Barcelona is a busy port and clubbing capital of Catalan. It is crammed with bars, high-calibre galleries and museums. It also has historical city barris (districts), great shopping and is sizzling with creativity. Barcelona not only seriously rivals Madrid but considers itself on a par with all the great European cities. Barcelona parties with a vengeance. Check out its famous main avenue La Rambla, which never seems to sleep, and the up and arrived area of El Born in the La Ribera district on your holiday to Barcelona. Locals will tell you that two emotions guide them as Catalans: seny - solid common sense, and rauxa - a creative chaos. You can see this illustrated on your Barcleona holiday in the Gothic quarter which is packed full of history and the Eixample district which has the greatest collection of art nouveau – Modernisme - on the streets in Europe. Barcelona is the capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia and Spain’s second largest city.
Nightlife - nothing gets going though until midnight at the earliest
Cooling off on the city’s beaches
Local bars and regional gutsy food and wine
Antoni Gaudi’s designs
Architecture on the plush Eixample Boulevard
The midday summer sun, even though the Spanish Government officially abolished the siesta in early 2006.
Spain is a full member of the European Union. EU citizens do not need a visa
You are required by law to have your passport with you at all times and may be asked to produce it when making credit card purchases
Tourists are a target for theft, so don’t carry much cash with you and never leave valuables in the car
The city is famous for its clear blue skies most of the year. In summer there is often ten hours of sunshine a day. The climate in Barcelona is Mediterranean with mild winters (around 12°C/54°F) and long hot Summers (around 28°C/82°F)
Flights to Barcelona from London take approximately two hours.
The city has a pay and display system with parking charges in force from 9am - 2pm and 4pm - 8pm weekdays and all day Saturday. You can also park in blue spaces for up to two hours for a charge.