Tag: spain

General Information

• Native language: Spanish
• Currency: Euro
• Region: Northeastern Spain, coastal
• Climate: Mediterranean; warm, humid.
• Country: Spain
• P safety rating (Out of 10): 7

Geography and climate

In summer, Barcelona is warm and humid. The 80 degree Fahrenheit temperatures fool you, until you walk outside and immediately start to sweat from the humidity. The region is hilly and covered in smaller, deciduous trees that like the warm, mediterranean climate. The nearby sea can cover the city in a layer of fog in the morning, but this generally burns off by ten or eleven.

What to pack

Clothes:

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Something to keep in mind is the humidity in Barcelona. Do not try to wear thicker clothes or jeans – you will be miserable (my travel partner an attest to this, after we had to return to our hotel for her to change when she tried to wear jeans for a day). Breezy tank tops, dresses, and cloth shorts and pants are the way to go in order to be comfortable

Other

• Money Belt: Petty theft is pretty rampant in Barcelona. The local law enforcement does little in repercussions for theft, and people know this. I would not recommend trying to bring a purse – wear a money belt instead to avoid getting robbed. Its also so much easier, since its always on you and impossible to lose!
• Backpack: We brought a backpack although many say to not to due to theft, and I’m glad we did. We were able to put a water bottle, shawls, and other little things in there and had them throughout the day. My only comment is to pack the backpack as though you expect it to be stolen – don’t put expensive items in there and most definitely do not place your ID’s or money in there. When walking through busy streets carry it on your front, and always have an eye on it.
• GoPro and shoulder attachment: Although I looked somewhat silly, I was able to have my go pro on my shoulder throughout the day, where it was unable to be stolen from me and where I was able to get some great footage of our trip! (Look at our video to see the footage!)
• Passport and copy: Although we never needed to present our passport throughout our trip, you are required to have it on your person while in Spain, and law enforcement is legally allowed to ask you to present it. So keep it in your money belt, on your person at all times. In case of theft, make sure to print out a copy of the main page of your passport and leave it in your hotel – this will make international flight much easier.
• Sunscreen: Both my travel partner and I got burnt on our trip. During summer it is hot and sunny, and you will be exposed to the sun. Remember to use sunscreen, and having a shawl or some sleeved shirts is never a bad idea!

Where to stay

We stayed in a private room in the lovely Hostel Fernando. Although it is a hostel, they do offer private rooms with private bathrooms, for prices considerably cheaper than hotels in the area. The rooms were surprisingly large, and the beds surprisingly comfortable. Breakfast is included, and its very good with a lot of options. You also get free wifi and a discount to their restaurant. Its an unassuming hotel front on a somewhat crowded street that certainly wasn’t our favorite street in the city – but the location was perfect for our uses. A three minute walk to the metro and La Rambla, and walking distance to almost every major attraction made this an amazing home base.

Poble Sec and Montjuic:

When you arrive at the Barcelona International Airport, you will be in this region. As you drive towards the downtown region of the city, you will most likely see Montjuic and possibly even the port. The region around Montjuic is a very high end housing region. Pretty trees, parks, and sidewalks dot the area. There aren’t a huge number of shops or restaurants, but there are some high end hotels to stay at. This area is nice, but kind of out of the way of some of the sights that you will most likely want to see while you’re in Barcelona.

El raval

El Raval is just outside of the Gothic Quarter, and may be the perfect middle ground for those who don’t feel comfortable staying in the Gothic Quarter, but want to be closer to the action than some of the outskirt regions. This area is characterized by cute apartment complexes, some restaurants and shops, and a tree dotted here and there.

Gothic Quarter

This is the region we stayed in, and we were happy we did. Central to almost everything in Barcelona, and within walking distance of the beach, this is the perfect central hub. However, this area is characterized by small, dirty streets filled with tourists and those looking to take advantage of tourists. You do have to be aware of yourself and what you’re doing to make sure you don’t get pickpocketed. Some may feel uncomfortable with this area, but we never felt unsafe, and were never robbed. Just use common sense and this area will be perfect for you!

