L1 & L3 Plaça Espanya). There are some rather spectacular displays of water, light and sound held on a Friday and Saturday during the winter from 7pm – 9pm.
Other Things to Do
For shopping and purposes of orientation, the most recognised street in the city is Las Ramblas, around 1.5 miles in length linking the harbour in the south to Plaça Catalunya at the northern end. As well as being a hive of activity for shopping, it is also common to find several different types of street entertainment throughout the day and a variety of bars and restaurants in the evening.
The city also has a couple of amusements parks, including Tibadabo on the highest point of the city, accessible by bus from Placa Catalunya or by Tramvia Blau (€2.30 single, €3.50 return). It is only open weekends in March from 12pm – 8pm and costs €22 for adults and €11 for children.
Slightly further away, just under 70 miles from the city, but on a much larger scale is Port Aventura which opens in late March. It costs €35 for adults and €28 for children. Next door is Caribe Aquatic Park which costs €9.50 for adults and €8 for children. During early season (march and April) only the indoor parts of the park are open. It is easily accessible by bus, train or car from Barcelona.
It is also worth noting that the city has over 2.5 miles of sandy beaches.
Getting Around Generally
Like most large European cities driving in Barcelona is a nightmare (think London but with a rush hour that lasts from 8am – 8pm). Be prepared to spend much of your time staring at the bumper of the car in front of you and inching along slower than a snail.
The only thing worse than trying to drive in the city is trying to park in the city. Parking on the street is practically impossible and using a car park way out of most people’s budget. If you are lucky enough to find that one elusive car parking space in the whole city, remember that parking your vehicle facing oncoming traffic is an offence under Spanish law. So, basically, as well as not being able to find a space, when you do make sure you turn your car round and still get in there before anyone else.
If you are going to do some driving whilst in Spain, remember that they drive on the right and sound their horns rather unnecessarily when passing another car. It’s also handy to know that when the bloke behind starts flashing his headlights repeatedly, he thinks you’re driving too slowly. It has been said that driving in Spain is noisy and not that dissimilar to a bad 80’s disco so you can expect to see some dodgy pink leotards and legwarmers then too.
If you’re travelling long distances, you’ll probably use both the autopistas, (toll roads), and autovías, which are toll-free. As you might expect, toll roads or autopistas are better maintained and tend to be considerably easier to drive on. They accept payment by credit card or cash depending upon which booth you use. The speed limit on expressways is 75 mph (120kmph) and on other roads, between 56 mph (90kmph) to 62mph (100kmph).
Traffic fines are administered by the Guardia Civil de Tráfico in the form of spot fines.
Getting Around By Public Transport
Barcelona has an efficient and comprehensive subway system which covers everywhere you’re likely to want or need to go.
To simplify the system, there are five colour-coded lines which radiate from the city centre. Stations are recognizable by a red diamond-shaped sign with the letter M in the middle.
There are a variety of tickets on offer which can be purchased from the ticket office or any of the self-service machines inside the station. A single ticket costs €1.20, but if you are in the city for any length of time, more cost effective options include the T-10 which offers 10 journeys and can be shared amongst a group for €6.65 or a Day Ticket for unlimited 24-hour transport in central Barcelona for €5. Travel Cards valid for between 2 and 5 days are also available costing €9.20 for 2 days, €13.20 for 3 days, €16.80 for 4 days and €20 for 5 days. All these tickets are valid for the bus systems as well as the Metro.
The Metro runs from 5am through until midnight during the week and until 2am of a weekend. The transport company, TMB, has a great website which you can use to plan your journey and have a look at the different tickets available, and, even better, you don't have to speak Spanish to be able to use it! For further details, (including information on travelling around the city for disabled supporters – accessible metro stations, buses that can carry wheelchairs – 80% are single-decked vehicles which are wheelchair accessible etc) visit their website by clicking on the link above. Under 4’s travel free and smoking is not permitted on buses or any metro services. The fine for travelling without a valid ticket is €40.
Getting Around By Taxi
Taxis are common and relatively inexpensive. If they are available, they will display a green light and can be hailed in the street or from one of the many taxi ranks around the city centre. The night rate runs from 8pm when they become more expensive. To call a taxi or order one in advance, or for details of taxis able to carry wheelchairs, call the Institut Metropolità del Taxi at tel. 00 34 93 22 35 151. It is worth checking that the meter is reset at the start of your journey to ensure that you are not overcharged.
