Barcelona

TRAVEL || EUROPE > IBERIA > SPAIN > CATALONIA > BARCELONA

WONDERLAND OF GAUDÍ

On Spain’s northeast coast on the Iberian Peninsula, the Catalonian regional capital of Barcelona, situated on the Mediterranean Sea, is deeply rooted in its Catalan heritage. UNESCO World Heritage sites by Spanish Modernismo movement architect Antonio Gaudí are found throughout this city.

Basics

Administrative: Regional Capital of Catalonia
Languages: Spanish and Catalan
Currency: Euro €
Airport: Barcelona–El Prat Airport BCN has 2 terminals (T1 is international)
Train Stations: Sants Estació (most central) and El Prat Estació (east of city near airport)
Tram and Metro: tickets sold at any metro station (single-ride or 2-5 day pass)
Safety: Barcelona is ranked a safe city, but be aware of the high risk of pickpockets, particularly in tourist areas and public transit areas

District	Neighborhoods
Ciutat Vella	Reval + Barri Gòtic + Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera (el Born) + Barceloneta
Eixample	Sant Antoni + Nova Esquerra + Antiga Esquerra + Dreta de l’Eixample + Fort Pienc + la Sagrada Familia
Sants-Montjuïc	Poble Sec + Parc de Montjuïc + Hostafrancs + Sants + Sants-Badal + Bordeta + Marina de Port + Marina de Port Vermell + Zona Franca Port
Les Corts	Les Corts + Maternitat i Sant Ramon + Pedralbes
Sarrià-Sant Gervais	Sant Gervasi-Galvany + el Putxet i el Farró + Tres Torres + Sant Gervasi-la Bonanuova + Sarrià + Vallvidrera, Tibídabo i les Planes
Gràcia	Camp d’en Grassot i Gràcia Nova + Vila de Gràcia + el Salut + el Coll + Vallcarca i els Penitentes
Horta-Guinardó	Guinardó + Baix Guinardó + Can Baró + Font d’en Fargues + Carmel + Teixonera + la Clota + Vall d’Hebron + Sant Genís dels Agudells + Montbau + Horta
Nou Barris	Vilapicina i la Torre Llobeda + Porta + Turó de la Peira + Can Peguera + La Guineueta + Verdum + Prosperitat + Canyelles + Les Rosquetes + Trinitat Nova + Torre Baró + Ciutat Meridiana + Vallbona
Sant Andreu	Nevas + Congrés i els Indians + la Sagrera + Sant Andreu de Palomar + Bon Pastor + Baró de Viver + Trinitat Vella
Sant Martí	Vila Olímpica del Poblenou + Parc i la Llacuna del Poblenou + el Poblenou + Provençal del Poblenou + Diagonal Mar i el Front Marítim del Poblenou + Besòs i el Maresme + Verneda i la Pau + Sant Martí de Provençals + el Clot + Camp de l’Arpa del Clot

Rail

• RENFE trains and over 200 coach companies serve Estación Barcelona Sant, including high-speed AVE trains (also run by RENFE) to Madrid takes just over 2-1/2 hours; and France’s TGV high-speed rail with journeys to Paris taking 6-1/2 hours
• TrainLine rail app is a good resource for making reservations
• Rail Europe is also a great source for making necessary train reservations—more travel information can be found in my post on an earlier trip: Northwestern Europe
• Our Eurail passes covered our train travel between cities and villages within our selected countries on the continent
• For local transport throughout Barcelona, we purchased unlimited journey day tram/metro passes (for 2-5 days) from the kiosk in the metro station—information guide HERE
• Metro maps were stored on our phones for quick reference, such as this one for Barcelona:

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