Car Parking in Barcelona: Tips and Advice on How to Securely Park Your Car in the City Centre
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Parking your car in Barcelona can be a problem if you don't plan in advance. Although the city centre does have a large number of parking facilities the car parks fill up quickly or have limited spaces. You'll also find that it's difficult to find a car park space in the city centre if you just turn up on the day.
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| Car parking in Plaça de Catalunya |
We explain how you can find the car park you need, and how to ensure that your parking space will be available when you need it.
Parking at the Barcelona Bus terminal Estación de Nord
Barcelona bus terminal has a large car parking facility and is a popular location to park.
The other advantage of using this car park is there is a metro stop right outside the bus station which gives you ready access to the entire city via the metro underground system.
Estación de Nord (Barcelona Nord Station)
Metro Arc de Triomf (Red Line, L1) and Marina (Red Line, L1).
Estación de Nord can be found at the junction of Carrer de Napols and Av de Vilanova. The car park has security monitoring 24 hours per day 7 days per week.
Are you driving a foreign license plated car?
If you are driving a foreign plated car then bear in mind that these cars are often targeted for robbery. Even when driving, make sure that your doors and boot are locked. If there is slow-moving traffic, it has been known for thieves to pop open the boot or open a door and run off with the contents. The same is true for open windows. If you can reach in and grab something of value then ensure to have your windows wound up to prevent this.
To give you some peace of mind, it is best to park your car in a car park with 24/7 security surveillance. Your car will be much safer when you park your car in an official car park.
Free Parking in Barcelona?
Finding spaces that are free of parking fees in Barcelona is a challenge. Namely, most places are now metered. However, if you drive out to Montjuïc near the Olympic Stadium, you will find you can park on the streets in this area for free. We would not, however, recommend this because the area around the Olympic stadium is quite isolated and there is no security in this area. If you have a foreign license plated car, you would be taking quite a risk. We would recommend parking your car in a secure car park facility that has 24/7 security surveillance. Yes, you pay a little extra. However, you would have peace of mind. Your car is one of the largest financial investments after your house. Isn't it worth spending a small amount to ensure it is in a secure location? In our pages, we show you how to find low-cost parking locations with security monitoring. See our guide on low cost parking in Barcelona.
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| Secured car parking in Barcelona Sants station |
How to find a parking near to your chosen location in Barcelona city centre
We have created guides to car parking near the most popular locations in Barcelona for tourists. Choose from the links below for detailed information on specific parking facilities next to the landmark you are interested in.
Parking near famous Barcelona attractions
Parking Near Aparthotels
Parking near hotels
Parking Near Hostals
Parking Near Youth Hostels
Parking in Barcelona neighbourhoods and areas
Parking near hospitals and clinics in Barcelona
Parking near popular Barcelona markets
Parking near restaurants
Parking near popular shopping centres
Parking near famous squares in Barcelona
Parking at stations and transport hubs
How to find a car park in a specific location in the city centre?
If you have not managed to find specific parking using our links above you can also try using our Barcelona parking locator map.
This parking map will enable you to find the nearest car park in any district of Barcelona. You will be able to find detailed information about each car park we list. You can also check the compare the different rates of each car parks to find the one that is right for you.
We have divided the car parking map into the different districts of Barcelona, so all you have to do is click on that neighbourhood on the map to go to a detailed view of the car parks in that zone. You can then click on the parking icons on the map to go to a detailed information page on that car park.
The detailed information pages also have a link which will enable you to make an online reservation of your chosen car park space in advance of your trip. This is advisable if you are thinking of parking anywhere in the city centre e.g. La Rambla, Plaça de Catalunya or if you are parking near a popular attraction like the Sagrada Família or the FC Barcelona stadium because car parks fill up quickly in the city centre.
Our parking maps also shows you the nearest metro underground stop to each car park which can be useful if you want to "park and ride". This can be very helpful for you to plan and organize your trip if you intend to get around the city centre by car.
Our detailed pages on parking outline not only the most popular car parks near an attraction, but also the lesser-known car parks that are also nearby. This can be a valuable time, and money saver, e.g. parking for Camp Nou Stadium (FC Barcelona) and other frequently used car parks are full, we show you secure car parks that are close by but are not so well known.
