Barcelona Travel Guide

Barcelona is one of the most popular tourist stops in Spain and all of Europe, and it's easy to see why. With its well-known architecture, fantastic museums and top-notch football, not to mention its reputation for being a party city, it's no wonder visitor flock to Barcelona.

Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, and even if you speak Spanish you might be confused by the city's signage. The two official languages are Spanish and Catalan, and most the signs you'll see will be in Catalan. The work of Catalan Art Nouveau architect Antonio Gaudí­ is everywhere, including the Park Güell and the Sagrada Família (which remains unfinished to this day). He is also responsible for the street lights around the La Plaça Reial!

What to do

There's no shortage of museums in Barcelona, including the Museu Nacional d'Art de Cataluyna (MNAC) in the Palau Nacional, which boasts the best collection of Romaneque art anywhere, the Museu d'Història de Catalunya (MHI), which explains Catalan history (very important to understand), a Joan Miró Museum, and a Picasso Museum, which is good if you prefer his pre-cubist work. For more of a living museum experience, check out L'Aquarium, Europe's second-largest aquarium, where you can walk through a glass tube and have sea life swimming all around you without getting wet.

If you're a sports fan, you'll know that Barcelona boasts one of Europe's great football clubs, FC Barcelona. Camp Nou, where they play, is the biggest stadium in Europe and also houses shops and a museum of the club's history. Matches almost never sell out, and seeing one in Barcelona could make for a great story - as long as you don't accidentally start chanting anything about rival team Madrid. Be sure to read up at The Offside before you go so as to prevent any mishaps.

Barcelona's beaches aren't what draw most people to the city, but the nightlife just might be. Be sure to get out and be seen on La Rambla, the most famous boulevard in Barcelona.

NileGuide's Barcelona Travel Guide and Trip Planner can help you organise your visit and make sure you don't miss anything important.

Getting there

You can book a flight to Barcelona (code: BCN), and the airport is only 10 km away from the city. Once you're there, getting around by train is hassle-free with a Eurail Pass that will be suited perfectly to your trip, no matter what countries or how many countries you'll visit.

Where to stay

Barcelona has plenty of hostels which will keep sleeping in the city from breaking the bank. If hostels aren't your style, there are many hotels in Barcelona to choose from as well.

For more cheap hotels in Barcelona, visit our friends at EuroCheapo.