Barcelona to Dammam Turkish Flights

  About Barcelona

Snuggled up by the Mediterranean Sea on the coast of Spain is the beautiful city of Barcelona. The Mediterranean metropolis is one of the largest in Spain and has global recognition as one of the best cities to vacation at. Barcelona is a world leader in the tourism, financial and cultural industries with a tremendous contribution towards fields of sports, entertainment, arts, fashion and science. Barcelona has excellent connectivity with various other European cities via domestic and international routes. In fact, through the port, many cities can actually reach Barcelona, in style.

The bustling energy of the city is something that can only be experienced in person and not just in movies. Barcelona's fervent atmosphere will marvel you, as will the enthusiasm of the locals.

Best time to visit Barcelona

Barcelona is a town of celebration which sees lovely hues and carnivals irrespective of the sticky humidity. The months from May to June are when the temperatures act extra favourable to the tourists and even the residents of the city. With temperatures close to 22 degree Celsius, the summers certainly add more charm to the place. Witness a flurry of festivities that envelop the city as the onset of summer brings varied hues with it. For people travelling from hotter countries, the weather would certainly be a treat. Thanks to the numerous carnivals that take place in the city during springtime, it definitely adds more reasons to visit Barcelona in the said season. Events such as Verbene de Sant Joan and Sonar are some of the festivals that you would enjoy during spring. Although the tourism activities drop come September, the temperature is quite pleasant as it ranges from 20 degree Celsius to 23 degree Celsius. With rains taking over the city, not many tourists are able to visit the beach. Being a coastal delight to many, the lack of beach time automatically reduces the tourist potential.

The summers easily become a high point in Barcelona's tourism. The months July and August especially see a throng of tourists relishing the Mediterranean sun while they hit the lush beaches. Due to this being the peak season, it is obviously going to come with some expensive flight tickets and accommodations. Events such as El Grec and Festa Major de Gracia further attract more tourists to the city. If you want a relaxing vacation which also falls under a good budget, spring is the time for you to fly to Barcelona. The city has exquisite accommodations and even Bnbs. You can book hotels in Barcelona's luxury hotels such as Almanac, W, Mandarin Oriental, The Serras, etc., or go for backpacking and check in to hostels. Either way, you will receive excellent treatment as the staff in Barcelona are quite friendly and happy-to-go.

Places to visit in Barcelona

Barcelona's beaches and coasts might take up most of your attention but do give the city's Catalan-styled infrastructure a peek too. The city has ornate churches, parks, museums and of course, sparkling blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea will marvel you. You can simply walk through the beautiful streets of Barcelona and check out some of their whimsical structures. Some of the flamboyant places to visit in the city include Park Güell, La Sagrada Familia and Casa Batlló. While you're venturing out to check out the city, do not miss Barri Gótic, which translates to the Gothic Quarter. These are the oldest parts of the city. The scenic city streets with alfresco cafes and clubs will definitely get your attention. To see the works of famed artist Pablo Picasso, visit the famed museum Museu Picasso, also located in the city. For the tourists who love the sport football and have a soft spot for FC Barcelona, visiting Camo Nu Stadium should be on your list of places to visit. The UNESCO World Heritage Site, Barcelona's Palau de la Música Catalana (Palace of Catalan Music) will amaze you with stellar acoustics and architectural features.

Things to do in Barcelona

La Barceloneta Beach is undoubtedly the best and the most popular beach in Barcelona that you should check out. There are various water sport activities that take place on the beach, which would entertain you. You can even take surfing sessions or parasailing, to name a few activities. The beach also has some amazing restaurants and food establishments where you will find lip-smacking seafood. While you're having fun at the beach, you should also sign up for a wine tour, especially if it's harvest season. Not only will you get to relish some of the finest wines made in the country, but you'll also get to interact with people from different parts of the world. The city also has a great nightlife with pubs and parties, some even held at the beach. A walk down Las Ramblas will be a fun experience for you since they have some amazing shops for souvenirs and local artworks.

