Make the most out of your trip
With temperatures, well higher than here, the football season in full-swing and world-class Christmas festivities just around the corner, autumn is the perfect time to visit Barcelona.
Expedia.co.uk has already seen an 80 per cent year-on-year increase in hotel bookings to the Catalan capital.
Insider top tips for visiting Barcelona
Visitors to the Catalan capital have an overwhelming selection of exciting things to see and do while there. Whether they’re after a sun soaked beach holiday or a bustling city break, Barcelona has it all on offer.
But what do Catalans get up to in their city? Here, the Barcelona destination experts for Expedia offer their inside tips on making the most of Barcelona’s bustling city centre – from visiting the top tourist sites to discovering the city’s best kept secrets:
1. For a delicious meal with friends and family, using only the best local produce, head to La Paradeta. At this restaurant you will be asked to choose your fresh fish from their ‘market stall’ then sit back and relax while their team of chefs cook it for you
2. Don’t over-tip - service is almost always included in the bill so there’s no need to leave a separate gratuity – leaving you with more spending money
3. Barcelona is full of wonderful clubs, restaurants and "bar de copas". The best night spots are located in the Gracia, Barcaloneta and Borne districts. For a night out with the Catalan party crowd, head to Shoko, located in the trendy Barceloneta district, for a night of modern Spanish food, drinking and dancing.
4. Use the underground to get around the city, rather than taxis – it’s quick, inexpensive and reliable.
5. For a day celeb-spotting, head to ‘Barceloneta’ – a trendy spot close to the beach.
6. Catalans love a good festival, so whatever time of the year you visit you’re likely to see one of these spectacular events. If you’re visiting the city in November or December, head to Fira de Santa Llucia – a traditional Christmas festival selling Catalan nativity scenes, decorations, food and gifts
7. Mealtimes in Barcelona are a little later than in the UK. Head for lunch at around 2pm and don’t plan on going for dinner before 9pm. To really work up an appetite, why not go on a Walking Gourmet Tour before dinner?
8. Nightclubs start to get busy from around 2am and are open until 6am – make sure you plan a leisurely morning for the day after!
9. The rain in Spain… should you encounter bad weather on your trip head to the "Las Arenas" Mall for a spot of shopping set in an old Bull Fighting arena
10. The aerobus is the cheapest – and one of the fastest - ways to the centre and costs just €5. For getting around in Barcelona the underground is the best option and the T10 ticket will give you up to 10 trips.
Andy Washington, Managing Director for Expedia in the UK & Ireland, says: “Barcelona is continually in the top ten destinations for UK bookings – with its great climate and abundance of things to do, it’s no wonder why.
"As well as tried and tested favourites, such as Gaudi’s architecture, there’s also a whole layer of secret Barcelona waiting to be unearthed. From hidden restaurants to food markets and even the chance to form a human castle, Barcelona is a destination which caters for all tastes and budgets."
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