Last time, I wrote about my top 5 things to take advantage of when in Barcelona so I thought this time I would write about 5 things you probably shouldn’t do on your visit here.

1. Don’t J-walk:

Back home if you don’t follow the crossing signals the worse thing that will happen is a ticket for J-walking. In Barcelona avoiding these signals will probably get you run over. Drivers here – especially those in Mopeds – have little to no regard for pedestrians and if you fail to follow the law it may cost you your life or at least give you a not so free ride to the hospital. Even when pedestrians do have the right-of-way, I’ve encountered some Loco drivers who are ready to fling you into the air. So, unless you’re ready to spend your trip in a cast and crutches – at best – FOLLOW THE SIGNALS.

2. Barcelona and Spain are not the same thing:

If you know anything about the state of Catalonia you also know it wants its independence from Spain and it’s something all Catalan people take pretty seriously. As it’s a year of the FIFA World Cup I’ve spent a couple hours sipping on some beer cheering on my favorite teams and I have to say I was astonished by some people. During one of the games where Spain played I saw some people wearing a FCBarcelona jersey and I almost felt bad for these poor souls who decided to do this. Yes, I know they’re probably visiting having the time of their life and its the only thing that shows some Spanish pride but considering all that is going on this is definitely the wrong time to wear it. Moral of the story: don’t wear a Barcelona shirt when cheering for Spain don’t wear a Spain shirt when cheering for Barcelona; you may as well try and mix olive oil and vinegar.

3. Know the holidays:

During my first week of work, there was a banking holiday – which meant NOTHING was open for the day. My boss assumed I knew about this holiday, I had no idea, so I came to work only to find a locked door. I stood there for about 20min wondering if maybe somebody was running late until someone approached me and asked what I was doing – I looked like an idiot and went back home. Like my boss, many will assume you know what’s going on so watch out for these days and enjoy a nice long sleep and some free time. This also applies to most restaurants and supermarkets and lots of stores so holidays won’t make good days for shopping.

4.  Don’t eat by tourist attraction:

After a long day of touring it’s easy to listen to your stomach and just point and pick a restaurant but prices for food by tourist attractions can be up to double the price and half the size. Instead walk a block or two and
try and find those hole-in-the-wall places that will give you your moneys worth. Your wallets will thank you and you’ll get a true taste of Barcelona cuisine.  Same goes for eating at fast food restaurants – take advantage of where you are and skip that 7Euro McDonalds burger.

5.  Don’t settle for Barceloneta Beach:

There are far better places to go tanning than Barceloneta. 1. It’ll be crowded and finding a spot will be nearly impossible – not to mention it’s a great place to get pick-pocketted. Instead opt for Costa Brava or Sitges, each are just about 45min away and the extra money you spend will be so worth it when you’re not stepping over cigarette butts and trash or swimming in dirty water.

Sitges Beach