Accidents
If you're
involved in a
road accident
call the
Guardia
Urbana tel
933 526 161 or
tel 112 (for
emergency
services).
Airlines
Air France tel
901 112 266;
British
Airways tel
932 156 900 or
for
reservations
tel 902 132
132; Iberia
tel 902 400
500; Swissair
tel 932 159
100; Virgin
Express tel
932 266 671.
Airport
El Prat de
Llobregat tel
902 400 500
for all
information.
The airport is
due to expand
over the next
few years,
possibly to
accommodate a
high-speed AVE
rail link with
Madrid and
France. The
two passenger
terminals, A
and B, are, in
fact, one
large
connected
terminal, B
serving
check-in for
Iberia and its
One World
partners, and
much smaller A
serving
everyone else.
Ambulance
Dial 061
American
Express
The office is
at Pg de Gràcia
101 tel 932
170 070; Metro
Diagonal;
Mon-Fri
9.30am-6pm,
Sat 10am-noon.
There's also
an Amex cash
machine at the
airport.
Banks
and exchange
Main bank
branches are
in Pl de
Catalunya and
Passeig de Gràcia.
El Corte Inglés
department
store, in Pl
de Catalunya,
and American
Express (see
above) also
have efficient
exchange
facilities
which offer
competitive
rates and do
not charge
commission.
One bank with
extended hours
is La Caixa,
Pl de
Catalunya
(Mon-Fri
8.15am-2pm;
Oct-June also
Thurs
4.30-7.45pm).
Banco de
Santander in
c/de Ferran
(corner Pl de
Sant Jaume),
and Caja de
Madrid in Pl
de Catalunya
both have
automatic
money
exchanges,
which accept
British paper
currency. For
buying
non-Spanish
currency when
you're leaving
the country,
try Banco
Popular, Pg de
Gràcia 17, or
branches of La
Caixa.
Exchange
offices
include:
Airport (daily
7.30am-10.45pm).
El Corte Inglés,
Pl de
Catalunya
(Mon-Sat
10am-9.30pm).
Sants Estació
(daily
8am-10pm).
Tourist
office, Pl de
Catalunya 17
(daily
9am-9pm).
Foreign
banks
include: Bank
of America, c/Bori
i Fontesta 23.
Barclays, Pg
de Gràcia 45;
Ronda
Universitat
27; Avda
Diagonal 419.
Chase
Manhattan, Pg
de Gràcia 60.
Citibank, c/d'Aribau
162.
Lloyds, Rambla
de Catalunya
123; Avda
Diagonal 601;
c/Calvet
16-22.
Midland, Avda
Diagonal 427.
NatWest, Pg de
Gràcia 8-10.
Bike
rental
Pedal bikes
and motorbikes
from: Biciclot,
c/Sant Joan de
Malta 1 tel
933 077 475;
Los Filicletos,
Pg de Picasso
38 tel 933 197
885; Scenic,
c/Marina 22
tel 932 211
666; Icària
Sports, Avda
Icària 180
tel 932 211
778; Un Cotxe
Menys, c/Esparteria
3 tel 932 682
105. The
latter also
organizes
bicycle tours
of Barcelona.
Die-hard
cyclists can
find fellow
enthusiasts
through the
Federació
Catalana de
Ciclisme on c/Fontanella
11 (tel 933
012 444), or
Amics de la
Bici, c/ Demóstenes
19 (tel &
fax 933 394
060, ).
Buses
For buses to
almost all
destinations,
go to the
Estació del
Nord tel 932
656 508
(7am-9pm info
line) on Avda
Vilanova
(Metro Arc de
Triomf). Some
buses leave
also (or only)
from the
smaller
station behind
Sants Estació
at Pl Joan
Peiró tel 934
904 405. Note
that on many
routes, ticket
prices
go up if you
travel Fri-Sun
or on a public
holiday. When leaving
, it's a good
idea to
reserve a seat
in advance on
the popular
long-distance
routes - the
day before is
usually fine.
Car
rental
Atesa, c/Muntaner
45 tel 933 230
701; airport
tel 933 983
433. Avis,
c/Casanova 209
tel 932 099
533; c/Aragó
235 tel 934
878 754;
airport tel
932 983 600, .