Food and restaurants in Barcelona

Barcelona's cuisine is a perfect melange of traditional Spanish and Mediterranean dishes. From delicious gazpachos to Catalonian classics, you will get the best food experience in Barcelona. There is a lot of history infused in their cuisine which makes their food, a trip of its own. While the rest of Spain is big on dishes made from meat, the Catalonian food has more fish as the base for meals. It would help you tremendously to know what to expect in terms of food in Barcelona. With heavy investment in meat, you should make sure that you have enough room to try their varied cuisine. Catalans have a thing for mixing meat and experimenting with the flavours of diverse meat. It shouldn't surprise you to see chicken and prawns being served to you on a platter. That is just the way they roll. Paella is, of course, the biggest seller in terms of Spanish food in Barcelona. In fact, even Fideuà, a type of paella, is a rage in Barcelona and something you should try. The food culture is another reason why Barcelona stands at a high rank in the list of best places to visit in the world.

While they do love their meat, the food served in Barcelona also sees a nice balance of grilled vegetables nestled against marinated meat. Vegetarians need not worry as there are dishes for your taste buds as well. One traditional dish that you should definitely check out is the escalivada, grilled eggplant tossed with red peppers, olive oil and garlic. Another recipe for the vegetarian folks is the pa amb tomàquet snack, which is basically a bread topped with crushed tomatoes, olive oil and garlic. Make sure to save some room for desserts as well. Savouries such as Mel i mató (extracted from goat cheese) to Cava (Catalan sparkling wine), these dishes complement the classic Catalan rendition of creme brulee, also known as crema Catalana. Some of the best places to indulge in the Catalan and Spanish cuisine are La Patsa Lab, The Coffee House Barcelona, BelleBuon, Billy Brunch. You can further explore more taste at Pizzeria Da Nanni Barcelona, Manna Gelats, Chaka Khan, La Cava Cakery, Don Kilo Restaurant, Teoric Taverna Gastronomica, to name a few.

How to reach Barcelona

By Air

Located on the South coast of Spain, the city can best be reached via air. There are many international routes connected to Barcelona via air, making travelling convenient. Barcelona El Prat International airport has brilliant flight connectivity from Barcelona to major international cities, including India. Although there are no direct flights to Barcelona from India, many flights connecting to the Spanish city with layovers in London, Zurich, Munich, Singapore, to name a few. As one of the biggest tourist attractions in Spain, the city of Barcelona sees a good number of tourists throughout the year. Flight tickets to Barcelona from India are a little expensive, especially round trips. However, if you manage to book your flight tickets beforehand, you might find some great online flight deals to Barcelona. This might even help you cover your accommodation expenses. As a city catering to tourists, often the hospitality and accommodation prices are quite steep. However, as long as you make prior hotel bookings in Barcelona, you will not have much to worry about. You can either opt for luxury stays or go for hostels and homestays.

By Rail

Flight tickets to Barcelona from India could be expensive since it is a high-priced city, to begin with. However, the flight tickets to Madrid from India are comparatively very cheap and affordable. What you can do as a substitute to save up on some euros and get the best of both cities would be to fly to Madrid and use Madrid's domestic rail route to Barcelona. There are many trains to Barcelona from Madrid, Malaga, Zaragoza, Seville and Valencia. Not to mention how Barcelona also has impeccable train connectivity to French cities such as Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse and more.

By Sea

Considering how it is of the busiest ports in the Mediterranean Sea, Barcelona has great connectivity from the sea as well. There are many ships and cruises that connect the city with other European cities such as Rome, Nice, Marseilles, Corsica, Sardinia and more. If you are planning to backpack across Western Europe, then taking a boat or ferry ride to Barcelona from one of these city ports would be a fun voyage. Not to mention how you'll have a good time cruising the Mediterranean Sea.

  About Dammam

Dammam is the sixth-largest city of Saudi Arabia and capital of the Eastern Province of the kingdom. It got its name from the Arabic word 'Dawwama' which means whirlpool. The city has grown potentially and now accounts for about a quarter of the world's total oil reserves. It was the discovery of oil wells in this region that led to its overnight growth and quick success. The city has a growing population of about 1.5 million. The locals here follow their culture and traditions strictly, no matter how much they embrace modernisation in terms of their standard of life. As the city is developing, it is also focusing on making it more tourist-friendly. Dammam has quite a lot of tourist attractions in the city, mainly for you to go with your families. The Dolphin Village has become quite popular and is one place your kids will definitely love. Like most cities in UAE, Dammam also has a vibrant and active shopping scene. You can buy from the top brands, or you can go shopping in the local markets, the choice is yours. Not to mention, you will love the food here.

