What to Know Before You Go: Essential Tips for Visiting Barcelona
If you’re considering visiting Barcelona, you’re in good company. More than 12 million people visit Barcelona every year. Despite its popularity, my friends and I decided on Barcelona as the location for our girls’ trip for three reasons: tapas, architecture, and direct flights from Chicago!
If you are looking for what to wear, how to get around and how to ask for the check, you are in the right place!
If you are looking for things to do, check out Julianne’s Top 11 Things to Do in Barcelona!
Let’s dive in – we had such a blast, and we certainly learned some lessons along the way!
Getting Around Barcelona
Taxis: When comparing costs between Uber and taxis, taxis came in slightly cheaper. Taxis are metered, so the costs are visible on the display. If there is a surcharge for late-night or airport runs, it will show on the meter. Your driver can and should print you a receipt that should match the meter. If a driver gives you a “quote” as you get in, get right back out. We did get scammed out of a few bucks by a driver who charged us more than the meter showed. Taxis were generally very easy to find, but you can also use the Free Now app to schedule or call a cab.
Subway: We only used the Metro a few times, but it was very clean and easy to use. Make sure you have Google Translate handy; the machines we used were in Spanish. The camera feature is very handy in those situations!
Using Your Phone in Barcelona
Two of us used eSIMs from Airolo, and they worked flawlessly. I originally bought 5G of data and added another 5G throughout our 10-day trip. My Spain eSIM also worked in Mallorca just fine. My total cost for my eSims for the trip was $22. In my day-to-day life, I use Mint Mobile, which costs only $390.00 per year, so buying eSIMs when I travel makes the most sense for me. Two of the women used international plans from their carriers. Choosing your phone service for an international trip can be tricky, so we wrote a whole piece about it!
Tipping in Barcelona
If you want to start a riot in a travel forum, discuss tipping culture! Tipping isn’t expected in Barcelona, but it is appreciated. We tipped ten percent across the board for most of our meals. Service fees were added at most restaurants, and we still tipped ten percent on top of that. You can ask for it to be added to your bill before they process your credit card, or you can leave cash, which is what we preferred. We were blown away by the food, the presentation, and the service we received, with the staff going above and beyond for every meal.
How to Get Your Restaurant Bill
The pace of meals in Barcelona is much slower than in the U.S. By the end of our trip, I quipped, “I’m looking forward to being rushed through meals.” Servers will continue to check in with you long after you have finished your meal. A simple “La cuenta, por favor” will get the check to the table. All the restaurants we dined in had tap pay available and brought the machine to the table, as is customary in most European restaurants. Again, if you want to add a tip to your card, let your server know, and they can add it before they present the machine for payment.
Meals
There are a lot of good articles on the dining culture in Spain, specifically the timing of meals. No, you don’t have to eat dinner at 10 p.m. but don’t plan on most restaurants serving dinner earlier than 8 p.m. Lunch is typically a bit later, too, with most restaurants not opening until 1. (Read about siesta culture.) Lunch is typically the bigger meal, and dinner is lighter. However, that was not the case in most places we ate. You will be encouraged to order two to three small plates per person, but we found six to eight for our group of four to be plenty of food. That being said, we wanted to try everything so we often ordered more! As a very picky eater who does not eat seafood or most pork, there were some restaurants where I struggled to find something on the menu, but most had at least a few vegetarian options.
Pickpockets
You’d think from the number of times I read about pickpockets in Barcelona that you’d be robbed blind as soon as you step out of your hotel. While pickpockets work in most major cities, there wasn’t a single moment when I felt uneasy. Even in the super crowded areas around La Sagrada Família, I had my phone out taking pictures. Here are a couple of quick tips:
- A wrist lanyard is a great way to keep your phone handy for snapping pictures while also making it hard to remove your phone from your person.
- A cross-body bag across your front allows you to easily slip your phone and wallet in and out and is a great way to protect your items.
- Make sure you keep your bag zipped. I was shocked by how many open bags I saw in high tourism areas.
- I have an attractive but theft-proof backpack I wear most of the time since I usually carry my larger Fuji camera. I can carry a lot and you can’t access the inside when it is on my back.
- When your bag is not on your body, keep it close. When dining, I either set it on the floor in front of me and put my foot through a strap or if you have a bag that clips, clip it to your chair, a table leg, or keep it on you. Snatching a bag is easy if it’s on the back of your chair or even placed close to you.
- Don’t leave your phone on the table when dining outside if you are in a spot near the sidewalk where it can be easily snatched. If you are headed out drinking or to a club, put your phone away since you will likely lose track of it. (Been there, done that!)
- Split up your cards and cash. I carried one card and some cash with me when I was out and about and left my backup cards and cash at my hotel in one of my bags. We kept our passports in the hotel safe and didn’t carry them around. You should have some form of identification on you, such as a driver’s license or a color copy of your passport with you in case you are asked for identification.
Weather
As in many coastal cities, the weather in Barcelona can change quickly, and your weather app might not even know it’s raining. More than once, it was drizzling, and my weather app said it wasn’t. Umbrellas can be cumbersome and, in crowded areas, a nuisance. I recommend having a packable rain jacket and keeping it on you in case you need it. I took my packable windbreaker and had it on during one of our rainy days, but it didn’t keep me as dry as I’d have liked. I’ve since ordered a lightweight rain jacket from Eddie Bauer.
Money
We used our credit cards everywhere, but we also all carried some euros, the currency used in Spain. Do’s and don’t:
- Do not convert funds at the airport. They have terrible conversion rates.
- Do use an International Debit Card like the Charles Schwab Debit Card. The Schwab card reimburses you for ATM fees and covers the conversion fee.
- Do pay in the local currency. You will be asked if you want to pay in euros or U.S. dollars; always choose the LOCAL currency.
- Get your cash either before your trip from your bank or use bank ATMs when you arrive. I use ATMs attached to bank locations during business hours in case the machine eats my card or I have any other issues. I can simply pop inside and request assistance. Banks will have a better conversation rate than unbranded random ATMs you see peppered around high-tourism areas.
Walkability
Barcelona is very walkable, and we walked a lot! My favorite days were when we strolled from location to location, popping into stores and being a bit leisurely. We utilized taxis when we were short on time or after dinner when we were tired. We found them to be very affordable. The sidewalks can be uneven, so wear good shoes, especially if you have balance issues. Stay aware of your surroundings; we are often surprised by cars driving in what looked, to us, like alleys. There is also a lot of motorbike, Vespa, and bicycle traffic; be sure to cross streets using pedestrian walkways.
Go in the Off-Season
We went in early October, and while it is still a busy city, the crowds were smaller everywhere we went. The weather was moderate. It was not chilly enough in the evenings to need more than a light jacket, and it was pleasant enough during the day for light dresses or pants. Even in the off-season, you should purchase tickets ahead of time for places or activities you don’t want to miss. Like Sagrada Familia. Hot tip: Go first thing in the morning for the eastern sunlight coming in the blue and green windows. Go at golden hour for the western sunlight of reds and oranges.
What to Wear
Wear whatever makes you comfortable. We saw everything. Like most places in Europe, I’d avoid shorts and opt for long pants or dresses. Make sure your shoulders are covered if you visit any of the magnificent churches. I wore my HOKA shoes most days since we were putting in the miles, and I did not feel out of place. It’s a city with many tourists.
Barcelona is a beautiful city full of history, architecture and wonderful food. Have questions about visiting Barcelona? Email us at: hello@journeyhere.travel
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