Guide of Barcelona
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
hola WELCOME TO PRACTICAL RELOCATION GUIDE FOR BUSINESS PEOPLE GUIDE FOR BUSINESS RELOCATION PRACTICAL BARCELONA BARCELONA BARCELONAPRACTICAL RELOCATION GUIDE FOR BUSINESS PEOPLE WELCOME TO WELCOME WELCOME TO BARCELONA PRACTICAL RELOCATION GUIDE FOR BUSINESS PEOPLE 3 Welcome to Barcelona Barcelona, Mediterranean, cosmopolitan, enterprising and tolerant, will be your future home. To help with your personal arrival we have drawn up Welcome to Barcelona, a guide for professionals, executives and others from the world of business coming to our city to live and work. With a long commercial and industrial tradition, a very competitive and diversified busi- ness structure and 21st century technology and infrastructure, Barcelona and its metro- politan area offer exciting opportunities for business, investment and entrepreneurship. Here you will find the friendliness and warmth of the Mediterranean character, a pleasant year-round climate, enviable quality of life and an environment that fosters creativity and innovation. Whether you are still thinking about moving to Barcelona, are in the process of doing so or have just arrived, this publication will help you in your decision to settle in the city and make the most of your first experiences here. This guide includes everything you need to know before coming to Barcelona and on your arrival to make moving in and your daily life easier. You will also find information and support services if you want to do business, start a company, develop your career or establish business contacts and relationships. In the blink of an eye you will find your feet and be ready to enjoy all that this beautiful and vibrant city has to offer. 28/ Choosing a place to live 28/ The neighbourhoods of CONTENTS Barcelona 8 32/ Metropolitan area: surrounding towns and cities INTRODUCTION • • 35/ The Barcelona rental 10/ Catalan culture and property market 35/ Buying property in Barcelona 36/ Rental contracts 37/ Utilities 41/ Waste management 41/ Domestic services 14 • PRE-ARRIVAL INFORMATION 43/ Education • 43/ Choosing a school 15/ Applying for a Visa and 43/ The Spanish school system residence permit 43/ Pre-primary 15/ EU, European Economic 44/ International and bilingual Area and Swiss nationals schools 17/ Non-EU, European 50/ Local schools Economic Area and Swiss 51/ School terms nationals 51/ Higher education 20/ City Council registration 53/ International business 21/ Social Security Number schools • 53/ Language schools 22/ Money and banking 54/ Other courses 22/ Currency • 22/ Opening a bank account 55/ Healthcare 23/ Banking hours 55/ Public healthcare 23/ Credit cards 56/ Hospitals 23/ Paying bills 56/ Pharmacies • 57/ Private health insurance 23/ Accommodation 57/ Maternity and paternity 23/ Short-term accommodation 58/ People with disabilities 24/ Medium and long-term 58/ Pets accommodation • 81/ International community 81/ Foreign consulates in Barcelona 62 87/ Social interaction and 112 business networking PRACTICAL INFORMATION • DOING BUSINESS IN • 88/ Religious services BARCELONA 63/ Useful information • • 63/ Addresses 89/ Sports and leisure 113/ Why Barcelona? 63/ Holidays 89/ Public sports and fitness • 65/ Local time centres 115/ Municipal support services for foreign entrepreneurs and 65/ Mealtimes 89/ Private sports and fitness investors 65/ Opening times and working clubs 115/ Support for foreign hours 89/ Football investors and business landing 66/ Postal services 90/ Other sports 116/ Business creation - 66/ Tipping • entrepreneurs 66/ Tobacconists 91/ Culture and entertainment 117/ Business Support Office • 91/ Museums and art galleries 118/ Finding offices and 67/ Getting in 94/ Music and dance premises 67/ By plane 95/ Theatre 119/ Career development 69/ By sea 95/ Libraries through its Porta 22 • 96/ Sport and other live events • 72/ Getting oriented 96/ Tickets 120/ Other support organisations • 97/ For the kids • 72/ Public transportation 98/ Mass media 125/ International chambers of 73/ By rail • commerce and trade offices 74/ By bus 101/ Beaches 75/ By tourist and leisure • transport 103/ Parks and gardens 76/ By taxi • 77/ By bike 106/ Restaurants and nightlife • • 78/ Private transportation 107/ Shopping 132 78/ Car importation 107/ Food and groceries USEFUL 78/ Driving licence 107/ Municipal markets INFORMATION 78/ Parking 80/ Car rentals 80/ Car sharing • 6 7 8 INTRODUCTION BARCELONA 9 Barcelona is the economic, cultural and novation and openness to the world. It has administrative capital of Catalonia and one an economy with a long commercial and of Spain’s 17 regions. Catalonia is located in industrial tradition which is attractive for the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula and business development, with research at is home to seven and a half million people, the forefront and creativity that crosses of whom nearly two thirds live in the met- frontiers. ropolitan area of Barcelona. The Mediterranean way of life, bustling Barcelona is on the shores of the Mediter- streets and