Sagrada Família
Antoni Gaudí's great unfinished basilica, begun in 1882 and still under construction. Its tall towers, carved facades and forest-like interior make it the city's best-known landmark.
Barcelona
Tapas, city beaches, Park Guell and Gaudi's Sagrada Familia are the draws of this Mediterranean city.
Attractive locations
Park Güell
Hillside park designed by Gaudí, with colourful mosaic benches, winding stone paths and a tiled lizard fountain. The upper areas offer views across the city to the sea.
Barcelona Cathedral
Gothic cathedral in the heart of the old quarter. Visitors can see its carved choir, a peaceful cloister with a flock of geese, and a rooftop viewpoint.
Museu Picasso
Museum in a row of medieval stone mansions in the old town, focused on Picasso's early years and his artistic development, with many paintings and drawings.
Santa Maria del Mar
Gothic church in the La Ribera area, built in the 14th century by local townspeople. Its tall, plain interior and slender columns give it a calm, spacious feel.
La Boqueria
Large covered food market just off La Rambla, with stalls of fruit, cured ham, seafood and sweets. A colourful place to look around and pick up a snack.
Casa Batlló
A Gaudí-remodelled apartment building on Passeig de Gràcia with a bony stone facade, a scaly tiled roof and colourful glass. The interior has flowing curves and sea-inspired details.
Casa Milà (La Pedrera)
A Gaudí apartment block on Passeig de Gràcia with a wavy stone facade and iron balconies shaped like seaweed. The rooftop has sculptural chimneys and views over the city.
Gothic Quarter
The oldest part of Barcelona, a maze of narrow lanes around the cathedral with medieval churches, small squares and Roman remains. It rewards wandering without a fixed route.
La Rambla
A long tree-lined pedestrian boulevard running from Plaça de Catalunya to the harbour, with street performers, flower stalls and cafes. It is busy at all hours.
Montjuïc
A hill above the port with gardens, museums, Olympic venues and a castle. Visitors can ride a cable car to the top for views over the city and the sea.
Palau de la Música Catalana
A Catalan Modernist concert hall from the early 20th century with a richly decorated facade and a stained-glass ceiling. It is listed by UNESCO and open for guided visits as well as performances.
Airports
Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport BCN
It is about 13 km in a straight line from Barcelona.
Girona-Costa Brava Airport GRO
It is about 76 km in a straight line from Barcelona.
Reus Airport REU
It is about 88 km in a straight line from Barcelona.
Getting around
From Barcelona-El Prat Airport
Both airport terminals are served by metro line L9 Sud, which takes roughly 30 to 32 minutes to reach central Barcelona; for other lines, change at Torrassa, Collblanc or Zona Universitària. Rodalies line R2 Nord trains leave from T2, reached from T1 by a free shuttle bus, and call at El Clot-Aragó, Passeig de Gràcia and Sants. The Aerobus express requires its own ticket, and night buses N17 and N18 serve the airport as well.
- Source: ATM (Barcelona transport authority): Getting from Barcelona Airport to the city centre (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: TMB: Accessing Barcelona from the airport by metro (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Metro, buses, trams and trains
TMB operates both Barcelona's metro, whose numbered, colour-coded lines are L1 to L5, L9, L10 and L11, and the city buses, with the yellow NitBus covering the night. The edges of the city are served by two tram networks, Trambaix and Trambesòs. Rodalies and FGC trains add to the metro, and the Montjuïc funicular, linking Paral·lel metro station with Montjuïc park, falls within the integrated fare system.
- Source: Barcelona Turisme: Getting around the city (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: TMB: Barcelona transport (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Integrated fares and travel cards
One ticket under Barcelona's integrated fare can combine bus, metro and tram journeys made within 1 hour 15 minutes. T-casual is a card for ten journeys. Unlimited travel for a fixed number of consecutive hours comes with the Hola Barcelona Travel Card, which includes one metro trip from the airport and one back. T-casual does not work at the airport L9 Sud stations, so an Airport Ticket is the alternative if your ticket is not valid there.
- Source: Barcelona Turisme: Getting around the city (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: TMB: Accessing Barcelona from the airport by metro (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: ATM (Barcelona transport authority): Getting from Barcelona Airport to the city centre (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Scams and safe taxis
Yellow and black taxis
Barcelona's taxis are painted yellow and black, and a green roof light shows that one is free. They can be hailed at a corner, picked up from one of more than 300 ranks, phoned for or booked with a free app. The Metropolitan Taxi Institute of the Barcelona metropolitan area oversees the fleet, and every taxi follows the same regulations and charges the same fares. Luggage and night travel, as well as stations, the airport and cruise terminals, carry supplements.
- Source: Barcelona Turisme: Getting around the city (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: Metropolitan Taxi Institute (AMB): Raising a hand (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: Barcelona City Council: Taxi (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Pickpockets and street games
Pickpockets gather where tourists do, such as metro stations and monuments, says the city council. City police advise steering clear of unauthorised street sellers and not pausing to watch games like thimblerigs, which can be scams. Advice from the Catalan police is to distrust strangers who ask what time it is or ask about your watch, come very close or offer help you did not request, to carry bags in front of you, and to avoid the first and last carriages while waiting for a train.
- Source: Barcelona City Council: Safety (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: Guàrdia Urbana (Barcelona city police): Personal safety (checked 4 Nov 2026)
- Source: Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police): For safe holidays (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan7.4 °C34 mm
- Feb8.1 °C32 mm
- Mar10.8 °C43 mm
- Apr13.7 °C50 mm
- May17.4 °C49 mm
- Jun22.1 °C27 mm
- Jul24.7 °C28 mm
- Aug24.6 °C41 mm
- Sep21.0 °C59 mm
- Oct17.1 °C70 mm
- Nov11.6 °C54 mm
- Dec8.1 °C31 mm
Driest months: Jun, Jul, Dec. Wettest months: Sep, Oct, Nov.
Costs
Prices here are about 65% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Festivals and events
festival
La Merce festival
Higher prices and filled hotels come with this event, which is among the biggest the country holds each year; plan early.
Who can help
Emergency
112 works across the EU for police, fire and ambulance.
local government
Policía Nacional (National Police)
Helps with: Spain's national police. Its tourist leaflet gives 091 for reporting a crime or getting information, and lists tourist attention offices (SATE) with interpreters in 13 places, including Madrid, Málaga and Sevilla.
Who qualifies: Tourists and other visitors who are victims of a crime in Spain.
Phone: 091
local government
112 emergency number (Spain.info, national tourism site)
Helps with: Spain's emergency number, free to call across the country. The national tourism site says translation is available in several languages and that calls can be located by emergency services.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Spain, including visitors, in an emergency.
Phone: 112
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Spain
Helps with: The UN migration agency's office in Madrid. Contact it about migration matters in Spain.
Who qualifies: Migrants and organisations working on migration. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +34 915943670
Email: IOMMadrid@iom.int
Address: C/ Fernando el Católico nº 10, 1ºB, 28015 Madrid
embassy
Foreign embassies and consulates in Spain (official lists)
Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The Spanish foreign ministry publishes a diplomatic list and a consular list of missions accredited in Spain.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy or consulate.
local government
Barcelona Tourist Assistance Service (Guàrdia Urbana)
Helps with: Run by the Ciutat Vella unit of Barcelona's city police. It helps victims file complaints, advises on cancelling stolen bank cards and contacts consulates, airlines and hotels, with an interpretation service.
Who qualifies: Tourists in Barcelona who have been victims of a crime. The page gives 24-hour assistance Monday to Friday.
Phone: 932 562 431
Address: Nou de la Rambla, 43, Barcelona