What is the best neighborhood to rent in Barcelona?

Anastasia and Anton Solomin
Barcelona is going through a difficult period now. Offices of large international companies are opening in the city, which is why rental prices are growing every month. Fashionistas live in Born or Gràcia, successful startups in Poblenou, students in Poble Sec and Sants, families in Eixample, upper middle class - in Sarriá. I do not recommend renting accommodation in the touristy Gothic Quarter (El Gótico) and the bustling Raval. If your budget is tight, take a look at the outskirts: the suburb center of Badalona and Hospitalet de Llobregat are quite decent and affordable in terms of prices and transport.

Eixample district

Poblenou District

Ekaterina Udintsova
The place of residence depends entirely on the purpose of the trip and on the company. Born, Gothic - for those who want to live in the heart of the action, but it is better to choose an apartment in the side streets - the main streets will be noisy 24 hours a day, especially in summer. You will definitely have time to learn songs in all languages \u200b\u200bof the world. Barceloneta - if you want to see the sea from the window (or at least realize that it is very close). If you want to spend your holidays calmly and practically without tourists, choose Eixample: it is as quiet there as possible in large city... Raval is always cheap and unpredictable: not a very safe area.

Maria Bukreeva
In order to feel the spirit of the city, it is better to find Gracia and Eixample. Gracia is more expensive and noisier, the Eixample is a little cheaper and quieter.

District of Gracia

Ekaterina Yuffik
It all depends on the purpose of the stay and preferences. If you want narrow streets and bars around, then you are in Born or the Gothic Quarter. It is full of attractions, cafes and vintage shops. In order to feel how the locals live, it is worth settling in the Eixample - calmly, but at the same time central and everything can be reached on foot. I'm for the last one. Bright area, old houses with high ceilings, good restaurants all around.

Christina Shvets
If you come to Spanish courses for the summer or get a second higher education for six months, I would definitely advise you to settle in the Old Town in the Born district: it is close to the beach, and there are a lot of lovely wine and tapas bars, and in general life is in full swing. I would not advise the Gothic Quarter - stepping over drunken French students at night to get to the entrance is not a very pleasant activity. Another good and beautiful Right Eixample is a modernist paradise.

Tasha
If you come here as a tourist, then, of course, it is better to rent accommodation as close to the center and the beach as possible (Eixample, Barceloneta). If you plan to live here for a long time, then everything depends on the tastes and convenience of the location. For example, I live in the Carmel area - it is only 20-30 minutes to the center, but I have beautiful mountain views, calm and quiet.

Carmel district

Maxim Rahr
I have lived in Poble Sec, Sants and Raval. These areas are central but less touristy than Gothic and Born. Raval is noisy, dirty, but fun. Poble Sec is relatively quiet, but you have to climb a steep hill.

How does the public transport system work, what should a tourist pay attention to?

Ekaterina Udintsova
The transport system is very convenient and the route is easy to build using Google. You can buy a single ticket for ten trips (10 euros), it is valid even in the suburbs (but not everywhere, to certain stations). The city bike rental system is available, alas, only to residents.

Anastasia and Anton Solomin
If you are in Barcelona for more than three days, it makes sense to buy a card for ten trips. If there are a lot of you, you are traveling for a long time and travel together, buy for 70 trips, you can use it for 30 days to enter any transport with the whole crowd. There are also unlimited travel passes for a month or trimester. A three-month pass is cheaper if you're under 25. The suburb is divided into zones, going to the beach or the mountains, make sure your ticket is valid for that zone. You can buy tickets at the machine or at the box office.

From Friday to Saturday, the metro runs all night, on other days there are night buses.

There is a train from the airport (T2) to Sants Station with a valid one-zone ticket. There is also a metro at the airport, but only a special ticket for 4 euros or a monthly pass is valid for it.

Christina Shvets
The transport system in Barcelona is ingenious. Everything is created for people, unfortunately, there are more convenient options for residents, and not for tourists - for example, a system for renting bicycles, electric moped and mini-cars for ridiculous money. If you are a tourist, then I recommend renting a bike or a moped for the entire stay and enjoying the city (however, you won't be able to rent a bike through the Bicing city bike rental - you need to register on the website and get a special card to your home address (for rent, you can try here (see this site. - Ed.). A bicycle will cost you from 5 to 15 euros per day, a moped from 20 to 50 euros per day. I advise you to go to the Pakistani district of Rawal, where you will most likely find the cheapest rate.

Quite convenient and comfortable metro, open from 5 am to 12 am every day, and on Friday - until 2 am. The cost of a taxi rarely exceeds 10 euros per trip, in the city center - within 7 euros.

Tasha
The mistake of many tourists is that they sometimes buy on one trip (2.15 euros). It is also worth noting that a ticket can only be bought from a machine in the subway or in a tobacco shop. You will not be able to buy it from the bus driver.

Barcelona is well equipped with night buses, which start running from 23:00 in almost all directions. When traveling by bus, the Next Bus Barcelona mobile application (download for Android / iOS) helps a lot. Each stop has a code that you can enter in the app and see when the next bus is. You can also see all nearby stops near you, as well as their schedules and routes.

