Barcelona transport guide

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A walk through the downtown is a very good option to enjoy Barcelona. However, if you want to discover every corner of this amazing city, it will be really useful to know all the transports. We present you a little guide with the most important transports in Barcelona. With that, moving around the city will become very easy and handy.


TAXI

It is the most expensive option but also the most comfortable. If you are looking for the address of your apartment, you have lots of baggage or you like to move freely taxi will be your choice.
Prices range depends on the hour and there are supplements such as going until the airport or carrying luggage. Find every detail about rates and prices here:
BarcelonaForRent Apartments offers a transfer service to customers. If you get to these airports: El Prat, Girona or Reus, the taxi driver will drive you until our office for check-in and then he will take you to your apartment. You can also hire a taxi back to the airport the day of your departure. Prices with all supplements included are:

El Prat – Barcelona City
1 – 4 people – 45€
4 – 8 people – 70€
Girona / Reus – Barcelona City
1 – 4 people – 160€
4 – 8 people – 180€


AEROBÚS

Are you arriving at El Prat? It will be really useful the Aerobús, the service connecting airport with city center. Is the fastest transport alternative. Aerobús works every day of the year every five minutes. The journey takes 35 minutes and the ticket costs 5,75 € (only accepted cash payment).
There is more information here.


TRAIN

Train is one of the cheapest options to move around the city and also to visit nearby villages. In Barcelona there are three main stations: Estació de França, Passeig de Gràcia and Sants, all them connected to the rest of the city by underground and buses. You can find maps, schedules and prices here.
You can also download the no official app for Smartphone with all the information about trains. Find it here or log in on Android Market.


SUBWAY AND FERROCARRILS DE LA GENERALITAT (RAILWAYS)

If you are ready to discover Barcelona, the subway and Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat (Railways) will be really useful to travel around the city. In Barcelona there are eight subway lines complemented by Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat (FGC). Schedules of the subway and these railways are:
- Monday to Thursday and bank holidays: 5am – 24.
- Friday and eve of bank holidays: 5am – 2am.
- Saturday: the subway is open 24 hours.

If you like to move by public transport, there are integrated tickets which you can use in Subway, FGC, train, buses and tram. Using this kind of tickets you will greatly reduce the cost of each trip. All the information about tickets and prices is in this website.
TMB also offers an app for Smartphone that will be very useful to plan your routes, view your path or locate the closest stops. Get it here for iOS. You will find the Android version here.


BUSES

All around Barcelona there are more than 80 daytime bus lines. You will enjoy the sights of the city while you are on the go. Each line has its own schedule, but most of them starts the round at 4am and service ends at 11pm.
A new feature this year has been the introduction of new bus lines that run vertically and horizontally through the city. This system is really efficient and allows movements through the city in a faster and more accessible way. Currently there are five operating lines, and it is expected to deploy 28 bus lines when the whole project will be implemented.
In this photo there are the five operating bus lines:

You will find all the information about buses on this website.
Moreover, with the BcnBus app for iPhone and Android you will know the waiting time in any bus stop in Barcelona. Download it for iOS here, or log in to Android Market to get it.


TRAM

In Barcelona there are two Tram routes: Trambaix, which starts in Francesc Macià and gets until southern towns such as Sant Just Desvern and Sant Joan Despí; and Trambesòs, in the North that drives from Vila Olímpica until Sant Adrià del Besòs or Badalona passing by the Fòrum.
Tram is an ecologic and comfortable public transport. It is available from Monday to Thursday, from 5am to midnight, and Friday, Saturday and eve of bank holidays from 5am to 2am.
You will find maps, schedules, tickets and prices here.
If you are logging in from your Smartphone, your website is this one.


NIT BUS

Finally, if you want to move around at night, your service will be Nit Bus. Nit Bus is the night bus fleet that circulates between 10.40pm and 6am. Most of them leave from Plaça Catalunya. We strongly recommend you to check the schedules in advance, because the frequency of transports is reduced. Check the bus lines and stops here.

Guía de transportes de Barcelona

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Un paseo por el centro es una muy buena opción para disfrutar de Barcelona. Sin embargo, si lo que quieres es descubrir cada rincón de la ciudad, te será muy útil conocer los diferentes medios de transporte a tu alcance. Te presentamos una pequeña guía con los principales transportes para que moverte por Barcelona te resulte muy fácil y cómodo.


TAXI

Es la opción más cara pero también la más cómoda. Si buscas la dirección de tu apartamento, tienes que transportar tus maletas o simplemente quieres desplazarte a tu aire, el taxi es tu mejor opción.
Los precios varían según la hora del día y existen suplementos, como por ejemplo llegar hasta el aeropuerto o llevar equipaje. Las tarifas detalladas las encontrarás aquí.
BarcelonaForRent Apartments ofrece un servicio de transfer para sus clientes. Si llegas a los aeropuertos de El Prat, Girona o Reus, el taxista te acompañará hasta nuestra oficina para hacer el check-in y luego te llevará a tu apartamento. También puedes contratar el taxi para volver al aeropuerto el día de tu partida. Los precios con todos los suplementos incluidos son:

El Prat – Barcelona ciudad
1 – 4 personas  –  45€
4 – 8 personas –  70€
Girona / Reus – Barcelona Ciudad
1 – 4 personas – 160€
4 – 8 personas – 180€


AEROBÚS

¿Llegas al Aeropuerto de El Prat? Te será muy útil el Aerobús, el servicio que conecta el aeropuerto con el centro de Barcelona. Es la opción de transporte más rápida. El Aerobús pasa todos los días del año de forma continuada, cada cinco minutos. El trayecto tiene una duración de 35 minutos y el billete cuesta 5.75 € (sólo se acepta el pago en efectivo).
Encontrarás más información en: http://www.aerobusbcn.com/


TREN

El tren es una de las opciones más baratas para desplazarte por la ciudad y también para visitar pueblos cercanos. En Barcelona hay tres estaciones principales: Estació de França, Passeig de Gràcia y Sants, todas ellas conectadas con el resto de la ciudad mediante metro y autobuses. El mapa, los horarios y los precios los puedes consultar aquí.
La aplicación no oficial con toda la información sobre los trenes de cercanías puedes descargarla aquí o accediendo al Android Market.


