Barcelona City Guide - overview

The enchanting city of Barcelona is a visual delight, and has an atmosphere that combines elegance and sophistication with provincial charm. In exploring its streets you'll discover medieval romance in its Gothic quarter and the awe-inspiring delights of the fantastic and sometimes outrageous Art Nouveau architecture of Gaudi and his contemporaries.

The funicular up to Tibidabo, or the cable car up Montjuic both offer breathtaking views over this city. Its skyline is perhaps most famous for Antoni Gaudi's masterwork, the still incomplete church of the Sagrada Familia, as well as the city's huge Gothic cathedral. The artistic legacy of Barcelona is one of the city's most appealing offerings, with museums containing extensive collections of the works of Miro and Picasso.

Barcelona is also a shopping Mecca, with the city's flair for style reflected in its numerous boutiques and markets, open late into the afternoons. As the sun sets, and the city's many bars and restaurants open, the night comes alive. Dinner is served at any time between nine o'clock and midnight, and the festivities around the bars and nightclubs carry on well into the early hours of the morning.

Barcelona is the commercial centre of the popular holiday region known as the Costa Brava, the northernmost Mediterranean seafront in Spain, as well as the Costa Dorada to the south. The coast is dotted with popular resort towns, many retaining their age-old charm, which can be easily reached from the city.

Getting around: Barcelona's excellent transport system includes the metro, buses, trains, funiculars and cablecars; tickets for all (except night buses) are transferable across the system. There are a number of more economical multi-ride tickets available, including the targeta valid for 10 journeys, as well as three to five-day passes, or the Barcelona Card that combines transport tickets with discounts on selected tourist sights, shops, entertainment and restaurants. The Metro is the fastest and most efficient way to get around the city, except during the rush hour when it becomes very crowded. The bus network is extensive and is easy to master with a transport map. Night buses take over from about 10pm to 4am. During summer the hop-on hop-off Bus Turistic links all main sights and tourist destinations. Taxis are plentiful and inexpensive and are a good option especially late at night, but charge extra for a number of things - ask for a receipt. Hiring a car is unnecessary and frustrating within the city, but can be essential if planning day trips outside the city.