The metro in Barcelona runs until midnight from Sunday to Thursday inclusive. On Friday, the metro is open until 2 am, and on Saturday around the clock (just like on some holidays, such as New Year).

Daria Gavrilova
If you are going to travel outside the city, please note that there are TWO commuter systems. railways - FGC (red badge) and Rodalies (letter R). Their cost is the same, but if you don't figure out that these are different systems, you can get lost for a long time. I also strongly recommend downloading the diagrams of both systems in advance: they simply do not exist on the platforms.

Favorite and least favorite areas of Barcelona

Ekaterina Udintsova
Gracia is the hipster center of Barcelona. The Eixample is full of good bars and restaurants. Born and Gothic are the most touristy areas, there are always crowds and noise, but close to any point, as the center. Barceloneta is a beach area. It can be chilly because of the wind and expensive because of the sea. Raval is normal, but absolutely Arabic. It is divided into two parts, in one of which it is better not to go at night (and during the day): prostitutes stand 24/7. My favorite area is Gothic: you feel here the whole life of the city.

Anastasia and Anton Solomin
I love walking around the modernist Eixample district and admiring the stained glass windows, carved doors and antique elevators. I love hipster Gracia with its shops and coffee shops. I love walking along the sea from Ciutadella via Poblenou.
I do not like to huddle among tourists in Gothic. I do not like Raval, it is scary at night and you constantly risk stepping into dubious puddles. However, the Gothic Quarter is good early in the morning when there is no one there, and in Raval I sometimes go to sit in the garden near the Carrer de Hospital and observe the life of the streets.

Gothic Quarter

Maria Bukreeva
I love Barceloneta very much, but it is impossible to live there because of the tourists, it is too noisy, but I really like this fishing area. I love the Eixample, everything is very simple there, some blocks and beautiful houses... Gracia, of course, is also luxurious, but it is very easy to get lost.

Ekaterina Yuffik
I love Gracia and Eixample. The first is very reminiscent of the Malasaña area in Madrid and is populated by creative young people. Therefore, it is full of trendy and authentic establishments, non-mainstream shops. The second area is well developed in terms of infrastructure. There are many shops, green spaces and attractions.

Unloved area - Raval. Despite the central location and low price for housing, I do not advise anyone to stay there. It is very restless and dangerous at night and even in the early morning.

Raval district

Christina Shvets
I love most areas in my own way: I live in the Olympic Village, which is seven minutes from the sea and two from the main park of Ciutadella. Bourne is beautiful, in general, a hipster paradise - a dime a dozen boutiques with clothes from local designers, secret superbars and good butcher's and cheese shops, and in general, the historical spirit of Gothic around will not leave anyone indifferent.

Eixample is a structured modernist neighborhood. My favorite is perhaps the so-called Golden Square - two streets to the right of the main street of the city of Paseo de Gracia and two streets to the left - here is the most beautiful modernist architecture, where literally every house and entrance amazes with its scale and luxury of former wealthy owners, because before the whole house belonged to only one tenant. The first and second floors were reserved for receiving guests, and the last two for servants.

Tasha
I really like the Carmel area. Nearby Park Guell, there is also the not so popular among tourists Creueta del Coll (Parc de la Creueta del Coll) with picnic areas upstairs and panoramic views of the whole of Barcelona, \u200b\u200bif you dare to climb higher. Naturally, the famous bunkers are almost opposite Park Guell and the constant descents and ascents with dizzying views. Naturally, this area is not suitable for older tourists.

And right after Park Guell, down to the center, begins one of my favorite areas of Gracia, which has recently become quite hipster thanks to the opening of fashionable designer shops, small cozy bars and restaurants. There you can always find tea shops (which is very rare for Barcelona, \u200b\u200bthe Spaniards prefer coffee), eco and vegan products, informal places and shops, tattoo parlors and much more. Gracia is like the city center, you can find everything in it, but more cozy and miniature. This area is also considered to be anti-fascist due to the large number of squats, a skinhead shop and other establishments.

The area near the Besòs Mar metro station is considered not very favorable, despite the fact that very often Russians buy apartments there for renting out to tourists. Yes, near the sea and big shopping centerbut mostly immigrants live there and crime is much higher than in other areas. It is not very pleasant to return in the evening or at night, while often in all other areas you do not feel any discomfort. The Spaniards themselves usually do not settle here.

Maxim Rahr
There are noisy and drunk tourists in Gothic. In Borne, tourists are more decent and not so noisy. In Raval, locals and tourists walk, it can be dangerous, but rather fun. The Eixample is jokingly called Geixample. In the areas of San Antoni and Sants-Montjuic, nothing happens, Gracia is hipster-punk, in the north people live and rejoice that there are no tourists.

Leisure

Which museum is worth visiting and why?

Ekaterina Udintsova
Sagrada Familia, of course (inside). Buy tickets online, then there will be no queues. Best time for visiting - daytime, when the light inside will be from all sides.

