Local Information

The 2024 edition of KDD will be held at Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain). You will find detailed information on how to get to the venue and recommendations on what to do in the city (culture, gastronomy, getaways, leisure, etc.) at their website. 

Other excellent sources of information to discover plans in Barcelona are:

• Barcelona City Council: Visit Barcelona
• Barcelona City Council: What to do in BCN
• Turisme de Barcelona Consortium: Visit Barcelona
• Tourism Institute of Spain: Barcelona, what to see and do

Accommodation

Please check the hotel information. 

You may also be interested in exploring alternative options on portals such as Booking. Barcelona, like many cities around the world, is undergoing a very aggressive process of gentrification and mass tourism. Therefore, please ensure that your accommodation is officially licensed, so that you enjoy your visit without affecting the welfare of local residents.

Transport

If you are planning to use the metro and local trains (recommended) or buses we recommend you buy a multi-day pass with access to the airport, or a “T-Casual” metro card of 10 trips without access to the airport. T-Casual card is non-transferable, therefore only one person at a time can travel. Note the metro card also gives you access to trains within the city limits (zones 1 and 2), and allows a transfer with bus within the 90 minutes of starting a trip. The metro runs until midnight on weekdays, and all night on Saturdays. More info at the TMB website.

Taxis in Barcelona are black and yellow. Available taxis are identified by a green light on top, and drivers appreciate but do not expect tips. 

Restaurant red flags

Gastronomy in Barcelona is wonderful. You can find many recommendations in the resources listed above. However, you will also find many expensive low-quality restaurants designed for tourists. There may be exceptions to the following rules, but in general, we recommend avoiding restaurants that:

• are located in very touristic streets (e.g., Las Ramblas),
• provide information in English by default,
• advertise the word “TAPAS” on their posters,
• display photos of food on posters or on the menu,
• allow you to order paella for one person (paella is usually prepared for at least two people, otherwise the food may not be fresh).

Safety tip: beware of pickpockets

Violent crime is extremely rare in Barcelona. Unfortunately, pickpocketing is a common problem. To avoid incidents, we recommend that you:

• be mindful of your belongings, particularly in crowded areas, escalators in/out of metro stations, near tourist attractions, and on the train and buses coming from/to the airport; 
• do not carry your wallet in your back pocket;
• do not leave your phone or wallet over the table, 
• keep your bag on your lap or in front of you at any cafe/bar/restaurant;
• beware of strangers approaching you, bumping into you, or blocking your way on purpose, as pickpockets operate almost invariably in groups.

The phone number for emergencies is 112. 

Credit: Transport and safety tips were kindly shared by ACM WebSci’22 chairs.