Driving & Parking in Barcelona

Parking and driving in Barcelona can be difficult, expensive, and stressful, let alone trying to park close to the main tourist sites - and that's coming from a guy who is currently driving in Los Angeles. I would recommend ditching the car and trying to use Uber and/or Taxis, you'll be surprised by how affordable taxis can be in Spain.

Agree with the above poster. There are quite a few underground garages in the central city but street parking is almost impossible because it's either prohibited or there are too many other people wanting to park! Park in a garage and then use Uber. You'll see signs for the underground garages above ground and there is an electric sign that tells how many spots are currently available.

No Uber in Barcelona.

@iffm45, check if this is of any help: http://www.barcelona-access.cat/

Definitely no Uber in Barcelona. The taxi drivers have been on several strikes the past year and Uber has left the building.

I don't understand the love for Uber anyway in a big city like Barcelona, where the taxis are plentiful and well-regulated, and you can just take the first one you see instead of having to wait on/find "your" specific Uber car.

As others have said, don't drive, just taxi everywhere with your gentleman and you'll do great!

Using your own rental car for this plan is hopeless, just as it would be in Paris or New York City. Be sure to rent the smallest physical car you can fit your luggage in, because European parking garages (not to mention medieval streets in cities smaller than Barcelona) have much narrower space for each individual car.

I won't say that I have never parked on the street in Europe, but it's just a matter of dumb luck, and lots of time crawling in traffic to get there. A car is a hindrance in most cities of the world.

My 93-year old mother is a serious fall risk, and I take her all over New York in a folding wheelchair which is a drag, believe me. But I don't expect special treatment for her. She can't even easily get a handicapped permit because she doesn't own the car. It would take days of paperwork and multiple personal appearances, and we still wouldn't be guaranteed to find an open space. And I'd need the b**ls to park in rush-hour or No Parking Anytime spaces like city employees do!

I was under the impression that Uber had resumed operations since last year under new licensing regulations, similar to the current taxi licenses, I guess they have been forced underground once again.

I don't understand the love for Uber anyway in a big city like Barcelona, where the taxis are plentiful and well-regulated,

Well taxis can plentiful in Barcelona, except when they are not, this is especially the case when you are outside of the main "tourist circuit", it's always good to have a backup, especially in this case, with an 86 year old man who may not be able to walk to the next bus/metro stop.

Uber/Lyft has come very much in hand for me, in other large cities like London, Santiago de Chile, Warsaw, and Los Angeles etc. when one is standing around for 15+ minutes waiting for a plentiful taxi to drive by, and non seem to exist.