METRO Y FERROCARRILS DE LA GENERALITAT

Si ya estás preparado para conocer Barcelona, las líneas de Metro y Ferrocarriles te permitirán recorrer la mayor parte de la ciudad. Barcelona tiene ocho líneas de metro que se complementan con la red de Ferrocarriles de la Generalitat (FGC). Los horarios del Metro y Ferrocarriles son:
- De lunes a jueves y días festivos: desde las 5 hasta las 24h.
- Viernes y vísperas de festivo: Se amplía el horario hasta las 2 de la madrugada.
- Sábados: el metro abre las 24 horas.

Si te interesa moverte en transporte público, dispones de billetes integrados que puedes utilizar en el Metro, FGC, tren, las líneas de autobuses y el Tram. Estos billetes te permitirán reducir mucho los costes de cada viaje. Tienes toda la información sobre billetes y precios en esta página web.
TMB también dispone de una aplicación para Smartphones que te será muy útil para planificar tus rutas, visualizar tus recorridos o localizar las paradas más cercanas. Consíguela aquí para iOS. La versión para Android la encontrarás aquí.


AUTOBUSES

En toda Barcelona hay más de 80 líneas diurnas de autobús que te permiten disfrutar de las vistas de la ciudad a la vez que te desplazas. Cada línea tiene su propio horario, pero la mayoría empiezan a circular a las 4 de la madrugada y el servicio termina a las 23 horas.
Una de las novedades de este año ha sido la incorporación de nuevas líneas de autobuses que recorren toda la ciudad en vertical y en horizontal. Este sistema es muy eficiente y permite los desplazamientos por toda la ciudad de una forma mucho más rápida y accesible. De momento hay cinco líneas funcionando, y se espera llegar hasta las 28 líneas cuando todo el proyecto esté implementado.
En esta foto aparecen las cinco líneas en funcionamiento:

La información sobre la red de autobuses la encontrarás en esta web.
Además, la aplicación BcnBus para iPhone y Android te permitirá conocer el tiempo de espera en cualquier parada de autobuses de Barcelona. Descárgala para iOS aquí o accede al Android Market para conseguirla.


TRANVÍA - TRAM

En Barcelona hay dos rutas de Tranvía: el Trambaix, que empieza en Francesc Macià y llega a poblaciones al Sur de Barcelona como Sant Just Desvern y Sant Joan Despí; y el Trambesòs, al Norte, que te lleva desde Vila Olímpica hasta Sant Adrià del Besòs o Badalona pasando por el Fórum.
El Tram es un medio de transporte público ecológico y confortable. Está disponible de lunes a jueves desde las 5 de la mañana hasta medianoche, y los viernes, sábados y vísperas de festivo de 5h a 2 de la madrugada.
Los planos, horarios, billetes y precios los encontrarás aquí.
Y si accedes desde tu Smartphone, entra en esta web.


NIT BUS

Y por último, si lo que quieres es desplazarte de noche, tu servicio es el Nit Bus. El Nit Bus es la flota de autobuses nocturnos que circulan entre las 22.40 y las 6 de la madrugada. La mayoría salen de Plaza Catalunya. Te recomendamos consultar los horarios con antelación, ya que de noche la frecuencia de paso de los transportes se reduce. Consulta las líneas y paradas aquí.

5 Christmas traditions in Catalonia

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In our second post about Christmas, we want to show you the best-known Catalan traditions. If you travel to Barcelona these days, you will be interested in how Christmas is celebrated here, what is usual to do in New Year’s Eve or which Christmas traditions you will find.

Caga-Tió
Children absolutely love this millenary tradition. It is maybe one of the most surprising traditions. In early December people take home a tree log and they covered it with a blanket to avoid cold. The Tió is fed daily with all kinds of food. On Christmas Eve children beat him with sticks while singing a popular song. At the end of singing and hitting the Tió, they take away the blanket to find all the presents that the Tió has shat. Traditionally It shits candies, chocolates or small toys.

Over the years the Tió has been decorated and currently you can find it with legs, a face drawn, clothes, and there are even small versions of the Tió to use as ornamentation. In Santa Llúcia Fair, in Barcelona, you will find the Tió you like the most.

Caganer
Continuing with the same topic in Catalonia is very traditional to put a Caganer in the Nativity Scene. It is a sheepherder who is placed in a hidden corner of the manger, and he is relieving himself.  The Caganer became popular in Catalan nativity scenes in the XIX Century, but its origins date back to the Baroque.
Aforetime the Caganer was dressed with sash and barretina, the typical Catalan clothing. But as well as all traditions, the Caganer has been adapted and nowadays we can find all kind of versions: football players, politicians, actors, and so more. Caganer is really popular and it has its own shop on Santa Llúcia Fair. Let’s visit it!

Sant Esteve
In Catalonia and some other parts of Spain, the 26th December is holiday. On this day is traditional to join the family again and eat cannelloni all together.
But why do you think that the 26th December is holiday? Several sources show that the 26th December dates back to centuries ago, when Christmas used to be celebrated in the family home and then, guests needed a full day to go back home on foot. Over time, this day became holiday and today it is one day more to see the family and stay all together.

