The colorful capital of Spain’s exciting Catalonia region, Barcelona is one of Europe’s most cultural and artistic cities full of history and character. It’s, therefore, no wonder that it is a hugely popular destination for digital nomads and freelancers alike, boasting over 300 co-working spaces within its city walls. It’s a truly international city that frequently has entrepreneur and digital nomad meetups. You’ll meet people from all over the world and become part of a very active nomad community. So with a rich culture and a buzzing nomad scene, Barcelona is definitely a great nomad hub.
Where to stay?
Securing a place close to the city center is highly recommended as it makes life, work and getting around so much easier. El Born, Gothico, Raval, and Barceloneta are good areas to stay as they are super central but tend to be busy with tourists.
Poble-sec, Poble Nou, and Gracia are very hip areas and are ideal for digital nomads who prefer to dodge the crowds and enjoy a great culture, arts, and cool vibes.
Accommodation in Barcelona for digital nomads
Looking for long-term rent in Barcelona or finding a perfect Airbnb can be quite difficult due to the high demand and expensive prices. Most long-term rentals require signing a lease which comes with its own challenges.
Here are a few options to suit your needs:
Coliving Spaces
Live It is the largest coliving space in Barcelona. It has everything you need when you come to the city for the first time! You can enjoy the gym, rooftop terrace or get some work done in the coworking area. They organize community events and activities so you will have a chance to bond with like-minded people!
CoWoLi is a great coliving/coworking space finder. It gives you multiple options for coliving and coworking spaces near to you.
A Landing Pad is an amazing coliving space that caters to all your needs as a digital nomad. Comfortable, clean and a great atmosphere. (CLOSED)
Airbnb
A digital nomad favorite, you’re always able to find good monthly deals here. Sharing rooms and apartments are a great way to cut costs.
Facebook groups
You can find really great deals on any one of these pages:
- Rooms/Flats to rent in Barcelona
- Rooms Barcelona
- Rooms for rent in a shared flat – Barcelona
- Barcelona flats and rooms to rent
Apps
BADI is a great app to find long-term rooms in shared apartments. There are lots of options in Barcelona.
Local websites
Check out Idealista and SHBarcelona for furnished, semi-long-term rental options.
Hostels
Hostels are great for a soft landing into the city before committing to long-term rental options. Check out these hostels to get you on your way:
Rodamón Hostel – best for couples and families
Casa Gracia – best for solo-travelers and groups
YEAH Barcelona – best for backpackers
Coworking spaces and good places to work
If you’re planning on getting work done in Barcelona we highly recommend you pay these great places a visit. As always, it’s recommended to buy at least one coffee to justify your WiFi leeching!
FREE Coworking Space
ImaginCafe is a great little spot to get your work done for free. It has a fun and vibrant atmosphere and is a great place to host meetings.
Coworking App
Getcroissant – an app that can be used in Barcelona to enter 30+ coworking spaces, starts at $20/month
Best coworking spaces for digital nomads
Mob – It’s close to the center, has an international vibe, occasional events, affordable, 3D printer
Transforma – central and affordable
One Cowork Marina and other location – great community, but a bit more pricey
Betahaus – It’s far from the city center, located in a cool neighborhood, lots of events
La Vaca – In the heart of Poble Sec, weekly events and activities.
Work-friendly cafes
Try out these amazing little coffee shops which have great WiFi speeds and delicious coffee:
SandwiChez – cafe chain all over Barcelona with perfect conditions for work
Where to meet nomads
Meeting digital nomads in Barcelona is as easy as ordering tapas. You’re bound to rub shoulders with them at any of the city’s coworking spaces, and there are tons of groups organizing meetups on social media. Try MeetUp.com to see what digital nomad meetups are happening in your area.
Definitely check out Weekly Digital Nomad Meetup, the biggest digital nomad community in Barcelona. In the meetup app, you can find links to their WhatsApp and discord groups.
Meetup Facebook groups:
- Coworking days community – you can find various social events or FREE days around cool coworking spaces.
- Startup my Rooftop
- Flylancer
- Digital Nomads Spain
Money (ATM info)
Spain is part of the EU and so they deal in Euros (€). You won’t have any trouble finding an ATM in the city and most globally recognized banks are represented. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted and Amex cards are accepted by a few local banks too. You can expect ATM withdrawal limits to peak at around €300 per day, with nominal ATM service fees to take into account with transactions.
Tip: Check out your bank’s ATM locator for Barcelona to reduce hassle.
