Travellers Blog

The Barcelona Bus Turistic, operating since 1998, is probably one of the most popular and widely used attractions in Barcelona. It transports 2 million passengers a year! This is no surprise though, as it offers easy and cheap access to locations all over Barcelona. Also, the buses have a regular schedule of five minutes, (during tourist season) which means you can hop off, sight see, and get back on another bus at your own convenience. This means you can go sightsee Barcelona at your own tempo.

The buses themselves are fun and relaxing to ride. They have an open top, and are all double-decker buses. This way you can get the breeze in your face, watch the city roll by, and also manage to get a tan in the bright sunshine. At the same time, if you do not like sitting on top, you can still sit inside to protect your skin tone.

As mentioned before, the buses are scheduled to arrive at stations every five minutes. However, in off season, the buses will arrive later, and may take up to 25 minutes. But this should not pose a great problem, as you are going to be sightseeing in between anyways. There are a total of 44 bus stops throughout the city, and 74 buses. The operating hours of the bus are from 9 am to 7 pm in winter, and in summer it operates until 8pm.

All of the bus routes are strategically designed to take you to various attractions throughout the city, so you don’t have to worry about how to get to where you want to go to. Just choose the route with the places you want to go to, get off, sightsee, and hop back on. The buses have three different tour routes to go through different parts of the city, and they are all interconnected for ease of access.

In addition to free choice of when and where to get on and off the bus, the buses have city guides on them to personally help you get through Barcelona without a hassle. The buses also offer an audio guide that is available in ten different languages, which serves to give you some information on the sights being passed.

One day tickets for the bus cost 23€ for adults, and 14€ for children (4-12 yrs). A two day ticket costs 30€ (adults), and 18€ (children). This is a good offer due to the unlimited access offered, and is sweetened by the fact that you can get the Barcelona Bus Turistic tickets at a further 10% discount when booking through BCN.travel. The tickets for the bus are for unlimited use in the specified time period, so you do not have to worry about overusing the ticket and paying extra.

I hope that this was a helpful guide on what exactly the Barcelona Bus Tursitic is, and what they offer. If you plan to go to Barcelona, make sure to use the bus. It offers ease of access to almost all of Barcelona: cheap and hassle free.

Arriving in Barcelona, the first thing you’ll probably notice is the pace of life. Spain’s second city is thriving and the vibrant people are a reflection of that. While this might fit with many tourists’ ideas of a perfect holiday destination, others want something a little quieter. It might surprise you to know that even in Barcelona there are lots of places you can do this as well.

Several areas out with the immediate city centre are home to quiet apartment buildings that you can enjoy. Being slightly further away from the night spots and party areas, you will have peace and quiet. The city centre itself is somewhere you would be best to avoid if you are in Barcelona strictly on business. And you’ll be surprised just how more peaceful it is just a few minutes away.

Even better, the hotels and  accommodation Barcelona apartment that you will find in this area are just as tranquil. You won’t have to endure any midnight disturbances with partiers returning home in the early hours of the morning. You can rest assured that a good night’s sleep lies ahead and knowing you aren’t going to be disturbed. You may also find that the general standard of the apartments is slightly better in areas such as Passeig de Garcia, El Born and Eixample. This is because they are looking to cater for the professional type looking for peace and tranquillity.

For example, some of the places that you will want to avoid by name are El Raval, the Gothic Quarter and Las Ramblas. These are the most popular parts of the city centre with tourists in the holiday spirit. Other than those, you should find lots of places that have the kind of ambience that you are after.

If doing successful business relies on staying connected with clients and co-workers than an apartment is definitely the way to go. Internet access is usually provided, allowing you to work most efficiently and quickly. Needless to say this makes everything more convenient. You won’t have to leave the comfort of your accommodation and find an internet cafe, for example. However, a good idea would be to find out the speed of the connection and if all your requirements are met beforehand. You wouldn’t want to get there and be disappointed, so make sure and phone ahead.

As most of us know, the people of Barcelona thrive on the pace of life the city provides. From sun up to sun down, Spain’s second city is all go, which sits perfectly with the majority of visiting tourists. However, there is a small minority that have to come to Barcelona with intentions other than having fun. For these people there are plenty of areas that will provide the ideal quiet living.

Most of the neighbourhoods within the immediate vicinity of the city centre offer a slice of quiet living. They are ideal choices for anyone coming to the city because the streets are calm during the day and even tamer at night. The reason for this is that most visitors to the city choose the city centre itself. This is by far the most raucous area of the city, so if you are looking for some peace it is best avoided.

Areas like Passeig de Gracia are also perfect because of the other people you’ll find within the apartment buildings. Often of a higher quality, these apartments look to cater for business-type people and the facilities they require. So, you can rest in the knowledge that you can get on with any work you have to do during the day, but you’ll also get a good night’s sleep. No noisy neighbours, not nightclubs nearby, just peace and quiet.

Even if you are not convinced on where you do want to stay, take our word on the places you’ll want to avoid. El Raval, the Gothic Quarter and Las Ramblas are the most rowdy areas, so try and avoid if you can. Aside from these, you should find you won’t have to try too hard to find suitable accommodation.

But being out of the city centre certainly doesn’t mean that you have to go without all the necessary facilities to make your trip a success. For someone in the city to work internet access is going to be essential. It is scarcely imaginable how people managed to carry out business without the use of email in times gone by. With this in mind, most of the apartments that are available to you will provide this without any problems. But if getting online is going to be essential you probably shouldn’t assume it will be provided. In this case, make sure you check in advance and be on the safe side, just in case.

Even if you pick the apartment that’s completely perfect for you, you should not miss the chance to see some attractions. Even in a short time outside you can take back memories of the city that will make you want to plan a return as a real holiday. Within minutes of leaving your front door you could be in a world famous spot, such as Park Guell. Here you can enjoy a gentle stroll to relieve any stress built up working. Indeed, it’s the most popular of the city’s many parks for the peaceful and relaxing walks it provides. Park de la Ciudadella, meanwhile, is a great place to unwind amid beautiful gardens and some historic landmarks.

Barcelona is not usually known as a place one visits to get away from it all, but the city is not without this quality. Peace and quiet is something that you can find quite easily in Barcelona, if you really want to. If it’s business rather than pleasure that brings you to town you won’t be disappointed. And even time spent working in Barcelona can begin to feel like a holiday.