Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Pick up the free Metro map (at any TI) and study it to get familiar with the system.
Barcelona has several color-coded lines, but most useful for tourists is the
L3 (green)
line.
Handy city-center stops on this line include (in order):
Sants Estació
—Main train station
Espanya
—Plaça d'Espanya, with access to the lower part of Montjuïc and trains to
Montserrat
Paral-lel
—Funicular to the top of Montjuïc
Drassanes
—Bottom of the Ramblas, near Maritime Museum and Maremagnum mall
Liceu
—Middle of the Ramblas, near the heart of the Barri Gòtic and cathedral
PlaçadeCatalunya
—TopoftheRamblasandmainsquarewithTI,airportbus,andlots
of transportation connections
Passeig de Gràcia
—Classy Eixample street at the Block of Discord; also connection to
L2 (purple) line to Sagrada Família and L4 (yellow) line (described below)
Diagonal
—Gaudí's Casa Milà
The
L4 (yellow)
line, which crosses the L3 (green) line at Passeig de Gràcia, is also use-
ful.Helpfulstopsinclude
Joanic
(bus#116toParkGüell),
JaumeI
(betweentheBarriGòt-
ic/cathedral and El Born/Picasso Museum), and
Barceloneta
(at the south end of El Born,
near the harbor action).
WhenyouentertheMetro,firstlookforyourlinenumberandcolor,thenfollowsignsto
take that line in the direction you're going. The names of the end stops are used to indicate
directions. Insert your ticket into the turnstile (with the arrow pointing in), then reclaim it.
On board, most trains have handy Metro-line diagrams with dots that light up next to up-
comingdestinations.Becausethelinescrossoneanothermultipletimes,therecanbeseveral
ways to make any one journey. (It's a good idea to keep a general map with you—especially
if you're transferring.)
Watch your valuables. If I were a pickpocket, I'd set up shop along the made-for-tourists
L3 (green) line.
By Bus
Given the excellent Metro service, it's unlikely you'll take a
local bus
(also €2, covered by
T10 Card, insert ticket in machine behind driver), although I've noted places where the bus
makessense.Inparticular,busesareusefulforreachingParkGüellandconnectingthesights
on Montjuïc.
The handy
hop-on, hop-off Tourist Bus
(Bus Turístic) offers three multi-stop circuits
in colorful double-decker buses that go topless in sunny weather. The two-hour blue route
covers north Barcelona (most Gaudí sights); the two-hour red route covers south Barcelona
(Barri Gòtic, Montjuïc); andtheshorter,40-minute greenroutecovers thebeaches andmod-
