Flights from Barcelona to Senegal

Flights to Senegal from Barcelona

Vueling flies direct from Barcelona to Dakar, with no stops. The journey takes around 5 hours and brings you to a city unlike any other on the Atlantic coast: contemporary art, cooking built around fish and a music scene that carries much of the country’s identity.

Dakar is also where you plan the rest of the trip, whether that means Gorée Island, the Saloum Delta or Casamance, further south.

What documents you need to travel to Senegal

Senegal is not part of the Schengen Area, so a passport is mandatory and a Spanish ID card (DNI) is not accepted. It must be valid for at least 6 months from your date of entry into the country.

Spanish and other EU citizens do not need a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days. Health entry requirements may also apply depending on the country you are travelling from, so look into them well in advance. Check your own situation on the travel documents page and with the health authorities before you book.

As the flight leaves the Schengen Area, you will go through passport control before boarding. Allow for that extra time at the airport.

What to know when you land in Senegal

From the airport to Dakar. The airport is not in the city but a good many kilometres to the east, and the motorway journey takes around an hour. This is what catches out anyone expecting a 20-minute taxi ride, so arrange your transfer before you land, especially if your flight gets in at night.

Cash. The currency is the West African CFA franc. There are cash machines in the capital, but outside Dakar most places stop taking cards, so take the cash you need with you from the city.

Two seasons. The dry season, from November to May, brings more bearable temperatures and clear skies, and it is the easiest time to get around. The rainy season, from June to October, means humid heat and downpours, particularly in the south.

Getting around. In Dakar, taxis and ride-hailing apps. Between regions, long-distance shared taxis known as sept-places are the usual way to cross the country, and the one locals use.

Senegal uses type C and E plugs, at 230V. French is the official language, while Wolof is what you hear on the street.

What to do in Senegal

Dakar

Give the capital 2 or 3 days at the very least. Sandaga market, the Medina district, the Museum of Black Civilisations and the African Renaissance Monument will fill them without repeating yourself, and the fish restaurants of Ngor and Almadies sit right on the Atlantic. It is where you land, and where the trip starts again each time you come back from inland.

Gorée Island

Just 20 minutes by ferry from Dakar’s port, so it fits into any itinerary, even a short one. No cars, colourful streets and the House of Slaves at the heart of a place of remembrance that people visit in silence. Plenty of travellers save it for their last day and then wish they had given it more time.

The Saloum Delta

Around 3 hours south by road. A maze of mangroves, islands and channels listed as a World Heritage Site, with small camps and canoe trips at dawn to watch the birds. A complete contrast to the noise of the capital.

Casamance

The southernmost region, cut off from the rest of the country by Gambia. Dense vegetation, near-empty beaches such as Cap Skirring and a Diola culture quite different from the north. Getting there takes a domestic flight or a full day on the road, so plan it as a trip in its own right rather than an excursion.

Luggage for your flight to Senegal

What you can take depends on the fare you choose when booking. The simplest fare includes a personal item that fits under the seat in front, and from there you can add cabin or checked luggage.

If you are travelling with camera gear or equipment for activities, sort out your luggage when you book rather than at the check-in desk. Check the current conditions in Vueling’s luggage policy.