WIFI speed
Barcelona WiFi is one of the most extensive free WiFi networks in Europe. In 2015, free WiFi was installed in the city’s buses, me, ro and most public parks. There are many WiFi hotspots around the city, check out the map. The free WiFi speed is a tolerable 256kb, so no streaming in HD on the metro but it’s sufficient to send out mails. Almost all shops, bars and restaurants offer free WiFi, just look out for the ‘WiFi gratis’ signs.
Getting around
Travel Pass
Get yourself a Hola Barcelona tourist travel pass which for only €7.10 per day gives you unlimited access to all of Barcelona’s public transport, including buses, trains and metro. Check out all of Barcelona’s discounted travel options here.
Airport transport
The best and most reliable way to get from El Prat Airport to the city center is Aerobus. It’s fast (only 35mins) and cheap (€5.90 one-way/€10.20 return) and has free WiFi and charging ports for your phone and laptop. Buses leave every 5 mins from Terminal 1 and 2 and they operate all day between 05:30 to 01:30, stopping at major stations along the way ending at Plaça de Catalunya.
Airport taxis will run you between €30-€40 to get to city centre. You may get hit with extra fees for baggage, late nights and rides on a national holiday.
MyTaxi
Use Barcelona’s taxi app MyTaxi. It’s just like Uber or Cabify but run by local taxi operators. There are still unresolved issues between Uber and Cabify and Barcelona’s taxi community, so we would recommend not going this route to avoid any unpleasant situations plus it won’t make any price difference.
Metro
With 8 lines in the city, it’s impossible not to find a station close to your hostel or Airbnb. Trains run every 2-3 mins and operate between 5am-12am (Mon-Thur), 5am-2am (Fri) and all day on Saturdays. A single ticket starts at €2.20 but you can half that with a Hola Barcelona card.
Bus
Barcelona’s bus system is efficient and covers the entire city grid. Without a travel discount card, a ticket will cost you around €2.20.
Scooter
Hire a scooter at Barcelona’s most popular scooter rental agency, Cooltra or electric scooter sharing YUGO.
Mobile internet /SIM cards use
WiFiVOX
This is a great pocket wifi which gives you 3G connectivity throughout Barcelona for only €6.99 per day. You can have up to 10 connections on each device so it’s great to share among friends and reduce the price per person. It’s fast and reliable, check it out here.
Sim cards/roaming
You can use any European sim card in Spain as the connectivity borders have recently been abolished. But if you are wanting a local sim card then try any of the local service providers. On average, data is pricey in Barcelona and call minutes are too. So best to keep your international client calls to a WiFi-safe zone.
Travel requirements
If you have a valid EU passport then you can pop in and out of Spain as easy as you can say Picasso. If you are from outside the EU then simply apply for a tourist visa (90 days). For more visa information check this out.
How to spend your FREE time in Barcelona
Barcelona is lit with incredible sights and attractions. From the world-famous Sagrada Familia and Casa Batllo to the historic Gothic Quarter and the Picasso Museum, there is plenty to quench your sightseeing appetite. Barcelona has some of the Mediterranean’s best beaches, including popular Barceloneta and Bogatell beaches.
Walk around La Boqueria, recent winner of the ‘best market in the world’ which sits at the heart of Barcelona’s bustling and lively La Rambla.
Eat, eat, EAT! Barcelona is famous for its incredible cuisine and aromatic kitchens. Eat the best paellas and pintxos’ you have ever had and dive mouth-first into a world of delicious tapas!
Check out this amazing list of essential things to do in Barcelona.
Resources
Get the low-down on anything and everything Barcelona-related at Barcelona Hacks. This will be your Barcelona travel guide bible and can help you with absolutely everything you need to know about living in, traveling through and exploring this beautiful city. If you wanna bypass the hustle and see just the major stuff over one weekend, then check out this awesome one day in Barcelona itinerary by treksplorer.com.
Fun and activities
Flamenco: Experience the best Flamenco dancing show in Spain – a must-do for every visitor!
Gaudi tour: Visit the best Gaudi buildings in Barcelona, one of the best architects of all time.
Montserrat tour: Take a full-day guided tour through Spain’s most popular monastery and be treated to multi-course Catalan meal, including wine.
Horseback riding: Take a guided horseback riding tour in Natural Park.
Montjuïc Cable Car: Enjoy the expansive views of Barcelona and reach the beautiful hill of Montjuïc in style.
- Walk, Fly, Sail all in one day
- Parc Del Laberint D’Horta
- Drive around the famed Circuit de Catalunya
- Cook your own paella and create your own sangria mix
- Hospital Del Torax