pleasant weather of Barcelona ranean Sea and a couple of hours drive attract skilled professionals, entrepre- from France. It is also well connected to neurs, researchers and students from major Spanish and European cities through around the world. excellent air, rail and road links. It is a very lively and densely populated city, where roughly 1.6 million people If you are thinking of exploring Barcelona inhabit its 100 square kilometres of land. and the surrounding region as a tourist However, the real Barcelona is a much before relocating, you can visit the official larger metropolitan area composed of tourism websites of Catalonia, www. nearly 200 municipalities with five million catalunya.com, and of Barcelona www. residents. The Barcelona metropolitan barcelonaturisme.com and www.bcn. area is characterised by its demographical- cat/turisme ly diverse and socially cohesive population and the continuity of its urban landscape: one can leave Barcelona and enter a dif- ferent municipality without even noticing it just by crossing a street. Its residents say that it is a dynamic, cos- mopolitan city of contrasts, a city bounded by the sea and the mountains where wide avenues and modern skyscrapers coexist with narrow medieval streets and contemporary urban life is enriched by its fascinating history. Other hallmarks of the city are its strong entrepreneurial culture based on rigour, future vision, ambition, capacity for in- 10 Barcelona is a multilingual city with two Catalan culture official languages. Here as in the rest of Catalonia, Spanish shares co-official status with Catalan, the language of Catalonia. The Catalan language is a cherished, indispensable part of Catalan identity and culture, and it will surely play an important role in your everyday life in Barcelona. Most locals, especially those living in urban areas such as Barcelona, can be consid- ered balanced bilinguals. This means that they can switch between Catalan and Spanish with little to no effort. In fact, many Catalans instinctively speak to foreigners in Spanish. In addition, a part La Rambla of Barcelona’s population is composed of immigrants or descendants of immigrants Catalan society has a long tradition of from other parts of Spain who consider autonomy and cultural uniqueness. In Spanish their mother tongue and home Spain, the Catalan people are known for language. Spanish is widely used in Barce- their motivation and commitment to work, lona, in the home, in the street and in the values rooted in a strong mercantile tradi- media, and if you speak the language you tion. They can also be perceived as serious can communicate with the locals as soon and reserved, but this should never be as you arrive. interpreted as unfriendliness but rather a clearer division between professional and The importance of the Catalan language personal relationships. Catalans, serious in all areas of Catalan life is undeniable. as they are in business affairs, are at their A large number of Catalan families exclu- most extroverted and lively when sur- sively speak Catalan in the home and con- rounded by family and friends. Catalans sider it their language of identity. Catalan are Spanish in their vitality and zest for is the language of instruction in schools life, and for all the importance they place in Catalonia, where Spanish and a foreign on hard work, they always put social and language, usually English, are also taught. family life first. With just the right amount In the region’s universities, although teach- of respect and amiability, you will have no ing is conducted in both Spanish and Cata- trouble at all finding pleasant colleagues, lan, the latter is adopted as institutional good neighbours and even lifelong friends language and is thus used in administrative among Barcelona’s locals. affairs. Local government bodies and insti- 11 tutions also conduct business in Catalan. In Barcelona and the rest of Catalonia, commercial signage is mostly in Catalan, For more information on the Catalan lan- and street, town and city names are always guage and Catalan language policy, visit in this language. For anyone planning to www.intercat.cat/lingcat and live in Barcelona, learning at least a little www20.gencat.cat/portal/site/Llengcat Catalan is highly recommended. To learn Catalan online, go to The good news is that Catalan, like Span- www.parla.cat ish, is a Romance language. Given the close proximity between these related lan- guages, if you speak Spanish (or French or Italian or any other language in the family) you are already one step ahead in learning Catalan. Apart from this, the Catalan gov- ernment and many of its universities and institutions offer free introductory courses as well as Internet learning resources. When you get to Barcelona or even before you arrive, there are a number of ways for you to learn Catalan. The presence of a regional language is just another feature that makes the cultural tapestry of Barcelona richer and more colourful. Knowledge of Catalan, though by no means required, will make your inte- gration into Catalan society easier.