Barcelona is Spain's second largest city, with a population of nearly two million people, and the capital of Catalonia. A major port on the northeastern Mediterranean coast of Spain, Barcelona has a wide variety of attractions that bring in tourists from around the globe. The many faces of Barcelona include the medieval Old Town, and the unique street grid resulting from 19th-century urban planning. The city has long sandy beaches and green parks on the hills, pretty much side-by-side.
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August is probably the busiest time for tourists in Barcelona. However, many shops and restaurants are closed from early-August to early September. During this time, you will find the most expensive hotel rates (outside of conference times such as the Mobile World Congress), and the city is devoid of locals, as the vast majority of residents go on vacation in August and leave the heat and humidity to the hordes of arriving tourists.
The public transport in the city and the surrounding area managed by Autoritat del Transport Metropolità (ATM) consortium who provide information about services by all operators. The whole area is covered by the Integrated Fare System, which is divided into 6 zones. This system includes the most of the public transport in the area: metro, city and intercity bus, tram and commuter trains. Like most major European cities Barcelona has moved to a rechargeable ticketing system called T-mobilitat.. The city limits of Barcelona are completely inside zone 1. The public transport in the city is mostly operated by Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB).
Individual listings can be found in Barcelona's district articles Walk around the winding streets and hidden squares, fountains and palaces in the Barri Gòtic (Ciutat Vella). Highlights include the 1 Catedral, the 2 Museu d'Història de Barcelona (formerly known as the Museu d'Història de la Ciutat), and 3 Plaça Reial. Since 1984 seven buildings by the architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926) in or near Barcelona have been listed as "Works of Antoni Gaudí" on the UNESCO World Heritage List: the basilica of 4 Sagrada Família, 5 Casa Milà (La Pedrera) and 6 Casa Batlló in Eixample, 7 Palau Güell in Ciutat Vella, 8 Parc Güell and 9 Casa Vicens in Gràcia, the 10 crypt of the Church in Colònia Güe…
Individual listings can be found in Barcelona's district articles 7 Aeri del Port de Barcelona (Telefèric del Port), C/ Taquígrafo Garriga, 97 – Esc.B -2º9ª, ☏ +34 934 304 716, tebarsa@hotmail.com. Jun-Aug 11:00-20:00; Mar-May, Sep-Oct 11:00-19:00; Nov-Feb 11:00-17:30. Have a ride at Port Vell Aerial Tramway. Port Vell Aerial Tramway is the 1450-metre-long harbour aerial tramway with red cars connects Montjuïc and Barceloneta. It starts in Barceloneta on the top of the 78-metre-tall 5 Torre San Sebastian tower, which has also a restaurant at its top accessible by an elevator.
As with all cities which welcome large numbers of tourists, Barcelona's cuisine is inconsistent in quality, but there are plenty of restaurants serving excellent food at very reasonable prices, if you know where to look. The usual rules of thumb apply: to save money and get better food, look for places off the beaten track used by fellow travellers, and seek out cafés and restaurants which the locals frequent. In practice, this usually involves searching out eateries in residential districts away from the main sightseeing attractions. Avoid restaurants with touts outside, and have a basic understanding of the traditional foods served in restaurants, as well as the local drinks.
Individual listings can be found in Barcelona's district articles Try a "café con hielo" an espresso served with a glass of ice cubes on the side in any local 'cafeteria'. Cafes are found on each corner in Barcelona, and these days a conscious movement in favour of top quality coffee is changing the scene in the Catalan capital with a new trend in terms of coffee houses. Chupitos are found in several locations throughout the city, including one in Barceloneta. Chupitos is Spanish for "shots" and offers hundreds of unique shots including the "Harry Potter" (a shot that sparks as cinnamon is sprinkled over it), and "Monica Lewinsky" (a variety of flaming shots) among others.
Pickpocketing is the most pressing issue for visitors to Barcelona. Never keep your wallet, cash or important documents in trouser pockets or in bag pockets: a money belt is an easy and inexpensive way to prevent being robbed. You will almost certainly be scoped out several times during your trip if you're in a tourist area or clearly don't fit in as a local, and it only takes a single momentary slip-up to lose your possessions. As always, be alert in crowded places, such as public transport, train and bus stations, La Rambla and Raval.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Barcelona typically sees ~29°C daytime highs and 13 rainy days.
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