A Note About La Rambla

When we researching Barcelona, we kept hearing more and more about La Rambla (Or Las Ramblas). Everything I read told me to steer clear of this street, making it sound like if you stepped foot on the road you would automatically be robbed. This is not the case at all. Just remember to be cautious – wear a money belt rather than a purse, and if you have a backpack wear it on your front instead of on your back. Avoid the street at night just to avoid hecklers. I wouldn’t buy anything on this street, or eat on this street since everything is a lower quality and a higher price. But this is a great way to access the metro system and get to some of the cooler areas branching off of the road.

Eixample Right

This area is located near La Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, and is closer to Park Guell than the Gothic Quarter. For that reason, if you don’t mind being farther away from the shopping and the beach, this may be the perfect place to stay. Its a bit more calm and clean than the Gothic Quarter, and has some great food options. If I were to stay somewhere else in Barcelona, this is where I would have stayed. Still use common sense and wear a money belt instead of a purse!

Barceloneta

Barceloneta is the beach region of Barcelona. This is a bustling, busy region where you want to exercise the same cautions that you would in any other touristy region of Barcelona. On your way to the beach you will see multiple blankets laid out with knockoff items for sale by illegal street vendors. There are some pretty unique, interesting restaurants to stop and try on your way around this region, and most of them are very good (although fairly costly). The beach itself was nothing to cry home about, the sand was very rocky, and when we visited it was too cold or rough to get in the water. Its also incredibly busy, and if you want to go, make sure to get there before noon to get a good spot on the beach. Vendors will wander around the beach as well, trying to sell you food or booze.

(We didn’t spend much time in the other regions, so I won’t discuss them)

Getting Around

If you aren’t from this region, I would highly recommend NOT renting a car. The streets are narrow and busy, and drivers are crazy. The best way to get around, we found, was the metro. For one week, we each purchased a 10 ride ticket (which you can buy at the ticket stands there), and used exactly 10 rides for the week. This was a great deal, and cost about $10 for basically all of our transportation for the week. There are two metro stops located on La Rambla, one of which was a three minute walk from our hotel. The metro has busses run every three minutes, and takes you basically anywhere in the city. Even I found it rather self explanatory, and I am not accustomed to riding these types of systems.

The other options is taxis, which is considerably more expensive, but still rather quick and easy to use. If you are staying in a more touristy region like Barceloneta or Gothic Quarter, or near a main tourist attraction, it should be fairly easy to get a taxi. Also, most speak English as well as Spanish, but knowing a bit of Spanish before you go can’t hurt. We used taxis to get to and from the airport, as well as to get home after our club night. I recommend taking a taxi at least to and from the airport, since tourists are prime targets for pickpockets while walking around with their luggage, and its worth the extra money to be dropped off directly at your hotel door.

We also took a train on our day trip to Tarragona. The trains run about every 15 minutes and are also very easy to use, but not really necessary if you are staying in Barcelona for your entire trip.

Culture shocks

Note: Differences in culture are based on my own cultural experiences, and therefore are based on what a US citizen would be shocked by. I apologize for this one sided view, but of course I am unqualified to note differences in culture for other cultures/countries, as I am only a visitor to those countries as well.

The Language

In Spain, they speak Spanish (obviously). However, know that it is a Spain variant of Spanish that has a slightly different accent than Central American Spanish. (Instead of hard C’s, they pronounce a more TH sound). Although nearly everyone you speak with in Barcelona and adjacent areas will know English, it is always good to know the native language. If English is not your native language, it would be a good idea to brush up on it as well, since many tourists here are from all around the world, and the most commonly shared language among all of them is English.

Phrases to Know:

• 1 to 10
• “How Much?”
• “Check, Please”
• “Please, thank you”
• “Hello, Goodbye”
• “Yes, No”
• “Im Sorry”
• “How are you? Im Good”
• “My name is, whats your name?”
• “I would like”
  • “to go”
  • “to eat”
  • “to buy”
• “Where is”
  • “the bathroon”
  • “The store”
  • “The Hotel”
  • “The beach”
• Common foods, locations, and items

The Beaches

Although we were told beforehand, we were still both surprised to see women topless on the beach rather regularly. Just note any beach you go to will have topless women around.

The Schedule

Spaniards start everything late. Breakfast is generally at about 10 AM, lunch is around 2-3 PM (followed by an afternoon nap, while the day is at its hottest), and dinner is around 9 PM. When we first got into Spain, this was quite an adjustment for us.

