Getting a taxi in Castelldefels

Castelldefels is about 12 km down the coast from the airport and roughly 20 from central Barcelona, which is an unusual combination: closer to the terminals than to the city. That is why so many people who fly for work live here, and why an airport transfer from Castelldefels costs less than one from the Eixample despite feeling further away.

The town has two halves, like its neighbour Gavà. The old centre climbs toward the castle; the Platja de Castelldefels runs for five kilometres along the front, and the streets crossing it are numbered rather than named in places. An address plus a nearest cross street saves everyone a phone call.

The UPC campus and the Canal Olímpic bring their own traffic — students and rowers respectively, and neither keeps ordinary hours. Early pick-ups for training sessions and late ones after exams are both normal bookings here.