Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is one of the major Mediterranean cities and the second largest city in Spain. There are many reasons which explain why it has attracted visitors from all over the world for many years. There are many ’Barcelonas’ to be explored: the old town with Roman walls, the gothic district with palaces and churches from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, the well-structured Eixample district, the heart of Modernism, and the new Olympic Barcelona.
Sights, Art & Culture, Gastronomy, Shopping
Banks
Official opening hours of banks in Spain are from 8.30 to 14.00 from Monday to Friday, closed in the afternoon. It is possible to change foreign currency into Euros in the main city hotels.
Climate
Barcelona enjoys a Mediterranean climate with mild, sunny winters, warm summers and relatively low rainfall. The average temperatures in October are 18/22ºC minimum and 24/28ºC maximum. Our sunny summer days are ideal for strolling along the shop lined promenades or sitting out on a restaurant or café terrace.
Credit Cards, Currency and Exchange
All major international credit cards are accepted. Foreign currency and traveler's checks can be exchanged in Spain at banks and foreign exchange offices. Cash-point machines accepting major international credit card and charge cards are available at most banks. The Spanish currency is the Euro.
Electricity
A 2-pin round adapter is necessary for electrical appliances. The electric current used is 220 volts/50hz.
How to move around the city
In Barcelona, the weather is pleasant for most of the year which makes it great to explore it out walking.
Otherwise, the Metro is also a good option to move around in the city. The widespread availability of metro stations allows you to cover the entire city using this means of transport. Public transport tickets can be used both for bus, metro or tram, within a period of 1 hour and 15 minutes. A single ticket is €2.15, a 10 trips ticket is €9.95, a two days ticket is €14.00, a three days ticket is €20.50, a four days ticket is €26.50 and five days ticket is €32.00, you can buy the tickets at the metro stations or at the tourist offices located in the city center
Alternatively, you can use the taxi service.
Aligned with a more sustainable conference we encourage you to use bus and metro to move around while in Barcelona.
Restaurants
Barcelona’s restaurants range from gourmet-type to informal and rand tapas restaurants. There are also many international restaurants in the city, offering almost any kind of cuisine. In Spain, lunch is generally served between 13:30 – 15:30 h, dinner around 20:30 – 23:30 h.
Safety
Barcelona is a safe city, however, as in all touristic cities; pickpockets may be around the Airport, Railway Station and the city centre. Please take the usual precautions and do not leave valuables unattended.
Shopping
Normal shopping hours are Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 13:00 and 16:30 to 20:30. Some shopping malls are also opened on Sundays.
Smoking
In Spain smoking is prohibited in public buildings and public transport (including taxis), at workplaces, railway stations, discotheques, bars and restaurants. Tobacco consumption is also not allowed outside the grounds of hospitals, health centers, schools and kindergartens.
Smoking is permitted on terraces (e.g., restaurants), in one’s own home and balcony, in hotel rooms - if not prohibited by the owner - and in the fresh air with the exceptions referred to above.
Taxis
Taxis in Barcelona may be ordered by phone, picked up at authorized taxi stands or flagged down in the street. Taxis must usually be paid in cash through some accept credit cards.
Radio Taxi: +34 933 03 30 33
Taxi for disabled people: +34 035 51 93 68
Taxi ecologic: +34 932 78 30 00
Time
Barcelona is in the Central European Time Zone, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) +1hour.
Useful telephone numbers
Emergency: 112
Fire brigade: 088
Local police: 092
Taxi: +34 932 783 000 or +34 933 033 033 or +34 932 250 000 or + 34 933 083 434
VAT
There is a variable value added tax (VAT) of 10% to 21% applied to most items and services but in most prices you see will include it. When it is not included, this should be clearly indicated.