We also provide you with booking for each car parks. When you make an online reservation for your car park space, you are guaranteed your place will be reserved for you when you need it. This is convenient when you have reserved a hotel for your visit and want to be certain parking will be available for you during your stay. It is also advisable to book your parking in advance if you know that many people will be visiting on a particular day, e.g. Barcelona FC football match day or if there is a big concert on such as Sonar or Primavera Sound festival.
How to find low cost parking near your hotel
If you intend to park your car at your hotel in Barcelona you could save quite a sum of money if you arranged your own parking. Many hotels do not actually have their own parking facilities but set up an arrangement with a local car park. Hotels then invariably charge a flat rate fee per day for parking. However, if you arrange your own parking directly with the car park, then you cut out the middleman and benefit from discounted parking rates for a longer period.
We have written over 300 reviews of hotels in Barcelona and on each of these pages we have given a table showing the nearest car parks to each hotel. In each table, we give the name of the car park, the walking distance to the hotel and a link to a detailed information page on that car park. We include reservation booking links so that you can reserve your car park space in advance of your trip and benefit from the discounted rates. In order to find your hotel we recommend you visit our A to Z hotel page and find the table with the heading called Car Parks.
Car Parking at Barcelona Airport
we have put together several detailed pages on Parking at Barcelona airport. Follow the links below to find out more.
Parking at Barcelona Airport
Long stay parking at Barcelona Airport
Parking motorhomes and long vehicles at Barcelona Airport
Parking for cruise ship visitors
How and where to park your car when arriving at Barcelona cruise port
How to find car parks that offer the most competitive rates?
There are many small car parks in the city and many of these offer very competitive rates compared to other larger well known car parks. By using the Barcelona car park map you can compare the rates of different car parks in the same area ensuring that you will find the best deal saving you money.
Car park locator map
Below you will find our Barcelona car park locator map. You can find the car park you need anywhere in the city from around 140 car parks. Click on the neighbourhood you are interested in and you will be taken to a detailed map page showing the car parks in that area.
You can then click on the car park of interest to get more details about it and then book your car park space to ensure your space is reserved.
Map showing car parks in each of Barcelona's neighbourhoods. Click on any neighbourhood to see the parking available in that zone
Cheap long term car parking
Perhaps you just want somewhere secure, and low cost, to leave your car whilst you explore the city? You may want to leave your car there for more than just a few days without paying a small fortune in parking fees. But how can you do this? To find out how visit our page on how to find cheap long term car parking in Barcelona.
Parking for lorries, large vehicles, and cars with trailers
If you need to park a car for a motorhome, or a car with a trailer, you need to make sure that the car park has facilities specifically designed for tall or long vehicles. It is important that you know the maximum height of your vehicle to ensure that the car park has sufficient clearance for your vehicle. We have put put together two articles that cover parking for these types of vehicles.
Secure car parking for long vehicles such as cars with trailers or lorries.
Secure parking for motorhomes in the city centre and at Barcelona airport
Coach parking in Barcelona
If you need to park a coach in Barcelona we recommend you visit our page on coach parking. Here you will be able to follow a link that will enable you to make an advanced reservation for your coach to ensure it is available on the day you need it.
Parking your motorbike in Barcelona
We have put together a page on how to securely park your motorbike in Barcelona. You can look up many different car parks and compare the rates to find the best parking space for your bike.
Secure motorbike parking in Barcelona
Car impounding in Barcelona
If you park in a non-designated car parking area, you'll almost certainly receive a ticket or have your car towed away.
This happened to a friend of mine who lives in Barcelona. She parked a car in a restricted area for only 20 minutes or so only to find that her car had been towed away when she got back.
At first we thought her car had been stolen, but then we rang the car impound and found it had been towed away. It cost a hefty sum to have her car released, and there are additional charges per hour if the car is not picked up within a certain time frame. You will also have a horrible sticker stuck right across your windscreen that takes an age to remove.
If your caught out, and found that your car has been towed away, see our detailed information on what to do if your car is impounded in Barcelona.
Summary for car parking in Barcelona
If you intend to park your car in Barcelona then it can be a little troublesome. However, if you follow the tips above you could find that your parking experience might not be all that bad after all.