Barcelona
Gaudí's city between the mountains and the sea, grid and Gothic side by side.
Barcelona lays itself out for the visitor: the medieval Gothic quarter and El Born by the port, the nineteenth-century grid of the Eixample with its modernista façades, the hills of Montjuïc and Tibidabo at either end, and a run of city beaches along the front.
Why go
The architecture is the headline — the Sagrada Família, Park Güell, the Casa Batlló and La Pedrera — but the city is equally good at the ordinary things: the market on the Rambla, vermouth at noon, dinner at ten, a walk along the sea afterwards.
It is also a good base. The coast runs north to the Costa Brava and south to Sitges; Montserrat's serrated mountain and monastery are an hour inland; and Girona and Figueres are day trips by train.
Highlights
What people go for, in no particular order.
01The Sagrada Família
The basilica Gaudí began in the 1880s and that is still being finished. The interior, a forest of branching columns under coloured light, is the reason for the queue; book a timed entry ahead.
02Park Güell
Gaudí's hillside park, with the mosaic bench, the gatehouses and the view over the city to the sea. Entry to the monumental zone is timed; the wooded upper paths are open.
03The Gothic quarter and El Born
The Roman and medieval core: the cathedral, the Plaça del Rei, the Santa Maria del Mar church and the lanes of El Born with the Picasso Museum among them.
04The Eixample and the Passeig de Gràcia
The grid, with the Casa Batlló and La Pedrera on its main avenue and modernista details on many an ordinary corner. Chamfered blocks make every junction a small square.
05Montjuïc
The hill above the port, with the Miró foundation, the national art museum in its palace, the Olympic ring and gardens all the way down to the sea.
06The beaches and the Barceloneta
From the old fishermen's quarter the sand runs north for several kilometres, with the promenade, the seafood restaurants and the cable car up to Montjuïc behind.
07Montserrat and the coast
The monastery in the jagged mountain is a train and rack railway away. Sitges to the south and the coves of the Costa Brava to the north are the beach days.
Areas
Where to base yourself, and what each area is like.
Gothic quarter and El Born
The old city: atmospheric lanes, bars and boutiques, with the port a short walk away. Lively into the night.
Eixample
Wide, orderly and central to the modernista sights. Many of the city's hotels and restaurants, and easy metro access.
Gràcia
A former village above the Eixample, with squares, independent shops and a local feel. Park Güell is uphill.
Barceloneta and the seafront
The beach on the doorstep and seafood on every corner. Busy in summer, breezy the rest of the year.
When to go: Barcelona
- SpringApril and May
- Warm days, mild evenings and the city at its most comfortable for walking. Sant Jordi in April fills the streets with books and roses.
- SummerJune – August
- Hot and humid, the beaches full and the nights long. The city is at its most crowded; sea breezes and siestas help.
- AutumnSeptember and October
- Warm sea, softer light and the September festival of La Mercè.
- WinterNovember – March
- Mild and often sunny, with the sights at their quietest. Pack a coat for the evenings and expect the odd wet week.
Getting there
Airports
One airport in our search serves Barcelona. Distances are measured in a straight line.
- BCNJosep Tarradellas El Prat
Distance from
- CDGParis850 km
- LHRLondon1,140 km
- DXBDubai5,170 km
- JFKNew York6,150 km
- BOMMumbai7,030 km
- JNBJohannesburg7,970 km
- SINSingapore10,890 km
- SYDSydney17,180 km
Getting around: Barcelona
The metro and buses are quick and simple, with a multi-journey ticket covering both and the airport train. The old city is for walking; the Eixample's grid is easy to navigate on foot or by bike.
Trains from Sants reach Girona, Figueres and Tarragona in under an hour, and Madrid in under three. Taxis are plentiful and metered.
Practical facts
The country, its currency and languages, the time zone and the time there now.
- Country
- Spain
- Currency
- EUR · Euro
- Languages
- Catalan and Spanish
- Time zone
- Central European Time
- Local time now
- Calling code
- +34
The atlas
Barcelona in figures
The figures under this guide: the climate on modelled 2001–2020 averages, how far it is from the UAE, and the places around it.
Climate
The weather in Barcelona, month by month
- Jan12°
- Feb13°
- Mar16°
- Apr19°
- May23°
- Jun27°
- Jul30°
- Aug30°
- Sept26°
- Oct21°
- Nov16°
- Dec12°
- Mild to warm and dry
- Mild to warm, humid or showery
- Hot
- Cool
- Wet
- Cold
Good for going, on these averages: April to October.
Mean highs run from 12°C in January to 30°C in July, with about 518 mm of rain in a year.
These are modelled averages for 2001–2020; the seasons described above are our own reading of a typical year.
Month-by-month climate for BarcelonaModelled averages for an area about 50 km across, not a weather station's record: NASA POWER climatology, 2001–2020.
Airports
How far it is from the UAE
From DXBBarcelona
5,170 km
6 hrs 50 mins · Estimate
From AUHBarcelona
5,160 km
6 hrs 50 mins · Estimate
The great-circle distance, and a rough flying time: the distance at an average 850 km/h plus 45 minutes for take-off and landing. Real flights follow airways, meet headwinds and wait for traffic, so schedules differ.
On the map
Places near Barcelona
Plan this trip: Barcelona
Open the trip builder with Barcelona already filled in. Flights, stays and everything else are priced together in one quote, prepared by a person on our team.