Els Pastorets
Els Pastorets is a really traditional play and there are lots of versions of it. It is the most typical play of these days. It is staged the Birth of Christ, the fight between angels and demons and the adventures of the sheepherders.
The origin of this Catholic representation dates back to medieval age. Nowadays the play is represented in many villages and cities of Catalonia a few days before Christmas. Some examples of the best known versions are: Els Pastorets of l’Ametlla de Merola, Valls or Molins de Rei.

La Passió d’Esparreguera
Esparreguera is a half hour driving from Barcelona. The show there is one of the most emblematic of Catalan Christmas. It is a highly complex representation, with more than 100 characters, splendid scenic changes and live music. The Catholic story of Christ’s life and death is set out in a unique and spectacular way.

La Passió d’Esparreguera is the most represented theatrical story in Catalonia. Every year, the play is seen by over 15.000 people.

5 tradiciones navideñas en Catalunya

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En nuestro segundo post dedicado a la Navidad, te queremos mostrar las tradiciones catalanas más arraigadas. Si viajas a Barcelona durante estas fechas te interesará conocer cómo se celebra aquí la Navidad, qué suele hacerse en Fin de Año o cuáles son las tradiciones navideñas que vas a encontrarte.

Caga-Tió

Esta tradición milenaria es una de las preferidas de los niños y niñas, y quizá la más sorprendente de todas. A principios del mes de Diciembre, se lleva a casa un tronco de árbol y se tapa con una manta para resguardarlo del frío. Este Tió es alimentado a diario con todo tipo de manjares. Cuando llega la Nochebuena los niños y niñas lo golpean con palos mientras cantan una canción popular. Al terminar de cantar y de golpear el Tió, apartan la manta para encontrar todos los regalos que les ha cagado. Tradicionalmente, el Tió caga caramelos, bombones o pequeños juguetes.
Con el paso de los años el Tió se ha ido embelleciendo y actualmente se comercializan con patas, una cara dibujada, ropa, e incluso hay versiones pequeñas del Tió que se utilizan como decoración. En el Mercat de Santa Llúcia de Barcelona podrás encontrar el Tió que más te guste.


El caganer
Siguiendo con la misma temática, en Catalunya es muy tradicional poner la figura del Caganer en el Belén. Se trata de un pastor que se coloca escondido en un rincón del pesebre haciendo sus necesidades. El Caganer se popularizó en los belenes catalanes en el siglo XIX, pero su origen se remonta al Barroco.
Antiguamente el Caganer aparecía ataviado con faja y barretina, la típica indumentaria catalana. Pero como todas las tradiciones, el Caganer se ha ido adaptando a los nuevos tiempos y en la actualidad podemos encontrar todo tipo de versiones: jugadores de fútbol, políticos, actores y todo aquel personaje conocido que se precie. El Caganer es un personaje tan popular que tiene su propia parada en el Mercat de Santa Llúcia. ¡Anímate a visitarla!

Sant Esteve
En Catalunya y en algunos otros lugares de España el día 26 de diciembre es festivo. En este día es tradición volver a reunirse con la familia y comer canelones todos juntos.
Pero por qué creéis que es festivo el día 26? Varias fuentes indican que la festividad del 26 de diciembre se remonta a siglos atrás, cuando la Navidad se celebraba en la casa familiar y los invitados necesitaban un día entero para volver a sus domicilios a pie. Con el tiempo, este día se convirtió en festivo y a día de hoy se celebra como una reunión familiar más.

Els Pastorets
Els Pastorets es una obra de teatro muy tradicional de la que se han hecho múltiples versiones. Es la representación más típica de estas fechas, y en ella se escenifica el Nacimiento de Jesucristo, la lucha entre ángeles y demonios y las aventuras de los pastores.
El origen de esta representación católica se remonta a la época medieval. Hoy en día la obra puede verse en muchos pueblos y ciudades de Catalunya pocos días antes de la Navidad. Entre las versiones más conocidas encontramos Els Pastorets de l’Ametlla de Merola, los de Valls o los de Molins de Rei.


La Passió d’Esparreguera
Esparreguera se encuentra a una media hora de Barcelona. El espectáculo que allí se celebra es uno de los más emblemáticos de la Navidad catalana. Se trata de una representación realmente compleja, con más de 100 personajes, cambios escenográficos espléndidos y música en directo. La historia católica de la vida y la muerte de Cristo se transmite de un modo único y espectacular.

La Passió d’Esparraguera es el argumento teatral más representado en Catalunya y más de 15.000 espectadores van a ver la obra todos los años.

BarcelonaForRent Apartments, socially responsible company

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BarcelonaForRent Apartments cooperates with the company Bugas – Bugaderies d’Inserció, also known as Foment del Treball Col•lectiu. Through this partnership, BarcelonaForRent embodies the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in its identity and business philosophy.

The CSR is an entirely voluntary contribution that companies make with society or environment. For BarcelonaForRent this cooperation with Bugas means a strong commitment with the equal opportunities for everybody and the employment of disabled people.

Bugas is a cleaning company whose employees are people at risk of social exclusion. The collaboration between BarcelonaForRent and Bugas began in May 2011, and since then, the company takes over the overall cleanliness of the apartments and provides the dry cleaning and laundry services as well.

Bugas has twelve years of experience in private cleaning, hotels, apartments, businesses and public services such as hospitals. The company is really committed to disabled people and people at risk of social exclusion, so they create jobs for these people, ensuring equal opportunities for everybody. Moreover, Bugas employees receive professional help continuously, in order to achieve the best results for their work.
As well as that, BarcelonaForRent together with Bugas review each cleaning to ensure the best quality of their apartments. There is no doubt that it influences satisfactorily in the comments we receive from our customers.

