Mumbai30 Nov 23 1 Traveller Economy
Showing International Flight from Barcelona
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 Kenya Airways
Kenya Airways Ltd., or better known as Kenya Airways, is the national flag carrier of Kenya. The airline was founded in 1977 after the disbandment of the East African Airways. Kenya Airways' headquarters is in Embakasi, Nairobi and its hub is at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the international airport of Nairobi. The airline was initially owned by the Government of Kenya. However, with privatisation taking place, the airline became the first African flag carrier to transform into a private entity, in 1996 successfully. Currently, the airline follows a public-private partnership model with the Government of Kenya holding the largest share of about 48.9 per cent. Meanwhile, KQ Lenders Company 2017 Ltd., owns 38.1 per cent of the shares, followed by KLM, which holds a 7.8 per cent stake in the airline. The remaining shares of the company are held by private owners. Kenya Airways' shares are traded on the Nairobi Stock Exchange, Uganda Securities Exchange and Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange. In 2010, the airline became a part of the SkyTeam airline alliance. It is also a member of the African Airlines Association and has been part of the same since 1977.
Kenya Airways was established in 1977 by the government of Kenya following the subsequent dissolution of East African Airways. The airline leased two Boeing 707-321s from British Midland Airways to inaugurate operations. It served the international route of Nairobi-Frankfurt-London as its first operation. The carrier also started regional and domestic route functions by deploying aircraft that were formerly a part of East African Airways' fleet. These included one Douglas DC-9-52 and three Fokker F-27-200s. In the early years of the airline, Aer Lingus offered technical and management backing to enhance its operations. Following the airline's privatisation, Swissair became the first company to offer the airline with privatisation advice. In the financial year of 1993-94, Kenya Airways recorded its first profit since commercialisation. International Finance Corporation was brought into the picture in 1994 to help provide assistance in the transition of the airline's privatisation process. Following the privatisation, several major airline players such as Lufthansa, British Airways, South African Airways and KLM expressed interest in acquiring stakes in Kenya Airways.
Eventually, the privatisation of the company was awarded to the Dutch airline company KLM, which enabled restructuring of the debt model. The airline also purchased 26 per cent of the shares in Kenya Airways to become the largest shareholder. The airline was also listed in the stock exchange with shares floating about. Meanwhile, the Kenya Government continued to hold 23 percent of its stake in the airline. In 2013, the airline brought forth low-cost carrier Jambojet, a subsidiary, wholly owned by Kenya Airways. The company also introduced African Cargo Handling Limited as part of its subsidiaries. As of 2018, the former CEO of LOT Polish Airlines, Sebastian Mikosz, has been appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kenya Airways Group. The airline has also announced that they plan to start high-end flights to cater to luxury-tourism destinations across the Indian Ocean. They are also planning to collaborate with South African Airways for route-sharing and aircraft-maintenance. In 2005, the airline changed its livery from the four stripes that ran through the length of the fuselage to the company's slogan, Pride of Africa. Meanwhile, Kenya Airways' logo was also replaced with a stylised K and an encircled with a Q.
Fleet size of Kenya Airways
Kenya Airways has a fleet size of 40 with only Boeing aircraft and about 15 Embraer 190AR. Much of the fleet's aircraft include Boeing 737-700, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 787-8. As per recent developments, four of the converted Boeing 737-300s were delivered by the parent company to Kenya Airways in 2013. Kenya Airways aims to use this aircraft and fly to African routes which are currently being served by Embraer 190s. The plan is to boost the cargo capacity for the airline. In 2011, the airline had nine Boeing 787 Dreamliners on order. The company had considered cancelling the aircraft order owing to the consistent delays in delivery dates. Following the handover of its first Boeing 787 took place in 2014, following which, the airline introduced the Nairobi-Paris route. Eventually, Kenya Airways managed to phase out its Boeing 777 aircraft by 2015. There were several losses and debts incurred due to which the airline had to take such a step. They leased the Boeing 777-300ER fleet to Turkish Airlines in 2016 as a means to pay off some of the debts.