Budget, Josep
Tarradellas 35
tel 934 102
508; airport
tel 932 983
500, . Docar,
c/Montenegre
18 tel 933 229
008, .
Europcar, c/Viladomat
214 and
airport tel
934 398 401, .
Hertz, c/Tuset
10 tel 932 178
076; airport
tel 932 983
636; and Sants
Estació tel
934 908 662, .
Totcar,
c/Berlin 97
tel 934 192
294, .
Vanguard, c/Londres
31 tel 934 393
880, vanguard@lander.es
.
Car
repairs
Try Roque,
c/Padilla 285
(tel 934 352
266; Mon-Fri
9am-1.30pm
&
3.30-7pm, Sat
9am-1pm &
3-7pm, Sun
10am-1pm) or
Tallers Lumont,
Avda de Roma,
43 (tel 933
210 954; daily
24 hours a
day). Small
independent
mechanics are
scattered
about the
city, look for
a
"taller"
sign
Consulates
Most foreign
consulates in
Barcelona are
open to the
public for
enquiries
Mon-Fri only,
usually from
9am-1pm and
3-5pm, though
the morning
shift is the
most reliable.
Australia,
Gran Via
Carles III 98
tel 933 309
496; Belgium,
c/de la
Diputació 303
tel 934 677
080; Britain,
Avda Diagonal
477 tel 934
199 044;
Canada, c/Elisenda
de Pinós 10
tel 932 042
700; Denmark,
Rambla de
Catalunya 33
tel 934 480
222; Finland,
c/Puig i
Xoriguer 17
tel 934 431
598; France,
Rambla de
Catalunya 59
tel 932 703
000; Germany,
Pg de Gràcia
111 tel 932
921 000;
Ireland, Gran
Via Carles III
94 tel 934 915
021; Italy, c/Mallorca
270 tel 934
677 305;
Japan, Avda
Diagonal
662-664 tel
932 803 433;
Netherlands,
Avda Diagonal
601 tel 934
106 210; New
Zealand, Trav
de Gràcia 64
tel 932 090
399; Norway,
c/Balmes 184
tel 932 184
983; Portugal,
Ronda Sant
Pere 7 tel 933
188 150;
Sweden, c/Mallorca
279 tel 934
882 501; USA,
Pg de la Reina
Elisenda 23
tel 932 802
227.
Credit
cards To
cancel lost or
stolen credit
cards, call
the following
numbers in
Madrid:
Access/MasterCard
tel 915 192
100.
American
Express tel
915 720 303.
Diners Club
tel 915 474
000.
Visa tel 913
512 512.
Cultural
institutes
The British
Council, at c/Amigó
83 tel 932 096
090 or 934 146
888, has an
English-language
library, lists
of language
schools and a
good notice
board
advertising
lessons and
accommodation.
The North
American
Institute, Via
Augusta 123 (tel
932 405 110;
FGC Plaça
Molina), has
newspapers,
magazines and
a reference
library.
Customs
British
travellers
returning home
from Spain,
can
effectively
take back as
much duty-paid
wine or beer
as they can
carry (the
legal limits
being 90
litres of wine
or 110 litres
of beer).
Restrictions
applying to
tax- or
duty-free
goods for EU
residents are
200
cigarettes,
one litre of
spirits and
five litres of
wine; for non-EU
residents the
allowances are
usually 200
cigarettes,
one litre of
spirits and
two litres of
wine.
Residents of
the USA and
Canada can
take up to 200
cigarettes and
one litre of
alcohol back
home, as can
Australian
citizens,
while New
Zealanders are
allowed 200
cigarettes,
4.5 litres of
beer or wine,
and just over
one litre of
spirits. If in
doubt, consult
your embassy.
Dentists
Dentists are
all private -
you'll pay
around 36 for
filling a
cavity. For an
English-speaking
dentist,
contact the
practices at
Rambla de
Catalunya 44 (tel
932 160 321)
or Pg Bonanova
63 (tel 932
122 073).
Another
practice is at
c/Casanova
59-61
(junction with
c/de la
Diputació;
tel 934 545
403). For
dental
emergencies
phone 934 159
922.
Departure
tax
There's no
departure tax
leaving
Barcelona.
Doctor
For an
emergency
doctor call
061 or go to
the emergency
department of
Hospital
Clinic (see
"Hospitals").
