5 reasons why Barcelona is the perfect city for your next event

Barcelona, the second biggest metropolis in Spain, is a cosmopolitan city, where culture, art, business, sport and social activities converge on an enchanting seaside urban paradise.

Thanks to its incredible architecture, infrastructure, modern conference hotel venues and impressive scenery, Barcelona has become one of the leading MICE destinations in Europe.

Some of the world’s most prestigious events and business activities take place in Barcelona, including EU summits and the annual IBTM World, as well as a variety of international conferences. If you are visiting an international event from Canada make sure you have all the correct documentation from the Spanish embassy vancouver to not disturb your trip.

Read on to find out five of the reasons why Barcelona is a perfect choice for your next meeting or event and a popular MICE destination. 

1. Top conference hotels in Barcelona

Barcelona provides an excellent selection of conference hotels, suitable for the most intimate business get together or huge corporate congress or event. Large exhibitions and conventions are likely to take place in the Barcelona Trade Fair Centre or Congress Palace, and there are several excellent hotels with top meeting rooms within easy walking distance of both these venues.

The wide selection of available hotel venues ranges from the most luxurious 5-star hotels to 2- or 3-star accommodations. The so-called boutique hotels with their comfortable guest and meeting rooms offer a quirky alternative for the smaller meeting budget. Nevertheless, one of the virtues of choosing a bigger conference hotel venue in Barcelona for your event, conference or congress is having luxurious conference facilities and elegant meeting rooms for a larger audience. These venue hotels are an excellent choice for hosting any type of event.

2. Business tourism is booming in Barcelona

Incentive breaks for employees are an ideal way to reward top-performers, and Barcelona has everything needed to provide the most superb business tourist break. From the splendours of Gaudi’s architecture to the beach and ocean relaxations at nearby Barceloneta Beach, the city offers business visitors plenty of opportunity to unwind and revitalise. It could be said that the mild Spanish weather is one reason for high levels of business tourism, however, the city is also home to a diverse population with almost 20% of its residents hailing from outside Spain. This helps create a welcoming environment that feels homely to visitors from all over the world.  

3. Barcelona’s transport infrastructure cannot be beaten

Barcelona has excellent links to Europe and all international destinations. With the Prat Airport, which lies just a few miles away from the city centre, and the European and national rail linking directly into the central railway station Barcelona Sants, the city’s transport infrastructure really cannot be beaten. The Spanish rail infrastructure is excellent, with high-speed services operated by the national provider Renfe offering links throughout the width and breadth of the country. This makes it really easy for European as well as international business travellers to arrive by plane or train and explore some of the most historic Spanish attractions while staying in Barcelona.  Frequent bus and metro services connect all areas of the city, so business visitors can get around town easily.  

4. Barcelona’s restaurant scene is buzzing

Barcelona offers visitors the widest choice of restaurants and gourmet dining experiences. From Michelin-starred restaurants to beachside tavernas offering the freshest, locally caught fish dishes, any visitor to the city is spoilt for choice. Local tapas bars make it a simple matter to snack on local delicacies and traditional Spanish tapas dishes during daytime and into the early evening. In addition, many of the local conference hotel venues cater for private business dining and banqueting experiences. 

5. Historic Barcelona is full of surprises for any visitor

Visitors to Barcelona will vastly enjoy spare time spent exploring the maze of cobbled streets and alleys in the Old Town, and the vibrant street market culture of the city. Barcelona is also home to seven beautiful parks, including the famed Parc de la Ciutadella, while sea-loving visitors can enjoy ferry trips from the ancient port to destinations such as Alcudia, Palma, or Mahon. Some hidden gems of Barcelona that are well worth exploring include the amphitheatre in the Grec Gardens which was built in the 1920s and the Horta Labyrinth.  

Whether you are planning your next team meeting, an employee retreat, a business event or product launch, you should keep Barcelona in mind as the perfect city for your business events. The beauty of the city, its infrastructure and cultural activities, as well as the appetizing local cuisine and fun street life will impress every delegate and will make your event a remarkable experience.