Best Time to Visit Dammam

Most cities and countries in the UAE witnessed only two seasons, extreme summer and extreme winter. November to April is when Dammam experiences winter. The temperature ranges from 13 to 30 degree Celsius and while the days are warm, the nights get chilly. This is a high tourist season for Dammam. Make sure you book your hotel in Dammam several weeks in advance because the prices will increase closer to winter and availability also might be an issue. You will also have to book your flight tickets to Damman in advance. If done at the last moment, it might get difficult to get cheap flight tickets to Dammam. All the tourist attractions will be accessible during this time. The weather is slightly warmer in March and April as compared to the previous month. Dammam has a couple of diving academies that you can visit during this time if you want to learn diving. The water will not be too cold as compared to December, January and February. It will neither be too cold nor too hot. You can also go on a food tasting tour in winter.

May to October is summer in Dammam, and the temperature reaches up to a maximum of 41-degree Celsius. June to August are the hottest months in the city. The scorching heat makes it unbearable for you to step out or sign up for any sightseeing tours for the day. However, evenings and nights are comparatively pleasant. Since the locals also observe fast during Ramadan, a lot of them are given week offs from work. This is a low season for tourism in the country, and you won't even get access to all of the tourist attractions in the city. Needless to say, the hotel prices drop during summer, courtesy the low season. You might, however, come across interesting flight deals to Dammam online and at better prices. It is highly recommended that you travel to Dammam only during winters.

Places to Visit in Dammam

Dammam has a couple of beautiful corniches and also houses a human-made Coral Island. The city is slowly rising as one of the hot vacation destinations and already has a couple of interesting things lined up for tourists. Dolphin Village is one of the major attractions in Dammam. It is situated at the entrance of Coral Island and offers air-conditioned lounge seats so you can catch the dolphin and seal shows with your family and friends. You will have to pay a nominal fee to enter, but it is worth every penny. Make sure you get the best seats though, and to get that, you might have to reach quite early. You can also head to Adventure World that has indoor games, rides and play areas for kids along with some dining options. You can also head to Murakkabat Mountain Park to enjoy the lush greenery amidst a desert. You can either jog here or take a stroll in the park. Share Al-Hob (Love) Market is another tourist spot that you must head to if you want to go on a shopping spree. You can buy a lot of traditional goods here and a couple of souvenirs for your family and friends, too.

Coral Island is a human-made wonder in Dammam that you cannot miss. This is one of the best tourist attractions in the entire city. You can also head to Heritage Village to get a feel of the Saudi culture. Tarout Castle is yet another marvellous tourist attraction that was built in 1600 BC. You can also visit the Dammam Regional Museum. The speciality about the museum is that there are six halls here, each of them showcasing six different categories from the stone age. You can head to Half Moon Bay if you want to learn how to dive and King Fahad Park to relive your childhood.

Things to do in Dammam

One of the first things to do in Dammam is to try the food here. Middle Eastern cuisine is popular all over the world, and there is nothing better than trying it in the Middle East itself. You can either sign up for a guided tour of the city or explore the city on your own. Head over to Heritage Village to get a glimpse of the Saudi culture. Dammam is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and even though it has embraced a modern way of living, the locals make sure they keep their tradition alive. Dammam is the perfect place to head to for a family vacation, especially if you have kids. The Dolphin Village and Adventure World are two of the most entertaining attractions in the city. You can also head to the Tarout Castle, which was built in 1600 BC. If you go for a guided tour of the castle, you will get to know more about the inception of the castle and interesting stories around it. The King Fahad Park is another tourist attraction you can head to spend some leisure time with your family and to relive your own childhood. The city also has several diving academies that you can enrol into and learn how to dive. However, this might only be possible during early winter and late summer when the temperatures are normal. It might get a tad uncomfortable to dive underwater during winter when it is already cold outside, and while summer is the best time to go underwater diving, that's probably the only thing you will get to do on your trip.

Food and Restaurants in Dammam

Dammam is popular for its middle eastern cuisine. Though you get to try cuisines from all over the world in every city in Saudi Arabia, it is the middle eastern food that people love the most. Heritage Village is a very popular restaurant with a very comfortable decor that makes the dining atmosphere delightful. If you are in the mood for some American-style steaks, you can head to Steak House. Manoosha Alreef is popular for its fast food and Lebanese cuisine. Head over to Brasa de Brasil Churrascaria for authentic Brazilian food and to Fayrouz Lebanese Restaurant for lip-smacking middle easter and Lebanese cuisine. You can also try some of the high-end restaurants in the city like Asahi Oan-Asian Restaurant for Japanese and Asian food, Kunefeci for Turkish cuisine, View Cafe for Indian and Arabic cuisines, and Al Diwan for barbecue. Finding a decent restaurant that serves vegetarian food might be a tad difficult since most tourists and locals, too, are meat lovers. However, the food scene is barely disappointing in Dammam, and you will leave both impressed and satiated.

