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Barcelona inspires

Barcelona inspires international connections

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  • A long weekend in the city

    Beyond its iconic skyline, Barcelona has endless places and spots for you to explore.

    • Casa Vicens is Gaudí’s most unknown work. It was the first civil house he built with all the gusto and imagination of a 31-year-old, in the Gràcia neighbourhood. Gràcia is a town in the middle of the city that is a real joy to walk through. It has attractive stores by new designers and local artisans.

    • Art, just like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. The Picasso Museum, located in the historic neighbourhood of the Born, exhibits all the artistic periods of the painter. On the other side of Les Rambles, in the Raval neighbourhood, more contemporary artists are on display in the Macba.

    • In the restaurants of the Barceloneta neighbourhood, eating paella is quite a tradition among Barcelona residents seeking to be by the sea. As soon any glimmer of sunlight has faded, the bars and clubs on the seafront turn on the tunes and the party starts.

  • What to do after work

    It's time to shut down your computer and forget about your emails. Evenings in Barcelona are to be enjoyed, on your own or with your team.

    • Barcelona’s range of gastronomy is varied and endless. Any creative cuisine paired with a Catalan wine of DO status is the cherry on top of an intense day of work. And why not finish on a high with a signature cocktail?

    • Running through the Collserola mountain range and cycling by the sea along the entire promenade are great ways to see the city. If you prefer fitness activities helping you to stay in shape, there will be a gym equipped with exercise machines in your hotel.

    • Not doing anything is also doing a lot. Float in the jacuzzi at the hotel spa, have a therapeutic massage, snack on an appetiser in the bar or gaze at the views from the hotel terrace. Pure relaxation.

  • Family Holidays

    Barcelona has plenty of fun activities for little and large alike. Your family photo album will be bursting with unforgettable moments.

    • Go for a splash at the beach, eat a variety of tapas at a beach bar, sail the coast by boat, and swim with sharks at the Aquarium… Barcelona’s sea and port have all the ingredients for a fantastic family day out.

    • Seeing the marvellous sights of the city from the heights of the ferris wheel of the Tibidabo, Barcelona’s legendary theme park, is a real thrill. Located nearby is the Cosmocaixa, an astonishing science museum that has a slice of the Amazon rainforest and a planetarium showing 3D projections.

    • The more athletic will enjoy walking up the hill of Montjuïc and entering the Estadi Olímpic, where the 1992 Olympics Games were held. At the Camp Nou stadium, FC Barcelona fans will feel like another member of the team as they approach the pitch from the changing room tunnel.

Business City

Many companies and professionals from all four corners of the globe choose Barcelona as a destination for conventions, exhibitions and conferences, making a safe bet on one of the top cities in the world in terms of infrastructure, transport, sustainability and technology.

With more than a century of experience, Barcelona is point of reference when it comes to the organisation of trade fairs and conferences.

Meetings & Conferences

Fira de Barcelona

It is one of the oldest trade fair institutions in Spain, established shortly after the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition.  It is located in one of the areas with greatest tourist appeal in the city, beside the Palau Nacional and the Font Màgica de Montjuïc. The facility occupies a surface area of 134,000m2, holds 6 pavilions, the Palau de Congressos de Barcelona, 15 restaurants and almost 2,000 parking spaces. Its long track record in event organisation and modern facilities place it at the top of the world ranking of the largest exhibition venues in the world.

CCIB – Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona

The CCIB is located in the Diagonal Mar area and was created to hold the Universal Forum of Cultures in 2004. This space, situated right beside the sea, comprises two modern buildings: the Centre de Convencions designed by the Catalan architect Josep Lluís Mateo, and the Auditori Fòrum designed by Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron. With 100,000m2 surface area, it has state-of-the-art facilities that have earned it a variety of international awards.

  • Plaça de Willy Brandt, 11-14, 08019 Barcelona
  • T 932301000

Fira Gran Via

This avant-garde exhibition venue was inaugurated in 2007 and is located 3.5 kilometres from the Fira de Barcelona, very close to the airport. The prestigious Japanese architect Toyo Ito designed the curved, functional and sustainable building, with a spectacular solar park on the rooftop. It is the second largest exhibition venue in Europe with 240,000m2 surface area, holding 8 pavilions, a congress centre, 45 restaurants and almost 5,000 parking spaces.

Palau de Congressos de Catalunya

It was constructed in 1995 and it is located in the upper part of Avinguda Diagonal, one of the main commercial and financial areas of Barcelona. Its Catalan architects, Ferrater and Cartañá, received the National Architecture Award for its elegant avant-garde lines and the special light treatment inside the building. Its modern facilities comprise versatile and multi-purpose spaces, including the Auditorium, with a capacity for more than 2,000 people, and the Sala Mágica, an exhibition hall of 2,050m2.

Historical monuments and buildings declared World Heritage Sites open their doors to hold social and corporate events.

