Working in Barcelona Spain
Barcelona is the capital city of the Catalonia region of Spain and is the country’s second largest city. Located on the northeastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula, Barcelona is very much a Mediterranean city. With a history dating back to the Roman Empire, the city offers a rich and diverse architecture, culture and people.
Wandering the streets of the city is an amazing travel experience as there are a myriad of nooks and crannies to explore. You will find something surprising around every turn and must check out all that the city has to offer.
While in Barcelona you need to make sure that you hit the art galleries and museums – remember that this is the city where Picasso spent his youth. There is plenty of great food and drink. Make sure to sample lots of the local fare. Barcelona is also an important historic city. Don’t forget to check out the older parts of town as well as the many important churches located throughout Barcelona.
And, of course, no trip to a Mediterranean city is complete without at least some time spent at the beach. Don’t forget to soak up the sun and immerse yourself in the sea.
- Airport
- Railway station
- Transportation
- Cost of living
- Accommodation
- Shopping
- Emergency
- Insurance and Healthcare
Location
Tourism Video
Airport
Barcelona Airport
Barcelona Airport is the main airport of the Catalonia regions and services over 35 millions travellers each year. The airport is located only a short distance (14km) from the Barcelona city centre, making it ideal for accessing Barcelona and the surrounding region.
You can get to the city from the airport by using any number of transportation options including Bus, Rapid Bus, Taxi and Train. There are also some private service providers such as http://www.barcelona-airport-transfers.com.
Areobus (A1) and (A2) depart regularly from Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 and should cost about 5.9 EURO for a single ticket. There are also taxi stands in front of both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. A taxi into the city centre will range from 20-30 EURO depending on your final destination. The train is accessed visa short walk from either terminal and runs every 30 minutes from the Airport to Barcelona city.
Railway station
RENFE is the national rail service of Spain while Cercanias is the local, commuter train network that operates in all major Spanish cities. Additional rail networks include the Alta Velocidad Espanola (AVE) and the Avant. The AVE is the high-speed network that runs from the north to the south. Avant is medium-distance network that also uses some high-speed trains that have been customised for the shorter distances. Avant is operated by RENFE. Rail Europe also provides services to and within Spain.
In Barcelona, the Cercanias services an inner-city network of stations as well some of the outlying areas. From the start of 2014 there has been a price freeze on the Barcelona Cercanias to encourage greater use of public transport. Barcelona Sants railway station (Estacio de Barcelona-Sants) is the main railway station in the city.
Transportation
Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) provides an excellent service within and around the city. TMB includes a range of bus services as well as an 11 line Metro (underground) system that services the city and some close-in suburbs.
TMB has an integrated fare system that means that you can use different modes of public transport on the same ticket – within the metro area.
You can also purchase travel cards (multi-day passes) that provide access to fares at a reduced rate. These passes are available for 2 to 5 days for unlimited travel on bus and Metro services. The Barcelona Card is another option that also offers unlimited travel on all public transport as well as discounted access to a number of tourist destinations around the city.
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Be aware that Spain is often impacted by public transport strikes. Always make sure to use the available news services to keep up-to-date on any planned or on-going strike action. A good place to start for information on transport issues in Spain and other countries is www.easytravelreport.com.
You can also use taxis to get around Barcelona. There are plenty of taxis in the city but they are not always available at peak times – due to high demand. You can catch a taxi at a taxi stand or by hailing one on the street.
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All taxi journeys are metered but do be aware that there can be extra charges for things like luggage, airport transfers and additional passengers.
Cost of living
In comparison to Australia, the cost of living in Barcelona is generally much more favourable with average prices ranging anywhere from 15% to 40% lower than those you would pay in a place like Sydney. Rent in particular is much less expensive than in Australia.
According to the online database, Numbeo (www.numbeo.com) prices for typical items in Barcelona are as follows:
| Food | |
| Cheap meal (inexpensive restaurant) | 10.00 € |
| Three-course meal for two at mid-range restaurant | 40.00 € |
| Domestic beer (500mL) | 2.50 € |
| Coke (330mL) | 1.50 € |
| Milk (1 litre) | 0.90 € |
| Loaf of bread | 1.00 € |
| Eggs | 1.50 € |
| Transport | |
| One way ticket (local transport) | 2.00 € |
| Monthly pass | 50.00 € |
| Petrol (1 litre) | 1.45 € |
| Rent (monthly) | |
| One bedroom apartment (central area) | 700.00 € |
| Three bedroom apartment (central area) | 1,100.00 € |
| Accommodation | |
| Hostel bed (one night) | 13.20 € |
| Five star hotel room (one night) | 600.00 € |
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Moneyconverter.com is an excellent resource for converting any local currency to that of your home country. This is a great tool for budgeting and stretching your “hard-earned” cash.
Although finding work in Spain might be difficult, the excellent and relatively inexpensive lifestyle certainly make cities like Barcelona very attractive places to visit if you are on a working holiday in another part of Europe.
Accommodation
Hostel bed (one night) 13.20 €
Five star hotel room (one night) 600.00 €
Workingholidaymaker.com TIP!
Moneyconverter.com is an excellent resource for converting any local currency to that of your home country. This is a great tool for budgeting and stretching your “hard-earned” cash.
Although finding work in Spain might be difficult, the excellent and relatively inexpensive lifestyle certainly make cities like Barcelona very attractive places to visit if you are on a working holiday in another part of Europe.
Accommodation
Barcelona offers a range of accommodation options. The particular type of accommodation that you choose is really a matter of personal preference and budget. Once you have decided what kind of accommodation you are seeking, then it is simply a matter of finding something that suits.
You will have to make some decisions about whether you are seeking short or longer-term options. For short-term accommodation, backpacker hostels and the less expensive hotels are always an excellent choice.
Across some different price brackets, options in Barcelona include:
Budget
St Christopher’s Barcelona
Generator Barcelona
Casa Gracia Barcelona Hostel
Mid-range
Nouvel
Husa Oriente
Hotel EuroPark
High-end
Eurostars Grand Marina
Melia Barcelona Sarria and Melia Barcelona Sky
Hotel Casa Fuster
Shopping
Barcelona is an excellent shopping destination particularly if you have an interest in fashion. You will find plenty of designer boutiques as well as the usual range of mainstream stores. One interesting feature for shoppers in Barcelona is the Tomb bus (T1). This service departs every seven minutes from the Plaça Catalunya and heads directly to the main shopping areas. A ticket on the Tomb bus costs about 1.25 € and passengers can get off at any of the 28 stops.
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Time your shopping to coincide with the two times of year when Spain’s annual sales are held – early January to mid-February and mid-June to the end of August.
Emergency
Emergency telephone numbers
Police, Fire and Ambulance 112 (Standard European Emergency Number)
Civil Guard 062
Police 091
Health Emergencies 061
Fire Brigade 080
Local Police 092
Insurance and Healthcare
If you are working in Spain then you may be able to access the Spanish National Healthcare system. In order to access this system, residents must enrol with the General Social Security Fund. You will need to investigate how this applies to you if you have accepted paid work in Spain.
Even if you are not part of the National Healthcare system, you will still be able to access the hospital system in the event of an emergency but you may have to pay for any services you receive.
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As with any travel experience, before heading off to Spain for holiday or work, you should confirm the specific health-care services that will be available to you and also consider taking out your own, personal travel insurance.