Doctors rarely
make house
calls.
Emergency
services
tel 112.
Operators at
this number
can handle
fire, medical
and police
emergencies.
Ferries
Departures to
the Balearics
are from the
Estació Marítima
(tel 933 012
598; Metro
Drassanes) at
the bottom of
the Ramblas.
Buy tickets
here at the
Trasmediterránea
office (tel
932 454 645, )
for Palma de
Mallorca, Mahó
and Eivissa.
Umifasa (tel
902 191 066)
also runs a
service to
Eivissa and
Formentera,
while Navi
Gran Veloci (tel
934 439 898, pasaje.bcn@amcondeminas.com
) serves
Genoa, Italy.
The ferries
get very
crowded in
July and
August - book
ahead.
Fire
brigade
tel 080 or 112
Health
EU countries
have
reciprocal
health
agreements
with Spain;
British and
other EU
citizens need
form E111,
available from
main post
offices. No
inoculations
are required
for Spain.
Hospitals
Ciutat Sanitària
Vall d'Hebron
Pg. Vall
d'Hebron,
119-129 tel
934 183 400,
Metro Vall
d'Hebron;
Hospital
Clinic, c/Villaroel
170 tel 934
546 000, Metro
Hospital
Clinic; Centro
Diagnostic
Malaltiès
Sexuales
(Sexually
Transmitted
Disease
Clinic), Avda
Drassanes
17-19 tel 933
294 495, Metro
Drassanes.
Hospital de
San Pau (c/Sant
Antoni María
Claret 167 tel
932 919 191;
Metro San Pau),
is a public
hospital which
accepts the
E111 (see
"Health"
above) and
which also has
an AIDS
department. If
you need
special
medical
attention or
treatment,
your first
stop should be
Barcelona
Centre Médico
(Avda Diagonal
612, 2º-14,
tel 934 140
643, 24hr tel
639 303 464, ;
Metro
Diagonal),
which
co-ordinates
some seventeen
specialist
clinics in the
city.
Information
tel 010. The
city's
English-language
information
line can
answer just
about any
question about
Barcelona. The
Generalitat
now has a
similar
service at
012.
Internet
cafés In
the last few
years the
internet has
exploded in
Barcelona.
Many bars
geared to
younger crowds
have
terminals, and
cybercafés
and other
access points
now abound.
Competition
means that
prices have
been driven
down to around
1.80 per hour.
Some options
include Easy
Everything
(Ronda
Universitat
35, Metro
Catalunya; La
Rambla 31,
Metro Liceu;
both open
24hrs); idea
; El Café
de Internet
, Gran Via
656, Metro Plaça
Tetuan
(Mon-Thurs
10am-midnight,
Fri & Sat
10am-2am); Insòlit
, Maremàgnum,
Metro
Drassanes
(daily
1pm-1am); but
a stroll down
La Rambla will
reveal a
parade of
hoardings
touting other
locales.
Language
schools
The cheapest
Spanish
classes in
Barcelona are
at the Escola
Oficial
d'Idiomes,
Avda Drassanes
(tel 933 292
458), where a
lottery system
is in force -
line up at the
beginning of
term (Sept and
Jan) for a
ticket, then
see if you've
won a place to
sit the
assessment
exam. Expect
big queues. Or
try
International
House,
c/Trafalgar 14
(tel 932 680
239, ; Metro
Urquinaona).
The Generalitat
offers
low-cost
Catalan
classes to
Spaniards and
foreigners
through the
Centre per a
la
Normalització
Lingüística,
c/Quintana 11
(tel 934 127
224; Metro
Liceu).
Language
courses are
also offered
at most
Spanish
universities;
contact
Barcelona
University at
Gran Via de
les Corts
Catalanes 585
(tel 933 189
926), or write
to the nearest
Spanish
Institute in
your home
country.
Laundries
Self-service
launderettes (
lavanderías
automáticas
) are rare -
you normally
have to leave
your clothes
for the full
works (usually
around 7.30).
Try Martin, c/Carme
65 (10am-2pm
& 4-8pm)
off the
Ramblas - and
have a coffee
or drink next
door in the
old
neighbourhood
bar, Muy
Buenas
(happy hour
8-10pm), while
you wait. Note
that by a law
much ignored
in the old
city you're
forbidden from
leaving
laundry
hanging out of
windows over a
street, and
some hostales
can get shirty
if you're
found doing
excessive
washing in
your bedroom
sink. A
dry-cleaner is
a tintorería
.