The Food

Spanish food is centered around carbs (particularly potatoes and bread) and meat. I don’t think we saw a vegetable on our entire trip, save for a few side salads at some more americanized restaurants. I even ordered a meal called “Steak and vegetables” and it came with one piece of asparagus (my partner and I had a good laugh over that). Their meat is also very rich, and often is salted heavily and cured, so bring some tums or the like if you aren’t used to that kind of food, because it made me sick for the first few days of our trip. Tapas are what you will regularly hear about when you read up on spanish cuisine, and for good reason. Any touristy restaurant you go into will serve a whole array of tapas (Small plates, or basically appetizers). Common ones will be croquettes, diced potatoes with sauce, and some type of tomato covered bread. Avoid tapas on main touristy streets, and go on side streets to find really good ones. Also make sure to try the paella at some point on your trip!

A note about the restaurant service: Do not expect the servers to cater to you. They are often on their phones or doing other duties, and will rarely check up on you. If you need something, know that you will need to get their attention and ask for it.

The Drinks

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For an American, the coffee style in Spain was very strange. Instead of fancy, sugary frappuccinos or the like, they provide delicious small coffees in glasses hardly larger than a shot. Definitely try some of the different coffees while you’re here.

Sangria is what many will tell you is the alcoholic drink of choice in Spain. At nearly any touristy bar it will be the first thing on the menu. But for a lot of these places, the sangria sucks and is way overpriced. You also rarely see locals actually drinking sangria. Of course, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it. Just make sure to try it at locations off the beaten path to get the good stuff. Also make sure to try some good Spanish wine on your trip. Im not a wine person but still thoroughly enjoyed it. Also, many of the Spanish beers are very good. Try the Estrella Damm, which is brewed right in Barcelona and can be found at nearly any bar or restaurant. Know also that the drinking age in Spain is 16, and we were never asked for our IDs.

I was surprised to find that water was hardly ever served from the tap. If you ask for water, you will pay several euros for it and it will be brought in a bottle. To save money, definitely bring your own water bottle instead of ordering it at restaurants.

The Passport

Im sure you’ve heard by now that when you’re in Europe, you need your passport on you at all times. Heres the thing: we never needed our passport while in Spain. Ever. No shop owners asked for it, etc. However, it is still important to carry it on you in case you are stopped by the police for whatever reason. Its basically your proof that you are legally in the country if you are stopped by a government official. Keep it in a money belt on your person at all times. Make sure to print out an extra copy of your passport and leave it in your hotel in case it gets stolen, and leave a copy at home in case you need someone to fax a copy to you.

Politics

There has been some political unrest in Barcelona in the recent decades. I won’t go into the history of all of it (But you should if you plan on visiting this region). However, you should know that Catalan, the region of Spain that holds Barcelona, has wanted to become its own independent state for a long time now, and have had multiple uprisings against the government. It shouldn’t influence your trip in the slightest, but be aware so you know what the signs hanging from buildings mean, and as a tourist you should avoid the topic with locals entirely.

Because of this, there are policemen posted everywhere. Unlike in America where basically the only time you see a police officer is in a police cruiser, there are policemen walking through the streets all the time in Barcelona. They shouldn’t bother you, as long as you don’t get in their way or do anything dumb.

The Men

This only really applies to you if you are a woman traveling alone or with other women. The men in Spain tend to be more “aggressive” than in other regions. Not violent or anything like that, but catcalls and the like. My partner and I got catcalled often, especially in the evening, something we aren’t entirely accustomed to since it is frowned upon so harshly where we’re from. My partner even got stopped by a man who was insisting she go to a club with him. Just remember that if you get in a situation like this, be adamant, firm, and aggressive. Then leave the situation as quickly as possible.

Experiences

Day 1

La Sagrada Familia

If you go to Barcelona, you have to go to La Sagrada Familia. The brainchild of Antoni Gaudi, this massive church was not finished in his lifetime (and he knew it wouldn’t be) and is still being built today. It probably won’t be completed before even I die, but I’m sure it will be spectacular when its done. Already, it has to be one of the largest buildings in the city, and is very apparent on the skyline. It currently has four spires, and will have 18 when its done.

