Your Guide to Renting a Car in Barcelona:
Barcelona is the second largest city in the country, with a population of over one and a half million people.
Barcelona is located on the Iberian Peninsula, on the Mediterranean coast. Near the city are the mountains of Colseropa, which "girdle" Barcelona, marking its borders. Barcelona is distinguished by its rich historical and cultural heritage, ancient architecture and the mysterious atmosphere of a port city.
The capital of Catalonia attracts tourists with its climate, here it is mild and quite humid. Mountain air enriches the environment with oxygen. Winter here is quite warm, up to +10C, and in summer the temperature reaches +25C and warm rains fall. It is this climate that makes Barcelona a resort city and entertainment can be found here all year round.
Due to the rich history of the city, it is impossible to list all its attractions at once. Someone will be delighted by the bizarre and mysterious architecture of Antonio Gaudi, and someone will be happy to walk through the local old Boqueria market. And for people who love outdoor activities, many modern bars and clubs are open at night, open until the morning.
You can always get to anywhere in the city by a rented car, which is not a problem to find here. One of the popular sites is Bookingautos.
Despite the resort character of Barcelona, there is one of the best universities in the world University of Barcelona.
The city can be reached by plane to Barcelona El Prat Airport, which is located 20 km from the city center. You can get there by:
·
)· shuttle bus (cost 5.90 €)
What to see in Barcelona?
When you first look around the city, you immediately notice the characteristic architecture of the 19th century. Most of the buildings were designed by the architect Antoni Gaudí. Temple of the Sagrada Familia was the largest of his projects.
The temple is unique in that it combines styles from different eras. There is also a museum inside, which tourists love to visit. The entrance fee is 17€, including the ascent to the tower 32€.
Las Ramblas
Las Ramblas is the main attraction of Barcelona. The street has many branches leading to various monuments and interesting places, such as: the 19th-century Cast-Iron Fountain, the monument to Christopher Columbus, Peace Square. Through one such alley you can get to the Boqueria Market.
La Boqueria Market
La Boquería Market (Sao Josep) is the largest and oldest market in Barcelona. Since it is covered, it is open to visitors in any weather. Both locals and tourists come here for exotic dishes. The market is unique in that its area is more than 2500 m2 and it is made only of steel and glass.
Here you can buy absolutely everything: from ordinary vegetables to oysters and homemade chocolate. But market prices vary. It is always more expensive at the beginning of the market, so knowledgeable tourists go deeper, where the price can differ by half.
Museum of National Art of Catalonia
This museum is the largest in Barcelona. All the fine arts of Catalonia are collected here. The museum is located near the Montjuic mountain and is easily accessible by car, which can be rented. The palace was built in 1929 and restored in 1992 for the Olympic Games in Spain. The ticket price is 12 euros.
What to visit in Barcelona?
1. If during your trip you want to visit several places and get to know the nearest cities, a trip to the nearby heritage cities and resorts is a great solution. One of these is a trip to Tarragona.
In Tarragona, you can swim on the azure sandy beaches, walk along Rambla Nova, where you can buy branded souvenirs of Catalonia.
The city has a rich historical heritage of the ancient Romans. Here you can visit the Roman Amphitheater, which once hosted gladiator fights. The Roman Theater and the Roman Circus are also open to the public. To satisfy the soul, you can visit the Cathedral, which can be reached through the narrow flowery streets of the city, causing delight from such beauty.
Five minutes north of Tarragona is Pont del Diable, the Devil's Bridge. It was once built to channel water from the Francoli River. "Devil's Bridge" has 36 arches with a total heightof 27 meters.
2. Another interesting place to visit is the medieval town of Besalu. The town was founded during the Roman Empire, as a fortress that protected the borders conquered by the Romans.
The atmosphere of that time is still preserved in the city, so here you can walk along the branching streets along which handicraft shops are located. There is an opportunity to visit the old Knight's Hospital, walk along the Gustave Eiffel Bridge leading to the old city. And then enjoy and feel the medieval traditions by tasting Catalan cuisine in a panoramic restaurant.
3. Also not far from Barcelona is the city of Girona. This oldest city is one of the few in which the Jewish quarters are still preserved. During its long history Girona has survived many sieges, the city survived thanks to its fortresses that defended the city. Fans of the Game of Thrones can recognize the stone streets here, among which the 6th season of the series was filmed.
Coming here in winter, you can visit the ski resort in the north of Girona, and in summer you can arrange a sightseeing tour of the streets of the city.
The ancient fortresses of Girona, which were built about 2000 years ago, you can not only to see from the outside, but also to walk along them, seeing the province at a glance.
In the city you can visit the Cathedral, which was built between the 11th and 18th centuries. It is unique in that it combines different architectural styles, including Gothic. Inside the Cathedral there is a museum of ancient religious works.
Barcelona's gastronomic diversity
National cuisine is an important element of any culture and each city has its own cuisine. So what of the unusual dishes can be tried in Barcelona?
· Hamon (a raw pork house)
· Catalan sausage of Butifarra (sausages served with white beans)
Sea and mountains (a dish that combines meat and seafood at the same time)
· Paella (national dish of Spain, which is rice with mushrooms, chicken or vegetables)
, only noodles are used instead of rice)· Gazpacho (Grated tomato soup with vegetables)
All these and other dishes can be tasted in the best restaurants in Barcelona:
· Dos Pallilos(Fusion restaurant, predominantly seafood)
Address: Carrer d'Elisabets, 9
Phone number: +34 933 04 05 13
· Alora (Restaurant on the second floor of the Hotel Arts. Here you can enjoy tapas and sumptuous wines, of which there are about 900 species. )
Address: Marina 19-21
Phone number: +34 034 838 090
· Passadís del Pep(A restaurant that does not have a specific menu, offering new and original dishes every day. Only drinks do not change, it is best to order local cava champagne here)
Address: Pla del Palau, 2
Phone number: >+34 933 101 021
· Xiringuito Escriba (Restaurant that serves excellent paella in all variations. The restaurant is located on the waterfront, overlooking the sea, so in this place it is better to book tables in advance.)
Address: Av. del Litoral, 62
Phone number: +34 932 21 07 29
Barcelona car parks
If you visit Barcelona by car, it is very difficult to find good inexpensive car parks on your own. For leaving the car for one night, you can pay up to 40 euros. But for the comfort of tourists, they took care of this and made several inexpensive parking lots.
· Pl. Forum: tariff € 39.85 for parking from 1 to 5 days and additional € 7.50 per day for each subsequent day.
· Estació Barcelona Nord: only 18.40 € per day
· Park & Ride:P.R. Biomèdica and Litoral Port: 1 to 5 days for only €39.85, then every subsequent day €7.50.
The city also offers free parking at certain times. Street parking marked in blue is paid from Monday to Saturday 09:00-14:00 and 16:00-18:00. At some intersections, free time ends at 8:00. The city also has white parking lots, they are free at any time of the day or night, but their location will become a problem: there are almost none in the center of Barcelona, they are only in remote areas. Parking lots marked in green are for residents, so it is strictly forbidden for tourists to park in them.