Left-luggage
At Sants
Estació the consigna
is open daily
from
4am-midnight
and costs
2.40-3.60 a
day. There are
lockers at the
Estació de
França,
Passeig de Gràcia
and the Estació
del Nord for
2.40 (all
6am-11.30pm).
Library
The Biblioteca
Nacional de
Catalunya, at
c/de
l'Hospital 56,
is next to the
Hospital de la
Santa Creu
(Mon-Fri
9am-8pm, Sat
9am-2pm) - you
will only be
able to enter
this with a
letter of
academic
reference,
however there
is a biblioteca
popular (a
public
library) in
the same
building.
Barcelona
University's
Philology
library at
Gran Via 585
(Mon-Fri
8am-8.30pm;
Oct-June also
Sat 9am-2pm)
is open to the
public.
Lost
property
If you lose
anything, try
the Ajuntament
( objectes
perduts )
in c/de la
Ciutat 9
(Mon-Fri
9.30am-1.30pm;
tel 934 023
161), or the
transport
office in the
metro in Plaça
Universitat,
but you'll be
lucky to get
it back.
Massage
For a quick
massage after
a heavy
afternoon's
shopping, try
Masajes Mil,
c/Mallorca 233
tel 932 158
585; Metro
Passeig de Gràcia;
daily
including hols
7am-midnight;
6 for ten
minutes, no
appointment
required.
Newspapers
You can buy
foreign
newspapers at
the stalls
down the
Ramblas,
around Pl de
Catalunya and
at Sants
Estació, as
well as at
major
bookstores and
in larger
hotels. The
same stalls
also sell an
impressive
array of
international
magazines and
trade papers.
Notice
boards For
apartment-sharing,
lifts, lessons
and other
services,
check the
notice boards
at the
cultural
institutes; at
International
House
(c/Trafalgar
14); at the
university (in
the main
building; take
door on far
left and,
inside, bear
left and then
right); at
Escola Oficial
d'Idiomes (see
"Language
schools");
at Llibreria
de Dones Prolèg
and Ca la Dona
(see
"Women's
Barcelona"),
and the
bookshop Cómplices.
Pharmacies
For minor
health
complaints
look for the
green cross of
a farmàcia
, where highly
trained staff
can give
advice (often
in English),
and are able
to dispense
many drugs
available only
on
prescription
in other
countries.
Usual hours
are 9am-1pm
& 4-8pm;
phone 010 for
information on
those open out
of hours. A
list of these
can also be
found in the
window of each
chemist's
shop. For
emergencies,
see
"Hospitals".
Police
The main
police station
is at Via
Laietana 49 (tel
932 903 000)
where there is
also a
department for
women who've
suffered
violent crime.
The tourist
police - the
Centro Atencíon
Policial - are
at Rambla 43
(open 24hr in
summer; tel
933 019 060).
If you are the
victim of
robbery you
will have to
go to the
Comisaría
Drassanes of
the Policía
Nacional in c/Nou
de la Rambla,
62 - keep a
copy of the
report for
your insurance
claim. The
various police
bodies in the
city can be
contacted on
the following
numbers: Guàrdia
Civil tel 062;
Policía
Nacional tel
091; Guàrdia
Urbana tel
092.
Post
office The
main post
office ( Correus
) in Barcelona
is at Pl
d'Antoni López,
facing the
water at the
end of Pg de
Colom (Mon-Sat
8am-8pm).
Poste restante
( llista de
correus )
is at window
17 (Mon-Fri
9am-8pm, Sat
9am-2pm).
There is
another post
office at c/Aragó
282 (Mon-Fri
8am-9pm, Sat
9am-2am). Each
city
neighbourhood
also has its
own post
office, though
these have far
less-comprehensive
opening hours
and services.
Pressure
groups
There's strong
anti-nuclear
and anti-NATO
feeling in
Catalunya.
Casal de la
Pau
(c/Cervantes
2; tel 933 183
994) is an
anti-militarist
grouping,
while the more
broadly based
Acciò
Ecologista
Viure Sense
Nuclear is at
c/Gran de Gràcia
126-130 (tel
932 179 527).
