As in most large cities, park your car in Barcelona won’t be easy, especially in certain areas downtown at peak times of the day and if you don’t want to pay a penny. To save transportation problems, if you travel within the metropolitan area we suggest that you opt for the subway, the bus or the Ferrocarriles de la Generalitat. Still, if you have no other choice but to move by car and having to park it, there are some things you should know.
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Do you want to have your parking guaranteed when you arrive?
In Barcelona, there are basically three types of parking areas: the free ones, the green area and the blue area.
Free Parking
In the peripheral areas surrounding Barcelona that are less densely populated you can find free parking spots. Good examples are the Zona Universitària or the upper side of Poble Sec, near Montjuïc. In these areas, you can leave your car for long periods of time without having to pay anything, but you should routinely check that your vehicle hasn’t been towed away due to a sporting event or that your car hasn’t been stolen. One negative aspect of this parking spots is that it is not very useful if you live away from these areas, because once you’ve parked the car you must take public transportation to get to your home.
Related article: Paid parking in Barcelona
Green Area (Àrea Verda)
This area is indicated by green lines painted on the ground. It is divided into 22 zones and is very beneficial for the residents, who only pay 1 € per week to park there once they got the green area card, of course. For those who don’t have such identification, the rate is higher and they can’t park there for longer than 1 or 2 hours. From 1st to 31st of August all the parking spots on this area are free due to the summer holidays, except those which are exclusive to residents. For more information visit the website: www.areaverda.cat. You should always pay attention to traffic signs to make sure your vehicle is properly parked.
Blue Area (Àrea Blava)
It is a payment area for all users with a time limit parking, between 1 and 4 hours depending on the area. This blue area payment schedules are from Monday to Friday from 9am to 2pm and from 4pm to 8pm, and in beach areas or the city center those are extended until Saturday and even until Sundays and holidays. The purpose of this area is to promote high turnover of vehicles around service areas in Barcelona. If you want to park in this area you must purchase a ticket at the machines on the sidewalk and place it in a visible area of your car. Thus, if a Guardia Urbana officer passes by your car you won’t be fined.
Once you’ve parked your vehicle check that it is correctly placed to avoid fines or that the municipal crane take your car. Penalties for unauthorized parking are 100 € and the crane rate is at least 150 €, so be careful!
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Thank you for writing this article. I will be having guests this summer during August and it is nice to know that they may be able to take advantage of free parking in Barcelona. However, it is not clear to me how to determine where the green parking areas are for non-residents in Vallcarca. Where can I find this information? Thank you for any additional information you can provide.