Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
RENFE train ticket
Centre
Road sign
Right
RENFE sign
Ways to Explore Catalonia
!
By Train
d
Hertz: 91 372 93 00
• www.hertz.com
and trips to Vic and Man-
resa. Tours are organised
by Barcelona tourist office,
and can be booked online.
Prices start at €25.
d
Barcelona Tourism: 93
285 38 32 • www.
barcelonaturisme.com
RENFE operates lines
out of Barcelona in all
directions, making it easy
to escape the city. Most
regional trains leave from
Estació de Sants
(see
p130)
and Estació Passeig
de Gràcia. Call the RENFE
information line for des-
tinations and schedules.
d
Estació Passeig de Gràcia
• Pg de Gràcia • Map E2
d
RENFE • 902 24 02 02
@
By Bus
$
By Bike
Mountain bikers will
find a wealth of rugged
terrain in the Pyrenees.
The Turisme de Catalunya
has maps and brochures
as well as a good website
showing regional bike
routes. Club Element
leads mountain-bike tours
through the lush Cerdanya
Valley and along the Costa
Brava.
d
Club Element • Pl
Lesseps 33 • 90 219 04 15
%
Sea Cruises
&
Main Roads
These have black and
white signs and are
designated N (
Nacional
)
plus a number. Most are
single lane and generally
less busy between 2pm
and 5pm.
*
Avoiding Traffic
Numerous regional
bus companies operate
all over Catalonia. Most
depart from Estació del
Nord - call the station
for more information.
d
Estació del Nord: C/Ali
Bei 80 • Map R2 • 90 226
06 06 • www.barcelona-
nord.com
“Sightsea” off the
Costa Brava aboard glass-
bottomed boats and other
sea cruisers. L'Aventura del
Nautilus conducts coastal
sea cruises from L'Estartit
to the Medes Islands off
the Costa Brava. Excur-
siones Marítimas plies
the Mediterranean from
Calella and Blanes to
Tossa de Mar, stopping
at lovely coves along the
way. d
L'Aventura del
Nautilus: L'Estartit, 100km N
of Barcelona • 972 75 14 89
d
Dofi Jet Boats: Calella,
40km N of Barcelona;
Blanes, 60 km N of
Barcelona • 972 35 20 21
^
Bus Tours
The best time to get
out of town is in the late
morning. Avoid long
holiday weekends
(pont)
and Friday evenings, when
traffic is always heavy.
Since most Spanish take
their holidays in August,
motorways are particularly
busy around this period.
(
Tips for Families
£
By Car
A car is essential if
you wish to explore off
the beaten track, particu-
larly in the Pyrenees and
the Catalonian heartland.
There are many car rental
companies, including all
the big names (Avis,
Budget, Hertz), all of
which have offices at the
airport. Prices range from
€300-450 for a medium-
sized car for a week. To
rent a car, you should be
over 25, and have a valid
driver's licence, a credit
card and a passport.
Booking your rental car
from abroad or on-line is
often cheaper.
d
Avis: 90
218 08 54 • www.avis.com
d
Budget: 93 298 36 00
• www.budget.com
RENFE offers a 40 per
cent discount for children
aged four to 11. Enquire
when booking tickets.
)
Turisme de
Catalunya
This well-stocked tourist
office offers plenty of
material on Catalonia,
from maps to information
on outdoor sports and
festival listings. Changing
exhibits on the region are
also on display.
d
Palau
Robert, Pg de Gràcia 105
• Map E2 • 012 • www.
gencat.es/probert • Open
10am-7pm Mon-Sat,
10am-2:30pm Sun
Discover Catalonia on
organized bus tours,
which include trips to the
Monestir de Montserrat,
Girona, the Teatre-Museu
Dalí in Figueres and the
Costa Brava. Also offered
is a half-day tour of Mont-
serrat, a half-day tour of
the wine and
cava
regions,
132
For recommended trips out of Barcelona
See pp118-127