The best times to go are right when it opens, or right before it closes. This is when it will have the least amount of people, and the best sunlight (you’ll understand why this is important once you’re there). Give yourself about an hour to view the area. If you can pay the extra to view the upper area, it would definitely be worthwhile – unfortunately it was closed while we were there. On the metro, take line 5 (L5, blue) to Val D’Hebron. You’ll have a short walk there once you arrive. For us, when we walked up the stairs from the metro and turned around, we were immediately awestruck by Sagrada Familia. You shouldn’t have a hard time seeing it.

Note that this is a church, and as such it does have a dress code. Shoulders, cleavage, and stomachs should all be covered. Long Pants should also be worn. We were told you have to also wear closed toed shoes but many people were walking around in sandals. You have to go through a security system much like those at the airport to get in, so give yourself 10-15 minutes to get in. Definitely buy your tickets ahead of time, as they do sell out, and you can get them for much cheaper online.

Casa Batllo

Pronounced “Casa Bye-O”, this is another one of Antoni Gaudi’s works, and is designed after the ocean. Its not a terribly far walk from La Sagrada Familia, which is why we decided to do these on the same day. If you can score the night tour, I have heard this is very good.

This is another expedition that you should buy beforehand. At about $30 USD a ticket, it was the most expensive venture we took while in Barcelona, but it was worth it. When you walk in, you will be fitted with a headset and a small, phone sized tablet that will explain the different rooms, as well as show what it would have looked like while it was being used as a house. Expect to walk quite a lot in Casa Batllo, as you do end up walking up quite a few flights of stairs to see the house in it’s entirety.

If you plan to take the metro to this attraction, take L3 (green) to the Passeig de Gracia stop. Make sure to give yourself a good two hours to get through the entire house.

Day 2

Day trip to Tarragona

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I knew I wanted to take a day trip to another town at least once on this trip, and we were choosing between Girona, Sitges, and Tarragona. All three of which are perfectly viable options for day trips out of Barcelona, and all of which you should look into if you are wanting to do a day trip. We chose Tarragona for a number of reasons. A) It was the cheapest train ticket, at about $10 each way. B) It was a reasonably timed train ride, at approximately an hour long. C) It had a wonderful looking beach area. D) It had roman ruins, something I really wanted to see.

Remember to pack towels, sunscreen, and comfortable shoes!
To get there, you need to take the train (you could take a taxi but it would be fairly expensive). To get to the train if you aren’t within walking distance, take the metro to Passeig de Gracia (there are other train stations but this is the one we used). Both L2 and L4 take you there, which are the yellow and purple lines. This station is cool because you don’t need to leave the underground system to hop from the metro to the train. Then go to the train ticket electronic and order a ticket to Tarragona, which will be under the name Tarragona in the system. Its a good idea to check departure times before arriving.

Once your there, its a good idea to check how the weather varies throughout the day. We thought it would be warmest around 2 or 3, but it was actually warmest in the morning. Plan your beach time at the warmest point of the day, and don’t be walking around during that time since it gets hotttttt. You’ll easily be able to spot the beach entrance, since it directly adjacent to the train station. We started at the roman ruins, which are actually spread throughout the entire city, so be prepared to walk a lot. Start at the amphitheater and purchase your tickets. We purchased the 3-location ticket, with discounts because we were students. This ticket will probably take you a good 3-4 hours to complete at least, so make sure to time it into your plans. You will see an elevator once you leave the amphitheater that takes you up to where the rest of the ruins are.

After the ruins we went to the cathedral, which I highly recommend. Its kinda out of the way, so bring a map or directions on how to get there. You’ll wander in and out of colorful, narrow empty streets with cute restaurants and stores. I recommend giving yourself an extra hour to explore these spots before getting to the cathedral. The cathedral itself is generally quiet and fairly empty. It has wonderful architecture and a very pretty courtyard. Id give yourself at least an hour to explore the cathedral as well.

Lastly we went to the beach, which was one of my favorite parts of our trip. The sand is soft, unlike that in Barceloneta. The water, at least when we visited, was warm, calm, and crystal clear. My partner and I thoroughly enjoyed swimming and sunbathing (although we both got sunburnt). The beaches are also less crowded than those in Barcelona, and we even felt comfortable leaving our backpack on our towel while we both swam.

