Welcome to Barcelona

Barcelona City Guide

Welcome to Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia. Barcelona is situated on the north-east coast of Spain, and has a population of 1.7 million, making it the second largest city in Spain. The city is synonymous with art, culture, and FC Barcelona. Whether you are here for a short break, or to study for a year, you will never get bored.

GETTING TO BARCELONA
Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN) is located 10 miles south of the city centre, and there are daily domestic and international flights. There are regular bus and train services to and from the city centre, or you can call one of the local taxi companies. If you are travelling by bus or train, both Estació del Nord Bus Station and Barcelona Sants Train Station are located close to the city centre. (TIP: another option is to fly to Girona Airport (GRO), and connect to Barcelona by bus or train.)

GETTING AROUND BARCELONA
Public transport in Barcelona is excellent. The Metro operates 12 lines within the city, the bus network services most of the city including the suburbs, and there are 2 tram networks. Tickets are inexpensive and there is a range of ticket options available. Barcelona also has the successful Bicing bike service, which is an inexpensive bike hire system with over 6000 bikes and more than 400 bike stations throughout the city. Many students walk or cycle.

STAYING IN BARCELONA
For short term accommodation, use one of the city's quality hostels. We recommend the excellent St. Christophers Inn, Barcelona, which is centrally located with a friendly atmosphere. For longer term student accommodation in Barcelona, please check out the accommodation section of the website.

EATING OUT IN BARCELONA
Barcelona has a fantastic choice of restaurants and takeaways. More coming soon.

SOCIALISING IN BARCELONA
Barcelona is renowned for great nightlife. More coming soon.

THINGS TO DO IN BARCELONA
Barcelona is one of the most visited cities in Spain with a diversity of attractions. Spend a few hours at the Sagrada Familia or the Museo Picasso, visit the Aquarium, or enjoy a show at the Teatre Gaudí. If you are a sports fan, there is 'La Liga' football at the Nou Camp and the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat, and for the more energetic, enjoy a run or a cycle through the streets and parks of the city to see some of the famous landmarks, including the Casa Milà and the Gran Teatre del Liceu. We highly recommend taking the Barcelona Bus Tour, to see and enjoy the whole city.

SHOPPING IN BARCELONA
Barcelona is a well-known centre of fashion with great shopping. The main shopping areas for big brands and mainstream stores is on Passeig de Gracia and the surrounding streets. Plaça de Catalunya offers smalller independent stores, and the city has several shopping malls including Les Glòries, El Corte Inglés, and the Maremàgnum. Barcelona also has a large number of interesting and fun street markets, including the Boqueira market.

STUDYING IN BARCELONA
Barcelona is home to several universities and business schools. The main universities are, the Universitat de Barcelona, the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, and the Universitat Politécnica de Barcelona. For more info. on studying at any of these, please visit the university section of the website.