How to reach Dammam (Transportation)

King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia is the third major hub for Saudia, which was called Saudi Arabian Airlines before. The flight connectivity to Dammam from India is excellent. Gulf Air and AirArabia have frequent flights to Dammam from India with layovers at Manama and Sharjah. Getting cheap flight tickets to Dammam is not very difficult if you book at the right time. You can also look up exciting flight deals to Dammam online. You might end up getting a good deal if you have planned an impromptu trip. Getting a taxi or shuttle service from the airport to your hotel is quite convenient and not much of a hassle. The staff at the airport is also quite helpful. If you have to wait for a long time to board your flight, you have lots of options inside the airport to help pass the time. The airport is well-equipped with WiFi, smoking areas, restaurants, lounges, cafes, duty-free shops, currency exchange, ATMs and a lot more. In fact, you will also get through immigration and all the other formalities quite quickly since the staff is very efficient.

  About Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines is the national flag carrier to the country of Turkey. The airline has excellent scheduled services to destinations across Europe, North and South American, Asia and Africa. It is one of the largest mainline carriers in the world with respect to passenger destinations. Turkish Airlines is also recognised as one of the only airlines to serve non-stop flights to a plethora of destinations from a single airport. It flies to about 126 countries directly, which is more than any other airline prevalent in the world. The airport also has an operational fleet of 24 cargo aircraft. Turkish Airlines' corporate headquarters is located at the Turkish Airlines General Management Building, which is on the grounds of Istanbul Atatürk Airport in Ye?ilköy, Bak?rköy, Istanbul. The Istanbul Airport in Arnavutkoy is Turkish Airlines' main hub base. The second hubs for the airline are Ankara Esenbo?a Airport and ?zmir Adnan Menderes Airport. In 2008, the airline also became part of the Star Alliance airline carrier network.

Founded in 1933, the airline was originally called as Turkish State Airlines and worked under the Ministry of National Defence. The airline underwent tremendous issues in the 1980s and 90s and even received a reputation for extremely poor customer service and flight delays. There are hijackings and other such concerns that took over, including the 1974 crash of the Turkish Airlines Flight 981 when the aircraft's flaw in design led to a massive accident that resulted in deaths of passengers. However, the airline's officials worked on fixing all the problems one after the other. While the necessary flight-related concerns were being fixed, Turkish Airlines continued to extend its international reach by attracting codeshare agreements with airlines such as American Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines. Asiana Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Czech Airlines. Turkey's economic crisis also led to a reduction in the domestic route airline passenger traffic. Further, a war in Iraq in 2003 affected the closing of some international routes.

Turkish Airlines has grown phenomenally despite all the trials and tribulations. After much political dissonance and other complications witnessed by Turkish Airlines, the airline also recovered from its financial losses in 2017. The profitability witnessed a 35 per cent increase in turnover. Turkish Airlines has managed to find its glorious reputation of being one of the top airlines in the world yet again. Several miles and frequent-flyer programs have also been introduced by Turkish Airlines. The airline has been an official carrier to several football clubs including Manchester United, FC Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Aston Villa and FK Sarajevo, to name a few. Renowned athletes like Lionel Messi, Kobe Bryant, Wayne Rooney, Kevin Costner and Didier Drogba have been roped in for sponsorship and promotions deals by the airlines. Turkish Airline has been recognised with several accolades by Skytrax. Some of the titles received by the airline include Europe's Best Airline, World's Best Premium Economy Class Airline Seat and Southern Europe's Best Airline for consecutive years.

Fleet size of Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines' fleet size stands at 353 aircraft. The airline only has aircraft variants from the Airbus and Boeing family. Some of the aircrafts namely Airbus A319-100s, Airbus A321-200, Airbus A330-300s, Boeing 737-800s, Boeing 777-300ERs, Airbus A321neo and more are part of the fleet. In 2016, the airline announced that it was delaying the delivery of about 39 Boeing and Airbus aircraft due to a drop in the air traffic. Turkish Airlines was originally supposed to bring in a committed 167 aircraft including 92 Airbus A321neos, 65 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 10 Boeing 737 MAX 9s. Additionally, the airline was also slated to receive about 10-32 aircraft in 2018. However, the orders have been pushed through 2023 as the airline's outstanding orders are yet to be received. In 2019, the airline did receive its first-ever Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which was ordered back in March 2018. The airline has shown keen interest in acquiring Airbus A220 and Embraer E190/E195 to serve new destinations.

