Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CATALAN NAMES
Traditionally, a person gets two surnames, one from dad and one from mum. They are not
always used, but it explains why many of the names given in this topic may be longer than
those you are used to seeing. Thus, Antoni Gaudí i Cornet took Gaudí from his father and
Cornet from his mother (the “i” simply means “and”).
Laundry
Thereareinexpensivelaundryservicesinmostoftheyouthhostelsandsome
pensións
;hotels
willchargeconsiderablymore.Self-servicelaundriesincludeBugamatic,atc/deAntoniAbat
5, El Raval, Sant Antoni 630 880 298,
bugamatic.com
(daily 8am-11pm); Splash,
at c/de la Diputació 199, Esquerra de l'Eixample, Universitat,
splashlaundry.es
(daily
8am-10pm); and LavaXpres, at nine city locations, including c/de Ferlandina 34, El Raval,
Universitat, and c/Nou de Sant Francesc 5, Barri Gòtic, Drassanes 933 183 018,
lavaxpres.com
(daily 8am-10pm).
Left luggage
At Barcelona Sants the left-luggage office (
consigna
) is open daily 7am-11pm and costs
€3-4.50 a day. There are also lockers at Estació de França, Passeig de Gràcia station and
Barcelona Nord bus station (all 6am-11.30pm; €3-4.50). Near Plaça Catalunya is
Lock-
er Barcelona
, c/d'Estruc 36, Barri Gòtic, Catalunya/Urquinaona 933 028 796,
lock-
erbarcelona.com
(9am-9pm, June-Aug 8.30am-10pm; €3.50-9.50), which lets you access
your belongings throughout the day free of charge, and offers other services such as luggage
weighing, boarding pass printing and internet access.
Libraries
The
British Council
, c/d'Amigó 83, Sant Gervasi, FGC Muntaner 932 419 700,
brit-
ishcouncil.es
,
has the only English-language lending library in Barcelona. There's also a full
arts and events programme here.
TheCatalannationallibrary,the
BibliotecadeCatalunya
,isatc/del'Hospital56,ElRaval,
Liceu 932 702 300,
www.bnc.cat
(Mon-Fri 9am-8pm, Sat 9am-2pm). A letter of
academic reference is required, though there is the
BibliotecaSantPau-SantaCreu
(public
library) in the same building (Tues, Thurs & Sat 10am-2pm, plus Mon-Fri 2.30-8.30pm).
You can find all Barcelona's other public libraries listed on
bcn.cat
- they've all got inter-
net and wireless access, and some have English-language topics, international press, etc.
Lost property
Anything recovered by the police, or left on public transport, is sent to the
Oficina de
Troballes
(municipal lost property office), at Pl. Carles Pi i Sunyer 8, Barri Gòtic, Jaume
