How to budget your trip to Barcelona?
Barcelona is a bucket list destination for many people and with such stunning architecture, delicious food and no shortage of things to do – it’s easy to see why! Barcelona’s unique location provides a unique opportunity for travellers to combine a beach holiday and city break in one trip. However, this does make it slightly harder to budget for! Below we have created a rough guide on what sort of prices you should be expecting to pay when visiting this amazing city, in order to give you a clearer picture of how you should plan for your trip!
Getting to Barcelona
Flights
Flights to Barcelona vary massively depending on the country that you are travelling from, the airline you book with, what time of year you are visiting and how early you book your tickets.
The peak season for tourism in Barcelona is considered to be June and July, with the prices of flights experiencing an average increase of 18%. However, in the slightly more off-peak months when the city will be slightly less warm and much less hectic, prices are much more reasonable. If you do decide to visit in peak season, buying your tickets more than 4 weeks in advance will likely save you money.
Airport Transfers
Barcelona’s airport – El Prat de Llobregat Aeropuerto – is located south of the city and so you will need to book a transfer from the airport to your accommodation. The average price of a taxi ranges between 35€ – 40€, with no need to prebook, although you may be able to get a slightly better deal if you do.
The metro line ‘L9’ does run from the airport into the city centre. You will need a special metro ticket called Billete Aeropuerto which costs 5.15€. However, be sure to check where your accommodation is located in relation to the L9 stops as the L9 does not run near many transport hubs such as Plaça de Catalunya, Estació Sants or Plaça España so you end up taking a very long route.
The third most common option for airport transfer is by Aerobus. This will be the most convenient option if you are near Plaça España or Plaça de Catalunya, the journey is direct with semi-frequent stops and takes around 20-30 minutes without needing to change bus. Tickets for a single journey cost 5.90€.
Taxi Frankfurt airport
Food and Drink
There is a seemingly neverending number of places to eat and drink in Barcelona and, although the cost of eating out in the city varies enormously depending on where and what you decide to eat, we’ve given you a rough guide of what average prices look like below. However, there are many hidden spots where you can find tapas for 1€, making the city far more affordable! Read our article on TAPAS IN BARCELONA!
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant: 12€
Meal at a mid-range restaurant: 25€
A glass of wine/pint of beer: 3€
Regular cappuccino: 1.80€
Attractions
Barcelona certainly has no shortage of things for you to do and see besides lounging on the beach! During your visit be sure to make the most of seeing all of the history and culture that the city has to offer! Below we have listed some of Barcelona’s most popular attractions.
SAGRADA FAMILIA: 20€ admission fee
PARK GÜELL: 7,50€ admission fee
CASA BATLLÓ: 29€ admission fee but the exterior free to look at from the street!
CASA MILA: open to the public – visitors can see rooms and rooftop
MUSEUMS: prices vary but most museums have times when they are free so check it out!
CAMP NOU: prices vary on the matching category, however, they can be as cheap as 34€!
- Park Güell
- Gaudi’s work
- Sagrada Familia
Accommodation
If you’re travelling on a budget, your best options for accommodation are probably hostels, hotels or short-term rentals. The average cost of a hostel or hotel room for one person in Barcelona is 73€ per night and for two people sharing a room, the average price is 143€.
However, there are many alternatives for accommodation and if you do shop around as it is possible to find accommodation for less!
Be sure to check out our APARTMENTS FROM 15€ A NIGHT!
Find your accommodation now!
Transport
Barcelona is a relatively ‘small’ city, covering an area of only roughly 100km², therefore, most of the city can be reached on foot. However, in the event that you are wanted to travel across the city another way, Barcelona has amazing public transport links with metro, bus and tram.
A ticket from TMB (Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona) will give you access to all of these and there are many options available. The best one depends on the amount of time you will be spending in Barcelona and how much you plan on using public transport.
Single journey: 2.40€
T-casual (10 journeys): 11.35€
Hola Barcelona Tourist Travelcard (unlimited journeys):
2 days (48h) – 16,30€
3 days (72h) – 23.70€
4 days (96h) – 30.80€
5 days (120h) – 38€
`
For more information and good addresses check out our blog!