BarcelonaForRent fulfill the Corporate Social Responsibility doubly by the work of Bugas. This cleaning company takes care of the environment.

In order to preserve the environment they use ecological products and modern processes. At this point BarcelonaForRent decided to collaborate with Bugas: taking care of the environment is a clear priority for both companies.

BarcelonaForRent Apartments, empresa solidaria

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BarcelonaForRent Apartments colabora con la empresa Bugas – Bugaderies d’Inserció, también conocida como Foment del Treball Col•lectiu. Con este acuerdo de colaboración, BarcelonaForRent incorpora la Responsabilidad Social Corporativa (RSC) en su identidad y filosofía de empresa.

La RSC es un tipo de contribución que las empresas realizan de forma totalmente voluntaria con el entorno social o medioambiental. En el caso de BarcelonaForRent, la colaboración con Bugas supone un compromiso con la igualdad de oportunidades y el empleo de las personas discapacitadas.

Bugas es una empresa de limpieza cuyos empleados son personas en riesgo de exclusión social. La colaboración entre BarcelonaForRent y Bugas comenzó en mayo del 2011, y desde entonces la empresa se encarga de la limpieza general de los apartamentos y también de los servicios de tintorería y lavandería.

Bugas tiene doce años de experiencia en limpieza de particulares, hoteles, apartamentos, empresas y servicios públicos como por ejemplo hospitales. La empresa está muy comprometida con las personas discapacitadas y en riesgo de exclusión social, y crea puestos de trabajo para estas personas garantizando la igualdad de oportunidades para todos. Además, los empleados de Bugas reciben ayuda profesional en todo momento para conseguir los mejores resultados en sus servicios.

Por otro lado, BarcelonaForRent revisa conjuntamente con Bugas cada limpieza para garantizar a sus clientes una óptima calidad de sus apartamentos. Sin duda esto influye satisfactoriamente en los comentarios que recibimos de nuestros cliente.

BarcelonaForRent cumple con la Responsabilidad Social Corporativa por partida doble gracias al trabajo de Bugas. La empresa de limpieza tiene especial cuidado con el medio ambiente y se esfuerza en preservar el entorno. Para ello, en su trabajo utilizan productos ecológicos y procesos de última generación. Este es uno de los puntos que han hecho a BarcelonaForRent decidirse por Bugas como colaborador: el cuidado del medio ambiente es una prioridad indiscutible para ambas empresas.

5 actividades para pasar la Navidad en Barcelona

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Hace unos días que la iluminación de las calles y los escaparates de las tiendas nos recuerdan que la Navidad está a la vuelta de la esquina. En Barcelona se multiplican las actividades para celebrar estas fechas. Te presentamos unos cuantos espacios tradicionales que puedes visitar para disfrutar de la Navidad en la ciudad.


La Feria de Santa Llúcia

La Feria de Santa Llúcia es uno de los lugares más entrañables de Barcelona en Navidad. Se trata de la feria navideña más antigua y se celebra desde el 1786. Agrupa un sinfín de tiendecitas para comprar decoración navideña, figuras de pesebre o incluso árboles de Navidad.

Un paseo por la Feria de Santa Llúcia es uno de los planes más tradicionales para estas fechas. La feria abrió sus puertas el 25 de noviembre y puede visitarse hasta el 23 de diciembre. Hay 283 paradas en total, y también se organizan actividades relacionadas con la Navidad, como un coro de villancicos o un inmenso caga-tió para los más pequeños.


La Fuente Mágica de Montjuïc

Al anochecer, la Fuente Mágica de Montjuïc ofrece un gran espectáculo navideño de luz, música y agua. Los villancicos antiguos y modernos forman parte de esta exhibición que combina color, formas y movimiento con un resultado espléndido.
La Fuente Mágica de Montjuïc se iluminará los viernes y sábados desde el 7 de diciembre hasta el 5 de enero, en horario de 19h a 21h. También lo hará el día de Navidad, el 26 de diciembre y el 1 de enero.


La pista de hielo

La imponente pista de hielo de Barcelona tiene 1.400 metros cuadrados de superficie y se instala durante las Navidades en la Plaza de Catalunya, en pleno centro de la ciudad. Sus dimensiones la convierten en la pista de hielo no permanente más grande de Europa.
Hasta el día de Reyes puedes disfrutar de la instalación. La pista de hielo incluye servicios de cafetería, fotografías y terrazas para que niños y mayores puedan vivir una de las experiencias más divertidas de la Navidad barcelonesa.


El Pesebre de la Plaza Sant Jaume

El Pesebre de la Plaza Sant Jaume es uno de los símbolos navideños por excelencia en Barcelona. Se trata de un montaje artístico y tradicional con las escenas del nacimiento, la adoración de los pastores o la llegada de los Reyes Magos.
 Este año el diseño del pesebre es un homenaje al diorama, y por lo tanto las representaciones se harán en tres dimensiones y con unos excelentes efectos de iluminación. En esta edición se ha construido una reproducción de una capilla románica en ruinas.
El Pesebre de la Plaza Sant Jaume puede verse todos los días desde las 10 de la mañana hasta las 11 de la noche, hasta el próximo 8 de enero.