Ekaterina Udintsova
Before you travel, it is worth checking the holiday calendar: maybe you will be on City Day, the Festival of Lights, or the local Valentine's Day. And here it is already worth looking for information and a specific schedule on the official event websites. If you like different parties, then in summer do not miss the Sunday open-air Brunch Electronic: famous DJs and a great playground (by the way, kids friendly). And on Montjuïc there is also an excellent city pool, the entrance to which costs 6.5 euros, a sunbed for 1 more euros - and you get a gorgeous view of the city for free. By the way, an advertisement for iPhone7 was filmed here.

Beaches in Barcelona? Where to go to swim? Where are there a lot of people, where, on the contrary, is romance and there is no one?

Anton and Anastasia Solomin
The beaches within the city are crowded. You can't have a quiet rest - they are constantly trying to sell you pareos, beer, mojitos and water. My favorite beach is in Vilanova i la Geltrú, an hour's drive from Barcelona. There are also quite a few people there, but the beach is wider, cleaner and more beautiful than the Barcelona ones.

The beach in Vilanova i la Geltrú

Ekaterina Udintsova
Barceloneta - definitely not. A very nice beach in the city of Siges an hour from Barcelona, \u200b\u200bbut just in case, just know that this is the gay capital. Plus, I advise Castelldefelds: in addition to the steep beach, you can come here with a T-10 ticket.

Castelldefelds beach

Ekaterina Yuffik
I do not recommend going to the beach in Barcelona, \u200b\u200bit is too crowded and dirty. All local friends speak well of the beaches in Castelldefels.

Christina Shvets
In Barcelona itself, you should definitely go to Bogatel Beach - it is large, clean and few tourists. But the weekend in the summer is still jam-packed. I advise you to get up early and be there at least nine in the morning on a weekday, go to the local chiringito (in Spanish "beach bar"), Escriba for example, and have breakfast with a croissant with coffee con leche (cappuccino without foam) and then go swimming in often the purest water that can only be found in the morning!

Sun loungers cost from 6 to 10 euros, depending on the level of the chiringuito. However, you can safely nestle on the sand, as most do, and just order an umbrella (about 5 euros).

Bogatel beach

You can already start your lunch with your favorite sangria on cave (local prosecco) with fruit.
All other cool and clean beaches are located outside the city limits on the Costa Brava.

Tasha
There are a lot of people in Barcelona, \u200b\u200balways and everywhere, almost as many as in the surrounding area. But we prefer to swim in the north, for example, in Badalona on Mongat beach, where there are no breakwaters, but often there are waves and sand is much better, and there is more space. Whenever we want to take a break from everything, we go to Sant Pol de Mar, north of Barcelona, \u200b\u200babout an hour by train. Between Arenas del Mar and Saint Paul, if not too lazy to walk from one of these stations, there are beautiful beaches, where there are not so many people, and in the evening there are almost no one.

Food, bars and cafes

How can you eat tasty and cheap in the city? Lunches, sets, happy hours? What you should definitely try in Barcelona? Local specialties?

Ekaterina Udintsova
General advice: Try not to eat in tourist spots - usually trashy food. Almost everywhere there is a special menu of the day.
The most famous and really delicious burgers are in Bacoa, there are several cafes. Brunch can be eaten at Brunch & Cake, and you can dine with seafood: Can Maño in Barceloneta looks like an ordinary dining room, but there are delicious squid and cheap wine. I ate excellent meat at Buenos Aires Grill Restaurant. The tastiest nachos are from Vegetalia.

Buenos Aires Grill Restaurant

Desserts can be safely taken in Bubó (croissants!), La Pastisseria Barcelona (divine chocolate dessert).

Drinking can be fun and beautiful. Fun in Gothic: Sor Rita Bar, La Republica with all sorts of dances, tiny Santobar with a killer aperole (by the way, on the contrary, there is excellent pizza in the sports bar, the largest size available for ordering is 80 centimeters).

About the specialties: try the jamon, catch the calcotah (onion barbecue) in winter and try the mato cheese.

Anastasia and Anton Solomin
We love Japan and have visited almost every Japanese cafe in Barcelona. Our favorites are Bouzu, Yatai, ramennaya Fan Shoronpo Ramen and the tea house Dionisos Pez Vela. Unfortunately, there is always a line, it is better to go during the day, not for dinner, otherwise you will have to wait about an hour ..

What about the markets?

Maria Bukreeva
Rather, I go to local shops. To the markets - if only by chance or to buy freshly squeezed juices for 1.5-2 euros. Boqueria, the most famous, is not crowded, there is little pleasure.

Ekaterina Yuffik
I go, because it is in the markets that you can find what you cannot find in supermarkets. There are usually the freshest and rarest fruits and vegetables. I buy Ricotta only there, because it is sold in few places.

There are such markets in any area. You can go at any time, just check the schedule in advance: on Sundays they are usually closed, some work until three, some until eight in the evening.

Christina Shvets
For some time now, Boqueria has ceased to be just a market; it is a cultural attraction and a must-see attraction for tourists, so the locals refuse to go there. However, if you are in Barcelona for a short time, then this is a super-experience - take a walk (preferably in the morning) around the market, drink a glass of wine and have a snack with everyone you like. I advise you not to drink juices - they are with sugar and dyes, it is better to eat a box of chopped fruits.

A beautiful and good market is Santa Catarina in Borne: there are fewer tourists, but the products are the same and cheaper.

