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[Useful Information] [Visa and Passport] [How to reach the UAB campus] [Arriving in Barcelona] [Moving around Barcelona] [Maps] USEFUL INFORMATION Currency: The euro (€) is the official currency of the European Union and can be exchanged at savings banks and banks. Below are the approximate conversion rates to other international currencies. Please check the updated currency conversion rate here.
Cost of living overview:
Climate: The local climate is Mediterranean and therefore mid all year round. The Collserola mountain range provides Barcelona with effective protection from the cold northerly winds. The weather is considerably more pleasant than it would be without this added shelter. The average temperature in winter is 10ºC and in summer 28ºC (see below), with few rainy days and nearly 2.500 hours of sunshine per year.
Language: In Barcelona, official languages are Catalan and Spanish. To learn and practice simple phrases in Spanish before your trip, please consult here. In the downtown at Barcelona, normally people speak Englsih. Time Zone: Barcelona Time is in the Central European Time Zone. Central European Standard Time (CET) is 1 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1). Electricity: Electric outlets in Barcelona can
accommodate European plugs only. Barcelona follows the standard
electric current of 220 volts/60 cycles, with two pin plugs. Adaptors
are thus recommended for plugging in your electrical appliance.
Credit Cards: Shops, hotels and restaurants accept VISA, MasterCard, Diners Club and American Express credit cards, as well as Eurochecks and Eurocards. Telephone: Local calls from pay phones cost 50 ¢ each. Coins or prepaid cards may be used at any local pay phone. Long distance calls can also be placed at pay phones. The international access code for Spain is +34. Telephone cards for long distance calls may be purchased at local depanneur stores and pharmacies. Foreign cellular phones work in Barcelona. Please contact your provider for services available as well as applicable costs.
Food: Barcelona is well known for a vast array of delicious cuisine options. Please consult our recommended Restaurant Guide for potential dining spots in Barcelona. Shopping: Barcelona has become a paradise for shopping. In addition to its classical boulevards, La Rambla, Passeig de Gràcia, Diagonal Avenue and department stores plus several attractive shopping malls recently opened. The opening times are 10.00 to 14.00 and from 17.00 to 20.30, even though the big department stores and main shopping areas may stay open until 21.00, without closing at lunch time. Barcelona safety: Barcelona is a safe city (despite all the things you have read or heard before) and to not visit it because you are afraid of what might happen is a terrible waste of a potentially wonderful experience. Problems are most likely to start when tourists don't take the right precautions. Those that will follow safety guidelines will significantly reduce the chances of anything unsavoury happening and increase your chances of enjoying a trouble-free visit. Just take a few precautions and it's unlikely that you will fall victim to a scam or pick pocket or bag snatch. Thieves prefer to choose easy victims so follow the safety guidelines given to travellers, as in any other big city. But whatever you do don't fall for the thought that you will never be a victim of theft in Barcelona. Keep your wits about you and take precautions especially in tourist areas (La Rambla, Plaça Catalunya, around Cathedral…) . |