Unique Venues

Llotja de Mar

Located beside the port, it is one of the most important Catalan Gothic style buildings. The first contracts between traders were signed here. Subsequently, the building's uses began to change depending on the period and the political context at that time. The School of Design, with illustrious pupils such as Gaudí and Picasso, was situated here until 1967. The building is currently the head office of the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona. The interior of the majestic Contracting Hall, with its tall ceilings covered with wooden coffering, is a faithful witness to a prosperous medieval period.

Drassanes

These shipyards are another example of the most representative displays of Catalan Gothic civil architecture. For various centuries, the whole fleet of the Spanish Royal Navy was built in these huge warehouses. The Museu Marítim de Barcelona is incorporated into the building and it explains the close relationship between the city and the sea throughout history. The enormity of these warehouses, with their impressive columns and a hypnotic sequence of huge arches, make it a magnificent place to hold big events.

Camp Nou – FC Barcelona

Cruyff, Kubala, Maradona, Ronaldinho, Xavi, Messi…. These are just a few of the legendary players who have graced this pitch and made Barcelona Football Club one of the greatest clubs in the world. All its trophies are on display in the Museu FCB, located in the same sports complex. Furthermore, the blue and claret club welcomes companies and organisations to use its facilities for corporate events and celebrations, both on and outside the football pitch: the Auditorio 1899, the Antepalco Presidencial and the grass of the Camp Nou, etc.

  • C. d'Aristides Maillol, 12, 08028 Barcelona

Casa Batlló

It is one of Gaudí's most admired works and is located on Passeig de Gràcia, a famous avenue home to some of the finest modernist houses of the old Catalan bourgeois. The exterior façade and the interior of Casa Batlló exude imagination, with shapes inspired by nature and Catalan mythology. Many events and meetings are held in its different chambers; one of these is the noble floor, full of decorative details, like its undulating roof or its bone-shaped stain-glassed gallery facing the street.

Hospital de Sant Pau

This former hospital complex is the largest modernist work in the world, and it was created by architect Lluís Domènech i Muntaner. The area occupies nine blocks of the Eixample district and you can see the Sagrada Família from its door. It comprises 14 pavilions separated in halves by an inner walkway with gardens, and connected to each other via underground tunnels. Striking is its beauty and fine material used to build it, like the pink marble columns in the main entrance lobby. A rather out of the ordinary hospital, it has now become a modernist treasure.

Palau de la Música Catalana

Designed by Domènech i Muntaner, this concert hall is the most beautiful in Barcelona. Its exterior combines artistic brickwork, stained glass, coloured ceramics and a grandiose sculptural work on the corner, however its interior is even more impressive. The ceiling in the main room flaunts an enormous glass skylight through which natural light filters, and the stage is surrounded by spectacular sculptures as an allegory to the world of music. An ideal space to applaud concerts or to hold a corporate event.

Casa Vicens

Located in the neighbourhood of Gràcia, it was the first residential home created by Gaudí. On the outside, the house is decorated with cheerful green and yellow tiles. On the inside, the noble floor, decorated with an abundance of oriental and floral elements, is formed by three interconnected rooms: a dining room, gallery and former smoking room. The latter is distinguished by its exotic blue polychrome muqarnas hanging from the ceiling like a bunch of grapes. It is a house that takes us on a journey to faraway countries without leaving Barcelona.

Gran Teatre del Liceu

This neoclassic theatre, located in the heart of Les Rambles, is more than 150 years old, and it was constructed by the Catalan aristocracy to measure up to the large European capitals. In its initial stages, performances were mainly Italian operas, which were very en vogue at that time. It currently offers a wide variety of shows and concerts. In addition to the concert hall, the Liceu has extremely special spaces like the Mirrored Salon, a former meeting point for ladies and gentlemen during the intervals; or the Foyer, a modern and elegant space located just under the stalls in the concert hall.

MNAC – Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya

The attractive Palau Nacional was built for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition and it currently houses the famous MNAC. This museum exhibits a wide collection of work of all genres and periods, from medieval Catalan sculptures to Flemish paintings by Rubens. The large dimensions of the Palau allow different atmospheres to be created within it: the Sala Oval, with a spectacular dome through which natural light pours, has space for large celebrations, while the Terraza Mirador, with its marvellous views of Barcelona, is designed for cocktail parties or small gala events.

MACBA – Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona

Inaugurated in 1995, this museum is located in the Plaça dels Àngels, a place of worship for skaters from Barcelona and beyond. Richard Meier, an American, designed the pristine white building contrasting with the old houses of the central neighbourhood of the Raval that surround it. As a counterpoint, just in front lies the Convent dels Àngels. In its mystical spaces, this original Gothic church houses the MACBA's temporary collections, comprising contemporary works of art by local and international artists.

Barcelona has good land, sea, and air communication and an extensive and high-quality public intercity transport network.