What delicious and cool food is on sale in local supermarkets? The tastiest Spanish wine you've tasted?

Anastasia and Anton Solomin
Cheese, jamon, local analogue of mato curd. Mineral water Vichy Catalan.

Maria Bukreeva
I am a fan of albariño and verdejo wines, it costs around 7-10 euros. These are white wines.

Ekaterina Yuffik
Cheeses, fruits, jamon, fresh fish, vegetables. Of the local wines, I like blanc pescador. In general, to be honest, I have not tasted bad wine here yet. The prices for it will pleasantly surprise you.

Christina Shvets
Wines for every taste and budget. After the Moscow supermarkets, you can go to more or less any supermarket and choose any Spanish wine from 3 euros - this is already a good option. For true connoisseurs, I suggest going to the Vila Viniteca boutique in the Born district, where they will advise you and select the best

To decide, you can go to a bar - for example, in Disset 17 Graus in Borne - an excellent selection of Catalan wines, try a red from the Priorat, this region is predicted to have wine fame in the near future. In the same place, I advise you to order olives and a cheese platter - one of the best in Barcelona.

Lovers of everything bio and eco must definitely go to the Can Cisa bar in the same Borne - twin brothers - bearded men pour exclusively biovino from different countries of the world, for an amateur, but with fresh oysters and chunks of parmesan for a snack, you no longer pay attention to the turbidity of white in glass and regard it as an eye-pleasing experiment.

"Don't eat on the Rambla" is one of the first pieces of advice you'll get. Many Barcelonians are heartbroken when they see tourists tasting inspired by seafood, paella or tapas, unaware that all these dishes were just warmed up in the microwave and cooked three days ago.

Locals appreciate freshly prepared food, and you don't have to pay fabulous money for it. Unfortunately, it's hard to find a place with such an approach to food on the Rambla. If hunger is caught by surprise in the Old City, do not be lazy to delve a little deeper into the districts of Gothic, Raval or Born. It is especially beneficial to take for lunch what is called the "menu of the day" - something like our business lunch.

The price tag in the center will vary from 12 to 14 euros. If you did not have time to get far from Plaza Catalunya, go toCentfocs with excellent grilled dishes orLa Lluna with a decent selection of fish and seafood. If you decided to admire the cafeQuatre Gats , where Picasso and Gaudi once sat - great, but for lunch it is better to look intoMelic del gòtic ... Already looked at the main one for local residents the temple of Santa Maria del Mar? Take a look atBodega la puntual on rice with buttifarra or on tapas inBar del Pla!

Buy tickets on the spot

One of the common mistakes is not to buy tickets in advance for major attractions. You can order them online at home or at the hotel. With a ticket in your pocket, you will not only save time and effort in queues, but you will also be able to better plan your day. Well, and most importantly - recently, the number of tickets for attractions such asSagrada Familia and Park Guell , limited. So, there is a risk that there will be no tickets for your arrival. You don't want to get upset on vacation.

Don't forget to download the free audio guide

If you are going to the Sagrada Familia, download it - it is more complete than the official version, since it includes not only stories about the Sagrada, but also several additional locations. The audio guide is free and works offline - just install the app when you are at the hotel, download the guide you want and go on a tour.

Search for traditional Spanish entertainment

Most of us have a stereotype about Spain: flamenco, tapas, bullfighting, paella, sangria. However, we forget that these phenomena are not typical for every region. Barcelona is just such a case. For example, the tradition of serving snacks for free with the drink - tapas - is characteristic of southern Spain, and paella is typical for Valencia. In Barcelona, \u200b\u200bI advise you to try butifarra pork sausage, escalivada vegetable side dish or calçots - grilled young onions.

Bullfighting, another stereotype, is generally banned in Catalonia (the region whose capital is Barcelona). The extinction of this tradition went gradually, and in 2012 the parliament, with the active support of the Catalans, finally banned this entertainment.

And finally, flamenco. This dance is from Andalusia, and you can go to a performance in Barcelona, \u200b\u200bbut it will not be Catalan. Better choose a Catalan rumba concert or watch the sardana folk dance performed. The first one will be a little more difficult to find, but you can look at one of the sites where a list of events in the city is published daily:Time Out Barcelona or NitBcn ... Sardana can be admired on any Sunday in the square before The cathedral - the people of Barcelona are dancing!

Ignore free events

Barcelonians can hardly be called couch potatoes; they enjoy spending time outside their home walls. At the same time, they prefer free events that take place throughout the city almost every week to going to the cinema, theater or museum.

It can be like one-day entertainment (concerts, dances, exhibitions at central squares), as well as larger regional festivals - fiestas de barrio. They last up to two weeks and include a wide variety of activities for people of all ages.

Choose a restaurant that tastes better and not get into trouble.

We ourselves are not local ...

Catalans and Spaniards are very friendly people, open in their desire to help a lost tourist. In addition, leisurely locals (15 minutes are not late) almost always have time to help. Do not be surprised if the answer to the question "Where is the metro?" they will take you by the hand and literally take you to the entrance to the nearest station. On the way, they will tell you about the weather, complain about the traffic lights and scold the sloppy driver at the pedestrian crossing. And yes, all this will be in Spanish, so just smile and in no case think that something bad is being said about you.