Baggage Allowance

The checked baggage allowance on Turkish Airlines is 32 kg. The passengers are allowed to carry 32 kg weighed baggage for free. The weight is applicable to single baggage that a passenger can carry. Beyond the stated baggage allowance, Turkish Airlines will not accept more. It is recommended that the passenger avoid carrying unnecessary and restricted items in their baggage. This might turn into a concern if you are travelling within a new city. Additionally, the passenger is also entitled to carry a piece of baggage that weighs not more than 23 kg. The luggage cannot exceed the weight stated by the airline. Similarly, the airline has also put forth a dimension for the baggage that needs to be followed. The dimension of the bags cannot exceed a total of 115 cm. The cabin baggage that is allowed by the airline is also cannot be more than 8 kg. As long as the piece of baggage's measurements falls under the dimension of 23x40x55 cm, the airline will accommodate the same. Along with the hand baggage, Turkish Airline also allows a small bag such as a handbag or a laptop bag that can be rested under the seat.

Passengers are allowed to carry musical instruments, sports equipment and other fragile items along with them on board. However, there are certain restrictions and rules that need to be followed by the traveller to ensure that no problem crops up. In case passengers are flying with infants, Turkish Airlines also has reservations to cater to the needs of the travellers. The airline provides spaces for strollers and other equipment too, which can be availed by passengers. Similarly, passengers who have physical disability and mobility issues can carry crutches and equipment to help them move around.

In-flight services

Turkish Airlines' in-flight services promise comfort and luxury. The seating is exquisite as the reclining chairs have a capacity to add to the comfort of the passenger. Further, the business class and economy class also offer legroom and adjustable footrest that can add to the luxury of the traveller. The seats are also capable of turning into comfortable beds with a lift-up seat design. Following the exquisite seating arrangement, the airline also offers phenomenal in-flight services. There are entertainment systems that are personalised and cater to individual passengers. The seats also come with power plug systems to help with the charging of portable electronic gadgets. For medium and long haul flights, the airline has in-flight meals too. They are complementary and can be requested to the airline ahead of the journey.

Much of the dishes that can be found in meals served in the economy class of Turkish Airlines include Turkish dishes. There are hot and cold beverages as well as snack services also available onboard. Interestingly, the airline also offers amenity kit as part of their ticket. The kit includes a sleep mask, toothbrush, toothpaste, socks, earplugs and lip balm. The airline has reserved entertainment content for kids travelling with parents. The in-flight entertainment systems have in-built games, films, music and a range of TV channels for children. The airline also has toy sets that can be requested on board.

Popular routes and top cities for Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines is known to have an immaculate domestic route and international route connectivity. The airline flies to more than 50 domestic cities and 244 international destinations that have been spread across 123 countries. Turkish Airlines has flights reserved for about 108 cities in Turkey and Europe. As for other continents, the airline connects to 64 Asian cities and 19 cities in the Americas. Outside of Turkey, Turkish Airlines sees a large number of flights serving Germany, Russia, Italy, the United States, France, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Spain and the United Kingdom. These countries see the maximum number of flights being chartered by the airline. The airline also provides carrier services to Indian cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Ahmedabad.

Why travel by Turkish Airlines?

Turkish Airlines has built a reputation for its excellent domestic route and international route connections. With flights catering to over 315 destinations worldwide, the airline has become one of the most sought-after options. Despite several complications and concerns that have cropped up over the years, Turkish Airlines has seen tremendous growth. It has upgraded its passenger fleet and even enhanced the facilities that make it more accessible for travellers. You can find and even book a Turkish Airlines flight on the airline's official website. Simultaneously, you will be able to find out more about the flight details such as flight status on the site. Often passengers even get their web check-in done on the official website. If you download the airline's app from Play Store, you can further get hold of details on Turkish Airlines' flight schedule. The in-flight services of Turkish Airlines also add to the world-class facilities that can be availed at the airport and the flight. The airline has dedicated first and business class lounges installed at the airports.