Baggage Allowance
The baggage allowance on Kenya Airways is standard compared to the other international airlines. The passenger is allowed to carry 32 kg per piece of baggage for business class. The weight should not exceed the weight as mentioned by the airline. Kenya Airways allows the purchase of extra baggage on its website as well as the check-in counter. As for passengers travelling in economy class, the weight of baggage should not exceed 23 kg per piece of baggage. The airline does allow a maximum of two pieces of baggage to both business and economy class ticket holders. There are provisions to purchase extra baggage, but even with the additional purchase, there are some exceptions. Details of the same can be received at the airline's website. Frequent flyer members who have a membership with SkyTeam get additional perks in terms of baggage allowance. Passengers can carry three instead of two pieces of baggage with the same weight and dimensions as set by the airline. Hand baggage rules are slightly different as the airline does not allow more than specific dimensions that have been stated for varied aircraft.
In-flight services
Kenya Airways promises exquisite in-flight services for its business class and economy class cabins. When you travel to their business class, be assured that the experience is going to be every bit luxe as one can expect. The seats in the business class are extremely comfortable and even recline. The same can be expected from the economy class cabin too as the leather seats are comfortable and have enough leg room provisions. One can even upgrade the seats to a better one with more legroom. The Dreamliner has by far the best benefits and in-flight services compared to other Kenya Airways fleets. The airline's official website even has a map of the seating layout that prospective passengers can check out before they pick a seat.
Depending on the aircraft, the seating configuration and type of seats are mentioned. Other in-flight services and benefits include a dedicated entertainment deck installed at every seat. Passengers can get access to some of the most recent entertainment content such as movies, music, TV shows and more. Depending on whether it is a short/medium/long haul flight, the airline also provides complimentary in-flight meal service. You will be able to relish global cuisine while you travel from the airline's flight. The stewards and flight attendants provide exemplary hospitality and are very friendly. Passengers can approach them for any requirement. Blankets, pillows, noise-cancelling earphones and other such amenities can also be requested in the flight. The airline will provide the necessary kit to the passenger.
Popular routes and top cities for Kenya Airways
The initial years of Kenya Airways witnessed popular international route connectivity to destinations such as Addis Ababa, Cairo, Bombay, Frankfurt, London, Rome, Jeddah, Zurich, Seychelles, Copenhagen, Athens, Mauritius, Salisbury, Kampala, Karachi and more. Domestic routes of Kenya Airways included flights to Kisumu, Mumias, Mombasa and Malindi. In 1982, the airline also launched a direct non-stop flight between Nairobi and Bombay while using a Boeing 707-320Bs. Following the success and reception of the flights to European destinations, the airline further invested in boosting the said international route by accommodating an Airbus A310-200 that was leased from Condor. Owing to cost-cutting measures, the airline announced in 2012 that they will be suspending services to Rome and Muscat, following a tremendous drop of 50 per cent profit in the financial year 2011-12. Flight connections to Delhi were also terminated in 2014. Meanwhile, newer routes connecting to cities such as Livingstone, Zambia, Cape Town, Abuja, were added.
Currently, the airline serves about 53 destinations across 41 countries. Some of the destinations include Bangui, Douala, Moroni, Abidjan, Kisangani, Lubumbashi, Cairo, Addis Ababa, Paris, Accra, Mumbai, Rome, Malindi, Mombasa, Lilongwe, Port Louis, Maputo, Amsterdam, Mahe, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Geneva, Kilimanjaro, Bangkok, Dubai, London, New York City, Ndola, Hanoi and Victoria Falls.
Why travel by Kenya Airways?
Kenya Airways has expanded tremendously in the last few years, following some upgrades and addition of facilities. They have extended their domestic route connectivity by adding more cities and destinations. Similarly, the airline has also terminated some of its previous international routes to accommodate new connections. Booking a Kenya Airways flight online is quite easy as it is available on all travel portals. Even their official website caters to all flight booking, web check-in, flight status and other such facilities. Travellers can know more about Kenya Airways' flight schedules too on their website. The baggage allowance is standard as per global aviation protocols. However, with its great connectivity and in-flight services, Kenya Airways is the best airline to choose for travelling within the African continent.
