Explore Barcelona

Barcelona is one of the liveliest cities in Europe. The opening to the sea, since the Olympic games, has only given flair to this already beautiful city with its mild Mediterranean climate, its unique architecture, and great life style.
For more information about Barcelona, please visit www.bcn.cat.

General information 

Banks and ATM

Banks are usually open from 09.00 – 16:00 (Monday-Friday) – closed during the weekends.
There will be ATMs (Automatic Teller Machine) in the CCIB or at the nearby shopping mall and all over the city of Barcelona. At the airport and main station and along the main streets you find currency exchange offices as well.

Churches, Synagogues

Although Barcelona (like the rest of Spain) is basically catholic, all religions are aloud and practiced by many citizens. Please contact your hotel concierge for current times of services or nearby churches.

Climate

Barcelona enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with short cool winters and hot summers. The location of the city besides the sea increases the humidity level. Generally, it rains with more intensity during spring and autumn. In September and October, thunderstorms are very frequent.
Normally, in sunny autumn days during the month of October the temperatures are very nice during the day decreasing radically at night.

Credit Cards

All major credit cards, including Eurocard, Diners, Visa and Mastercard are accepted in most of the establishments as restaurants, hotels and shopping-centres and stores.
Travel checks can be cashed in most of the banks and exchange offices.
When paying by credit card for your shopping, you will be asked to show an identification. Please have your ID card or passport with you all the time, other ways they may refuse to accept your credit card as payment.

Currency

The official currency in Spain is Euro (EUR). You can exchange your currency without any limits for total amount at all banks as well as many exchange offices in Barcelona. When you are exchanging your currency, you need your passport or official ID card. If you do not have it with you, the bank may refuse to exchange your currency.

Electricity

The power supply in Spain is 220/240 V. Most electric outlets adhere to the continental standard (Schuko). Appliances from North America require a transformer and British ones an adaptor for the two-pin sockets in use in Spain.

ECCO has officially appointed dm&c as a local partner, and dm&c has reserved a large number of hotel rooms in various hotels in different price categories. For further information please have a look at the hotel list (link folgt) or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Insurance

The conference fee does not include insurance. All participants should arrange for their own insurance. Health and accident insurance is recommended and has to be purchased in your country of origin.

Museums

There are many different museums in Barcelona. For prices and opening hours please refer to the hotel reception or any tourist information. Museums and exhibitions are usually closed on Mondays.

Restaurants & Nightlife
One of the main characteristics from Barcelona is its night life. The good weather contributes to sit at the terraces of the coffee-shops, bars and restaurants opened until very late.
Downtown restaurants normally open for lunch from 11:00 to 15:00 and for dinner from 19:30 to 23:00 pm.  Cafes and breakfast bars may open already at 08.00 or even some earlier.
There is a great number of “Tapas-bars” where you can enjoy a drink and small “tapa” or “pincho” to eat any time of the day.
Fast food, kebab, take-away-pizza stalls usually serve food all day long, and some of them stay open till midnight. Bars, night clubs and discotheques usually open from 22:00 – 04:00 (even some longer).

Shopping

Barcelona  is an ideal destination to shop for a wide variety of items catering to everybody’s tastes and wishes. Opening hours of midtown shops are 09:00 to 19:30 (Monday-Saturday). Big shopping malls open until 20:00. On Sundays small shops are generally closed. Some Malls are open 7 days a week.

Telephones

Pay phones are available at the Congress venue, both for local and long distance calls. Public phones in Barcelona operate by using phone cards which can be purchased at, kiosks and newspaper shops.

Time Zone

Barcelona is 6 hours ahead of US - Eastern Standard Time, and 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Visas

EU citizens must either present a passport or ID card valid for the duration of your stay in order to enter Spain for tourist visits. Citizens of other countries must have a valid passport. Some non-EU citizens are required to produce a visa.

PLEASE CHECK THE CURRENT VISA REQUIREMENTS WITH THE NEAREST SPAIN CONSULATE/EMBASSY IN YOUR COUNTRY BEFORE YOUR DEPARTURE TO BARCELONA.

All congress participants with a pre-paid registration fee can obtain a visa invitation letter for the congress. Visa invitation letters which have to be signed and stamped by ECCO must be requested at the congress registration office no later than January 2, 2012!