The Catalonian capital Barcelona is one of the most exciting, inspirational and beautiful cities in Europe. As the second largest city in Spain, it is a popular tourist destination for travellers from around the world. It boasts the title of the fourth most visited city in Europe, which, considering Barcelona is not even the capital of Spain, is a testament to the charm and beauty that it is famous for.

Barcelona Travel Planning Tip 1: Choose which airport you fly to wisely

When researching flights to Barcelona, do take note of the airport you will be landing at.  For those looking to fly to Barcelona for a holiday or short weekend break, there are three potential airports you can fly to. Though only one, Barcelona International Airport (BCN), actually directly services Barcelona whilst the other two, Reus (REU) and Girona-Costa Brava (GRO), maintain excellent transport links to and from the city.

The prices of air fares to these airports will differ drastically, with those further away (Reus and Girona-Costa Brava) often being considerably cheaper. However, which airport you fly into will largely depend on how long you are visiting Barcelona for, as it will save a considerable amount of time flying straight to Barcelona International.

Barcelona Travel Planning Tip 2: Time of year

Barcelona boasts beautifully hot summers, with temperatures peaking in the months of July and August and cool winters, with temperatures usually dropping no lower than 10 ºC. Though Barcelona is busy all year round due to its mass appeal to tourists, it is usually busiest in the hot summer months, so the months either side of July and August present a good opportunity to visit whilst the heat is comfortable and the city is not too busy.

Barcelona  Travel Planning Tip 3: Activities

From one of the greatest football teams in the world, to stunning Gaudi architecture, lively bull fights, world-renowned nightclubs, amazing Mediterranean cuisine and beautiful coastal regions, Barcelona has an outstanding amount of things to see and do.  Don’t leave everything to chance but have a rough idea of what you want to see and do during your stay. This will ensure that you make the most of your holiday and get the chance to experience everything the destination has to offer.

Barcelona Travel Planning Tip 4: Transport

Barcelona maintains a very efficient and easy to use public transport system, making travel in and around the city trouble free. Make sure you carry a metro map and look into buying multi-journey tickets (which allow you to switch between buses, trams and the metro) as they often work out cheaper. Always plan your route in advance and make sure all of your party are aware of where they are going and how they are getting there.