In addition to the usual passers-by who will direct you to the right place, in Barcelona, \u200b\u200bas in any city and some villages, there are special information centers for tourists "Información turística", which are usually denoted by the Latin letter "i". Here they will answer all your questions in good English or even Russian, tell you what you can see in the city today, what museums are worth visiting. And finally, they will be presented with a free city map and several brochures about the sights of Barcelona.

Free admission

Few tourists and residents of Barcelona know that some museums sometimesdo not charge entrance fees ... Most often it is Saturday or Sunday after 15:00 or certain days of the year: September 11 and 24 and May 18.

CosmoCaixa Science Museum combines permanent and temporary exhibitions. The museum's motto is “Touch everything!”, Which is why children adore this museum, where you can have fun and learn new things at the same time. The entrance is free:

• adolescents under 16;
• clients of La Caixa Bank.

For lovers of more contemporary art, Design Museum (Museo del diseño de Barcelona), the entrance to which is free:

• first Sunday of the month;
• on Sundays after 15:00;
• February 12, 13, 14, September 24;
• adolescents under 16 years old.

Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes - a gothic monastery built in 1327. Three-story courtyardik is amazing. There are usually few visitors, so you can safely enjoy the peace and quiet. Admission is free on Sundays after 15:00.

In addition to museums, Barcelona has observation decks that are worth a visit and are absolutely free. Also in the city center you can often see performances by street musicians or artists. And you can arrange your own tour of the freak bars in Barcelona.

Not far from Glòries metro station is one of the oldest markets in all of Europe - Mercado Encants Vells de Barcelona, which can be translated as "the charm of the old days of Barcelona". Its history began in the XIV century, when it was a simple medieval fair. Now Mercado Encants-Wels is a mixture flea market and individual shops. There is something to see, or you can choose a souvenir for memory.

On a grand scale inBarcelona celebrate national holidays. You can see the schedule of holidays in more detail atbarcelona City Hall's official website ... Since 1872, Barcelona's most important holiday has beenLa Mercè... This holiday honors Our Lady (Mare de Déu de la Mercè) as the patroness of the city. It lasts several days, during which more than 600 different events take place, including processions of giant dolls, concerts under open air, castelier performances, devils dancing and fire shows on the streets of Barcelona. The program of the holiday can be obtained from the tourist information center or downloaded fromofficial website.

Do not forget about the "most national" holiday - Day of Cataloniawhich is celebrated on September 11th. Usually on this day, supporters of the independence of Catalonia organize large-scale processions and flash mobs. For example, in 2013, 1.6 million Catalans formed a 400 km line from France to Valencia.

You won't be able to starve

If you want to taste local cuisine, then it is better to follow several principles for choosing a place.

First, move away from tourist routes... The restaurant opposite the Sagrada Familia is designed for tourists who have come and gone. But the bar in the courtyard on a lost street in the quarter at the foot of Montjuïc is most likely regularly visited by locals, so you will be offered the same thing as your regular customers. The other side of the coin is that a menu in Russian or English is not always guaranteed, stock up on a dictionary or hope for your luck.

Secondly, almost any restaurant or bar serving food has a menu of the day - Menú del día, which includes the first, second, coffee or dessert of your choice, as well as wine or soft drinks ... Such a menu will cost much less than ordering individual dishes from the menu ("de la carta").

And thirdly, choose places where you see more visitors, local residents. The queue waiting for a table is the most reliable guarantee that the food here is tasty and inexpensive.

based on materials from the webinar Rumor. Es Barcelona, \u200b\u200b09.05.2014

Population of Barcelona

Barcelona is the second most populous and important city in Spain, the capital of the autonomous region of Catalunya.

The population is over 1.5 million people, the suburbs of Barcelona are over 3 million, the entire region is about 5 million. The percentage of immigrants in the population of Barcelona is about 15%. The immigrant part of the population lives mainly in the center, the Spaniards prefer to live away from the historical part of the city, which seems to them noisy and unsafe.

Climate of Barcelona

The climate of Barcelona is Mediterranean.The coldest months are January and February (average temperature around 10 ° C), while the hottest are July and August (average temperature around 25 ° C). The heat and cold are felt much stronger here than, for example, in the south of Spain, in Andalusia due to the high humidity.

Language in Barcelona

The second official language besides Spanish is Catalan, a kind of dialectical mixture of French and Spanish. The Spaniards, unfortunately, speak little and poorly in English, compared to the northern Europeans. Spanish is the second most widespread language in the world, which probably affects national laziness in learning other languages. Therefore, tourists are better off stocking up on a Russian-Spanish phrasebook, a map and patience in dealing with the local public.

Geography of Barcelona

Barcelona is located in a hilly area with two mountains towering over the city - Tibidabo and Montjuic. 512 and 173 meters respectively. A magnificent view of the city opens from here! On Tibidabo is the Church of the Sacred Heart, as well as a statue of Christ stretching out his arms to heaven. On Mount Montjuic, there is a defensive fortress from the 17th-18th centuries, and today there is a military museum that tells the history of Barcelona and Catalunya, as well as the conquest of the city by the British, French, Spanish, Moors.

