Useful information

Electricity

The standard current in Spain is 220V. Although a very small number of old buildings still may have 125V circuits. Therefore it is advisable to check before using electrical equipment in old or cheap hotels/hostels.

Plugs are all of the two round pin type.

You can use electrical devices from the UK or Ireland with a plug adaptor. If you are using US (110V) equipment you will also need a current transformer to avoid meltdowns.

Useful telephone numbers

The internation code for Spain is 00 34. The local area code for Barcelona is 93.

In an emergency, call 112. This number will alert the appropiate service - Fire, Police, Medical services, ...

Other telephone numbers are:
Medical emergencies 061
General emergencies 112
Fire service 080
Guàrdia Urbana (local police) 092
Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police force) 088
Policía Nacional 091
Guardia Civil police force 062
Red Cross Ambulances 93 300 20 20
Information on duty chemists 93 481 00 60

Public Holidays 2007

1 January - New Year's day
6 January - Epiphany
6 April - Good Friday
9 April - Easter Monday
1 May - Labour Day
4 June - Substitutes Pentecost
15 August - Assumption
11 September - National Day of Catalonia
24 September - La merçè Day
12 October - Columbus Day
1 November - All Saints' Day
6 December - Constitution Day
8 December - Day of the Immaculate Conception
25 December - Christmas Day
26 December - Saint Stephen's Day

Banks

Banks and savings banks ("Cajas de Ahorro") open from Monday to Friday and from 8:30 am until 2 pm. Some banks occasionally open also on Saturdays from 9 am until 2 pm. Savings banks ("Cajas de Ahorro") are opened on Thursdays from 4:30 pm until 8 pm but only from October until May.

Banks and savings banks ("Cajas de ahorro") accept traveller´s cheque (charging a commission). However, they usually do not accept personal cheques except when they are issued by themselves. Using ATMs with a credit or debit card is usually the faster and easiest option to get cash.

Foreign exchange offices open until 22h and are located at the airport, main stations and city centre. Major department store ("El Corte Inglés") exchanges travel checks in the majority of their branches.

Visa and MasterCard are the most commonly accepted cards at hotels, shops, restaurants, ... American Express and Diner's Club are less commonly accepted.

American Express: Paseo de Gracia 101 (tel. 93 2170070) open from Monday to Friday from 9:30 am until 6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am until 12 am.

Telephone numbers in case of lost or stolen credit cards:
Visa: 900 99 12 16
MasterCard: 900 97 12 31
American Express: 902 37 56 37
Diners Club: 901 10 10 11

Weather in Barcelona

Barcelona enjoys a Mediterranean climate with a cool winter season where temperatures rarely go below 0º C, and a moderated temperatures during the summer season with temperatures usually below 30º C. Besides, it does not rain very often or intensively.

* Data corresponding to year 2004 (Fabra Observatory of Barcelona).

Business hours

Most business are open Monday to Friday from 9 to 18h. Most shops open from 10 to 20h from Monday to Saturday with a break from 14 to 17h.

Tourist offices

Barcelona Airport, terminals A and B (phone +34 93 478 05 65 and +34 478 47 04). Open Monday to Sunday from 9 to 22h.

Palau Robert: Paseo de Gracia, 107 (phone +34 93 238 40 00). Open Monday to Saturday from 10 to 19h. Sunday from 10 to 14h.

Estación de Sants: Plaza Països Catalans (phone +34 93 304 31 55).

Plaza Catalunya (phone +34 906 301 282). Open from Monday to Sunday from 9 to 21h.

Turismo de Barcelona: Calle Tarragona 149-157 (phone +34 93 423 18 00).

Palau de la Virreina: La Rambla 99 (phone +34 93 301 77 75). Open from Monday to Saturday from 9:30 to 21h. Sunday from 10 to 14h.