Mumbai30 Dec 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 LOT Polish Airlines
LOT Polish Airlines which is legally incorporated as Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT S.A., is the official flag carrier of Poland. The airline is based out of Warsaw in Poland and came into existence in 1928. It is recognised as one of the oldest airlines in the world that is still operating. The airline celebrates an illustrious fleet comprising about 100 aircraft and is known to connect to over 120 destinations spread across the continents of North America, Europe and Asia. LOT Polish Airlines' hub is at Warsaw Chopin Airport as well as Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport. It is also a member of the Star Alliance group. Established as a self-governing corporation by the Polish government in 1928, the airline initially started with a focus mainly on domestic routes and to take over operations from Aerolot and Aero. The first aircraft to be added to the LOT Polish Airlines fleet were Junkers F.13 and Fokker F.VII. They soon began their international route services in 1929 by chartering a plane to Vienna. Around the same time, the airline also incorporated the famous logo designed by Tadeusz Gronowski, which is still in use.
The airline is recognised to have expanded its operations over the years by exploring new international routes and domestic routes to enhance their business and goodwill. In 2008, the airline introduced a new flight to cater to Beijing. However, within a month the airline pulled the plug on the international route owing to it being an unprofitable long haul service. They commenced new services to Yerevan, Armenia, Lebanon and Beirut while restarting some of its routes to destinations such as Gottenburg in Sweden, Tallinn in Estonia, Bratislava in Slovakia and Kaliningrad in Russia. Further, they also resumed flight services to Asian destinations such as the weekly Warsaw - Hanoi route. In 2010, the airline announced the cancellation of several flight operations between Krakow and major US cities such as New York and Chicago, citing lack of profitability and demand issues. Meanwhile, the Warsaw - Hanoi route picked momentum and turned profitable for LOT Polish Airlines. Simultaneously, the airline also started works on replacing its existing fleet to bring in better aircraft and a stronger fleet.
During the 2010-11 period, LOT Polish Airlines also announced or rather introduced a new East meets West route as part of its expansion plans. Basically, several new Asian destinations were scheduled to be added to the airline's list in the following years. A new premium economy class was also introduced in all of LOT Polish Airlines' Boeing 787 aircraft. They further added the lie-flat seats in the business class cabins of their long-haul aircraft along with personal entertainment decks. Returning to resume the services to American destinations, the airline stated that they would be centralising their services from Newark and New York City - JFK's Terminal 4 to JFK Terminal 1. They also entered into a codeshare agreement with the American low-cost carrier, JetBlue, to multiply its connections for customers. While charting out its restructuring plan to enhance the profitability of LOT Polish Airlines, the airline announced to reinstate some of its old routes while accommodating the E.U. sanctions. They also ensure to continue services of its long haul routes to North America and Asia.
Fleet size of LOT Polish Airlines
The current fleet size of LOT Polish Airlines stands at 78 aircraft. It is a mixed fleet which comprises of Boeing 737-700, seven Boeing 737-800, five Boeing 737 MAX 8, eight Boeing 787-8, seven Boeing 787-9, a Bombardier CRJ900ER, twelve De Havilland Canada Dash 8-Q400, six Embraer 170, twelve Embraer 175, four Embraer 190 and fifteen Embraer 195. They are yet to receive orders for ten Boeing 737 MAX 8 and two Boeing 787-9. In 2005, the airline ordered seven Boeing 787-8s to cater to its long haul operations. Two years alter the airline planned to convert its order by calling for eight 787s instead. The manufacturers delayed the delivery of the 787s by a year. In 2013, LOT Polish Airlines operated the 787 for its Warsaw - Chicago route.
However, they had to ground the aircraft on the same day, citing battery issues. The same year, the airline announced continued services of the 787 after rectifications were made to the battery issues. In 2016, the airline signed a deal to lease eleven Boeing 737 MAX 8s and started receiving deliveries of the same by 2017. Additionally, in 2018, LOT Polish Airlines purchased three more Boeing 787-9 aircraft to bring its total to fifteen Boeing 787s in the airline's fleet.