History of Barcelona

The history of Barcelona tells that the city was founded by the Romans. One of the legends attributes the founding of the city to the hero of Greek myths Hercules, another theory - to Hannibal's father, Hamilcar. In the city, you can see the remains of Roman columns as well as appreciate the Roman layout of the famous Gothic Quarter.

A special point in the history of the city and the province is the period of persecution of Jews at the end of the 14th century. Until the 13th century, the Jewish community in Barcelona was the richest and most influential in Europe. Until at the end of the 14th she fell into disgrace from the authorities and the Inquisition.For another 100 years they were kept in the kingdom, trying to baptize, and at the end of the 15th century, unbaptized Jews were expelled from the state.
The first synagogues and the returned ancestors of the Jews appeared in Catalunya only 5 centuries later.

Another bright spot in the history of Spain and Catalonia is the time of Franco's dictatorship. From 39 years after the civil revolution to the 70s - a time of political and cultural repression, the prohibition of the Catalan language.
The important years of construction of objects significant for Barcelona are 1929 and 1992. 1929 - the year of the World Exhibition. 1992 - Summer Olympics. During these years, the appearance of Barcelona takes on a modern shape.

Safety in Barcelona

Barcelona is a city with a high crime rate. If you draw a map of the concentration of crimes, then the epicenters of theft would be Barceloneta Beach, La Rambla and the city metro! There is practically no violence in the city, and there is also a threat to life, but small cleansing of the pockets of passers-by and onlookers occurs at every corner. One of the local laws stipulates that theft, the amount of which does not exceed 400 euros, is an act of petty hooliganism, and is practically not punished in any way. Therefore, Barcelona is teeming with visiting thieves of all stripes and breeds.

Inspection of Barcelona

Great way to see the city as a whole - bass tourist - double-decker bus with an open top. The tourist bus has 3 routes for which one general ticket is sold. One route bypasses the center, the second - the coastline of the beaches of Barcelona and the third - climbs Mount Montjuic and reaches the high "wealthy" areas of the city. At the same time, the bus makes stops at the main attractions, where you can get off and go back in after thoroughly examining the area or museum.
Tourist bus prices in Barcelona

	Barcelona Bus Turístic		Discount price
	1 day adult		27.0€ 24.3€
	1 day for children		16.0€ 14.4€
	2 day adult		35.0€ 31.5€
	2 children's day		20.0€ 18.0€

A tourist bus ticket can be bought online at https://www.barcelonabusturistic.cat, then you get a small discount. Also, you will be given a brochure with discounts to various establishments of the city, which will also help you save money.

The famous Gothic Quarter is easily accessible on foot. The main rule of exploring the Gothic Quarter and city walks is comfortable shoes.

If you are a bike lover, you will find a huge variety of bike, e-bike, segway and other rental shops around the city. Barcelona - a beautiful city for cycling, since the bike paths stretch along its entire parameter.

Barcelona beaches

The fishing area of \u200b\u200bBarceloneta is located in the very center of the city, and the most populous beach is located here. coastline cities. The location of the beach makes it noisy and dirty. The further from Barceloneta, the cleaner and calmer the beaches become. Closer to Poble Nou and the Forum, you can relax with your family and company, without being annoyed by the obsessive offers of massage, Coca-Cola, mojito, pareo, etc. The most beautiful and clean beaches, of course, are outside the city limits. By train you can reach the Maresme Coast, the beachOcata,beautiful beach Castelldefels,also great for surfing, kite surfing, etc., as well as the picturesque Cala bays of the Costa Brava.

You can find the train timetables and prices on the website of the Renfe railway transport companywww.renfe.com

Barcelona nightlife

Barcelona's nightlife is colorful with an assortment of bars, restaurants and clubs. Here everyone can find what they like. There are 4 large clubs in the Port Olimpica area -Opium,WITHDLS,Shoko, Catwalk.Of these, if you are already over 26 years old, it is better to go to CDLS.

Free passes to these clubs are handed out 30 meters away by local promoters. You can also search for free guest lists of invitees infacebook.In the search engine enterlista gratisand the name of the club. If you are looking for a non-tourist get-together, then go to the clubsUra, Bling Bling.Clubs are more elegant and more expensive in all respects.

Love electronic music, the best option today isKer.

Shopping in Barcelona

The prices for shopping in Barcelona are the most affordable. You can find options for new bows according to the scheme - inexpensive and original! The aforementioned Born district is the lullaby of local designers. Here you will find dozens of great shops with inexpensive designer clothes. If you are interested in inexpensive brands such asBershka, Zara, Massimo Duttiand so on, then go outsidePortal de Angel.Expensive clothing brands are located even higher -Passeig de Gracia. The prices will pleasantly surprise you.

