Badalona travel guide

Badalona, Spain

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Badalona

Introduction

Badalona sits on the Mediterranean coast of Catalonia, on the left bank of the Besòs River and just to the north east of Barcelona, within the Barcelona metropolitan area. It has held city status since 1897.

Before you go

Badalona sits just beyond Barcelona, and the metro will get you into Barcelona's city centre in 15 to 25 minutes. Several NightBus services from Barcelona also stop here, which makes the city a practical fallback if you can't find cheap accommodation in Barcelona itself. It's a dormitory town for the capital, but it's also a developed city in its own right, with cultural attractions shaped by an eventful history and plenty of outdoor and entertainment options.

Come in summer if you want beaches without the crushing crowds of Barcelona — the sands here and in the towns to the north are noticeably quieter, and surfing, wind-surfing and kayaking are common among residents. Basketball is the sport you'll notice most: pavilions and open street courts are scattered around the city, it's the most popular game among schoolchildren, and watching friends and relatives play at the main pavilions is a standard local weekend activity.

Getting there

Badalona sits just beyond Barcelona's northern edge, and the easiest way in is on the R1 line of the RENFE train network, which stops at Badalona's station in the city centre, right by the sea. Barcelona's Metro also reaches the city: on the L2, the stations of Sant Roc, Gorg, Pep Ventura and Badalona Pompeu Fabra run south to north, with Badalona Pompeu Fabra right in the city centre. The L10 serves Llefià, La Salut and Gorg, while the T5/T6 lines also call at Gorg. Four stations on the L1 are planned, extending that line northward.

By road, the B-20 and C-31 highways run south-north through Badalona with several exits in the city, connecting to Barcelona's mountain-side and seaside highway belts respectively. North of Badalona the two converge into the C-31/C-32, which continues all the way to France; from the C-31 you can also join the N-II at the north end of the city, a road that crosses several seaside towns before heading inland towards Girona. Badalona also has a harbour if you arrive by boat.

Getting around

Badalona is a compact city, and most landmarks, cultural attractions and renowned restaurants and bars cluster around the centre and the sea side, so many places of interest are within walking distance of each other. Walking is a practical way to explore the central parts of the city and the seafront.

For longer journeys or outlying neighbourhoods, the city has an integrated public transport network run by several operators under the Metropolitan Transport Authority. Barcelona's metro serves Badalona: Line L2 stops at Sant Roc, Gorg, Pep Ventura and Badalona Pompeu Fabra, which is centrally located, while Line L10 serves Llefià, La Salut and Gorg, and the T5/T6 service also calls at Gorg. The RENFE commuter rail line R1 stops at the main train station in the centre near the seafront, handy for arriving from central Barcelona and other regional destinations. Trambesòs trams run within the city, including at Gorg, and a network of local and regional buses connects all parts of Badalona — TMB's H10 links Barcelona's Plaça de Sants with Olímpic, TUSGSAL runs B-prefixed lines to neighbourhoods and to Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Sant Adrià de Besòs and Barcelona, and NitBus routes cover late hours. Taxis and ride-hailing are available, and from Barcelona's airport you can reach Badalona by metro, the R1 commuter line or regional buses. Ticketing is integrated with the Barcelona metropolitan system, with single journey tickets and multi-day passes valid across metro, tram, bus and commuter rail.

Where to stay

For budget travellers, Badalona offers a small choice of hostels and guesthouses. Be Dream Hostel sits on Avinguda d'Alfons XIII, right next to the L2 Pep Ventura subway station, making it a convenient base if you want quick access to the metro. Hostal Badalona, on Carrer de Coll i Pujol, is about a seven-minute walk westward from the L2 Badalona Pompeu Fabra station. Both places keep you within easy reach of the metro network, so you can move between the coast and Barcelona without much effort. Book ahead if you're travelling in the warmer months, when demand for these few rooms tends to be higher.

Food & drink

For paellas and seafood, head to L'Estupendu on Carrer d'Eduard Maristany, in the Passeig Marítim. It's the one eating option the guide singles out, and it specialises in those two things, so plan your meal around them. Expect to pay somewhere in the mid-to-upper range for a meal here.

What to see and do

Start at the Pont del Petroli, a former oil-unloading dock turned public pier, where you can walk out for a wide panoramic view along the coast toward Barcelona; a weather station sits at the far end, and a statue of the Anís del Mono ape greets you at the entrance. It is a favourite spot for evening maritime walks and fishing. Nearby, the Badalona Museum takes you underground to the remains of the Roman city of Baetulo, including baths, part of a road and a group of shops, alongside archaeological finds and objects from later eras of art, craft and industry. Further out, the 15th-century Sant Jeroni de la Murtra monastery stands in a valley of the Marina mountain range, its Gothic architecture reached by the easy hiking paths locals use through the mountains. Badalona's calendar is anchored by the May festivities for its patron saint, Anastasi, when the city gathers on the maritime promenade for the Cremada del Dimoni, a devil-burning accompanied by fireworks launched from the beach. The month brings fire-runs, sardanes dancing, giants and big-heads, live music, and the Trobada dels Puntaires, when bobbin lacers work in public; the Festa Baix a Mar closes proceedings with a sardine-eating event on the beach. The annual town festivity falls on 15 August with music, fireworks and a public speech. For arts, the Filmets short film festival screens at the central Teatre Principal and Teatre Zorilla each November, and stand-up comedy plays in beach bars, pubs and theatres. Sport centres on the Pavelló Olímpic, home to Joventut de Badalona basketball most weekends and an international concert venue, while the long beach, broken only by the port, draws locals all summer for surfing, kayaking, sailing and wind-surfing.

Festivals & events

Badalona's calendar peaks in May, when several celebrations fall in quick succession. The Cremada del Dimoni, the burning of a devil effigy, anchors the month's festivities, alongside the Correfocs, with their fire-running processions through the streets. The Trobada dels Puntaires brings together lacemakers for a gathering devoted to their craft, while the Festa Baix a Mar takes the celebrations toward the seafront neighbourhood.

If you visit later in the year, the Filmets Festival in November offers a change of pace, dedicated to short films.

Three days in Badalona

Day one: Start in Badalona itself, a city on the Mediterranean in Catalonia, and get your bearings on foot. Walking is a good way to move between the neighbourhoods of Sant Roc, Gorg, Pep Ventura, Llefià and La Salut, and the Metro stops Badalona Pompeu Fabra and Pep Ventura put the centre within easy reach. The RENFE network also serves the city, and the Metropolitan Transport Authority coordinates the Metro, Trambesòs and TMB services that link Badalona with Barcelona and with Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Sant Adrià de Besòs along the Besòs River. If you are arriving from further away, the RENFE line runs north towards Girona and on to France.

Day two: Use the transport network to reach Barcelona, with Plaça de Sants and the Olímpic area among the stops you can aim for, and return to Badalona in the evening. TUSGSAL buses and the Metro make the trip between the two cities straightforward, and the RENFE line gives you another option. Come back to Badalona for the night rather than staying in Barcelona, so you keep the Mediterranean setting as your base.

Day three: Take in more of Badalona and its neighbours. Basketball is part of the local sporting scene, and the city's position on the Mediterranean gives you a coastal edge to your day. For getting around after dark, several NitBus and NightBus services run, so you are not stranded once the daytime Metro and Trambesòs schedules wind down. If your trip continues, the RENFE line heads north towards Girona and France, while the Metro and TMB network keeps Barcelona, Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Sant Adrià de Besòs within reach.

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