Sleek new tramvías (trams) ply the main routes through the city alongside the buses, which are plentiful but less convenient, being at the mercy of the city's infamous traffic snarls. Most bus and tram routes stop at Plaça de Catalunya, also the stop-off point for the Aerobús service from the airport and the Bus Turístic. Routes are clearly marked at each stop, as are timetables. However, most buses and trams stop running well before the Metro closes.

One bus service that is particularly useful is the Nitbus, which runs from 11pm to 4am and is the only valid alternative to the 2 to 3am taxi drought. These are bright yellow, clearly marked with an N, and most leave from Plaça de Catalunya. Note that while travel cards and other TMB passes are valid for daytime buses they're not valid on Nitbuses. Tickets cost 1.45€ one-way and are bought directly from the driver.

All Aboard! -- The most convenient way to see Barcelona, especially if your time is limited, is to hop on (and off) the Bus Turístic (tel. 93-318-70-74; http://www.barcelonabusturistic.cat). This double-decker, open-top tourist bus travels to all the major sights; either disembark or stay on and continue on to the next hotspot.

There are two routes -- the red or Nord (North) route, which covers L'Eixample and Tibidabo with Gaudí's main works (including the Sagrada Família) as the highlights, or the blue or Sur (South) route, which allows you to see the Old City and Montjuïc; both have multilingual commentary along the way.

The main point of embarkation is Plaça de Catalunya, outside the El Corte Inglés department store. Cost is 22€ for a one-day pass (14€ for children 4-12) and 29€ for a 2-day pass (18€ for children 4-12). Tickets can be purchased onboard or at the tourist information office at Plaça de Catalunya. The service operates daily, except Christmas and New Year's Day, from 9am to 9:30pm.

Yellow-and-black taxis are plentiful and reasonably priced. You can hail one in the street if its green light is on. Taxis have meters, but don't make the mistake of confusing the cheaper day rate (Tariff 2, starting at 2€) with the more expensive post-8pm night rate (Tariff 1, starting at 3.10€).

A list of prices and surcharges is (by law) on display on the back passenger window. There have been recent reports of taxi drivers charging exorbitant fares for short distances, so always make sure that the meter is turned on when you start your journey. To book a cab, either the next available one or for the next day, call the Institut Metropolità del Taxi (tel. 93-223-51-51; www.taxibarcelona.cat). They can also give you information about booking wheelchair-adapted taxis.

At some point in your visit to Barcelona, you may want to visit the mountain of Tibidabo for the views and fun-fair. A century-old tram called the Tramvía Blau (Blue Tram) goes from Plaça Kennedy to the bottom of the funicular to Tibidabo. It operates daily from 10am to 8pm from mid-June to mid-September and 10am to 6pm on weekends only the rest of the year.

At the end of the run, you can go the rest of the way by funicular to the top of Tibidabo, at 503m (1,650 feet), for a stunning panoramic view of Barcelona. The funicular operates only when the fun-fair at Tibidabo is open. Opening times vary according to the time of year and the weather conditions. As a rule, the funicular starts operating 20 minutes before the fun-fair opens and runs every half-hour; during peak visiting hours, it runs every 15 minutes. The fare is 2.80€ one-way and 4.30€ round-trip.

The Tibibus goes from Plaça de Catalunya, in the center of the city, to Tibidabo at limited times, again depending on when the park opens and closes. The one-way fare is 2.30€.

Barcelona's newest form of public transport is the sleek and comfortable Tramvía Baix, a modern tram that mainly services the outer suburbs. It is handy, however, for reaching the outer limits of the Diagonal and the Palau de Pedralbes. Hop on at Plaça Francesc Macià.

A car offers the greatest flexibility while you're touring, even if you're just doing day trips from Barcelona. Don't drive in Barcelona; it's too congested, street parking is a nightmare, and garage or lot parking is expensive. Theoretically, rush hour is Monday through Saturday from 8 to 10am and 4 to 7:30pm. In reality, it's always busy.
On the other hand, if you're touring Catalonia province, a car is useful to get off the beaten track independently -- although bus and train transport to all the main places of interest, such as Tarragona, Montserrat, Girona, and the Costa Brava, is extremely efficient and economical.