The Ass. Dona
(Dones Anti
Militaristes),
a women's
anti-military
group, is
based at Ca la
Dona (see
"Women's
Barcelona").
There's a
branch of
Amnesty
International
at c/Alfons
XII 19-21 tel
932 093 536,
and Greenpeace
at c/Pelai 32
tel 932 187
749. SOS
Racisme is an
anti-racist
organization
at c/Escudellers
Blancs 12 tel
933 010 597.
Residence
permits In
Barcelona,
residence
permits for EU
nationals are
issued by the
Servicio de
Extranjeros at
Avda Marqués
de l'Argentera
4 (Mon-Fri
9am-1pm; tel
934 820 544 or
934 820 530) -
line up before
9am. You will
be required to
show a Spanish
bank statement
in your name,
typically with
a balance of
more or less
4200.
Telephone
information
tel 1003
(general) or
tel 008
(international).
Time
Barcelona is
one hour ahead
of the UK, six
and nine hours
ahead of New
York and Los
Angeles
respectively,
and eight
hours behind
Sydney.
Tipping
In most
restaurants
and bars
service is
considered to
be included in
the price of
meals and
drinks (hence
the premium
you pay for
sitting at a
terrace). Tips
are more a
recognition
that service
was adequate
or exceptional
than an
expected part
of the
server's wage.
For a coffee
or a drink,
leave no more
than 0.20,
while for a
meal in the
6-9 range, 1
is considered
generous.
Anything
beyond is
excessive.
Upmarket
restaurants
may indicate
that service
is not
included, in
which case you
will be
expected to
leave ten to
fifteen
percent of the
value of the
bill. Taxi
drivers should
be tipped only
if they have
helped you
with bags or
been similarly
helpful.
Toilets
Public ones
are few and
far between,
and averagely
clean, but
sometimes
don't have any
paper (best to
carry your
own). Bars and
restaurants
are more
likely to have
proper (and
cleaner)
toilets,
though you
can't
guarantee it -
even in the
poshest of
places. The
handiest clean
central toilet
is inside the Café
de l'Opera
on the Ramblas.
Ask for el
lavabo or los
servicios
( toaleta
or serveis
in Catalan). Damas
(Ladies;
Catalan Dones
) and Caballeros
(Gentlemen;
Catalan Homes
) are the
usual signs,
though you may
also see the
confusing Señoras
(Women) and Señores
(Men).
Tours
In Barcelona
there are a
number of
associations
of tour guides
(all of whom
must be
registered and
approved by
the Generalitat
). Services
among them are
basically all
the same, so
the best bets
are the most
economical
ones. The
cheapest is
the Associación
Professional
de
Informadores
Turísticos de
Barcelona (APIT),
at Pl
Berenguer el
Gran 1-1ºD
(Mon-Sat
9.30am-2pm
&
3-6.30pm, tel
933 198 279,
fax 933 104
011, apit@ctv.es
), which
charges 87.80
for a
four-hour
weekday
English-language
walking tour
of the city
for up to
twenty people.
The next
cheapest, City
Guides BCN, at
Ronda
Universitat
21-7ºD
(Mon-Fri
9am-1pm &
4-7pm, tel 934
120 674, fax
934 125 133, cgguides@lander.es
) charges the
same basic
price, but
adds sixteen
percent VAT
and a further
twenty-percent
surcharge. The
cheapest
option for a
walking tour
is Turisme de
Barcelona's
English-language
tours (Sat
& Sun
10am, 6, 3 for
children).
Reservations
and details at
any tourist
office.
Trains
For train
information,
call RENFE (tel
934 900 202;
international
routes on 934
901 122,
10am-2pm; ).
You can buy
train tickets
at the RENFE
office in the
underground
foyer at
Passeig de Gràcia
(corner of c/Aragó).
Otherwise, at
Sants Estació
(tel 934 903
851) there's
both a RENFE
information
office (daily
6.30am-10.30pm;
English
speaking) and
an
International
Train
Information
Office (daily
7am-10pm),
where you can
reserve seats
and couchettes
on
international
trains. This
is recommended
in high
season,
compulsory on
some trains,
and should be
done in
advance - at
least a couple
of hours
before
departure, the
day before if
possible.
