Practical information
Travelling to Barcelona
Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. It is located in a highly populated area which is a hub of economic activity. The city enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with mild winters and warm summers. It is a coastal city and has over four km of urban beaches and large areas of nearby forest. Although it is a large city, it is easy to get around on public transport and on foot. You can reach any point in the city by metro, bus and taxi.
The inhabitants of the Catalonian capital are very open and welcoming. The official language is Catalan, however they speak Spanish. Most of them also understand a little English and French.
Language
Most of Barcelona’s inhabitants are bilingual and speak Catalan, their own language, and Spanish. These are the two official languages of Catalonia. Street names and many road and transport signs are in Catalan.
Many restaurants have menus in a number of languages. The Catalans will help you to find your way around. Many of the city’s inhabitants understand English and French.
The table below includes some of the most frequent expressions which will help you get around the city.
If you want to have more information on this topic click here.
Information Points
Barcelona has a comprehensive network of tourist offices and information points geared to serve the needs of tourists. In this section, you will find the contact details of these offices.
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Visas
The documentation you need to enter Spain will depend greatly on where you are coming from:
- If you are a citizen of any nation in the European Union, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein, you will only need your National Identification Document or a current passport. For minors, the National Identification Document must be accompanied by written parental permission.
- If you are from Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, the Republic of Korea, Romania, San Marino, the Vatican, Singapore, Uruguay, or Venezuela you will need to show a valid passport to enter Spain. Your stay may not exceed 90 days.
- If you are coming from any other country, in accordance with EU regulations, you must apply for a visa at the Spanish Consulate for your country. You must also show an official passport. In this case, Spanish authorities may require proof of accommodation, reservation confirmation by an official travel agency, a return ticket, tour agenda, or personal invitation. Likewise, you may be required to provide proof of sufficient funds to cover your stay in Spain.
As the conditions stated above may vary, we recommend you contact the Spanish Consulate or Embassy for your country to ensure you meet all requirements before traveling.
Further information: www.mae.es
Further information: www.mae.es
We also invite you to visit the Spanish version that has a lot more useful information: www.mae.es (Spanish version)
Business Hours
Meal times
In Barcelona, as in the rest of Spain, people normally have their meals later than in other European countries. The breakfast, “esmorzar”, is usually taken between 9:00 and 11:00 in the morning, and tends to be lighter than in the rest of Europe. People sit down for lunch between 14:00 and 15:00 and for dinner between 21:00 and 22:00 hours. Nevertheless, restaurant hours are adapted to the pace of the working life, and you can find lunch as early as 13:00, while dinner may be served as late as 23:30 at night. However there are of course also restaurants where you can eat at any hour of the day.
Working hours
The workday generally begins at 8:00 or 9:00 in the morning lasts till about 20:00 hours, with a one- or two-hour break for lunch in the early afternoon.
Shopping hours
Shops in Barcelona open their doors between 9:00 and 10:00 in the morning, and generally close for lunch at 13:30 or 14:00. They open again in the afternoon between 16:00 and 17:00 and remain open until 20:00 or 20:30 hours. Nevertheless, many shopping centers and larger malls do not close at midday. Many shops and all department stores and shopping centers open Saturday afternoons, while all shops close Sundays, except for special dates, as before Christmas when they open also on Sunday.
In Barcelona, as in the rest of Spain, people normally have their meals later than in other European countries. The breakfast, “esmorzar”, is usually taken between 9:00 and 11:00 in the morning, and tends to be lighter than in the rest of Europe. People sit down for lunch between 14:00 and 15:00 and for dinner between 21:00 and 22:00 hours. Nevertheless, restaurant hours are adapted to the pace of the working life, and you can find lunch as early as 13:00, while dinner may be served as late as 23:30 at night. However there are of course also restaurants where you can eat at any hour of the day.
Working hours
The workday generally begins at 8:00 or 9:00 in the morning lasts till about 20:00 hours, with a one- or two-hour break for lunch in the early afternoon.
Shopping hours
Shops in Barcelona open their doors between 9:00 and 10:00 in the morning, and generally close for lunch at 13:30 or 14:00. They open again in the afternoon between 16:00 and 17:00 and remain open until 20:00 or 20:30 hours. Nevertheless, many shopping centers and larger malls do not close at midday. Many shops and all department stores and shopping centers open Saturday afternoons, while all shops close Sundays, except for special dates, as before Christmas when they open also on Sunday.
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Currency
The Euro: the new currency
The incorporation of Spain in the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) has meant the introduction of the single currency, the euro, which entered into circulation in January 2002. At that time, the euro became the official means of exchange for twelve of the twenty-five member countries of the European Union: Austria, Belgium, Greece, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
Banknotes circulate in denominations of € 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. Coins are minted in the following denominations: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents or € 1 and € 2.
The incorporation of Spain in the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) has meant the introduction of the single currency, the euro, which entered into circulation in January 2002. At that time, the euro became the official means of exchange for twelve of the twenty-five member countries of the European Union: Austria, Belgium, Greece, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
Banknotes circulate in denominations of € 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. Coins are minted in the following denominations: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents or € 1 and € 2.
For more information click here.
Information for people with reduced mobility
Turisme de Barcelona collaborates in various programmes and initiatives designed to improve and extend services for visitors to the city. The tourism board owns a guide whose aim is to make a visit to the city easier for people with reduced mobility or communication.
Further information can be found clicking here.
Useful telephone numbers
Click here to obtain a list of the most important numbers for any kind of matter and urgency. A call can solve many problems.
Pictures by Turisme de Barcelona, J. Trullàs.
