Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Taxes & Refunds
Value-added tax (VAT) is also known as IVA (
impuesto sobre el valor añadido;
pronounced
'EE-ba'). IVA is 10% on accommodation and restaurant prices and is usually - but not always
- included in quoted prices. On most retail goods the IVA is 21%. IVA-free shopping is avail-
able in duty-free shops at all airports for people travelling between EU countries.
Non-EU residents are entitled to a refund of the 21% IVA on purchases costing more than
€90 from any shop, if the goods are taken out of the EU within three months. Ask the shop
for a Cashback (or similar) refund form showing the price and IVA paid for each item and
identifying the vendor and purchaser. Then present the form at the customs booth for IVA re-
funds when you depart from Spain (or elsewhere in the EU). You will need your passport and
a boarding card that shows you are leaving the EU, and your luggage (so do this before
checking in bags). The officer will stamp the invoice and you hand it in at a bank at the de-
parture point to receive a reimbursement.
Telephones
Public telephones
The blue payphones are easy to use for international and domestic calls.
They accept coins,
tarjetas telefónicas
(phonecards) issued by the national phone company
Telefónica and, in some cases, credit cards.
Tarjetas telefónicas
are sold at post offices and
tobacconists.
Call centres
A few
locutorios
, which also double as internet centres, are scattered around El
Raval (look around Carrer de Sant Pau and Carrer de l'Hospital). Check rates before making
calls.
Making calls
To call Barcelona from outside Spain, dial the international access code, fol-
lowed by the code for Spain (34) and the full number (including Barcelona's area code, 93,
which is an integral part of the number). To make an international call, dial the international
access code (00), country code, area code and number.
Operator Services
International operator for reverse-charge calls 1408
International directory enquiries 11825
Domestic operator for a domestic reverse-charge call
(llamada por cobro revertido)
1409
National directory enquiries 11818