Day 3

Park Guell

We took the metro to stop L3 to Vallcarca, then walked. If you are not athletic or don’t have time for a long walk, I would highly recommend against this. You can take a bus or taxi up to the entrance of the park. If you choose to take the bus, get on in Plaza Catalunya and get off at Ctra. de Carmel. If you do take the metro, expect a half an hour of hardcore walking up a 45+ degree angle, broken only by a few escalators.

Once you get inside the park, the rest is pretty self explanatory. Theres a large loop to walk through that is covered with intricate designs from Gaudi. In my opinion, the house walkthrough was not worth waiting in a line for, but the outdoor sitting areas are quite lovely.

If you have time before or after your time in the park, I recommend walking to a lovely restaurant called Las Delicias. Its a bit of a walk, up an unassuming staircase at the back entrance of the park. But it is an amazing, peaceful, walk that gives you a wonderful view of the city. The food at the restaurant is also very good.

Labyrinth Park

To get to Labyrinth park, take line 3 (green) to Mundet, then take about a 10 minute walk up to the park. It’s past a large stadium and kind of out of the way, so make sure to have walking directions for after you get off the metro. Note that his is about a 50 minut trip out of downtown Barcelona, but is worth he trip. It’s 2.50 Eu to enter the park, which is well worth the cost.

We seriously underestimated how large this park is. Having seen only pictures of the actual “labyrinth” we wrongly assumed the park would take less than two hours. Learn from our mistake! This park is HUGE! There are two large buildings to visit (though you can’t go inside), the actual labyrinth, and several separate paths to wander down and explore. I could have easily spent 4 hours in the park.

This park is really a hidden wonder. It was quiet for our entire visit, with only a few, mostly local, visitors. Both my travel partner and myself ranked this park in our top favorite excursions on our trip and I highly recommend making the trek out to it.

La Terrazza

We chose to go to a club one night while we were in Barcelona, after being told that the nightlife in the city was lively and not something to miss. We chose the outdoor club La Terrazza to experience something a little different. Take metro L1 or L3 to Espana, and walk to the Poble Espanol. It is an unassuming front entrance, but generally theres a group of people outside that indicates the entrance.

Once you enter, you may question whether or not you’re in the right place. The inside looks like an abandoned town, that winds its way to the actual club. I thought this was fairly cool – walking down cobblestone roads through abandoned shops.

The actual club, however, was fairly disappointing. Drinks were overpriced, to the point that you would need to spend a months salary just to get drunk. The club had a “vibe” similar to that of a high school gym dance. No one was talking, dancing was awkward, and groups didn’t mingle. The majority of people there were very young, ranging from sixteen to twenty, except for a group of older men trying their game on much younger girls. My travel partner and I left only a few hours after arriving, even after trying our best to make the best of the situation. This may not be the norm for clubs in Barcelona, we may have just picked a bad night/club, but we were unimpressed.

Day 4

Castello de Montjuic

When going to the Montjuic Castle, we chose to take the cable car up. To get to the cable car, take L3 to Parallel. You then wait in a line to hop on the cable car that takes you all the way to the top of the mountain, to the castle. This ride is about $12 USD and is well worth the money, as you get a wonderful view of the entire city.

You can also hike up to the castle, although it is difficult to find any information on how to do it. Take the metro to Poble Sec (also getting off at Parallel). Head through the Grec Gardens, up the Laribel Stairs, and head to the gardens of Joan Brossa. Follow Carrer Doctor i Font Quer up to the mountain to the castle. Apparently this is a wonderful hour long hike that leads you past multiple gardens and gives quite a view.

Once at the castle, you’ll head through the main doors to give your tickets (remember to book ahead of time!) and start to explore. Unfortunately, the rooms are all empty or locked. But the grounds are still very pretty, and give you a wonderful view of the city and of the ocean. You are doing yourself a disservice if you don’t wander the grounds before leaving. Explore every inch before heading out, and you’ll find unlikely gems that are not well known by most tourists. My favorite area was a memorial to those who suffered during the Spanish civil war. Make sure to give yourself at least an hour and a half to wander the grounds.

Museu d’arte Catalunya

If you enjoy museums, this museum is a must. To get here, take either L1 or L3 to Pl. Espanya. I highly recommend heading here in the evening, since the museum is fronted by several massive water fountains that apparently light up once it gets dark.