If a large outlet center is a must-see for you, then devote one of your days to the outlet village of La Roca Village. On the questions of what, where, when shopping in La Roca, their official website http://www.larocavillage.com/ will answer you

Barcelona transport

You can move around the city in several ways public transport - metro, bus, tram. Tickets are bought from the driver, in the case of the metro - at the ticket office or through the machine. The price of one trip is -2.15 euros. In case of repeated trips, it is more profitable to takeT10for 10 trips, which is about 10 euros. There are also options for an unlimited number of rides for several days, a week and a month. The same passes are valid for all public transport in the urban area. Travel to suburban areas - the second and third zones - will, of course, be more expensive.
Before Barcelona Airport also runs public transport, at half the price of the Aerobus (tickets for which cost € 5.90 for a one-way ticket and € 10.20 for a round-trip ticket and by the way, the return ticket is valid for 15 days).

Urban bus TMB (number 46) runs from 05:00 am to 00:15 am from both terminals. Bus # 46 from the city center stops at T2 first. And then just goes to T1. This bus has more stops than the Aerobus and generally takes longer to get to the city center, but the big advantage of this bus is that, unlike the Aerobus, you can use the T10 transport ticket to travel on it.

Airport Night Bus: The NitBus N17 is a bus that runs between Barcelona Airport and the city center, starting at 21:55 (from T1) and ending at 04:45 (from T1). The price of one ticket is € 2.15. You can also use a T10 ticket to travel on this bus.
Advice - you don't know how to get to this or that place in the city - usegoogle maps,drive in the direction and press the bus button.

By letterNnight bus routes are marked regularly circulating at night. The bus in Barcelona must be stopped with your hand like a taxi, otherwise it can fly by without stopping.

You need help with organizing your holidays in Barcelona, \u200b\u200bexcursions, tickets, renting accommodation in Barcelona, \u200b\u200bplease write This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Barcelona, \u200b\u200bdespite all its mystery, ranks first in Europe in terms of pickpocketing and various other scams among tourists. You need to be careful when walking through the old town of Barcelona, \u200b\u200bin particular the Gothic Quarter, as well as the street so much loved by tourists La Rambla with adjacent narrow streets. Old city with its dark nooks and crannies, it is especially dangerous at night, when it is completely empty of tourists and police.

2. Telephone calls in Barcelona

Mobile communications in Barcelona, \u200b\u200bas well as in Spain, are incredibly expensive. When you arrive in Barcelona, \u200b\u200bimmediately connect to one of the local operators cellular communication ("Amena", TelefónicaMovistar, "Vodafone", "Orange"). Connection can be made in the branded stores of these operators. For about € 20, you can buy a cell phone with a built-in SIM card. Sending SMS messages will cost you much less than the calls themselves. It is better to top up your phone balance at the checkout in any supermarket in Barcelona.

A fairly inexpensive form of telephone communication in Spain is street pay phones, which "eat" both coins and cards. One minute of conversation inside Barcelona will cost 15 euro cents, a call to Russia is slightly more expensive - 18 cents. An interesting feature of street machines is that they even receive incoming calls, the main thing here is to know the number.

Barcelona has an interesting metro layout, buses run, and many taxis operate. Taxi in the capital of Catalonia is in great demand, so you don't need to call it by phone, but just go outside and immediately catch it, there will be no problems with this. All taxi cars in Barcelona are painted in the same black and yellow colors and have bulbs on the roof or in the corner of the windshield: if it is green, it means that you can get into the car, if it is yellow, then it is usually considered that the car is busy.

A large number of Barcelona residents travel around the city on bicycles and scooters. This is extremely convenient due to the compact layout of the city and the weather conditions, because rain in Barcelona is extremely rare. On the streets you can see dozens and hundreds of parked bicycles and scooters. Those who do not have their own bike can use a special bike rental service "Bicing"... It works very simply: on the streets of Barcelona there are large parking stands with bicycles of a characteristic appearance and colors (red and white). To rent a bike, you must first register in the Bicing system and buy a card there. The use of bicycles is practically quite cheap and in some cases even free of charge, however due to the comparative competition from other tourist transport offers, public transport such as bicing for tourists is limited.

4. Accommodation in Barcelona

Renting a private room is a very common and profitable way of living in Spain and in Barcelona in particular. It is used in large numbers by visitors, students, migrants, young people who want to live separately from their parents, as well as people who do not have their own apartment. Housing prices differ greatly depending on the location of the apartment, nearby attractions, the number of residents in the apartment, etc. You can rent an extremely inexpensive room in the Old Town of Barcelona, \u200b\u200bbut it is better not to settle in this area, as it will not be safe to return home late along the side streets of the old town.

I would like to point out some interesting facts about apartments in Barcelona. Many houses have a rather strange layout, which differs from the usual Russian houses, and you should not be surprised when you see the windows opening onto the staircase or into the blank courtyard right from the room. In Spain, it is customary to build buildings with narrow and permanently shaded blind openings for ventilation, cool air flow, drying clothes, etc. In addition, in such apartments there is no heating system that we are used to, there is no need for it, in addition, finding at least some lightweight blanket in a Spanish apartment during the hot season will be a daunting task: in the summer the Spaniards often sleep without them.

Barcelona is the largest tourist centre Europe, which is located on the coast Mediterranean Sea... But in order to fully enjoy beach vacationit is best to take the train and travel for a few minutes to the nearest small towns like Gava, Castelldefels or Sitges. The problem is that the beaches of Barcelona, \u200b\u200bdespite the fact that they are carefully cleaned and washed every night, are rather dirty, and the water in the sea also leaves a lot to be desired.

