Barcelona, a two-hour flight from the Netherlands, is a nice idea for a weekend away. Good city tours are organised. You can shop endlessly there. Drink sangria on a terrace or eat tapas in the historic center. The Sagrada Familia, the FC Barcelona football stadium and the old port are just some of the countless sights in bustling Barcelona.
Travel information city trip Barcelona
Barcelona is the largest city in Spain after Madrid. It is the capital of the Catalonia region and the province of Barcelona. Barcelona is located on the Mediterranean Sea. In the North the Costa del Brava and in the South the Costa del Garraf. It has an area of 101.4 km2 and has 1.6 million inhabitants. The number of inhabitants of the metropolis and suburbs together is more than 4.8 million. The main language is Catalan. Spanish is spoken. In hotels and restaurants there is usually someone who speaks English and sometimes French. The currency is the euro. There is no time difference. The climate is Mediterranean. In summer it is around 24 degrees and in winter around 11 degrees. The cuisine is Catalan: Mediterranean with French and Italian influences. Specialties include tapas, pa amb tomàquet: Bread (Xapata) with tomato, garlic and olive oil. Paella. Crema Catalana. Romesco.
Visitors from EU countries need an ID card and other countries need a passport.
Travel report weekend Barcelona
We arrive in Barcelona on Friday evening. We opted for the car, but you can also choose to fly to Barcelona (El Prat airport, 15 km from the center) or Girona. A hotel in the center is easy to find locally. A four star hotel for 130 per night plus breakfast 20 per person and parking for 25 per night. The room is neat and clean, but for a four-star hotel it does not have the luxury we are used to.
The Ramblas
We’re moving into the city. It’s pleasantly busy. From the Placa de Catalunya to the port you will find the Ramblas, an avenue that consists of five parts. The Ramblas are characterized by shops, tapas bars and restaurants. We have to look for a free seat on a terrace and the sangria that is served to tourists is half a liter per person and after our first drink we are 30 lighter. We continue, it is November, nine o’clock in the evening and still around 19 degrees. We eat some tapas in the side streets. Plenty of choice and prices are more reasonable than in the Ramblas.
City tour
The next morning we do the city tour, 24 for a day and we leave from Playa Catalunya which seems to be the busiest departure point. After waiting an hour to buy a ticket at a sales point, it turns out that you can also buy the tickets in the queue at the bus. It is even possible to pay there with your bank card. You have a choice of buying a ticket for the blue or red line. We choose the red line because it visits eighteen sights. As a bonus you get the green route. Through your headphones you can listen to the information in ten languages, including Dutch. The text is clearly understandable and the explanation is good. Your ticket is valid all day and you can get on and off the bus at every attraction.
In my opinion, the city bus is the best way to explore the city. It is also possible to take the metro or bus and taxis run everywhere in the city. There are bicycle taxis, walking tours and even bicycle tours through the city. Cycle paths are available. The paths were built for the population. They can take out an annual bicycle rental subscription and pick up and return a bicycle at many places in the city.
We visit a flamenco show, dinner included. This is well regarded and quite pricey. The food is not that great, the show is not special, but it is fun to see once.
Some sights:
Sagrada Familia
The life’s work of Antonio Gaudi and the most important symbol of the city. There is a wait of more than two hours to take a look inside and we give up halfway through. The outside is also more than worth seeing, but I can imagine that the view you have from the Sagrada is beautiful, as is the building itself. The Basilica of Reconciliation is under construction and construction and restoration will continue until 2025, a hundred years after Gaudi was run over by a train on the street corner.
Barri Gothic
In the Gothic Quarter, you will discover medieval Barcelona. Palaces, courtyards and churches. Interesting buildings include the Cathedral, the Town Hall, Palau de la Virreina, the Boqueria Market, Teatre Liceu and the Museu dHistoria.
Jardins de Miramar – Montjuic
Montjuic is the oldest inhabited part of Barcelona and this area was renovated for the 1929 World Exhibition. From the 213 meter high hill you have an impressive overview of the city. A botanical park of fourteen hectares has been created with palm trees (from North Africa) and many cacti: Jardins de Miramar. There is the option of taking a cable car here from the port. Or spend the night in the famous Miramar hotel.
Plaza de Torres las Arenas
Bullfighting is part of Spanish culture. Bullfights have taken place here since 1900. During the Spanish Civil War, the arena served as a military barracks. In 2004, the Barcelona city council became the first city to ban bullfighting. The beautiful arena has now been converted into a shopping center.
Port Vell
The old port of Barcelona that stretches from the Columbus monument to the Barceloneta district. Beautiful to view, but also for shopping, having a bite to eat or going to the cinema. From here you also have the option of taking a boat trip.
Anella Olimpica
Barcelona organized the world exhibitions in 1888 and 1929, but has flourished as a tourist after the organization of the Summer Olympics in 1992. The stadium has a capacity of 55,000 spectators.
Camp Nou (FC Barcelona)
The largest football stadium in Europe and it can accommodate more than 100,000 supporters. Around the stadium you will find numerous stands selling FC Barcelona items. There is also a museum that tells the history of FC Barcelona. Unfortunately there is no football. I can imagine that it is impressive to attend a match in this stadium.
Casa Batllo
One of Gaudi’s renovation works (1905-1907), now owned by the Bernat family, known for the Chupa Chups lollipops. The building, characterized by its round shapes, is located, just like Casa Mila (La Pedrera), on the famous Passeing de Gracia where you will find many luxury shops.
Glories-Torre Agbar
The Torre Agbar was designed by the French architect Jean Nouvel. A cylinder of 144 meters high that has 38 floors. The outside is completely covered with aluminum sun blinds. During the day they reflect sunlight and at night they are illuminated by LED lights. It seems that the architect was inspired by the ocean for the colors. The tower cannot be viewed from the inside and is in use by the water board company. There is of course a souvenir shop there.
Other sights:
Passeig Colom, World Trade Center, MNAC, Fundacio Miro, Poble Espagnol, Placa Espanya, Estacio de Sants, Placa Pius XII.
Fun things to do (with children): Tibidabo amusement park, the zoo, the beach or the aquarium, flamenco performances.
City trip Barcelona
Barcelona is a vibrant city and a great idea to make a weekend out of it. It’s busy, but there is a relaxed atmosphere. There are numerous sights, architectural highlights and attractions. The terraces are filled with people for a snack and a drink until late in the evening. The weather is usually pleasant. Barcelona is quite pricey, but that is often the case in tourist places.