Las calles iluminadas

Las luces de Navidad enmarcan el ambiente de estas fechas en Barcelona. Más de trescientas calles y plazas de la ciudad son iluminadas cuando se acerca la Navidad. Las luces empiezan a brillar hacia las seis de la tarde. Es una ocasión única para pasear por Barcelona y disfrutar de sus calles, avenidas y edificios.
Te recomendamos que te acerques a Gran de Gracia y Diagonal, ya que este año tienen luces nuevas, y que paséis por la Rambla Catalunya para conocer los característicos galets gigantes que decoran la calle. También te asombrarán los almendros iluminados de Plaza Catalunya y el gran abeto de Portal del Ángel. En total se iluminan 390 tramos de calle, 90 más que el año pasado, incluyendo la derecha del Eixample, el Carmel y Fort Pienc.
 Además, este año brillará también la Torre Agbar, convertida hasta el día de Reyes en un solemne árbol de Navidad, con un formidable juego de luces y colores en todo el edificio.

5 activities to spend Christmas in Barcelona

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These days the street lighting and the storefronts remind us that Christmas is coming. In Barcelona there are lots of activities to celebrate Christmas. We want to show you some traditional places to enjoy Christmas in the city.


Santa Llúcia Fair

The Santa Llúcia Fair is one of the most endearing places in Barcelona during Christmas. It is the eldest Christmas fair and it was celebrate in 1786 for the first time. It puts together lots of little shops where you can buy Christmas ornamentation, nativity figurines and even Christmas trees.

A walk through the Santa Llúcia Fair is one of the most traditional plans for these days. The fair was opened the 25th November and it will finish the 23rd December. There are 283 shops, and there are also activities like a Christmas chorus or an enormous caga-tió for children.


Montjuïc’s Magical Fountain 

At the evening, in the Montjuïc’s Magical Fountain there is a spectacular Christmas show with light, music and water. The old and new carols take part of an exhibition that combines colors, shapes and movement to get a gorgeous result.
The Montjuïc’s Magical Fountain will light up on Fridays and Saturdays, from the 7th December until the 5th January, from 19h to 21h. You can also see the show on Christmas Day, the 26th December and the 1th January.


The ice rink

The thundering ice rink of Barcelona takes 1.400 square meters and it is placed during Christmas in Plaça Catalunya, in city center. Its size turns it into the largest non standing ice rink in Europe.
Until the Epiphany you can enjoy the ice rink. There are also bar services, photos and terraces to make it pleasing for children and adults. Everybody can enjoy one of the funniest experience of Christmas in Barcelona.


Nativity at Plaça Sant Jaume

The Nativity at Plaça Sant Jaume is a really well-known Christmas activity in Barcelona. It is an artistic and traditional assembly of the Nativity scene, with the Adoration of the Shepherds and the arrival of the Three Kings.
This year its design is a tribute to diorama, so there will be three-dimensional performances and excellent illumination effects. In this edition there is also a reproduction of a bedraggled Romanesque chapel.
The Nativity at Plaça Sant Jaume can be visited every day from 10 am to 11 pm, until the 8th of January.


The lighted streets

The Christmas lights make a magical atmosphere these days in Barcelona. More than three hundred streets and squares are lighted when Christmas is coming. These lights start shining at 6 o’clock in the evening. It is a special occasion to take a walk and enjoy the streets, avenues and buildings of Barcelona.

We suggest you to ride up until Gran de Gracia and Diagonal, because there are new lights. You can also go through Rambla Catalunya to see the typical and enormous galets decorating the street. The lighted almond trees in Plaça Catalunya and the huge Christmas tree in Portal de l’Àngel will amaze you as well. Altogether there are 390 lighted street sections, 90 more than last year, including La Dreta de l’Eixample, El Carmel and Fort Pienc.
In addition, this year also the Torre Agbar will shine, converted until Epiphany in a solemn Christmas tree, with a formidable set of lights and colors throughout the building.

WAY AWAY - The essential planner for your trips

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Today BarcelonaForRent wants to recommend you a really helpful gadget for travelers. It is the trip planner Way Away. With Way Away you will get the best of your stay, you will not forget any single detail and you will also save lots of money on your trips.

Way Away came from the experiences of a couple of travelers from Barcelona, Belén Cañete and Pedro Armangué, who had been travelling during all their lives to stunning destinations like Brazil, Argentina or the Nordic countries. In 2008 they went around the world. To organize this trip they lost a lot of time in every country looking at never-ending lists and contrasting alternatives to visit in Internet or traditional guides. They get the idea of Way Away, a useful gadget to make the trips as easy as possible and to avoid that loss of time. The idea took shape and Way Away was born in 2010, adding all the destinations where Belén and Pedro have been travelling at first-hand.

With Way Away you will discover a new mode of travelling. The routes of Way Away have been especially designed to get the greatest benefits of your time and your money. Even so, you can change everything you want, making your personalized route, because you will travel on your own without limitations or duties.

The customers of BarcelonaForRent can purchase the guide of Barcelona prepared by Way Away for free. From BarcelonaForRent we strongly recommend this guide and we offer it in English and Spanish to the tourists who book an apartment with us. The guide is really useful and contains updated information about the touristic Barcelona, with lots of ideas of restaurants, activities and visits. Moreover, booking your apartment with BarcelonaForRent and using the free guide of Way Away you will get a discount of 50% for the guide of your next trip.

One of the key features of Way Away is the personalization of the guides. You can adapt it to your preferences and you can also download it online from your home. Way Away offers their personalized routes for 4.95€ in the cities and 19.95€ in the entire countries.

Go for it and try Way Away! Either organizing an out weekend or planning the trip of your life, go in www.way-away.com and start enjoying your experience.

WAY AWAY - El planificador indispensable para tus viajes

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Hoy BarcelonaForRent te quiere recomendar una herramienta muy útil para viajeros. Se trata del planificador de viajes Way Away, que te permitirá exprimir al máximo tus estancias, no perderte ni un detalle del lugar que visites y ahorrar muchísimo en tus escapadas.