Once inside, you’ll quickly see the museum is divided into four different entrances, two that lead to ancient art collections, while the other two lead to more modern art. Give yourself at least two hours – probably more- to walk the entire museum, and make sure to wear comfortable shoes (it is a LOT of walking!).

Day 5

Picasso Museum

We chose to go to the Picasso museum namely because it was a three minute walk from our hotel, but if it isn’t for you, use L4 (yellow) to Juame 1 to get there. The front of the museum is unassuming, on a narrow street in downtown gothic quarter. Fortunately, theres generally a large crowd outside that indicates its location.

I will say that the employees working there, at least on the day we chose to go, were probably some of the rudest and most unhelpful people we interacted with on our entire visit. They would roll their eyes and snap at us whenever we had questions, which wasn’t helpful seeing as it is a very confusing process to enter the museum without some guidance. For that reason I’ll explain what to do here. First, if you need to use the restroom there is one the opposite direction from the entrance to the museum (to the right in the courtyard). Second, they don’t allow any form of bags or backpacks inside the museum, so there is a locker room adjacent to the entrance that you will need to put all bags in before entering. To do so, you insert 1 Eu to get the key. Once you return the key, you get the euro back. They won’t help you until you do this, but once you have you can enter the museum (which is to the left in the courtyard) and give them your tickets.

The museum itself is wonderful, showcasing art from all of Picasso’s life. They also have detailed segments explaining his works and life in all rooms. However, the museum is very busy and loud, which somewhat took away from the splendor of his works.

St. Joan Festival

We were told that if we got the opportunity to experience a Spanish festival, we needed to. We were lucky to have a smaller festival, the St. Joan festival, during our stay. If you are visiting at a different time, make sure to do some research on the festivals going on in Barcelona before you go, because you shouldn’t miss them. Spaniards throw some of the most elaborate, exciting, beautiful festivals of any culture. Here is a place to start your research https://www.spanish-fiestas.com/festivals/calendar/ .

Anyways, if you do happen to be going to Barcelona at the time of the St. Joan festival, make sure to head down to the beach at around 9 PM with a towel, food, and drinks. Thousands of people will make their way down to the beach at this time to party and play with fire (Yes, actual fire). The festival is intended to celebrate the coming of summer, and the longest day of the year. To celebrate this, locals light off fireworks, have big bonfires, etc. This is why this festival is aptly nicknamed the festival of fire. Although this is less of a festival and more of a massive beach party, it was still very fun and I highly recommend!

Day 6

As our last day in Barcelona, and the day after a festival, we decided to chill out and have a relaxed day, and a cool down day before we boarded our 13 hour flight back home.

Barceloneta

My travel partner insisted we head to the Barcelona beach for at least a day, so we chose to go here our last day. To get there on the metro, take L4 (yellow) to the Barceloneta stop. Fortunately for us, we were close enough to just walk.

If you are going to head to the beach, go early, like 10 AM at the latest. By 1 PM the beach is so crowded its almost uncomfortable, so skip the crowd and go early. I didn’t like this beach nearly as much as the beach in Tarragona – the sand was rocky and the water was too rough to swim in when we went. However, it was still a fun and relaxing morning to spend on the beach. Make sure to keep your items on your person, or within grabbing reach at all times so that people can’t snatch your stuff.

While in Barceloneta, be sure to visit the restaurants nearby. Although they may be a bit pricier than other areas, some of them have very good food. Note the blanket sellers are basically all selling knock off main brand items, which you can barter for lower prices. However, know these blanket sellers are generally illegal, and that the items are completely fake.

Parc De La Ciutadella

After the beach, we weren’t exactly sure what to do. So we looked for nearby things and wandered our way to the city park, hopping from restaurant to restaurant along the way.

I was blown away by this park. Its beautiful and massive. In the middle of a bustling city, people were resting and playing on beautiful grass amongst pretty flowers. If you wander your way through the park, you make your way to a beautiful structure with gorgeous statues and a wonderful pond and fountain. You can also see the Arc De Triomf from here. I highly recommend this park for a relaxing afternoon. Maybe even bring a soccer ball or a frisbee to play on the fields.

I hope you all found this information helpful! Until next time, live free my fellow travel bugs!