Mobility & Accessibility

High Speed Train

  • 2.5h Barcelona-Madrid
  • 310 km/h

The AVE is the high speed train that connects Barcelona to France and 30 of the main cities in the rest of Spain. The direct service from Barcelona to Madrid takes 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Barcelona Sants station is the main train station and it is located in the district of Sants. In addition to the AVE, Barcelona has a comprehensive regional, national and international rail network.

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International Airport

  • 44 million passengers
  • 305 thousand anual flights

The Aeroport del Prat is located 14 kilometres from the centre of Barcelona and it is the most important airport in Catalonia. It has 2 terminals, T1 and T2, and operates with more than 100 air carriers.

In addition to taxi ranks, the airport has other public transport options that connect with Barcelona: Metro line 9 (orange), the Aerobús and other intercity bus lines.

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Ports and cruise ships

  • 20 terminals: passengers,
  • cruise ships & ferrys

The Port of Barcelona has more than 30 terminals spread out over its different docks. Its commercial port, the logistics port and its energy port are the main driving forces behind the economy of Catalonia. Similarly, the cruise port is one of the main entry points to the city for tourists, with more than 2.7 million cruise passengers last year.

portdebarcelona.cat/en/home_apb

Public transport network

  • Bus / Taxi / Metro services

Barcelona has a wide and efficient public transport network connecting every point in the city: 9 metro lines, 4 tram lines, a fleet of more than 1,000 regularly running buses and 10,000 taxis.

If you’re considering getting around by bus and train interchangeably, buy the Hola Bcn travel pass giving you unlimited journeys for days.

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Time is money and convenience is essential. In Barcelona, you’ll be in your element.

Let the business be in the palm of your hand

Barcelona is a compact city with a surface area of 98km2, demarcated lengthwise by the Mediterranean Sea and the Collserola mountain range, and breadthwise by the Llobregat and Besòs rivers and various towns belonging to its metropolitan area. Its dimensions and urban fabric make Barcelona manageable and accessible. It comprises ten districts, each of them equipped with public transport and connected by five large roads:  Diagonal, Meridiana and the Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes are the three main avenues that cross the city from one end to the other; the Ronda de Dalt and the Ronda Litoral are the two ring roads that surround it.

It is convenient and safe to walk around the city of Barcelona on foot, with short journeys separating the convention centres, places of interest and any of the hotels. Furthermore, it has an extensive and modern public transport network–metro, bus, tram and taxi–so you can travel to any spot in the city quickly and easily.

You’ll find all the features and facilities you’re seeking in your ideal business hotel, in Barcelona.

Accommodation

Where to stay

Hotel figures

422 hotels. 37,350 rooms. 72,933 beds. Barcelona offers you a wide selection of categories of hotels, apartment-hotel, pensions, guesthouses and tourist apartments.

Business hotels

Barcelona has a large number of hotels located in the main business and conference areas. The different categories and sizes are designed to cater for all kinds of needs: from individual working areas to large rooms equipped for corporate teams.

Large hotels

Some of the hotels for companies and businesses are specialised in the organisation of large events. For this reason, they have function rooms for a capacity of over 1,000 people and perfectly organised catering arrangements to provide firms with a quick and efficient service.

Meeting facilities

The business hotels are equipped with bright and spacious rooms, suitable for meetings and events of any size, with the top audiovisual technology and a technical support team.

Locations

Just a few minutes by foot from the main exhibitions and congress centres—Fira de Barcelona, Fira Gran Via, the CCIB and the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya—you’ll find a wide variety of business hotels.

Sustainability

Barcelona’s hotels use resources responsibly and minimise environmental impact. Some have been awarded with certifications such as the Biosphere Responsible Tourism or the IGH Green Engage.

A city committed to working day after day to improve the quality of life of all its citizens and visitors.

Sustainability

Barcelona was the first city to receive the Biosphere World Class Destination certification, and it received this award again at the end of 2017. This international certificate assesses numerous areas of sustainable development fostered by the United Nations and the Paris Climate Summit.

One of these areas is air quality. In order to ensure a cleaner and healthier city, a large part of Barcelona’s buses use hybrid technology and compressed natural gas, and at the same time, more bicycle lanes have been added to all the city’s urban roads.

In terms of green zones, Barcelona enjoys the privilege of having two large natural areas: the hill of Montjuïc and the Collserola mountain range.  In addition, the city also boasts almost a hundred parks and gardens, some as emblematic as the Parc de la Ciutadella and the Park Güell, spots where Modernism merges with nature.

Different measures are taken to promote responsible consumption, for example, the creation of an extensive network of recycling collection points.

Barcelona is supplied with “zero-mile”, fresh and nearby produce through its 39 food markets, creating a dynamic and close link between the urban world and its rural surroundings.

Another immense challenge is to continue improving accessibility, prioritising the pedestrian over the motor vehicle and considering people with functional diversity.

Barcelona is thinking about the future and it will continue to be committed to improving sustainability. For the well-being of everyone.

bcninspires.com is a project by the Barcelona Hotel Association, the main representative of the hotel sector in Barcelona in order to promote all the properties associated as well as Barcelona as a leisure and business destination.