Barcelona's most accessible beach - Barceloneta (metro station Barceloneta or VilaOlímpica). It is equipped with toilets, showers, rescue towers, and you can rent sun loungers. The same as in Russian the Black Sea coast there are hot corn sellers walking around, Arabs are almost running along the Barceloneta beach offering mineral water, beer, cigarettes, hashish. If the opportunity arises, they can also steal things left unattended. So you have to be careful. Asian female masseuses will gladly give you a massage.

Toilet opening hours are limited. In Barceloneta, both toilets and lifeguards work until 19-00. Changing rooms, by the way, are not provided at all on the entire Barcelona coast. So don't be surprised if you don't find any changing rooms on one of Barcelona's busiest beaches.

6. Nutrition

Spanish cuisine is extremely rich and delicious. Cafes and restaurants are located at every turn, and the popular streets and squares of Barcelona are simply full of places where you can eat deliciously. But where there are tourists, there high prices present - this is the basic law of tourism and tourism business. For those who do not want to overpay, we can advise you to look for good establishments within a 5-10 minute walk from such places. The most acceptable option catering in Barcelona - cafes that are owned by immigrants, for example, Chinese. They cook Spanish dishes no less tasty than the Spaniards themselves, and their cost is several times lower.

7. Language

The people in Barcelona are very welcoming. Don't be surprised if even strangers greet you. If you need any help, for example, you do not know how to get to the Sagrada Familia, you can very easily turn to any passer-by. But keep in mind that in Barcelona, \u200b\u200bnot everyone owns english language... Those with whom you can speak English are young people or tourists like you. Therefore, before the trip, it is advisable to know some baggage of elementary phrases in Spanish.

The main language of Barcelona is Catalan. It is a cross between classical Spanish (Castilian) and French. In Barcelona it is considered polite to duplicate important information in both Catalan and Spanish, for example, phrases on signs in the metro.

8. Shopping

Shopping is the favorite pastime of most modern tourists. There are more places to shop in Barcelona, \u200b\u200band the shops are replete with big discounts and sales. The largest shopping centers in Barcelona are CorteInglés, L`Illa, Maremagnum, BulevardRosa. Passeigde Gracia and La Rambla are full of high-end boutiques, while Pelai is home to inexpensive shops that students from the University of Barcelona love to visit.

In the tourist spots of Barcelona, \u200b\u200byou can see black young people who sell seemingly expensive handbags, but ask for very little for them. Fake handbags of well-known brands stand neatly on the bedding, and ropes are tied to the four corners of the bedding, the ends of which are tightly held by the sellers. The trick is that when the police appear, these beddings abruptly work into knots, which are swiftly carried away to the nearest gateway together with their cunning owner.

Barcelona's nightlife is exciting and varied. In Spain, people from small (but not earlier than +16) to large love to walk and hang out. Moreover, according to an unwritten tradition, the Spaniards start their weekends on Thursday - on Thursday evenings, people, without waiting for the official days off, fill their favorite bars, cafes and pubs. Unlike our country, in Spain, bars are considered a familiar meeting place for friends and acquaintances who can, without even calling beforehand, meet there almost daily. There are countless such establishments in Barcelona: somewhere you can sit with friends at a table, somewhere you can stand at a table, and in some bars you can just take a drink, take it out and stand chatting with your friends - this is how it prefers the majority of young people, who very often return an empty glass to the bartender after that. It is the bars and pubs that replace the strawberries that are familiar to Russians. Discos with modern dance music, of course, are enough, but not only they are the key to a positive night out. The famous discos in Barcelona are LuzdeGas, CostaBreve, GetBack, Trauma, SalaBikini, SalaAppolo, Taboo and Pachá. Some of the clubs that are located in PuertoOlímpico - Opium and Catwalk are also popular among tourists, although it must be said that they are not the cleanest of the establishments in terms of the contingent who visits them, and the Spaniards are not often seen there. The addresses of these, as well as many different establishments, are easy to find by entering the names of the clubs into the search bar of any search engine. The most partying days of the week in Barcelona during the warmer months will be all days except Monday and Tuesday, although these days you can also find club movements in the city.

10. Currency

When going on a trip to Spain, it is best to buy euros in advance in order not to look for banks and exchange offices in Barcelona that accept rubles. The most correct decision would be to open a currency account in euros in one of the Russian banks and get a bank card for this account. Thus, the commission charged by Spanish ATMs for a cash withdrawal operation will be small, and in some cases it may not be present at all.

If you have such a useful thing as a plastic card attached to a ruble account, then it can also be used to withdraw cash euros at any of the city's ATMs, but in this case, the amount of money issued will directly depend on the exchange rate of the euro in relation to the ruble set by Spanish banks.

In Barcelona, \u200b\u200band generally in Catalonia, banks are divided into two types: savings banks (Caixa) and banks proper (Banco). Each Caixa has a specific name: LaCaixa, CaixaTarragona, CaixaCatalunya, etc. The number of ATMs in Barcelona slightly exceeds the number of streets, and each of them, regardless of whether it belongs to a bank or a savings bank, can dispense cash cash anyone interested.