Way Away surgió a partir de las experiencias de una pareja de viajeros de Barcelona, Belén Cañete y Pedro Armangué, que a lo largo de su vida habían visitado destinaciones tan llamativas como Brasil, Argentina o los países nórdicos. En el año 2008 hicieron la vuelta al mundo. Para organizar el viaje perdieron mucho tiempo en cada país viendo listas interminables de sitios que visitar y contrastando alternativas en Internet o en guías tradicionales. Fue de esa vuelta al mundo que surgió la idea de Way Away, una herramienta que sirviera para facilitar al máximo los viajes y evitar estas pérdidas de tiempo. La idea se fue perfilando y Way Away vio la luz en 2010, incorporando las destinaciones que Belén y Pedro habían vivido en primera persona.

Con Way Away descubrirás un nuevo modo de viajar. Las rutas de Way Away están diseñadas para aprovechar al máximo tu tiempo y tu dinero, pero al ser personalizadas están abiertas a cambios: viajas a tu aire, sin limitaciones ni obligaciones. Ellos te ofrecen la mejor opción, el mejor precio y las actividades más interesantes, pero tú tienes total libertad para hacer lo que te apetezca en cada momento.

Los clientes de BarcelonaForRent pueden acceder de forma gratuita a la guía de Barcelona preparada por Way Away.  Desde BarcelonaForRent recomendamos su uso y la ofrecemos en inglés y español a los turistas que reservan su apartamento. La guía es muy útil y te ofrece información actualizada de la Barcelona turística, con ideas de restaurantes, actividades y visitas. Además, reservando el apartamento en BarcelonaForRent y utilizando la guía gratuita de Way Away conseguirás un descuento del 50% en la guía de tu próximo viaje.

Una de las principales características de Way Away es que sus guías personalizadas se adaptan a tus preferencias de viaje y además puedes descargarlas online cómodamente desde tu propia casa. Los precios oscilan entre 4.95€ y 19.95€, dependiendo de si las guías son de ciudades o de países enteros.
¡Anímate a probar Way Away! Ya sea para organizar un fin de semana o para planear el viaje de tu vida, entra en www.way-away.es y empieza a disfrutar de tu experiencia sin perder ni un segundo.

Visit Barcelona in 3 days - 3rd Day: Barcelona from heights

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On the last day of your visit, we propose you a route to know Barcelona from the heights. We will travel through the mountain of Montjuïc. And we also recommend you to enjoy the exceptional views of all Barcelona from the cableway.

Montjuïc is one of the hills that surround the city and there are lots of works from the Olympic Games of 92, some museums and more interesting touristic attractions. There, you will also find slops plenty of flowers, exotic trees and giant buttercups.

The meaning of Montjuïc is the Mountain of the Jews. On XI century there was a Jewish cemetery on this mountain.

There are different ways to get to Montjuïc:
-    By walk or by bus, from Plaza España.
-    By the cableway, from the Port until the Montjuïc Castle.
-    Using the funicular from the Metro Paral•lel (L3).

Below we will show you the most interesting places to visit. So you can organize your route depending on the way you try to access to the mountain.

National Museum of Art of Catalonia – MNAC

The National Museum of Art of Catalonia is placed in the magnificent National Palace, that was built for a reason: the Universal Exposition of 1929.

Nowadays the National Museum of Art of Catalonia, best-known as MNAC, has one of the most complete collections of Romanic art in the world. There are wall paintings, wood carvings, sculptures in stone and metalwork. Most of them come from the Catalan Romanic art from the XI century until the XVIII.
In MNAC there is also a collection of gothic art, and another one of the Reenactment and the Baroque, that include works of great painters like Zurbarán, Velázquez, Cranach, Rubens…

Poble Espanyol
The Poble Espanyol is a large building open air of 42.000 m2, and was built in 1929, also for the Universal Exposition. First of all, his function was to keep during six months scale reproductions of buildings, streets and squares of different regions of Spain. There are represented all the architectonic styles from Galicia to País Vasco, from Aragon to Andalucía. It was really acclaimed during the Universal Exposition, so the building has been maintained until our days.
It is a very good place to visit, especially because of his artisan market and his little shops, where you can buy gifts for your friends and family.
There are also good bars, restaurants and discos. It is an original space to celebrate shows and concerts.

Joan Miró Foundation
This space was founded in 1975 by Joan Miró, to show his influential works: paintings, sculptures and ceramic. Moreover, Miró created this space to show the tendencies of contemporary art.
You will enjoy a walk inside of the luminous and spacious building, with large terraces and patios. And, of course, you can discover the playful personality of this versatile artist.

Mies Van der Rohe Hall
The Hall Barcelona or the Mies Van der Rohe Hall is one of the most emblematic works of the Modernism.
In 1983, the Council of Barcelona created the Mies Van Der Rohe Fundation, with the aim of reconstruct the German Hall, designed by Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe (1886-1969) for the Universal Exposition of Barcelona in 1929.
The Mies Van der Rohe Hall offers debate and knowledge about topics like modern architecture and urbanity planning.

Palau Sant Jordi
The Palau Sant Jordi is a magnificent metallic building, made by the Japanese Arata Isozaki. This Hall was built at the beginning to do the Gymnastic tests in the Olympic Games in 1992. Nowadays, it is used basically as a concert hall and it is really luminous at night.

Olympic Stadium
The Olympic Stadium of Barcelona was built in 1929 with the collaboration of some architects with different nationalities: Correa, Mila, Margarit, Buixade, Gregoretti. But it was not used until the Olympic Games of Barcelona in 1992. There is space for 65.000 people.

