Addresses in Barcelona

There are a few key differences between the way that mailing addresses are written in Spain. 

To start with the basics, a typical address in Barcelona would be written like this:

C/Clot 124​,​ 2º, ​1ª 

08010, Barcelona, Spain ​

The street name comes first and will be preceded by the type of road it is (for example: street, avenue, square - see more information below). The street name is followed by the building number and the floor and door number. The next line is for the post code, city, and country.

In the address shown above, the 'C' in ‘C/Clot’ stands for stands for "Carrer" or "Calle" (which means street​), and ​it is followed by the number of the building​. So, using a U.S. format, the address above would be 124 Clot Street.​ 

Next comes the floor and door number. The ground floor is called bajos (abbreviated bjs) in Spanish. Some apartment buildings also have the principal floor (often abbreviated as ‘pr’ or ‘pral’), which means the first floor. Another feature is the ático which, despite the name, is not the attic, but the penthouse flat. 

The buzzers at the entrance of each building can be a good indication as well. Floors are written in order (1º, 2º, etc.) and flats are identified either by a number or letter. 

Note: While uncommon, if a building is large enough, it can have two staircases, indicated as Escalera/Escala A and Escalera/Escala B. This indicates that the building is divded into parts, and you need to ensure that you find the correct staircase in order to access the specific flat you're looking for. 

Street signs are located on the side of buildings (usually at the top of the ground floor) rather than on free standing street signs on each corner.