Tourist Information
Multilingual staff give out free maps and information at Barcelona’s main tourist office on Plaça de Catalunya. They also have a hotel booking service, a bureau de change, internet access and a souvenir shop. Other offices are located in Estació de Sants and on Plaça de Sant Jaume. For information on the rest of Catalonia, visit the Turisme de Catalunya. For information over the phone on everything from museum opening hours to bus routes, call 010 or the Turisme de Barcelona’s information line.
Turisme de Barcelona, Pl de Catalunya 1
93 285 38 34
Open 9am–9pm daily
Tourist information sign
Information Officers
In summer red-jacketed tourist information officers roam the city’s busiest areas giving out maps and advice. There are also information points in Las Ramblas, Estació del Nord and Plaça Espanya.
Magazines
The weekly Guía del Ocio covers the city’s nightlife (music, theatre, dance and film), has extensive restaurant listings and is available from all newsstands. Barcelona Metropolitan (free) is the city’s leading English-language monthly magazine, featuring culture, the arts and restaurant and nightlife listings. Time Out is another English-language monthly. b-guided gives the latest on trendy places to shop, eat and drink – in English and Spanish.
Newsstand on La Rambla
Consulates
Various nations have consulates in Barcelona.
Av Diagonal 477
93 366 62 00
Pg Reina Elisenda 23
93 280 22 27
Pl Gala Placidia 1–3, 1st floor
93 490 90 13
Travessera de Gràcia 64
93 209 03 99
C/Elisenda de Pinós 10
93 204 27 00
Gran Via Carles III 94
93 491 50 21
Institut de Cultura de Barcelona
Get the lowdown on cultural and arts events among others, from the Institut de Cultura in the Palau de la Virreina.
La Rambla 99
93 316 10 00
Open 11am–8pm Mon–Sat, 11am–2:30pm Sun
Websites
Numerous websites cover Barcelona, including the official tourist office site (www.barcelonaturisme.com). The in-depth www.bcn.es is another excellent source. The website of Turisme de Catalunya (www.gencat.es/probert) has extensive coverage of Catalonia.
Travel Bar
This friendly bar, with internet access and amiable staff, is a good source of information. The bar hosts guided walking (see Walking Tours) and bike tours, “intercambio” nights to practise your Spanish, and a popular bar crawl to the best bars of the old town.
C/Boqueria 27
93 342 52 52
University Bulletins
If you’re after cheap, short-term accommodation or if you’re looking to practise your Spanish, peruse the university notice boards posted around the building’s cloisters.
Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes
93 403 54 17
Libraries & British Institute
The city’s main library is the Biblioteca de Catalunya; bring your passport to apply for a one-day pass. The Institut Britànic houses a library of English books and newspapers.
C/Hospital 56
C/Amigó 83
Closed Aug
Disabled Travellers
Disabled access in Barcelona is limited – especially in old buildings. The Institut Municipal de Persones amb Disminució provides a list of places with wheelchair access and gives advice on getting around.
Av Diagonal 233
93 413 27 75
18.191.202.45