Internet connection for travelers in Barcelona

 

How to get internet for your smartphone in Barcelona

 

If you intend to spend more than 2 days in the country, it is good to get a local SIM card so you can stay connected with your friends and family and share your travel experience.

 

Good news: last June roaming was canceled in Europe so if you already have a card bought in any country of the European Union, you have nothing to worry about! Wherever you are in the EU, you will not be charged any roaming fees.

 

Still, Internet connection is always welcome, especially if you are exploring a new city. So we will tell you how to get the internet for your smartphone in Barcelona if you come from a different region.

 

 

WIFI BARCELONA

Barcelona WiFi is a service provided by Barcelona City Council that allows you to connect to the internet through WiFi access points located throughout the city. They can be found everywhere, such as museums, parks, city markets, libraries, and even the beach...

In order to connect to Barcelona WiFi, you have to provide your email address, say whether you are a resident of Barcelona and accept the conditions of use.

Unfortunately, the connection speed isn’t the fastest, but you can use it to connect for a moment to Facebook, Whatsapp or google some info. But because sometimes this service doesn’t work perfectly, we have other suggestions on how to get your smartphone connected to the internet in Barcelona.

 

CAFÉS, BARS, AND RESTAURANTS

Another option is access to the Internet that some local businesses offer their clients. The easiest way is to go to one of the main fast food or coffeehouse chains, but there are also a lot of local cafés and local bars that, in addition to having great coffee and local gastronomic specialties, also offer free connection to their customers. Look for a sticker or sign that says ‘WiFi Gratis’.

 

MOBILE APPS

There are some mobile apps that work as communities where users share passwords to free WiFi Access points. These apps are completely legal because it is not about getting the password to your neighbor's WiFi (this is, indeed, something illegal), but instead, show you open WiFi access nearby. Then you can find passwords to public WiFi networks that sometimes are protected by a password that is not always public like many bars, restaurants, and hotels have.

Some of these apps for Android are WifiMap, Swift WiFi y Wiman.

 

PREPAID SIM CARDS

Another good option, if you come from outside the EU and intend to spend a while longer in the city, might be getting a local SIM card, so you can stay connected with your friends and family and share your travel experiences.

In many convenience stores, you can buy prepaid SIM cards with data or calling minutes. We recommend you to buy a Lebara sim card, with 3 GB of data for only 6 euros — it should be enough to navigate, use Google Maps, play our treasure hunts and make calls through WhatsApp.

 

RENT A PERSONAL HOTSPOT

One last option, ideal for a group of friends or family that need to be connected at all times, is the service WiFi Vox. You can rent a portable modem, a personal hotspot, that gives you unlimited access to Internet 24 hours a day, and that allows you to connect up to 10 devices simultaneously (laptops, tablets, smartphones…). This service costs 6,99€ per day, so it might be a good solution if you only stay for a few days, and yet you need constant and reliable access to the Internet or if you want to share it with friends.

06.03.19