Torre Calatrava
This telecommunication tower was built between 1989 and 1992 in the Olympic ring of Montjuïc by Santiago Calatrava, and it can be seen from everywhere in the city.
This steel tower of 136 meters is important because of his innovative structural form. It seems an athlete raising the Olympic flame. The top (Transmission zone) looks like a bow and an arrow. On base there is a fountain representing the movement of the waves.
The tower is also a sundial and her shadow is projected to the Europa Square.

Montjuïc Castle
This fortification was built in 1640. It became a Castle in 1694. During centuries, it was used to bomb the city and also to imprison torture and murder the politic and military prisoners.
In 1940 Lluís Companys, who was President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, was murdered there.
Nowadays it is a military museum and it is the only place in the entire city with a statue of Franco.

We recommend you to go on top of the walls to enjoy the exceptional views of the city and the port. Definitely you will see all the places you have visited during this three days.

Magical Fountain
To finish your day, leave the city enjoying the magnificent show that takes place around the Magical Fountain of Montjuïc.
The Magical Fountain of Montjuïc was built for the Universal Exposition of 1929 by the engineer Carles Buigas. It was absolutely restored because of the Olympic Games of 1992. This enormous circular fountain (12 meters of diameter) is able to throw water until 4 meters of height.
There are waterfalls and lakes all the Av. Reina Maria Cristina long. The Magical Fountain offers a show of lights, water and music that makes it one of the most popular attractions of Barcelona.
As a closing of Festes de la Mercè, there is a Piromusical, a set of fireworks, music, lights and the movement of the water of the Magical Fountain.

We wish you a very happy stay in Barcelona!!!

Visit Barcelona in 3 days - 2nd Day: the Modernist Barcelona

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Today we will explain the modernist route of Barcelona, to discover the amusing imagination of the best-known Catalan artist: Antoni Gaudí, and another works of the Modernism.

By seeing this marvelous architectonic works, we will walk through the emblematic district of Eixample. Over there you can admire various modernist buildings that are fabulous.

Hospital de Sant Pau
We start our day on top of Eixample, discovering the Hospital de la Santa Creu and Sant Pau, designed by Lluís Domènech I Muntaner, the same ideologue of Palau de la Música that we visited yesterday. In 2009 this hospital became a museum and a cultural centre. It has been declared World Heritage by UNESCO.

Sagrada Família
From there, we will walk until the best-known building of Gaudí: the Sagrada Família. It is very interesting to look at everything around the basilica: there are lots of details in its structure. It is also important to focus the attention on the bronze door of the Passion crane or on the dramatic scenes of the Birth crane.

You can choose the visit inside the basilica for 13 € without guide. If you prefer a guide or an audioguide the price will be 17 €.

La Pedrera or Casa Milà
At mid morning we recommend you to have a walk in Passeig de Gràcia. There is another of the marvels of Gaudí: La Pedrera or Casa Milà. This surprising building was ordered by a Catalan and rich family. It is impacting because of its curve crane, its arcade windows, its strange chimneys and its balconies, made of wrought iron. We recommend you to visit its roof, where you could take pictures of all the exceptional views. You can also go inside of an apartment that will make you feel like if you were living in the past. And, finally, in the Espai Gaudí, you can understand a little bit more the fabulous world of the architecture of Gaudí.

Casa Batlló
On the other side and further down, there is the Casa Batlló, very important in the modernist architecture. It was built by Gaudí between the 1904 and the 1906, and it has an original, charm and fantastic crane, full of imagination. The house is a dialogue with light and colors.

This marvelous ornamental design is one of the most important architectonic works of the Manzana de la Discordia.

Tapas
Before continuing the route, we recommend you to stop and enjoy some tapas and a cold beer in a terrace of Rambla Catalunya or Passeig de Gràcia. You need to choose the place carefully, because you are in one of the upper town of the city. Anyway,  if you choose carefully you can eat for 15-20 € per person.

Parc Güell 

With the Parc Güell, we are sure that you will be absolutely astonished by Gaudí. To get in Parc Güell you can use the metro (L3) until Lesseps and have a walk of 10 minutes until the entrance of the Park. The alternative is going by bus from Passeig de Gràcia.

The project of this extravagant park was paid by the eccentric businessman Eusebi Güell, who wanted to create a little city for the richest citizens of Barcelona. But it was never finished.
Cheer and enjoy its marvelous gardens and its terraces with mosaics and sculptures. Do not forget to queue to take a picture of the iconic lizart in the main entrance. From the park you can also admire excellent views of the entire city.

Quarter of Gracia
After your relaxing afternoon in the park, now is the best moment to know the most bohemian part of the city. It is the preferred place of lots of citizens and it is plenty of original shops and little bars and restaurants.
Before the unstoppable growth of Eixample, that connected both zones, Gracia was a little village independent from Barcelona. Because of that, it maintains the essence of a little busy city with an active social life in all its squares.

We recommend you to choose one of these lively squares to finish your route eating something and remembering all the architectonic marvels you discovered during all day.

Do you want to continue with the Day 3? Let’s know Barcelona from the heights!

Visit Barcelona in 3 days – 1st Day: Barcelona seaside

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Certainly, three days is not enough to know every secret of Barcelona. This city is full of picturesque corners, and there are new touristic attractions appearing every single day.

Anyway we will try to compress in 72 hours the essential of this seaside city that is crowned by mountains.
We recommend you to start your visit in the morning, because the day will be more profitable and you will be able to discover the awakening of a city that, actually, never sleeps.