Certain routes
( rodalies
, or cercanías
) within
Barcelona and
Catalonia are
operated by
FGC; their
information
line is 932
051 515 or 933
663 361.
Travel
agencies
General travel
agencies are
found on the
Gran Vía, Pg
de Gràcia, Vía
Laietana and
the Ramblas.
For specific
deals try:
Julia Tours,
Pl Universitat
12 (tel 933
176 454 or 933
176 209) for
city tours,
Catalunya
holidays and
trips; for
deals
(including
student
specials) on
flights, the
best places
are Viatgi,
Ronda
Universitat 1
(tel 933 011
629, viatgi@grupoeuropa.com
) or, if you
can brave the
hours-long
queues, Usit,
Ronda
Universitat 16
(tel 934 120
104; ); for
youth train
tickets head
to Wasteels,
inside Sants
Estació.
Vaccination
centres Go
to Avda
Drassanes
17-21 tel 934
430 507, or
Institut
Municipal de
la Salut, Pl
Lesseps 1 (tel
934 150 066).
Women's
Barcelona
The most
useful contact
address in the
city is Ca la
Dona, c/Caspe
38 (tel 934
127 161; Metro
Urquinaona;
Mon-Thurs
10am-2pm &
4-8pm), a
women's centre
used for
meetings of
over twenty
feminist and
lesbian
organizations;
information
available to
callers.
There's also
La Illa, c/Reig
i Bonet 3, Gràcia
(tel 932 100
062;
7.30pm-1am,
later at
weekends;
Metro
Fontana), a
women's bar
and cultural
centre. The
official
Institut Català
de la Dona has
an information
office at c/
Portaferrissa
1 (tel 933 179
291; Mon-Fri
10am-2pm &
5-7pm). For
bookshops
specializing
in women's
issues, try
Llibreria de
Dones Pròleg,
c/Dagueria 13,
Barri Gòtic
tel 933 192
425 (Metro
Jaume I; Mon
5-8pm,
Tues-Fri
10am-2pm &
5-8pm, Sat
11am-2pm &
5-8pm), and
The Book
Store, c/la
Granja 13 tel
932 379 519
(Metro Lesseps;
Mon-Sat
11am-1.30pm
&
2.30-7pm;
closed Mon in
Aug).
Work
Without a
particular
skill or
pre-arranged
job, the only
real chance of
long-term work
in Barcelona
is in language
schools.
There's much
less work
about than
there used to
be and you'll
need a TEFL
(Teaching
English as a
Foreign
Language) or
ESL (English
as a Second
Language)
certificate to
stand any kind
of chance. One
other
possibility,
so long as you
speak good
Spanish, is
translation
work, most of
which will be
business
correspondence
- look in the
Yellow Pages
under Traductores
. Unless
you're a
citizen of a
European Union
country (who
should see
"Residence
Permits"
section),
obtaining a
work visa for
Spain is
nearly
impossible.
Worship
St George's
Church, c/Horaci
38 tel 934 178
867, off Pg de
la Bonanova,
buses #75, #64
and #22, has
English-speaking
Anglican
services on
Sun 11am, and
1st Mon of
month 8pm.
Santa María
Reina Church,
Carretera
d'Esplugues
103 tel 932
034 115, buses
#75, #114 and
#63, has
Catholic Mass
in English Sun
10am. The
synagogue -
Sinagoga
Comunitat
Israelita - is
at c/Avenir
24, Gràcia
tel 932 006
148, FGC
Muntaner, and
hosts lots of
youth group
activities. Be
warned that
security is
tight at the
synagogue:
take your
passport. The
Centro
Islamico, Avda
Meridiana 326
tel 933 514
901, Metro
Sagrera
incorporates a
mosque, and an
education
centre that's
happy to
provide
information on
aspects of
Muslim life in
Barcelona.
Youth
information
There's a
youth
information
office at c/Ferran
32 (tel 934
027 800 or 934
027 801;
Mon-Fri
10am-2pm &
4-8pm), with
city
information
and advice, a
library and
English
speakers. ISIC
and hostel
cards at
Representació
Territorial de
la Joventut,
c/ Calàbria
147 (Mon-Fri
9am-1pm &
4-5.30pm; tel
934 838 383).