Baggage Allowance
Baggage allowance on LOT Polish Airlines differ tremendously based on the flight routes and countries that the passenger is travelling to/from. The baggage allowance by LOT Polish Airlines for flights to and from India are quite standard. The airline allows about three pieces of baggage that passengers travelling by business class cabins should follow for checked baggage. The weight per piece of baggage should not extend beyond 32 kg. As for passengers travelling from premium economy and economy class, the airline allows a weight of 23 kg per baggage. While the premium economy ticket allows passengers to carry two checked baggage, the economy class only allows one piece of checked baggage. Additionally, if you do have any of the frequent flyer membership provided by LOT Polish Airlines or even are a member of the Star Alliance programme, you will be given special benefits in terms of baggage allowance. Hand baggage allowance on LOT Polish Airlines includes two pieces for business class passengers that should weigh no more than 9 kg, premium economy is also allowed to carry two pieces which should weigh about 8 kg. Same goes for the economy class cabin.
In-flight services
LOT Polish Airlines has upgraded much of its facilities to match with the services of its contemporaries. They have also bolstered their stand to provide excellent in-flight services to passengers travelling from LOT Polish Airlines. With an upgrade of the fleet, the airline's in-flight services have also seen a jolt of enthusiasm with better onboard staff and amenities to offer. The seats in the airline's aircraft are supremely comfortable with decent recline. They recently introduced flatbed seats too that are only available in the airline's first and business class. Meanwhile, the other in-flight services such as meals and entertainment are also duly met with by the airlines.
Popular routes and top cities for LOT Polish Airlines
Over the years, LOT Polish Airlines has vastly expanded its domestic routes and international routes. They have consistently opted to add more destinations to their list and further enhance connectivity. A majority of their focus has been to bolster their North American connectivity as well as Asian cities. Over the years, the airline has also introduced various popular routes such as the Warsaw - Hanoi route, the East meets West route and more. Some of the top cities for LOT Polish Airlines are Vienna, Minsk, Brussels, Sofia, Toronto, Zagreb, Prague, Copenhagen, Tallinn, Nice Paris, Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart, Rhodes, Delhi, Goa, Tel Aviv, Venice, Tokyo-Narita, Riga, Luxembourg City, Amsterdam, Warsaw, Moscow, Singapore, Saint Petersburg, Seoul, Colombo, Zurich, Stockholm, Istanbul, London, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Newark and Ho Chi Minh City. A few of the destinations mentioned have flights from LOT Polish Airlines travelling on a seasonal basis. These include Goa, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Mombasa and Rio de Janeiro. They have terminated a few destinations but plan to resume operations soon.
Why travel by LOT Polish Airlines?
LOT Polish Airlines' highlight is the number of destinations and the international routes that the airline takes to fly its passengers. It is easily one of the best well-connected airlines in Europe which caters to domestic routes within the E.U. spectrum as well as major Asian destinations. The airline might be old, but it has been working with time and upgrading its services and facilities. Right from the fleet of aircraft to the range of in-flight services, LOT Polish Airlines has enhanced its serviceability. Passengers can now book a LOT Polish Airlines flight ticket on their website or any other travel portal as it is available everywhere. The airline also allows passengers to do web check-ins, receive a prior intimation about the flight status and to get access to LOT Polish Airlines' flight schedules. A detailed copy of baggage allowance and other flight and airline-related information will also be shared by them to the passengers after the ticket is booked.
As a Star Alliance member, the airline's benefits further rise as it provides more discounts, miles offer and lounge access at various international airports. Passengers can either take up their loyalty programmes and collect miles, or they can directly opt to benefit from the perks of collecting Star Alliance miles. Either way, the passenger will be able to splurge a good amount on travel and accommodation as LOT Polish Airlines also has tie-ups with many hotels and accommodations across the destinations it caters to. Further on this, passengers can also earn and avail more miles. It is a pretty sweet deal.