Las Ramblas

We recommend you to start your route in Plaça Catalunya. There is the start of a well known Catalan avenue, called Las Ramblas.  From there, you can have a walk enjoying the kiosks with flowers and local products, and also the human sculptures. In spite of the difficulty (because there is a large amount of tourists), we encourage you to look at the fabulous mosaics on the floor, made by the surrealist artist Joan Miró.

Further down, at right, there is the Market La Boqueria, a required stop where you can taste a fresh fruit juice or buy some locl products.

Walking a little bit more, you will get the Gran Teatre del Liceu, one of the most important European theatres, built at the XIX century and totally restored some years ago: there was a devastating fire in 1994.

Gothic Quarter
In front of the theatre, on the other side of Las Ramblas, you will see the Royal Square, a neoclassic jewel with the first work in Barcelona of Antoni Gaudí inside. It is the lamppost next to the central fountain. Over there you can enjoy this unforgettable square, full of life, having a drink in one of its terraces.

Going out of the Royal Square you have two options. You could stroll around the Gothic Quarter and discover its most curious details. Or you could also have a walk in Ferran Street, enjoying its numerous storefronts until the historic Sant Jaume Square, where are both of the most important civic buildings: the Generalitat Palace, headquarter of the Catalan government, and, in front of it, the Council of Barcelona.

The next stop is the Cathedral and also the Cloister, an obligatory visit. The Cathedral was built in the XIII century, and its complete name is Catedral de la Santa Creu I Santa Eulàlia. It is considered the most important gothic building in the entire city. There are 13 ducks living into the Cloister, one for every year of life of Santa Eulàlia, the martyr that gave his name to the church.

 Born
The lunchtime is approaching. The best option is to cross the Via Laietana and go into the Born, with less tourist and a large amount of economic restaurants.

After your satisfaction tasting some menus with the local citizens, we suggest you the first stop in the Church of Santa Maria del Mar in the Passeig del Born.  This church is more austere than the first one, but it is a majestic work of gothic architecture. Moreover, its history was an inspiration for a novel that is known worldwide.

After having a walk through the pedestrian streets of the Born, with its little bars and shops, you will arrive to the Palau de la Música. The modernist crane of this sanctuary of the Catalan culture is magnificent and it is amazing to admire it for a long time. We suggest you to book some tickets in advance to enjoy one of its unforgettable concerts.

La Barceloneta
To finish a perfect day, we recommend you to go until the maritime quarter of La Barceloneta. You can get in by walk or by Metro (L4). Over there, you could have a quite walk on the seaside, admire the little houses of fishermen of yesteryear and have dinner with a fabulous paella or shellfish.

Do you want to continue with the Day 2? Let’s know the Modernist Barcelona! 

The zones of Barcelona

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The zones of Barcelona

If you are thinking about visiting Barcelona, the most important thing is to choose the zone where you are going to accommodate to fully enjoy your stay.

Below is a list of the zones that we recommend:

Barceloneta

The Barceloneta is and old fishermen’s settlement that has preserved its authenticity and charm. The quiet little streets of this peculiar district are lined with bars and cafes and they also host what many consider the best seafood restaurants in the city.  
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Borne

The Borne district in Barcelona, whose dominant element is the church Santa María del Mar, a church made famous by Ildefonso Falcones’ novel ‘The Cathedral of the Sea’, stands out thanks to its recreational and commercial activities: the streets are lined by designers boutiques and classy restaurants.  
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Eixample

The Eixample, with beautiful apartments for rent, is the closest area to the old town of Barcelona. It is divided into two areas, the left and the right side. 
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Gotico-Ramblas

The Barrio Gotico is the core of Barcelona and one of its most ancient parts. Delimited by the Ramblas, a promenade as emblematic as it’s animated, and the majestic Via Layetana, this district of medieval origins congregates very interesting monuments like the Cathedral, the Santa Maria del Pi church or the Palace of the Generalitat where the Catalonian government has its seat. Without a doubt this area is perfect to rent a tourist apartment in Barcelona. 
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Gracia

Gracia is a district of Barcelona ideal for renting an apartment; it’s full of life with lots of bars, restaurants and welcoming squares where anybody can take advantage of the sun on the nice terraces. The Plaza del Sol and Plaza Virreina that surround an XVIIth century church are especially nice; they’re characterized by a bohemian and liberal atmosphere within this picturesque neighbourhood. 
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Les Corts-Sarria-Sant Gervasi

Les Corts-Sarria-Sant Gervasi is the upper zone of Barcelona; it’s traditional and peaceful with luxury apartments and buildings. This residential area is accommodated, safe and quiet; it also stands out with its parks and proximity to the Tibidabo (the city’s highest mountain).
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Raval-Ramblas

The Raval district, delimited by the Ramblas and the Paralelo Avenue, is a traditionally popular and rambunctious neighbourhood where great apartments for rent can be found. 
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Sagrada Familia

The Sagrada Familia district gathers what is without a doubt Barcelona’s most emblematic monument: the Sagrada Familia Basilica. Its original and fascinating structure dominates this neighbourhood contiguous to the right Eixample. 
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Sants-Plaza España-Fira

La zona de Sants-Plaza España-Fira es perfecta para aquellos que busquen alquilar un apartamento cerca de la estación de trenes más importante de Barcelona (Barcelona Sants, donde llega el tren del aeropuerto y las principales líneas nacionales e internacionales) o que quieran estar cerca de la Fira de Barcelona. 
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Vila Olimpica-Diagonal Mar

Barcelona is characteristically a city open to the sea which makes it very attractive; there are plenty of high standing tourist apartments along its 4 kilometres of golden sand beaches.  
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